Hello, all! Happy Friday! I hope you are enjoying fall, as I am. I love how the colors have started to really pop on the trees in the last week. Today it’s a bit chilly here in the D, but we’ve got blue skies and bright sunshine, and I’m quite cozy here wrapped up in a fleece blanket as I type. All I need now is a nice cup of tea, and I’ll be extra cozy!
Continuing on with the last of my birthday celebration destinations from last week, today I’m highlighting Cornerstone Barrel House, which was gracious enough to grant me a last-minute reservation for a Saturday night dinner with friends. It’s been on my list of places to visit, plus my uncle who lives downtown recommended it in addition to another of his faves, the recently visited The Old Miami.
Cornerstone had a much different vibe than that aforementioned bedraggled but lovable dive bar, and it was much different from how I had pictured it in my head. I’d imagined old-fashioned, Wild West-esque decor – dusty wooden barrels, fur pelts on the walls – presumably because I knew it offered an extensive whiskey collection, and I apparently associate that spirit with the days of cowpokes and pistol duelling.
What I encountered instead was a sleek and contemporary bar with a laid-back vibe and solid, down-to-earth servers, the kind of place where you can chill in style, enjoying an excellent meal while keeping tabs on the big game du jour.
I’m surprised I haven’t been there before, really. Cornerstone is located on a shiny-new stretch of Woodward so close to my downtown-area headquarters of Detroit Beer Company/Comerica Park/Opera House Parking garage (my parking go-to); it’s basically just around the corner. This close proximity to my downtown stomping grounds, coupled with top-notch service, ambiance, food, and drink, make it a definite prospect for a repeat visit – a concept that has become a relative rarity for me since my explorations for this blog began.
But my high marks granted to Cornerstone probably hinge primarily on its tomato caprese salad, which was excellent. I’m OBSESSED with tomato caprese salad, so a good one gets my attention. This one burst with flavor: fresh red and golden cherry tomatoes, savory mozzarella, and generous drizzles of balsamic vinaigrette. A tender and flavorful sirloin steak and a rich bread pudding constructed from Krispy Kreme donuts (!) rounded out the meal. Delicious!
I did not try any whiskey during my visit to this whiskey house, as I’m admittedly not a whiskey girl. But I enjoyed my French 75 cocktail; it was not too sweet, and it was strong without being overpoweringly so, two traits I quite appreciate in an alcoholic beverage.
1456 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48226
100 Places in the D 
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