NORTHERN LIGHTS LOUNGE New Center Detroit

For a real Detroit experience, spend some time cocktailing with the guys and dolls of Northern Lights Lounge. A great neighborhood hang out, Northern Lights provides mixed drinks, bourbon and beer to a forward group of artists, musicians, scensters and local bar flies. Mondays are punk rock & 80’s nite, with $1.50 Pabst & Strohs ( an expatriate brew) & No Cover, $2 Tuesdays with operationopendecks.com & No Cover, leaving the weekend for live music and downtown dance parties hosted by the areas finest. Sunday nights are karaoke with Terri Okie and the kitchen remains open every day but Friday & Saturday. Special events include burlesque, dinner & jazz, live rock shows and an occasional Prince vs. Michael Jackson spin off. Bar shuffleboard – for those with the skills – red vinyl retro booths, dim lighting, lounge seating and an always creatively attired crowd, Northern Lights is a modern take on those swanky 60’s lounges, where women stir drinks with swizzle sticks and men pay for the privilege of watching them.

660 W Baltimore Detroit MI |313. 873. 1739

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TOAST Birmingham

A hip little joint in uptown Birmingham, proprietor Tom Bloom and crew have done a fine job expanding their fashionable Ferndale location to more upscale environs, without losing the feel regulars have enjoyed all along. Offering original breakfast selections like Grand Marnier French Toast, the trendy Pierce St restaurant also does lunch, dinner and cocktails for couples, thirsty singles or businesspersons looking for the perfect place to close a deal. Toast offers two intimate dining rooms and one bar area, all of which lend itself to the boutique bistro in the big city mold, making Toast an exciting location to try something new. Fried Chicken with waffles, Steak Frites and Rosotto Balls all pair well with pitchers of Bellinis, a selection of unique Martinis including the Polar Bear and the Strawberry basil Martini or something from their list of wines and ales. Nice lighting and good views of passersby, combined with a usually appropriate mix of music, means you and your guest could lose yourselves conversation for hours. Toast can get crowded so prepare in advance.

203 Pierce St. Birmingham MI  | 248.258.6278

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LEONARDO’S ITALIAN GRILLE Romulus

Just off I-94 and steps away from Detroit Metropolitan Airport sits Leonardo’s Italian Grille. Specializing in Italian fare, owners Vito and Joe Lipardo have brought Mama Pina’s simple, everyday cooking from the foothills of Borgetto, a small town on the coast of Sicily. Offering Antipastos, soups, salads, pasta dishes and a variety of fish, poultry, beef and veal dishes, Leonardo’s is open for lunch and dinner, serving a mixture of regulars and travelers with equal care. The relaxed atmosphere lends itself to good conversation, while enjoying a variety of wines or cocktails. Try the homemade Sangria on the patio or a good red with your Veal Oscar or a Leonardo House Filet, chargrilled, rubbed with Dijon mustard and cracked pepper, then layered with mozzarella cheese and mushroom. Leonardo’s offers breaded and sautéed shrimp, Chicken Artichoke and Chicken Parmesan and a host of Pastas including, Baked lasagna, Gnocchi, Ravioli and Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Open Mon-Thur 11:00 am-10:00 pm, Friday 11:00 am- midnight, Saturday 4:00 pm – midnight and Sunday 4:00 – 10:00 pm.

7575 Merriman Road Rhomulus MI 734. 326. 2560 www.leonardositaliangrille.com

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THE BOSCO Ferndale

One of the only true lounges in the metropolitan area, The Bosco manages to cater to the beautiful people without most of the pretension usually accompanying that role. In Italian, Bosco means forest, an urban playground and, according to Bosco’s website, the redefinition of‘lounge’. Servingthevarietyofcocktailsonehas come to expect from a world-class lounge, The Bosco does a fine job supplying the Martini set and is one of the few spots in town eager to satisfy summertime sensibilities with a well-made Mojito. The courtyard is the crown jewel of The Bosco and is home to three honey locust trees, a wood deck, waterfall, and is heated and furnished for the cooler months. Drinks in the courtyard provide guests with a unique view of Ferndale’s small town skyline and go a long way in turning a simple evening into a combination of quiet sophistication and altered reality. The good taste of owners Dan and Jeremy Haberman manifest itself through the décor and their selection of music is an extension of the same. Bring your passport Tuesday nights and receive $2 premiums, Thursday’s host house & electro grooves, $2 drinks from 8-10, Prime Cuts Saturday Nights give you the opportunity to DJ the party.

22930 Woodward Avenue Ferndale, MI thebosco.com