Vesper Books and Wine
Bar · Core City
5001 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48208
Highlights
Biodynamic wines, cookbooks, tinned fish, and martinis
Biodynamic wines, cookbooks, tinned fish, and martinis
"This new bookstore and wine bar in Core City is known for its deep selection of biodynamic wines, its stellar freezer martini, and a varied selection of tinned fish. The bar also hosts an oyster pop-up once a month from Slide Whistle. Expect a rotating selection of East and West Coast oysters, shrimp cocktail, and the occasional lobster pasta. Vesper is a stellar hang whether you’re there at noon on a Sunday or 10 o’clock on a Friday. Be sure to follow them on Instagram for the oyster updates." - Danny Palumbo
"It finally happened. After years of preparation, pop-ups, and fundraising, Vesper Books and Wine opened in December 2024. The brainchild of longtime hospitality pros Symantha Duggan and Rob Wilson hit the ground running with community events and guest chefs, including the return of the industry-friendly event Sippin Cups. Vesper is quickly proving itself a gathering space in the Core City neighborhood. The former bank space now holds funky, classic and biodynamic wines by the bottle and glass, screaming-cold Vesper martinis, charcuterie, and occasional guest chefs alongside high-end glossy cookbooks for sale." - Mickey Lyons
"For when you’re looking for a fun jumping-off point before your dinner reservations, Vesper Books & Wine is Detroit’s new casual space for a glass of wine and a growing selection of cookbooks. Select from the bar’s variety of biodynamic wines, brief offerings of tinned fish, meat and cheese plates, and other snacks, and then get the conversation started as you and your date peruse the shelves of the book section. The collection of cookbooks for sale is curated by co-owner Symantha Duggan, who takes care to include subjects representing African, Latinx, and Levantine regional cuisines. Vesper is within walking distance of three buzzy restaurants — making for a smooth transition to dinner afterward. Vesper also frequently hosts special events for a standout date night experience." - Serena Maria Daniels
"A Detroit hybrid of a wine bar and bookshop that pairs a carefully curated wine list with a cozy, literary-minded atmosphere, inviting relaxed sipping alongside light bites." - ByKate Kassin
"Opening to the public on Wednesday, December 4, this new bookshop and wine bar occupies a former bank building at 5001 Grand River Avenue in Core City. The space offers biodynamic wines, a brief offering of tinned fish, meat and cheese plates, and other snacks, and features a collection of cookbooks for sale curated by Symantha Duggan; the shop "includes sections representing African, Latinx, and Levantine regional cuisines — representing some of the diaspora communities prominent in metro Detroit." It also carries a variety of nonalcoholic wines, including Non, an Australian brand whose flavor is "less an imitation of wine than its own distinct drinking experience with an herbaceous profile that changes with the seasons." On the nonalcoholic program Duggan says, “With the [nonalcoholic] program, we wanted something to feel a little bit more sophisticated — like you are having a treat, you are indulging, and it’s something a little bit more higher end or delectable, as opposed to just getting a Sprite or a Topo Chico, because that’s the only thing that they have.” She adds, “I constantly think about theJohn Mulaney joke, where, when he got sober, [someone said], ‘Can I offer you this old turnip?’ When we say we want to be a hub for our community to bring their whole selves and their unique human experience to the table, we want everyone — drinkers and nondrinkers alike.” Owners Symantha Duggan and Rob Wilson originally shared hopes to open in spring after speaking with Eater in late 2022, but delays with construction and challenges raising capital postponed the launch; Duggan first envisioned the bookshop-and-wine-bar concept more than a decade ago while living in Austin and returned to Michigan due to rising housing costs, then partnered with Wilson — whose bartending resume includes running drinks programming at Barda (adjacent to the space) and helping to open Kiesling in the Milwaukee Junction neighborhood — to realize the hybrid concept. Hours: open noon to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays, noon to 10 p.m. Thursdays, and noon to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays." - Serena Maria Daniels
