An Afro-fusion pop-up is opening its first brick-and-mortar space in Detroit.
Little Liberia will be opening at 6513 Woodward Avenue. Owner and chef Ameneh Marhaba told What Now Detroit that the restaurant is expected to open mid to late 2024.
The space at Woodward Avenue was formerly occupied by the co-working space Room Project. The nonprofit Midtown Detroit, Inc. helped secure the location, Eater Detroit reported.
“I am excited to bring Little Liberia’s flavors to a permanent location in the heart of Detroit, the support and love we’ve received from our community have been overwhelming, and I’m excited to create a space where our guests and fellow immigrants can experience the essence of West Africa whenever they please and feel safe doing so,” Marhaba said in a news release.
According to its website, Little Liberia cuisine melds “African, Caribbean, and Antebellum-South African American influences.”
Marhaba was born in Liberia, where she learned to cook, and she also spent time in Lebanon. She began doing pop-up events in Detroit after moving to the U.S., and she was a MasterChef finalist after auditioning in 2019.
Little Liberia won the $100,000 grand prize from Comerica Bank in last year’s 2022 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest.
Eater Detroit reports that diners can expect dishes like plantain chips, Liberian country dry rice, cassava leaves, groundnut stew and palm butter, as well as cocktails and mocktails. Marhaba is also gathering feedback on dishes from pop-up visitors ahead of the brick-and-mortar opening.
