Woodward Avenue stays serving as a scoreboard for Detroit’s momentum.
New storefront signs go up, opening dates shift, and residents keep receipts on what actually arrives and who it serves. Current 2026 plans point to a mix of national brands, award-winning hospitality, and Detroit-rooted food entrepreneurs bringing new options downtown and deeper into the neighborhoods.
A long-awaited Chick-fil-A is now slated to open downtown this winter inside the Bedrock-owned First National Bank Building at 660 Woodward Ave.
The fast-food restaurant was announced in February 2024 and was initially expected to open in spring 2025. This location would become the chain’s third in Detroit, joining an outlet inside the Detroit Medical Center and a standalone restaurant that opened in November at 17761 Mack Ave. Statewide, Chick-fil-A has nearly 40 locations in Michigan, with the first opening in 2015 in Lansing.
Another high-profile arrival is expected inside the Hudson’s Detroit development. Union Square Hospitality Group, the New York-based company founded by restaurateur Danny Meyer, plans to open a restaurant in the Bedrock project, marking the group’s first Midwest restaurant.
Meyer framed the move as a bet on Detroit’s energy, saying, “Detroit is brimming with culture, creativity, and pride,” and adding, “Expanding here — and joining such a dynamic neighborhood — gives us the opportunity to grow and innovate alongside a city that’s constantly in motion. As a proud native Midwesterner, I couldn’t be more excited to plant our flag in Detroit.” Union Square Hospitality Group traces back to 1985 with Union Square Cafe and now operates 14 restaurants across New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Tokyo, with 28 James Beard Foundation Awards.
Over in The District Detroit, Sunda New Asian is scheduled to open early in 2026 at 33 W. Columbia St.
The concept comes from Billy Dec, a Chicago native described as an Emmy Award-winning TV personality, actor, and restaurant owner. Sunda, founded in 2009 in Chicago, is known for modern new Asian cuisine drawing from Japan, China, and other Southeast Asian influences. The menu is expected to include sushi options, noodle and rice dishes, plus entrees such as wagyu and adobo pork belly.
Downtown will also see another Detroit legacy brand expand.
The owners of Joe Louis Southern Kitchen plan to open the company’s third restaurant on April 3 at 1528 Woodward Ave., also a Bedrock property. The date lines up with Detroit Tigers Opening Day. The first location opened in 2021 at 6549 Woodward Ave. in New Center, followed by a second in November 2024 at 29639 Northwestern Highway in Southfield. Owners include Joe Louis Barrow II and local restaurateur Johnny Cannon. Plans call for an investment of just under $2 million, a staff of about 40, and a 4,000-square-foot space designed for 80+ guests, with décor highlighting Joe Louis’ milestones and career photos.
Outside downtown, a long-anticipated neighborhood opening is still on the calendar.
Little Liberia owner and chef Ameneh Marhaba plans to open in the fall inside The Ribbon development at 16530 E. Warren Ave. in East English Village. The restaurant was previously slated for fall 2024, with construction still ongoing as of an update shared in October. Marhaba immigrated to Detroit from Liberia in 2010. Little Liberia’s menu is expected to center authentic Liberian dishes shaped by African, Caribbean, and Antebellum-South African American influences, along with a halal menu informed by customer feedback and tasting events held before opening.
Eastern Market is also in line for a new brick-and-mortar chapter from a familiar name.
Waka, the East African food truck connected to the Baobab Fare family, still plans to move into a storefront at 2465 Russell St., the former home of Russell Street Deli. The plan centers fast-casual counter service with dine-in options featuring signature items like brochette and chapati, along with other East African street food options and “to-go” meals. The space is also expected to carry products from the owners’ retail line Soko, including coffee, beverages, and chocolate.
