CarrieDaway

Eastern Market is my go-to place to introduce people to the city. It’s fun and filled with people and it’s impossible for anyone to go there and not have a great time (believe me I’ve taken a lot of Detroit skeptics). Saturday Market Days are always fun but after the tour I’ve always ended up heading to Corktown, Midtown or Downtown for lunch. There are places to eat at the Market but none that I feel wouldn’t have drawbacks. Not anymore!

Stache International is just what I’ve been waiting for. A delicious sandwich shop with plenty of seating (including a high chair for Lucas) and parking! Eastern Market has a lot of parking options and Stache is conveniently located across the pedestrian bridge next to Gratiot Central Market.

There are so many new places in Detroit these days it’s hard to keep up. Consequently, I was surprised to see a 1 year anniversary sign outside the door when we arrived – but better late than never!

We normally avoid appetizers but the Curry-ous Cauli Bites called my name. These delectable fried cauliflower pieces now rank as one of my favorite food items and I’ve been thinking about them ever since.

Danny ordered the Stache Favorite and loved it. I asked our waitress for her favorite sandwich and, after Danny’s order, it was the Turkey ‘Mondulo’- I was relieved because it was the item I was leaning towards and also delicious.

Our waitress, Alex, had a British accent so I couldn’t resist asking for a brief interview.

Are you from Detroit?
I’m originally from England. I live in Ferndale but I’ve been in the area for 18 years.

What do you like about the city?
My mom grew up in southwest Detroit. I love the vibe and everything they’re doing to build it up – especially Eastern Market.

What Detroit project are you looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to the Red Wings and Pistons arena for sure.

As luck would have it one of Stache’s owners was working too and came over to chat. Ray is a veteran of the Detroit bar scene but new to the restaurant business. We discussed the growth of Midtown and life/business at the Market. The work on the restaurant was more than planned for and there are some projects that are still being worked but on the upside there’s a built-in audience and suppliers. Ray told us that on more than one occasion he’s had to run out to get fresh ingredients from one of the local shops – a nice perk that builds relationships and creates a fun neighborhood.

My favorite story was how Stache got it’s name.

“The name of this place comes from my grandmother. Growing up I would cook in the kitchen with her on Sundays. She would always show me photo albums and being that we are an Italian Lebanese family, all the guys in the pictures had mustaches. Since I wanted to do internationally themed sandwiches it just popped – Stache International.”

So there you have it. Next time you’re in the city and looking for a bite to eat go to Stache because it’s fantastic.