R

eady to venture out?
An outdoor destination 
near Oakland County 
has revived the carefree nature 
of a late summer evening. Even 
wearing masks, visitors should 
feel refreshed after enjoying 
some diversion in downtown 
Northville.
In June, the city’
s Downtown 
Development Authority unveiled 
a reopening plan that “includ-
ed closing down two streets 
to vehicular traffic: East Main, 
between Center and Hutton, and 
North Center, between Main and 
Dunlap,
” said DDA Director Lori 

Ward. 
Permits allowed the expan-
sion of outdoor dining in the 
city, including on the sidewalks, 
parking spaces and roadway. On 
the streets closed to traffic, called 
a “social district,
” participating 
restaurants sell alcohol in desig-
nated cups that can be carried to 
the commons area for consump-
tion.
“Customers can get a drink to 
go while waiting for a table and 
sit out in our Town Square, Old 
Church Square or on benches or 

other tables and chairs set up by 
the DDA,
” Ward said. 
Popular restaurants within 
the social district include Lucy 
and the Wolf, City Grille, Table 
5, Poole’
s Tavern and LeGeorge. 
I made an online dinner res-
ervation for three at 160 Main, 
a southern Italian restaurant. 
Restaurant manager Miguel 
Silvera found us an umbrella 
table on the pretty European-style 
brick patio.
Dining inside is available as 
well. The second floorfeatures a 
mural of Monte Cofano in Sicily, 
where the restaurant founders 
and cousins were born. They are 
general manager Brian Maiorana 
and Chef Salvatore Monteleone, 
the culinary director. 
Monteleone executes seasonal, 
“from scratch” specialties with 
Chef Richard Simmons, “Sal’
s 
right-hand man,
” Silvera said.
The menu’
s pastas include the 
Linguine Alle Vongole I ordered 

with baby sea clams and white 
wine sauce. 
My guest ordered Saltim-bocca 
with veal: Prosciutto di Parma, 
sage, sauteed spinach in a white 
wine butter sauce. 
Silvera said other popular dish-
es include Branzino, house-made 
ravioli and gnocchi, filet, seared 
scallops and a Seafood Tower of 
jumbo shrimp, East Coast oysters 
and 4-ounce lobster tail.
Among the array of wine, 
beer and cocktails, he singled 
out a “friendly” drink called 
Unexpected Revenue. The purple 
floral concoction of simple syrup 
and Creme de Violette liqueur 
is served on a napkin imprinted 
with a $100 bill. 

66 | SEPTEMBER 17 • 2020 

dining around the D
Nosh

160 Main
160 Main Street, Northville
(248) 773-7976
onesixtymain.com
*** ½ out of *****

D

etroit Institute of Bagels, 
a popular Corktown 
bagel shop, is shutting its 
doors, and owner Ben Newman 
confirmed to the JN he has decid-
ed to sell the business.
Newman and DIB were in the 
process of working out an expan-
sion project between their build-
ing and nearby PJ’
s Lager House, 
eventually receiving permits on 
March 10.
Just a few days later, Gov. 
Whitmer signed an executive 
order closing restaurants and bars 
over COVID-19 concerns, and 
the plans folded.

“This was going to be a new 
and exciting challenge that helped 
realize the long-term vision for 
the business of using bagels to 
invest in our people, community 
and future,
” Newman said in an 
email. “But, right now and for the 
foreseeable future it seems insane 
to take out $1M+ loan to build 
more capacity and seating.
”
Newman stated that without 
the positive reinforcement of see-
ing people gather and converse 
over bagels, his passion to make 
bagels to realize a greater vision 
had waned.
“
Additionally, I have aging 

parents and a 10-month-old and 
it’
s important to me for them to 
be able to spend time together,
” 
he said. 
Newman also said it would 
be silly to let a place with the 
capacity to make bagels sit empty, 
which is why he’
s exploring a sale.
He already had a few offers on 
the business and building from 
people he thinks will bring posi-
tive energy to the area.
“
As a neighborhood resident 
and experienced bageler, I will do 
my best to make sure whoever 
takes it over is set up for success,
” 

Newman said. “Nothing formal-
ized enough to share yet, but I 
am confident the space will be 
making great bagels again sooner 
than later.
”
Newman, whose background 
is in urban planning and food 
service, wanted to use bagels to 
activate a vacant building, create 
a destination food business and 
provide living wage jobs. One of 
DIB’
s first events to generate pub-
licity was a fundraiser at the Isaac 
Agree Downtown Synagogue. 
Corktown had been the home of 
DIB since 2013.
As for what’
s next for Newman, 
he’
s keeping his plans close to his 
chest.
“In the short term, I want to 
continue to focus on family and 
also make sure that the next 
operators are off to a great start,
” 
he said. “Long term, I am inter-
ested in finding new meaningful 
ways to serve the community 
beyond boiling bread.
” 

O’
CONNOR REAL ESTATE

Dining in 
Downtown 
Northville

ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER 
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Detroit Institute of 
Bagels Closes Its Doors

COVID-19 and family-related reasons 
played a part in the decision.

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

