Jolly Pumpkin in Midtown closes, here’s what will replace it

Jolly Pumpkin’s Midtown Detroit tap house has closed after 11 years of operation.
Ann Arbor’s Spiedo restaurant will take over the former Jolly Pumpkin space.
The new Spiedo location is expected to open in about three months after remodeling.

After 11 years of serving up artisan ales, sour beers and pizzas in the heart of Midtown, the Jolly Pumpkin tap house closed its doors, according to an announcement on its Facebook and Instagram pages.

“We are so grateful for the love, support, and memories you’ve shared with us over the years, it has truly meant everything,” according to the post.

Yet, the post also hinted that there’s something new for the popular spot already in the works.

“This isn’t goodbye, just see you soon. JP will be back in Detroit, and we can’t wait to share what’s next. Stay tuned here for updates.”

What’s next?

Taking over the Jolly Pumpkin space is the second location of Ann Arbor’s Spiedo, from chef and restaurateur Brad Greenhill, as first reported by the Detroit News.

Greenhill is the owner of Takoi restaurant, which got its start as a food truck a dozen years ago, and currently is celebrating 10 years as a brick-and-mortar spot on Michigan Avenue at the west end of Corktown.

“The owners of Jolly Pumpkin had contacted me saying they wanted to do a different concept out of the space, and they were interested in Spiedo,” Greenhill said.

After some remodeling, Greenhill said he expects Spiedo in Midtown to open in about three months. Greenhill said he expects demo work to begin this week, though the buildout is not extensive and largely a remodel of the front of the house.

Expect the Spiedo in Midtown to have the same concept as the Ann Arbor spot and be rooted in Mediterranean flavors.

“It’s a larger spot with a bigger kitchen, but with an expanded menu, particularly with dinner,” Greenhill said. “It will have more entrees in the evening and all the things that people love about Ann Arbor: the sandwiches, the rice bowls and all the vegetable sides.”

Spiedo’s menu offerings will have similar profiles as Greenhills former Magnet restaurant in Core City — sans the cooking over wood fire — with a little bit of Southwest Asian and American fare.

“You can’t take the Takoi out of the chef, so it will definitely be chiles and fish sauce, and all the fun stuff that sort of define my cooking,” Greenhill said.

With Spiedo, which is Italian for spit roasting or rotisserie, though Greenhill said they use vertical rotisseries, the idea was to open a few of them around the metro area.

“Detroit was obviously on the radar, but we wanted the right location,” Greenhill said. “And I think Midtown offers a little bit more density and foot traffic, and also the destination.

“It’s going to be a great thing for that block and for the neighborhood. We are excited about it.”

That trendy block of Canfield, between Cass and Second in Midtown, also includes Jack White’s Third Man Records, Carthartt, Shinola, City Bird, Nest and chocolatier Bon Bon Bon.

Greenhill said he is again working with Undecorated, founded by Ishtiaq Rafiuddin, for Spiedo in Midtown’s interior design. Undecorated, also worked with Greenhill on Takoi, Magnet and Spiedo in Ann Arbor.

While the midtown location is closed, Jolly Pumpkin also has locations in Ann Arbor, Dexter, East Lansing and Traverse City, according to its website. The midtown space once shared space with Avalon Bakery. And in 2016, Jolly Pumpkin Midtown found itself in the spotlight when, as the Free Press reported, then President Barack Obama made a stop there.

Jolly Pumpkin is a brand under the Mission Restaurant Group’s portfolio with a host of operations. According to its website, restaurant operations include the Pretzel Bell, the newly opened live-band country bar The Ranch Honky Tonk and Grizzly Peak Brewing, all in Ann Arbor; North Peak Brewing in Traverse City; and Avalon Bakery and Cafes in Detroit on Woodward Avenue and in Ann Arbor.

Messages to the Mission Restaurant Group by the Free Press were not returned March 30.

Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SusanMariecooks. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.