Dates in Detroit : Dime Store

Last Saturday, I awoke with the spontaneous idea that we should go out for breakfast. My husband is well conditioned for this type of situation, so he was quick to produce a list he had found of recently opened restaurants.

And that my friends is how we came upon: Dime Store

Nestled in the heart of downtown Detroit, inside the historic Chrysler House Building (formerly the Dime Building, where it gets its name), is this gem of an American eatery.

The Dime store is a cozy and vibrant brunch bar with a vintage feel that pays homage to its namesake, the dime. They serve "scratch-made" breakfast and lunch, as well as an after-work drinks and bar bites menu.

As it was a Saturday, the place was bustling, but we were quickly seated at a table straight out of the 1950's.
Our waiter welcomed us with the phrase, "We serve breakfast and lunch all day, eat all of it!" No kidding!

As we browsed the menu, a few things stood out to me. They paid attention to the little details: from the locally sourced Zingerman's coffee, to the housemade ingredients, and creative combinations of traditional plates with an upscale twist. The walls were tastefully accented with chalkboard decor and dime-themed art. Staff were warm, friendly and gave off the feeling that they were just as excited to be there as we were!

We decided to start with two cups of the delicious coffee, followed by an order of  brioche french toast with bacon for me and the duck bop hash for him (see below for pictures with descriptions).

Oh, the coffee! It was a delicious medium roast blend with a smooth finish. So good!

What can I say about french toast, besides the fact that I love it. Here are the details that stood out about this particular dish: the brioche bread made it both crispy and dense in the right way, the 'real' maple syrup added richness, and the bacon was thick cut and not over-done (hallelujah!)

Dime store is popularly acclaimed for their use of duck confit in recipes, and this hash was no exception. The potatoes were cooked to perfection with just enough seasoning, the fried egg and spicy korean glaze complimented well, but the duck confit was the star. I have never ordered duck before, and I was lucky to sample a taste. It was a melt-in-your-mouth experience, with a hint of caramelized sweetness at the end. If that makes no sense to you, go and try it for yourself, it was so very good!

Overall our first experience at Dime Store, left us wanting to come back for more! It's a quick hop across the river on 719 Griswold, and is open weekdays (8am-9pm) for breakfast, lunch, and bar bites after work; as well as  Saturday  for all-day breakfast or lunch (10am-2pm).

Check out their Website or Facebook page for upcoming events, current hours and menu offerings.