Baobab Fair expands in Detroit
James Beard Award-nominated Burundian restaurant Baobab Fare is expanding in Detroit: In March, owners Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nizimbere purchased a new property at 16900 E. Warren Ave. in East English Village where they plan to open a second Baobab Fare location, and in May, food truck spinoff Waka announced it would open a brick-and-mortar location in Eastern Market.
Waka will serve a street food-focused menu of braised meats and vegetables wrapped in chapati (flatbread) and charcoal-grilled skewers (brochettes). Waka will be located at 2465 Russell St., the space that was previously home to the famed Russell Street Deli until 2019.
Puma hits the food scene this Memorial Day weekend
Javier Bardahuil’s Puma had a soft opening in Detroit’s Core City neighborhood in late May, coinciding with the Movement Electronic Music Festival and featuring DJ sets from local legends like Cephy McFly.
Just around the corner from Barda, the James Beard Award-nominated Barda in Bardaúil, Puma serves up a more casual spread of Argentinian food and drinks, including live music and a late-night bar.
North End gets new community-owned grocery store
The Black-owned grocery store opened at 8324 Woodward Avenue in Detroit’s North End on May 1. The Detroit People’s Food Co-op is democratically run by its members with a mission to provide healthy food to Detroit residents.
The co-op also prioritizes purchasing from local growers, producers, distributors and service providers to keep money circulating in the community. Lifetime membership costs $200 per person.
Leña brings Spanish-inspired cuisine to Brush Park
A new neighborhood-style bar and eatery run by Shelby’s owners has opened in Detroit’s Brush Park neighborhood.
Mike Conrad, former executive chef at Oak & Reel and Tacoi, will helm the kitchen, with Selden Standard alumna and 2019 James Beard Award nominee Lena Sareini serving as pastry chef.
The menu features Catalan and Basque-inspired dishes, much of which is cooked over the fireside, as well as wine and cocktails.
This article originally appeared in the July 2024 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To find out more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at your local retailer. The digital edition will be available on July 8th.
