Detroit, MI — Tis the season, foodies! We’re all getting an extra gift this year: some exciting news to report on the local small business/restaurant front. Last week, Chef Ameneh Marhaba revealed the new location for her upcoming brick-and-mortar restaurant: Little Liberia. The new eatery aims to open in the Fall of 2025 along the first floor of The Ribbon Apartments in Detroit’s East English Village on the East Side.

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I want to note real quick that it’s great to be back at blogging after taking several weeks off. I desperately needed a respite after the Fall stretch, so I used the time to refocus my energy on other hobbies, increased gym time, and lifting days! I received quite a few recommendations over the last several weeks, and have assembled quite the list for future soon-to-be adventures, so stay tuned. Anyhow, back to the important foodie news!

Ameneh’s passion project will be Michigan’s first Liberian restaurant, celebrating the West African cuisine that Ameneh grew up learning how to make from her mother. In August, I interviewed Chef Ameneh live on-air during a guest segment at my news job. During the interview, Ameneh told me that when she was growing up in Liberia, she used to help out in her mother’s kitchen and at her restaurant. She witnessed firsthand her mother’s hard work and dedication, saying at the time that it’s what inspired her to pursue a business of her own and share a taste of her home right here in Detroit.

Ameneh’s vision: an Afro-fusion restaurant featuring Liberian beverages, spices, and the vibrant cuisine of West Africa. This vision culminated in Little Liberia, an endeavor Chef Ameneh established in 2016. Little Liberia symbolizes more than where Ameneh came from; it represents her journey as a whole: immigrating to the United States, developing a small business, and overcoming many challenges along the way.

Ameneh’s culinary journey began with local pop-up events and catering around Detroit. In 2022, Chef Ameneh won $100,000 in the Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest after pitching Little Liberia in the innovative competition hosted by TechTown. She set her sights on finding a space to call home for her restaurant, announcing plans in September 2023 to take over the former Room Project’s space in Midtown. Unfortunately, about a month ago, Ameneh shared on social media that development plans had shifted due to “unanticipated obstacles that became increasingly difficult to tackle.”

Nonetheless, Ameneh’s quest continued, leading to the location along East Warren Avenue and Outer Drive East on Detroit’s East Side. While Little Libera’s future home is currently in the design phase, some anticipated facets of the eatery will include a bar area, outdoor dining, high-top seating, and a retail section for Little Liberia merchandise and specialty products.

“We couldn’t be happier to join the East Warren Corridor,” said Chef Ameneh. “This community is vibrant, welcoming, and the perfect place to bring Little Liberia’s vision to life. We can’t wait to share this journey with everyone.”

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I’m very excited for Chef Ameneh as she continues to see her vision become a reality over these next couple of months. She has an inspiring story and is an excellent chef! Following our interview segment in August, I sampled some of the food Ameneh had prepared and was blown away by the depths of flavor and spice, with her skewers being a huge hit. Ameneh is very grounded, determined, and dedicated to Little Liberia being a celebration of culture and community, and I think she does a great job of leading by example. So keep an eye on Little Liberia’s social media channels for future updates on the restaurant space and details about upcoming pop-up events. Hopefully, in a few months, I’ll be dedicating a foodie adventure to check out Little Liberia’s new home!

For more information and to keep tabs on the latest developments for Little Liberia, click here.