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Dennis Archer, Jr. To Open Gastropub In Heart Of Downtown Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ) - Joking that there will be no discount for Dad, the son of former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer plans to open a restaurant and bar in downtown Detroit this summer.

Central Kitchen + Bar will be located in the First National Building in Campus Martius, a hot spot where the City Lofts have appeared around the holidays.

"We could not be more excited to help breathe life back into this space and open our doors in the heart of the city," said Dennis Archer, Jr., an attorney and businessman, in a media release. "We have incredible partners – from Bedrock to our design and culinary teams – with a shared commitment to growing the city's food scene in a way that is inclusive and accessible to every kind of diner."

Archer told WWJ Newsradio 950's Sandra McNeil it'll be a gastropub — meaning higher quality bar food... and beer.

He said he wants to serve classic fare a step-up from typical bar snacks, but affordable.

CentralKitchen+Bar_Interior
A rendering of the interior of Central Kitchen + Bar (credit: Ignition Media Group)

 

"The chef would kill me if I gave too many details, but I'll tell you that we will have delicious burgers, we will have amazing salads, we will have some things like mussels, we'll have amazing chicken wings," Archer said. "And my kids are excited because they're the official taste-testers of the hamburgers."

Can patrons expect to see Archer in the back flipping those burgers? Probably not.

"From a hands-on perspective? I don't expect to be hands-on, because I've hired and partnered with tremendous talent," he said. "Will I be there a lot? Absolutely. I mean, because I think that we're gonna have among the best food downtown."

Of the nearly 130 seats in the restaurant, 90 will be indoors including 18 at the bar and 12 in a lounge area. The restaurant will also have patio seating for 24 with views of Cadillac Square and Campus Martius Park.

Archer hopes to open for business in July.

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