Pizza, oysters, ice cream and more: What's new to eat in the Grosse Pointes

The east side dining scene is buzzing with announcements, rumors and whispers of new cafes and restaurants that recently opened or are getting ready for their debut.

Recently the Pointes — Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Shores and Grosse Pointe Park — have seen an influx of new places to eat, and many of them already have other locations elsewhere in southeastern Michigan.

"The biggest reason I like this area is the aspect of community. It reminds me of home," said Trenton Chamberlain, who along with the Cotton Family and executive chef Gavin Russell will open Brine Oyster House this summer in Grosse Pointe Park. Chamberlain moved to the area five years ago and opened Brick's Pizzeria, also in the Park. He also took over management of nearby Red Crown and reopened it with a completely new Mexican menu, moving away from its previous barbecue concept.

"I've lived in Vermont, I've lived in Nantucket, I lived in Florida for a little while, and this place just has such a unique group of people who are willing to do anything for you. I think that's the reason I decided this is my home and this is where I want to grow our brand."

Scott Moloney of Treat Dreams has businesses in Ferndale, Madison Heights and Midtown Detroit, and thought the Grosse Pointe area was a Goldilocks situation for his next location: just right.

"It's an area where we had a very good following, they were loyal to us both at Midtown and Ferndale locations, and it's 20 minutes away from Ferndale so it was far enough where it wasn't going to cannibalize any sales, but close enough where we could manage it," said Moloney, who has also moved his residence to the area.

He purchased the building, a former bubble tea cafe, in April 2022 and has been painstakingly working on it himself to get it ready to be the next Treat Dreams. He even glued 9,000 nickels to the floor of a stage area to host some live music.

Once open next month, Grosse Pointe Woods Treat Dreams will have all the fun, inventive flavors that the brand is known for — kooky monster, salted butterscotch, vegan cookies and cream, etc. — plus has space to host private events and parties.

Sounds like a sweet deal. Here's a look at some restaurants, cafes and other food businesses recently opened in the Pointes and even more that are getting ready to make their debut this summer.

Open now

Qamaria Coffee: The latest location of Qamaria Coffee is on Mack in Grosse Pointe and is serving everything from Turkish coffee, pistachio lattes and ginger milk to classics like Americanos and caramel macchiatos. The Yemeni coffee brand, which also sells pastries, iced drinks and whole beans, has nearly a dozen cafes throughout the country, including Troy, Allen Park, Ohio and Texas. Walk in or order ahead online; open daily. 19727 Mack, Grosse Pointe Woods. qamariacoffee.com.

Mum’s Arcade: This haven for old school pinball and arcade games with a slot car track and bubble hockey has no kitchen or bar, but will bring in food trucks. The family friendly spot hosts kitchens on wheels like Cult of the Joe Burger and others every Wednesday evening. Mum’s Arcade is also available for private events and parties. 17738 Mack, Grosse Pointe. (206) 910-7148. Mumsarcade.com.

LeRouge Boulangerie: Barely a year old, people are loving this French bakery that sells coffee drinks, bread, croissants and other flaky pastry pick-me-ups, plus breakfast, sandwiches, soup and salads. This is another property from Chamberlain Hospitality (Red Crown, Brick's Pizzeria and Brine Oyster House). Dive in to their braised wagyu brisket sandwich on ciabatta with chimichurri slaw and gruyère cheese. Walk in or order online. Open 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Tues.-Sun. 15215 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe Park. lerougebakery.com.

Red Crown: Housed in a former service station, Red Crown recently reopened in April with a new chef and management and a completely renewed concept. Find tacos, tostadas, elotes, churros and more Mexican fare, plus a full bar to match. Walk in and dine or order carryout online. Open Wed.-Sun for dinner, plus lunch Sat.-Sun. 15301 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe Park. redcrowngp.com.

Cloverleaf Pizza: This Detroit-style pizza chain opened a carryout-only location in the spring with pizza, wings, subs, salads, calzones and more. Open daily for lunch and dinner. 17834 Mack, Grosse Pointe. (313) 455-5100. cloverleaf-pizza.com.

More:Food in the 586: Your dining guide to Macomb County

Coming Soon

Brine Oyster House: This hotly anticipated opening will offer a sustainable "tide to table" menu featuring farm fresh dishes like fish of the day, steak frites, a fried chicken sandwich, a burger and raw items including East Coast oysters, of course. Partners the Cotton Family own a farm in Metamora where they will get a lot of their produce. The two-level, 3,800-square-foot restaurant and bar will also host live music. Brine will be open for dinner five nights a week plus weekend brunch. They're aiming to open on Aug. 5, which is national oyster day. Reservations will open soon, but walk-ins will be accepted at the bar. 15033 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe Park. brineoysterhouse.com.

