Metropolitan Variety Store and Restaurant Is Now More of a Casual Restaurant and Marketplace in West Village | Eater Detroit

"Opened in October 2021 inside the former Craft Work space in the West Village, this hybrid bottle shop/restaurant began as co-owner Rick Stanza’s vision for a high-end shop selling rare wines, beers and spirits with an adjoining bar and restaurant where patrons could sample purchases. The initial kitchen, led by chef Brendon Edwards, served a seasonal, vegetable-centric Cal‑Mex menu that skewed toward fine dining; Edwards departed amicably in June. Since then Stanza and partner and alcohol buyer Ashley Price have retooled the concept to be more of a neighborhood spot aimed at serving local residents and families rather than drawing outsiders as a destination, with plans to unveil changes at a public relaunch from 5–10 p.m. on November 23. The new approach emphasizes casual fare — burgers, chicken wings and various grab-and-go marketplace items — overseen by a back-of-house veteran most recently at Selden Standard who is testing and streamlining dishes to provide a consistent dine-in or to-go experience, while the interior is being brightened, high-top tables restored and an under-used area outfitted with video games." - Serena Maria Daniels