When the Michigan Central Station invites the public for a peek at the iconic train station in its renovated glory, Corktown restaurants and bars, new and old, will be ready to welcome those customers to a seat at their tables.
In Corktown, well-known as one of the trendiest Detroit neighborhoods, diners will find great barbecue, burger places, craft beer, pizza, and ethnic cuisines.
Corktown is the city’s oldest existing neighborhood. It’s known for its charm with some cobblestone streets and old Victorian-style homes, giving it a small-town feel while offering a wealth of eateries.
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While Corktown is a dining hot spot with a diverse mix of eateries, many credit Slows Bar BQ opening as the catalyst for putting Detroit's oldest existing neighborhood in the culinary spotlight. Soon after its 2005 opening, Slows was the talk of the town with chef Brian Perrone at the helm churning out deftly smoked ribs, smoked pork and smoked chicken sandwiches plus creamy sides of mac and cheese.
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Other restaurants, such as Nemo’s Bar, a Corktown favorite now for 60 years, did exist before Slows. Before Mudgie’s opened in 2008, the space was home to Eph McNally's Sandwich Shoppe. Named after Ephram McNally, the grandfather of the building’s owner, the sandwich shop opened in 1996. In the early ‘80s, the space housed another deli.
Plenty of restaurants and other establishments have opened since Slows, including Cork & Gabel, which was in the making in 2018, when Ford announced it bought Michigan Central Station.
More:Michigan Central Station reopening: Everything you need to know
Matthew McGrail, Cork and Gabel executive chef, said he and Joe Mifsud, the restaurant and building owner, found out halfway through the restaurant's build-out, the train station had a new owner.
“Like everyone, we were in shock and surprised,” McGrail said. “We always knew whoever was going to buy, it was going to big. We didn't know it was Ford.”
With Ford as the new owner of the train station, a win-win was in the back of McGrail’s mind, though they still had a restaurant business to run and had to weather storms, including the stresses of the pandemic.
Cork and Gabel’s back parking lot, McGrail said, is about 100 yards from the train station.
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“It’s nice to have Ford as a neighbor … it’s all terrific that’s for sure," he said.
Here is a small sampling of restaurants and bars that now dot the Corktown landscape:
Alba Coffee
2124 Michigan Ave.
This coffee shop inspired by the diverse coffee cultures from around the U.S., including Detroit, and globally, opened late last year. Its name in Spanish means “dawn,” owner and native Californian David Valdez says. While Alba offers a great selection of coffee and coffee drinks, its breakfast items, from croissants to egg sandwiches and burritos, also shine. Not to miss is the fluffy egg sandwich ($7.50) with cheese and a slather of an aioli that’s kissed with a hint of spicy chile de arbol, sprinkled with fresh chives and nestled on a lightly griddled brioche bun.
For info: alba-coffee.com
Alpino
1426 Bagley St.
This newcomer to Corktown is housed in the former Lady of the House space on Bagley and Trumbell streets. Alpino, lauded for its Alpine region-inspired menu, was named the 2024 Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Restaurant of the Year. Its cuisine draws from several countries that thrive on the elements of the Alps. There are selections of cheeses and meat, including the famed French raclette, fish and meats.
For info: alpinodetroit.com
Batch Brewing
1400 Porter St.
Batch Brewing has been delighting Corktown with its specialty beers and food for nearly 9½ years. Batch’s outdoor, covered pavilion is a great gathering spot to enjoy beer and its specialty food items, including its smoked chicken wings, smoked cauliflower and house-made pretzels served with aged cheddar sauce and spicy brown mustard. Many of the food items come from Batch Brewing Yellow Dog Craft BBQ and its three on-site smokers fueled with oak, owner and pitmaster Stephen Roginson says.
For info: batchbrewingcompany.com
Bobcat Bonnie's
1800 Michigan Ave.
This Corktown spot is where Bobcat Bonnie’s got its start. Locally owned and operated, there are now seven Bobcat Bonnie's locations in Michigan. Highlights of the menu are its shareables of fried Brussels sprouts and fried goat cheese, burgers, sandwiches, salads and a variety of entrees. It is known for special menu days, such as its Burger Mondays. A separate brunch menu is offered on Saturday and Sunday.
For info: bobcatbonnies.com
Brooklyn Street Local
1266 Michigan Ave.
At the corner of Brooklyn Street, the restaurant is a favorite for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Much of what’s featured at Brooklyn Street Local is locally sourced, according to its website. A highlight of the restaurant is its authentic poutine offered in a variety of ways, along with its breakfast items, sandwiches and salads.
For info: brooklynstreetlocal.com.
Cork and Gabel
2415 Michigan Ave.
On Michigan Avenue at the corner of 16th Street, Michigan Central Station is in Cork and Gabel’s backyard. The menu, Matthew McGrail, its executive chef says, is European comfort food with German, Irish and Italian influences. This more than 160-seat restaurant includes a four season room with garage doors that open to the patio.
For info:corkandgabel.com
Also nearby: Two James Spirits tasting room on Michigan Avenue offers tasting flights and craft co*cktails all made with in-house produced spirits.
Hamilton's and I|O Rooftop Lounge
These two newer spots are at the new Godfrey Hotel on Michigan Avenue. Hamilton’s is from Detroit restaurateur Samy Eid, of Chickpea Hospitality, owners and operators of Phoenicia in Birmingham and Leila in Detroit’s Capitol Park. Its menu features local and seasonal ingredients and offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. I/O, for indoor and outdoor, is the hotel’s rooftop lounge with views of the Detroit skyline and a rotating small plates menu.
