A sampling of tacos and hot dogs available via curbside carryout at Imperial in Ferndale. Photo courtesy of Working Class Outlaws.
After receiving word from Governor Gretchen Whitmer that all bars and restaurants in Michigan would be required to turn away all dine-in customers starting March 16 at 3 p.m, almost all of those businesses were suddenly at a loss as to what to do to stay afloat. Many were already equipped to handle carryout orders but delivery is a different beast.
The good news is that many bars, breweries, and restaurants have been able to switch to a delivery system and keep their doors open. This is not an ideal situation and many employees are either without a job or have reduced hours/pay, but thankfully, there are ways you can keep supporting your favorite spots while enjoying delicious food.
Eastern Market Brewing Company
Eastern Market Brewing Co. is delivering food and beer from The Ferndale Project. Photo courtesy of EMBC.
Having just recently opened The Ferndale Project in the former Livernois Tap location, Eastern Market Brewing Company knew they needed to pivot and pivot fast when the Governor’s order came down on March 16. So, they looked into launching a food and beverage delivery app called Wing It. The app lets you order EMB’s food and craft beer ($25 minimum for any order) to any address in Ferndale, Royal Oak, Berkeley, Oak Park, Hazel Park, and Madison Heights with the hopes to expand to other cities. Without the app, orders can be ordered by phone.
When it comes to the Eastern Market location in Detroit, they have decided to close down for the time being.
Browndog
As the only “barlor” (bar + ice cream parlor) around, Browndog is offering pick-up and delivery options for customers of either location (Farmington and Northville). This might be one of the only local businesses from which you can get a pint of ice cream delivered to your house. But, don’t let that stop you from checking out their delicious burgers, tacos, boozy milkshakes, and more. You can order from their website or by calling 248-615-2955.
If you’re living west of Detroit, Arbor Brewing Company is offering food and six-pack bottled beer and crowlers/growlers with carryout, curbside pickup and delivery options available. Some of the available beers include Trail Lyte raspberry ale, Double Cow double IPA, Strawberry Blonde fruit ale, and Hushed Tones hazy IPA. Visit their website to view a complete list. Plus, if you buy two six-packs, they’ll give a free deck of euchre playing cards! We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention a great place to get tacos to-go. Imperial in Ferndale is staying open for curbside service, 4-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. That means all of your favorite street-style tacos and specialty hot dogs will be available for pickup. Simply place your order over the phone, wait for a text message that your order is ready and respond by telling them where you are parked. They’ll bring your order straight to your car! Additionally, the folks at BEYOND Juicery + Eatery and BMG Media also came together to build a website with a database of all Metro Detroit restaurants that are still open and can be filtered to show those that offer delivery services. — Remember to drink responsibly and plan ahead with a designated driver or take advantage of one of these local designated driving services.
Arbor Brewing Company
Imperial