The Nine Kitchen & Bar is opening next week in downtown Ferndale Tuna tartare, spicy Greek feta dip, smash burgers, pistachio whitefish, tiramisu, French champagne and more are all on the menu at new downtown Ferndale spot Nine Kitchen & Bar. Set to open to the public Tuesday after a week of soft service, Nine takes over where Brooks Brewing was on the west side of Nine Mile just north of Woodward. The entire interior has been redone with plush booths, trendy wallpaper, elegant lighting and a large bar in the center with cushy bar chairs. The vibe they're aiming for is a "modern, American bistro." Better for date nights rather than an afternoon with the kids, Nine Kitchen & Bar will have small plates, espresso drinks and craft cocktails with and without alcohol. The menu has Italian, Asian, Mediterranean and steakhouse influences. "These dips are awesome, we're going to have tacos ... we're going to have a really good spicy shrimp, some good flatbreads," said co-owner Damian Dabish, who comes from a fast-casual restaurant background. This is his first upscale spot with a bar, which will cater to beer fans, wine drinkers, cocktail aficionados and those who don't drink at all. "We have a good amount of NAs for sure, a lot of mocktails." They're definitely going for upscale with the craft cocktails buzzing around $16 and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for $150, but one could also get a $4 Labatt or a local craft draft for a few bucks more. Vegans will be eying the tacos with roasted rosemary carrots, micro greens and a vegan dill sauce and the “power up” quinoa salad with chickpeas, veggies and a garlic-ginger dressing. All the flatbreads and the double-patty smash burger come with a gluten-free option, as does the spicy rigatoni. Price-wise, the menu tops out at the $40 steak frites, a wagyu Manhattan strip steak with peppercorn sauce and Cajun lemon pepper fries. Being downtown Ferndale, there’s a weekday happy hour, naturally. From 4-6:30 p.m. Tues.-Fri. guests can get small plates like wings, tacos, flatbreads and dips for $9 each. House wine is discounted $5 and draft beers are $2 off, while specialty cocktails run $9 and La French vodka drinks are $6. More: Grey Ghost’s Ferndale burger concept debuts its name and a cute look Dabish says a weekend brunch menu is forthcoming, as is service on the patio in the back. "We've worked so hard on this project and we've been working on it for a while," he said, adding that the journey started in early 2024, just after Brooks Brewing closed. Starting April 29, Nine Kitchen & Bar's hours are 4-11 p.m. Tues.-Wed., 4 p.m.-midnight Thurs.-Sat. and 1-10 p.m. Sun. It's at 22925 Woodward in Ferndale. Reservations are accepted, but walk-ins are welcome. Call (248) 965-3661 or visit ninekitchenbar.com or instagram.com/ninekitchenandbar. mbaetens@detroitnews.com This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: The Nine Kitchen & Bar is opening next week in downtown Ferndale

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