The number of downtown Detroit restaurants keeps growing. It was just learned that Buddy's Pizza is eyeing a spot in the Grand Circus Park area near Comerica Park.
Now comes news that the owners of Phoenicia, an upscale Lebanese restaurant in downtown Birmingham, is planning on opening a downtown Detroit restaurant that will serve Middle Eastern fare, reports Mark Kurlyandchik of the Detroit Free Press.
The family that owns Phoenicia and Forest, another Birmingham restaurant, plans in the summer of 2019 to open in Capitol Park. It'll be named Leila after the founder's wife and will occupy a spot in the Farwell Building at 1249 Griswold, which was vacant for more than 30 years and has been undergoing extensive renovations.
Sameer Eid ran Phoenicia in Highland Park before moving it to Birmingham nearly 40 years ago. His son Samy runs operations, and has good things to say about his mother, Leila.
"She's our guiding light," he tells the Freep. "She tells us what we're doing right and wrong. I think it's a beautiful way to pay homage to her. Some of the best meals of my life have been at her table."