For info: godfreyhoteldetroit.com
Folk
1701 Trumbull
This award-winning and James Beard-nominated all-day café and wine shop is on Trumbull, a block off Michigan Avenue. It's a small spot with big offerings of seasonally inspired brunch and lunch items. On its rotating food menu, items are listed as being paired with coffee or wine or other drinks. With a menu inspired by the seasons, Folk’s mantra is “sourcing locally, sustainably, and ethically,” its website says.
For info: folkdetroit.com
Nearby: Mink, a small, intimate place offering sustainable seafood with a rotating seasonal menu.
Ima Izakaya
2100 Michigan Ave.
In late 2016, Mike Ransom opened Ima, a tiny place on Michigan Avenue lauded for its signature broths, udon noodles, rice bowls, curries and small plates. Ransom went on to open Ima in Madison Heights, which earned the 2019 Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Restaurant of the Year. In 2021, Ima announced it was moving. Luckily for Corktown, Ima stayed in the neighborhood, moving just across the street in the former Gold Cash Gold restaurant. Ransom expanded the menu and billed it as an izakaya, a Japanese hangout for diners socializing over food and drinks. Ima offers an extensive menu, including items cooked on its robata grill.
Nearby: Summertown Fresh Bar, also from Ima, offers smoothies, fresh fruit and veggie juices, coffee, tea, soups, snacks and desserts.
For info:imaizakaya.com
Mercury Burger and Bar
On the corner of 14th Street and Michigan, the bar known for its burgers has Michigan Central Station in the backdrop. Its burgers, with 15 varieties listed on its online menu, are ground daily and hand-pressed. They also have sandwiches, hot dogs, soups and salads. sides include fries, tots, slaw and chili.
Nearby: Grandma Bob's handmade pizzas, known for its deep-dish and specialty pizzas. There are more than 10 pizza selections offered from deep-dish style to bar style. There also is a full beer and co*cktail menu.
For info: mercuryburgerbar.com
McShane's Irish Pub & Whiskey Bar
1460 Michigan Ave.
This longtime Corktown pub is on the corner of Michigan Avenue at Trumbull. McShane's opened in 2012 and is co-owned by Bob Roberts. There's a selection of bar foods like wings and Irish egg rolls filled with corned beef, salads, soups, burgers and sandwiches. McShane’s now has locations in Ypsilanti and in Belleville. Each location offers Michigan craft beer and plenty of whiskey selections.
For info: mcshanespub.com
Mudgie’s Deli and Wine Shop
1411 Brooklyn St.
The late Greg Mudge opened Mudgie’s, formerly Eph McNalley’s, in 2008 a few blocks south of Michigan Avenue on Brooklyn Street. Mudgie’s is known for its hearty sandwiches piled with fresh cuts meats and cheese, soups, wine shop and more. Over the years, its sandwiches topped local and national best sandwich lists. Mudge, known as the “heart of Corktown” died suddenly in September 2021.
For info: mudgiesdeli.com
Nemo’s
1384 Michigan Ave.
For nearly 60 years, Nemo has been a Corktown and Detroit classic well-known for its Detroit Tigers Opening Day parties and bus shuttles to baseball games. Nemo's is also well-known for its ground-round burgers which make up its entire menu. On the menu you will a variety of burgers from beef to turkey burgers to the Impossible burger, along with fries.
For info: nemosdetroit.com
Ottava Via
1400 Michigan Ave.
Its Italian rustic-style menu and vintage nuances make Ottava Via a cozy spot. Its location was a former bank building. With high ceilings and open ventilation, expect it to be loud on busy nights. Shareables, including roasted broccolini, arancini and a chef’s rotating selection are a good bet here to share as is the house-made bread and butter service with accompanying extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic, and shredded Parmesan. Ottava Via also has one of the coolest and coziest outdoor patio with fire pits and a huge fireplace.
For info: ottavaviadetroit.com
Slows Bar BQ
What can we say? Nearly 20 years ago Slows Bar BQ was founded and opened by Phil Cooley and chef Brian Perrone. Slows has been the darling of Corktown ever since. Perrone has not wavered from its core offerings of burnt ends, ribs, smoked pork and chicken and mac and cheese. A shift in ownership took place more than a year ago and the Cooley family sold their interest in Slows.
Supergeil
2442 Michigan Ave.On the west end of Corktown, Supergeil's menu has threads of European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences and is inspired by Berlin’s Kreuzberg district. Supergeil, a 2022 Detroit Free Press Best New Restaurant, is best known for its Berlin-style döner kebab and crisp fries drizzled in spicy scharf sauce and fermented items. Its name is German for super-cool and that is exactly what it is.
For info: supergeildetroit.com
Takoi
2520 Michigan Ave.
Takoi, a James Beard-nominated restaurant that began as a food truck,is best known for its modern and seasonally inspired Thai and pan-Asian dishes. It's a trendy spot with an open kitchen and fenced-in patio. Takoi also operates HiO Farm, its own nearby farm. From spring to fall its menu is influenced by farm-grown produce.For info: takoidetroit.com
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news to:sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on X, formerly known as Twitter.Subscribe to the Free Press.
