Spring is a time for new beginnings and fresh starts, and that’s no different for the restaurant industry across Michigan.
Across metro Detroit, several seasonal favorites reopen. In late March, longtime pizza chain Buddy’s changed hands and is now under new ownership. A group of local investors bought the chain from private investment firm CapitalSpring. While other new restaurants and bars debuted across metro Detroit, some establishments shuttered in the wake of rising costs or concept changes.
Here’s a list of metro Detroit restaurants that recently reopened, debuted or said goodbye.
Re-openings
Downtown Street Eats
For those in downtown Detroit, spring signals the return of the Downtown Street Eats food truck season at Cadillac Square. Now in its 14th year, 80 food trucks and carts are ready to serve more than 2,500 people every weekday from 11 a.m. -3 p.m.
The Downtown Street Eats season runs through mid-October. For information and lineup of this season’s food trucks, go to downtowndetroit.org.
Bob Jo’s Frozen Custard
Warm weather and ice cream are synonymous with one another. Bob Jo’s Frozen Custard in Wyandotte reopened on April 10 for its 79th year and is open daily from noon -10 p.m. Find current flavors on Bob Jo’s Frozen Custard Facebook page.
4071 Fort St., Wyandotte.
Gino’s Surf
This lakefront restaurant, bar and entertainment spot is now open for the season in Harrison Township under new management, according to its Facebook page. Located on Jefferson Avenue with views of Lake St. Clair, Gino’s Surf boasts a new chef and a new menu, plus live bands.
37400 Jefferson Ave., Harrison Township; 586-999-9201 or ginossurfmi.com
Mike’s on the Water
Located on the Nautical Mile in St. Clair Shores, Mike’s on the Water is now open. Now in its 16th season,, Mike’s menu offers various seafood dishes, including weekly specials on swordfish, catfish, sockeye salmon, cod and tilapia. The establishment is also known for its lobster rolls, which have served over 117,000 to date, according to its website.
24530 Jefferson, St. Clair Shores. 586-872-2630 or mikesonthewater.com
Openings
Balam Coffee and Wine
The siblings behind Ferndale’s Mezcal Mexican Bar and Grill expanded the family business on March 16 with the opening of Balam Coffee and Wine. Located three doors down from Mezcal, Balam sources its coffee from Mexico and South America, and has a rotating selection of red and white wines from Latin America. The menu offers hot and iced coffee, Mexican pastries and food.
207 E. 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale; 248-206-7280 or balamcoffeeandwine
Chick-fil-A
The Chick-fil-A expansion in Michigan continued with two new locations: one in Royal Oak – located on Woodward Avenue and 13 Mile Road – and the other in Lincoln Park at the intersection of Southfield Road and Dix Road. The Royal Oak location held its grand opening on March 26 and on April 2 for the Lincoln Park location. As part of the grand opening, both establishments donated $25,000 to local hunger relief charities. Chick-fil-A announced in 2024 that it planned to open between 25 and 30 restaurants across the state by the end of 2028 and create over 2,500 jobs.
Little Bella’s Pizza and Wine
If you’re in the mood for brick-oven pizzas, charcutiers and cocktails, then Little Bella’s Pizza may be on your list of places to check out.
Located at 100 S. Main St, the newest establishment from restaurateur Adam Merkel opened its doors to the public in late March. The restaurant’s pizza menu offers classic pies, including pepperoni and margherita, along with garlic lovers, shrimp scampi and more.
Sean May is the mixologist and beverage director behind Little Bella’s drink menu. His cocktails include a trio of martinis and the lemon drop Italiano, along with a curated wine program.
Motz’s Burgers
Motz’s Burgers opened a location in Southgate, its third in metro Detroit, with a soft opening on March 14, serving its classic hamburger and cheeseburger sliders, plus chicken sandwiches, along with shoestring fries and onion rings as sides. Motz’s hails from the former Mott’s Hamburgers that opened its first location more than 90 years ago in southwest Detroit on Fort Street at the corner of Green. New owners took the Detroit location over in 1996, changing its name to Motz’s. In 2023, Motz opened its second location in Redford on Plymouth Avenue.
8714 Eureka Road., Southgate; 734-288-0587 or motzs.com
Patty and Press Smash Burger
Goran Dimic and Brandon Gorgies, owners of Naked Burger in Clinton Township, held a grand opening event of their second establishment together, Patty and Press Smash Burgers, on March 21 in Shelby Township.
