Business & Tech
Republica Aims to Bring 'Food Revolution' to Berkley
The family-run gastropub's menu will include healthy choices, including vegetarian and gluten-free options, as well as cocktails and Michigan craft beers.
Republica soon will transform the long-vacant former Berkley Bistro & Cafe space on Coolidge Highway into a sleek gastropub serving fresh, healthy food along with cocktails and Michigan craft beers.
The eatery, whose menu will include vegetarian and gluten-free fare, is expected to open in late August or early September, co-owner Petro Drakopoulos said.
The 30-year-old Bloomfield Hills resident followed his heart to Michigan from the Chicago area in 2011 to marry his wife Alexis and will run Republica with his father-in-law Keith Omand of West Bloomfield.
"It's been fun. It's really a labor of love," Drakopoulos said. "It's a family operation."
Drakopoulos said his wife has helped with Republica's interior design and his mother-in-law Georgian Mitchell-Omand, a dietician, has helped with the menu.
"My mother-in-law's family were the owners of Mitch's Tavern and Mitch's II and we will be revisiting several menu favorites," he said of the former Metro area restaurant staples. "(Mitch's) is a Detroit legacy and my wife's grandfather, Bill Mitchell, deserves recognition for these menu items."
The popular Greek salad and prime ribs from Mitch's will be on Republica's menu, along with the following items, Drakopoulos said.
- A bacon, kale and tomato sandwich, with smoked balsamic dressing.
- A pickled beef roll appetizer with dipping sauces.
- A 10-ounce burger with sirachannaise sauce, a tempura-coated onion ring and smoked gouda.
He said Republica will use local vendors when possible, including The Berkley Farm Stand and Royal Oak Farmers Market for produce, Sugar Kisses in Berkley for gluten-free bread, and Wolverine Meat Packing in Detroit.
Republica is a "food revolution" that is "breaking down the walls of what people expect," Drakopoulos said.
"It's dynamic flavors. It's fresh," he said. "You can have a meal and not feel bloated and like you've eaten 10 courses as long as the ingredients are fresh and prepared greatly. Anyone can drop fried mozzarella sticks in a frier."
Republica also will rethink the building's interior, which has been empty since the winter of 2011 when Berkley Bistro & Cafe closed.
"Inside will be more industrial revolution – concrete flooring with exposed rafters," and will feature a new bar, Drakopoulos said.
The bar will focus on "fresh fruit cocktail culture" and Michigan craft brews; customers will get to vote for their favorite between dueling beers to decide for what's on tap next, he said.
"It kind of fits into the Republica motif," Drakopoulos said.
The restaurant will be the corporate veteran's first venture into small business ownership.
"I started in the food industry when I was 15," at a hot dog restaurant in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, said Drakopoulos, who also has worked as a regional manager for Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches and as director of restaurants for Marriott Hotels.
Drakopoulos said he chose to open Republica in Berkley, in part, because of the city's diverse business landscape, which includes independent proprietors as well as chain-based merchants.
"I love Berkley because it's a mix of a good family environment and great, down-to-earth Michigan people and you can have a sustainable restaurant in a community that supports it," he said.
"We just hope people will find the time to come by the restaurant and have a great time," Drakopoulos said. "I look forward to (Republica) being a community mainstay for years to come."
At a glance
- When: The restaurant will open in late August or early September and be open for lunch and dinner during the week; weekend brunches will be added shortly after opening. Exact hours have yet to be determined. Stay tuned!
- Where: 1999 Coolidge Hwy.
- Cost: Prices will range from $8.50 to $30.
- What else: Carry-out will be available. Visit republicaberkley.com or "Like" Republic on Facebook for updates and more information.
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