If you’ve never been to Vertical Detroit, it’s quite an experience for the wine lover.
The space, part of which was a liquor store not too many years ago, is in the lower level of The Ashley, a recently renovated historic apartment building steps away from Comerica Park and the Detroit Athletic Club.
It’s elegant and for someone who’s serious about having a nice night out with quality wine and food.
It’s owned by James Lutfy and Remy Lutfy who also own the Fine Wine Source in Livonia.
For being open less than a year, being named one of the top bars in America is quite an honor, but maybe it should be no surprise. Vertical Detroit also scored number 8 on the Freep’s list of best restaurants this year, and has had mostly glowing reviews since it opened.
It was noted by Wine Enthusiast for having an excellent “by the glass” program, adding:
Five rotating sets of tasting flights are offered, each focusing on multiple vintages of a single wine. It’s a tableside lesson in bottle age and vintage variation. As the Wine Director, Remy Lutfy, says of her staff, “We drink wine, we talk wine and we love wine.”
Riot Dish: “Burger ‘Vertical Grind’… a special grind that is done through Fairway Packing, with gruyere, Edwards bacon, tempura avocado and lemon truffled aioli.”
That Vertical Grind burger they talk about will set you back $17, plus an additional $8 if you want to add foie gras. Individual glasses of wine run $9-$45. They also have very popular happy hour specials, which is a good way to give this place a spin if you’re on a budget.
And hey, burgers in the range of $20 are not unheard of in downtown Detroit anymore.
Vertical Detroit is at 1538 Centre Street in Detroit. Website.