Popular Detroit restaurants announce closings

After 11 years, Jolly Pumpkin Pizzeria and Brewery located in Midtown Detroit has closed its doors. A social media post from the owners expressed thanks to their customers and hinted at a new location opening in the future. “We are so grateful for the love, support, and memories you’ve shared with us over the years, it has truly meant everything,” the post said. “This isn’t goodbye, just see you soon. JP will be back in Detroit, and we can’t wait to share what’s next.” The eatery gained notoriety back in January of 2016 when it was selected as a lunch stop for President Barack Obama, before he headed to the North American International Auto Show.

Highlands Detroit, located on the 71 and 72nd floors of the Renaissance Center has announced that it will close in May of 2027. The Summit, famous for its revolving floor which provided an ever-changing view of Windsor and the Detroit skyline for all diners, was the first restaurant to occupy the iconic space in 1977. Then, restaurateur Matt Prentice opened Coach Insignia which operated from 2004 to 2017. The Highlands Detroit launched in November 2019 with James Beard award winning chef Shawn McClain. “When we opened Highlands, we set out to build something that was worthy of this view — a restaurant where the food and the experience matched the magic of being 72 stories above the Detroit River,” said chef and owner Shawn McClain in a news release. “Detroit welcomed us with open arms, and we’ve been honored to host thousands of celebrations, proposals, anniversaries, and unforgettable evenings in this extraordinary space. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built here and grateful to GM and Bedrock for being such tremendous partners throughout this journey.” 

Vertical Detroit Wine Bar, owned and operated by the father-daughter team of James Lutfy and Rémy Lutfy, has closed shop as of March 28. The popular wine bar opened in 2015 in downtown Detroit’s Harmonie Park and had been honored multiple times by Wine Spectator. “After an incredible decade of serving the Detroit community, we have made the decision to close our doors here at Vertical Detroit. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support and patronage throughout these years. Our guests have truly been the best part of this journey, from the celebrations and laughter, to every bottle that we shared, your support has meant everything to us. Thank you for being a part of the Vertical Detroit story over the past decade,” said the Lutfy Family in a joint statement.