Pendy’s Grosse Pointe: Readying to open where Trattoria Serventi was until it closed in April, Pendy’s will serve steaks and seafood — more oysters, yay! — along with some casual fare, and have a classic bar program. Owners and hospitality veterans David Pendy and Susan Petrocy Pendy are familiar with the neighborhood, having owned the award-winning Hill Seafood & Chophouse in the past. Pendy's is expect to open Aug. 2. 20930 Mack, Grosse Pointe Woods. thependys.com.

Flyleaf: Not a just bar and restaurant, but a bar, bistro and bookstore. Flyleaf will have a coffee drinks, house cocktails, classic drinks and a whole wine selection. This upscale neighborhood destination is hiring front and back of house staff now, and are expected to open before the end of summer. 92 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe Farms. Flyleafgp.com.

Treat Dreams: This ice cream and sweet shop made its debut in downtown Ferndale in 2010, but has been seen all over town thanks to their Dream Machine mobile van that can serve ice cream anywhere the road leads. A second Treat Dreams opened in Midtown Detroit in 2015, and Moloney recently took over the Dairy Freezzz in Madison Heights. The Grosse Pointe Treat Dreams is shooting to open Aug. 18, so before the end of summer diners will be able to have dinner at Pendy's and then walk a few steps to Treat Dreams for dessert. 21012 Mack, Grosse Pointe Woods. treat-dreams.com.

Licavoli’s Cucina: Coming to the Village, this satellite location of Licavoli’s Market in Grosse Pointe Woods will have a small cafe serving lunch items like subs, salads and soups, plus grab-and-go heat-and-eat entrees and other snacks. The brand also has a full-service restaurant and bar in nearby St. Clair Shores. 16888 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. licavolismarket.com

Sidecar Slider Bar and Shift Kitchen & Cocktails: Two concepts within one location and a shared kitchen, this new spot will be a family friendly sports-ish bar called Sidecar Slider Bar on one side with gourmet sliders and hot dogs, sharables, craft beer, cocktails and more, and also home to Slice Pizza Kitchen. On the Shift side, expect something for the adults-only crowd with craft cocktails, top-shelf spirits, a wine list, small plates and live music. Partners Mark Adamo and Steve Simon are hoping to open before the end of August. This will be the sixth location for Sidecar Slider Bar, which also has restaurants in Birmingham, Farmington, Brighton, Plymouth and Lansing. 17051 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. Sidecarsliderbar.com.

Crispelli's Pizza & Bakery: This bread-centric brand made its debut as a Berkley cafe and restaurant more than a decade ago and has grown to have locations in West Bloomfield, Troy and Clarkston, plus a neighborhood bakery in Royal Oak. The newest Crispelli's is expected to be a full-service restaurant and bar that is open daily serving traditional Italian thin-crust and Detroit-style pizza, plus soup, salad, pasta and sandwiches. 19850 Mack, Grosse Pointe Woods. crispellis.com.

Bucharest Grill: The seventh location for Bucharest Grill is getting ready to open on Mack in Grosse Pointe Woods in September at the earliest. The popular Middle Eastern fast-casual concept has stores in Foxtown, Royal Oak, Rivertown, Milwaukee Junction and Avenue of Fashion, plus a recently opened Southfield location. Bucharest Grill is best known for its shawarma wraps, which are loaded with marinated meat, vegetables, garlic sauces and fries. bucharestgrill.com.

Poké Poké: The 11th location for this brand and ninth in Michigan will open in September with build-your-own poké bowls or one of their signature creations, plus bubble tea and other healthy options. 17045 Kercheval, Ste. 1, Grosse Pointe. eatpokepoke.com.

Not happening

Chick-fil-A: There have been rumors and buzz of a Chick-Fil-A opening in the Grosse Pointe area, but a rep from Chick-fil-A, Inc. confirmed to The Detroit News last week in a statement that there are no plans for one right now. "We are always evaluating potential new locations in the hopes of serving existing and new customers great food with remarkable service" reads the statement. "With 13 restaurants in the Detroit area, we would very much like to have more restaurants, but we have no new locations to confirm in the area at this time."

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mbaetens@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @melodybaetens