The restaurant’s burgers are a signature blend from Fairway Packing Co. in Fraser and use beef tallow for all its fried side dishes. The Patty & Press Classic Smash meal includes a burger, hand-cut fries and a pop and costs $12.90.
Patty and Press Smash Burgers is located at 52300 Van Dyke, Shelby Township
Rock and Brews
Founded by two members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Kiss, Rock and Brews held a grand opening event on April 9 in Royal Oak. Co-founder and Kiss band member Gene Simmons was in attendance for the festivities.
The Royal Oak location is the 20th franchise in the national chain, which began 14 years ago. It is also the biggest street-side location to date, located inside a 12,000-square-foot, three-level establishment.
Rock and Brews pays homage to some of Detroit’s greats in the form of artwork and installations, including Bob Seger, the White Stripes, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin and Eminem. The menu features American comfort food such as burgers, chicken wings, tacos and salads.
208 W. Fifth St, Royal Oak; rockandbrews.com
Smith & Williams
Popular social media influencer Starex Smith, well known as The Hungry Black Man on his Facebook page, is planning a May 1 grand opening of his new Detroit restaurant, Smith & Williams. Smith, who hails from Miami, and business partner Deavante Williams opened the restaurant Easter weekend at 1428 Gratiot Ave. in the Eastern Market area. Menu highlights include roasted turkey wings on top of cornbread dressing, oxtail lasagna and colossal braised oxtails. These items, all made from scratch, involve days of prep work. Smith & Williams is set to have a grand opening on the first weekend in May. Hours are 4-8 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday for happy hour. Dinner hours are 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 5-9 p.m. Sunday. Brunch service is noon-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call or text 567-970-9059 for reservations.
1428 Gratiot, Detroit.
Closings
Caribou Coffee
While Chick-fil-A expanded with two new locations, Caribou Coffee, conversely, closed the doors on both its metro Detroit locations.
Caribou Coffee returned to Michigan after 10 years and opened its first metro Detroit location in Ferndale in December 2023. Three months later, the company opened its Allen Park location.
Both coffee shops closed in late March.
There are still two locations in Michigan, according to the company’s website, one in Marquette and the other in Stevensville. It’s unclear whether those locations will close.
Daly Restaurant
This Livonia landmark, once known as one of the old-fashioned drive-in restaurants in metro Detroit where diners could sit in their cars, order and eat, or dine in, is shuttering. Owner Scott Grace, who is retiring, told the Free Press that the restaurant will not close immediately and will be open for months before it closes. Located on Plymouth Road in Livonia, the Daly Drive-in served the community for more than 67 years with its Dalyburgers, Dalydogs, foot-longs, shakes and a host of other menu items like chili fries, onion rings and its Daly E-Sauce.
31500 Plymouth Rd., Livonia. 734-427-4474 ordalyrestaurants.com
Jolly Pumpkin
In late March, Jolly Pumpkin announced its Detroit closure on social media after 11 years of service. Located in Midtown, Jolly Pumpkin served artisan ales, sour beers, pizzas and burgers. The social media post hinted at a potential return in the future.
Taking Jolly Pumpkin’s place will be the second location of Spiedo from chef Brad Greenhill, a “Mediterranean-ish rotisserie & griddle” with a location in Ann Arbor, according to its website. The restaurant offers flatbread sandwiches and rice bowls for food and cocktails, beer and ciders to drink.
Jolly Pumpkin has other locations in Ann Arbor, Dexter, East Lansing and Traverse City.
Waterfront Restaurant
The owners of Wyandotte’s The Waterfront Restaurant announced on April 10 that the establishment’s last day of service will be Sunday, Oct. 11. A new luxury apartment complex is set to take the Waterfront’s place when it closes.
507 Biddle Ave., Wyandotte. 734-286-9046 or thewaterfrontwyandotte.com
Comet Burgers
Comet Burgers in St. Clair Shores announced its closure via social media on Monday, April 6, a little over a year after it first opened. The original location, at 207 S. Main St in Royal Oak, remains open for lunch and dinner.
Contact Eric Guzmán: eguzman@freepress.com; 313-222-1850. Follow him on X and Bluesky.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SusanMariecooks. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Spring time is here. Where can you grab a bite to eat this spring?
Reporting by Eric Guzmán and Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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