New Detroit-area restaurants for 2025

By Lee DeVito on Thu, Feb 20, 2025 at 6:00 am

While the restaurant industry has been facing especially difficult headwinds lately, that hasn’t stopped a number of exciting new establishments from opening in the Detroit area. Here’s a sampling of some of the spots that have opened over the past year or so.

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Leña

2720 Brush St., Detroit; lenadetroit.com

Opened in 2024 in Detroit’s Brush Park, the menu of this Spanish-inspired restaurant includes wood-fired main courses along with craft cocktails and wines.

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Adelina

1040 Woodward Ave., Detroit; adelinadetroit.com

Opened in March by celebrity chef Fabio Viviani in collaboration with local chefs Gabriel Botezan and Marco Dalla Fontana (of the shuttered Bacco Ristorante in Southfield), this downtown restaurant draws inspiration from Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. It opened in the former Calexico space in One Campus Martius.

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Antica Nova

1695 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy; anticanova.com

This Italian restaurant opened in late 2024 in the space behind the San Marino Club that was formerly home to Tre Monti. Its name means “new antique,” a nod to the way it blends traditional flavors with modern culinary techniques. The kitchen is led by Anthony Giannola, who learned to cook from his mother and grandfather.

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Facebook, Aria Restaurant

Aria Restaurant

33210 W. 14 Mile Rd., West Bloomfield Twp.; ariabloomfield.com

This high-end restaurant opened its doors in late 2024, blending drawing inspiration from Italian, European, and Mediterranean cuisines.

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Aurora on the Lake

2323 Union Lake Rd., Commerce Twp.; auroraitaliana.com

After more than 30 years of business, the lakeside fine-dining restaurant It’s A Matter of Taste closed in 2024. In early 2025 Aurora Italiana on the Lake opened in its space, following the upscale Italian restaurant’s original location in West Bloomfield in 2023. Both serve up high-end dishes inspired by Italy’s Amalfi Coast.

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Facebook, Avalon Cafe & Kitchen in Ann Arbor

Avalon Cafe and Kitchen

224 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; avalonbakeryandcafe.com

This beloved local bakery chain closed its East Liberty Street location in late 2024, reopening a smaller location next door to Pretzel Bell.

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Bell Bistro

185 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham; bellbirmingham.com

This modern American eatery opened in late 2024 in the space formerly occupied by Mad Hatter Bistro.

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Blind Owl Royal Oak

511 S Main St., Royal Oak; blindowlrestaurant.com

After nine years in business, The Morrie in Royal Oak closed in late 2024 and was replaced by Blind Owl. The fusion restaurant mixes Latin, Asian, Mediterranean, and American inspirations and follows a flagship location that opened in downtown New Baltimore in 2023.

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Clean Eats

819 W. 14 Mile Rd., Clawson; cleaneatsmi.com

After opening its first location in West Bloomfield, this health-conscious, grab-and-go spot opened another in Clawson in early 2025. Its menu includes more than 35 ready-to-eat meals all under 450 calories.

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Dime Store Rochester Hills

6920 N. Rochester Rd., Rochester Hills; eatdimestore.com

This Detroit brunch favorite celebrated a decade operating out of downtown’s Chrysler House Building with exciting news — an expansion to the ’burbs. Attached to a Papa Joe’s Gourmet Market, the new location is more than double the size of the original Detroit spot, allowing for an expanded menu including pancakes and former limited-time specials like the General Tso’s Benny. The extra space also means it can accommodate reservations for parties of up to 12, private events, and catering orders.

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Dirty Shake

4642 Second Ave., Detroit

While its team comes from upscale spots like Freya, Dragonfly, Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails, and The Oakland, this new joint aims for more of a neighborhood bar vibe. It plans to open in a long-abandoned building in March.

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Echelon Kitchen and Bar

200 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; echelonkitchenandbar.com

Opened in early 2025, this spot offers a wood-fired, vegetable-forward, locally sourced menu. It also features a curated selection of Michigan-made craft beverages.

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Fixins Soul Kitchen

1435 Randolph St., Detroit; fixinssoulkitchen.com

This soul food spot opened in late 2024, the latest in a national chain owned by former NBA All-Star and mayor of Sacramento Kevin Johnson. It serves up soul favorites like fried chicken, oxtails, fried green tomatoes, black-eyed peas, and even a deep-fried take on deviled eggs.

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Joe Maroon

Forest Bakery

8140 W. Nine Mile Rd., Oak Park

This bakery was opened by three friends in 2024 and has already gained a cult following with its phenomenal pastries. It’s only open Thursdays through Saturday from 10 a.m. until it sells out, so be sure to get there early.

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Instagram, @hala_beirut_restaurant

Hala Beruit

3636 Caniff St., Hamtramck

Opened in late 2024, this Lebanese restaurant is earning praise for its flavorful chicken and low prices.

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Hiroki-San

1265 Washington Blvd., Detroit; hirokisandetroit.com

A sister restaurant to chef Hiroki Fujiyama’s Philly restaurant Hiroki, this spot opened in Detroit’s renovated Book Tower in early 2024. Its menu includes robatayaki yakitori dishes cooked on a charcoal grill and sushi using ingredients imported from Japan, as well as an extensive sake menu.

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Instagram, @houseofburek

House of Burek

48850 Van Dyke Ave., Shelby Twp.; houseofburek.com

This spot is home to all things burek, the savory pies and pastries from Balkan cuisine. It opened in late 2024.

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Instagram, @hteacafe

HTEA CAFE

2891 W. Maple Rd., Troy; hteacafe.com

This cozy Asian tea cafe opened in late 2024, featuring an extensive tea menu, pizzas, and ornate desserts.

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Instagram, @jpmakesandbakes

JP Makes and Bakes

6529 Woodward Ave., Detroit; jpmakesandbakes.com

Billed as Detroit’s only Filipino bakery, JP Makes and Bakes opened in late 2024 by Jonathon Peregrino, a first-generation Filipino American who cut his teeth in Detroit restaurants like Oak and Reel and Le Suprême. One menu highlight is the ube brownies, made from a purple yam.

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Jacob Lewkow

Lady of the House

4884 Grand River Ave., Detroit; ladyofthehousedetroit.com

Chef Kate Williams earned acclaim with Lady of the House, which operated in Corktown from 2017 to 2021 when its building was sold. She reopened L.O.T.H. in the Core City area in late 2024. Its menu blends Irish, French, and Midwest influences with a focus on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

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