A Detroit staple, Louisiana Creole Gumbo, is planning for a larger, sit-down restaurant along Gratiot Ave. just a few blocks from its current Eastern Market location.
Joe Stafford brought fresh, authentic New Orleans cooking to Detroit in 1970, and Louisiana Creole Gumbo is now owned by Joe Spencer.
The plan to move the restaurant a few blocks away will allow the take-out restaurant to offer sit-down seating, two outdoor patios, a tasting kitchen, on-site parking and a lqiuor license.
"We had plans of growing our restaurant in its current location," Spencer said in a release. "But now we can expand upon our vision and bring a new culinary experience to the city."
The restaurant will be located in a nearly 4,900-square-foot art deco building that was built in 1933. It's at the corner of Gratiot and Joseph Campau.
"I am excited about Joe's plans to expand his restaurant and that it will remain an anchor for the Eastern Market area," Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement. "Louisiana Creole Gumbo has such a rich culinary history in our city and is a perfect example of a Detroit business that turned a Motor City Match grant they received in 2016 into an economic opportunity to grow their business, create new jobs, and provide delicious food. With that funding, they expanded their business in Northwest Detroit, and now I am happy they will serve as the gateway to Eastern Market."
The last meal will be served at the current Gratiot location on November 28, with the new location expected to open in the spring of 2024. However, Louisiana Creole Gumbo will serve food from the commissary kitchen at the new location starting Dec. 5, and out of their other locations in Northwest Detroit on 7 Mile and in Farmington Hills on Orchard Lake.
