This Saturday is Sweetest day, and if you are looking for a romantic spot to get cozy with your sweetheart, we have just the place! With deliciously melty fondue and some hearty goulash, you’ll feel all nice and cozy at Alpino in Detroit where everything is inspired by the Alps.
“I didn’t want it to feel like an upper echelon ski lodge for the elites. I wanted it to feel more related to the farmhouses you find on the hillsides of the mountains,“ says Owner David Richter.
This restaurant is a homecoming for Richter, who has spent many years in the restaurant industry before opening Alpino in 2023.
“It’s been really great to take a trip away for 20 years from Michigan and come back and be a part of such a great culinary scene, I don’t take that lightly,” explains Richter. “And then the food itself is very much the style of food I grew up eating.”
The wood-burning fireplace crackling away and pictures from his trips to the Alps add to the homey atmosphere. With reclaimed wooden beams on the ceiling, and warm-toned tables and chairs with a simple design, it really portrays that cozy, unstuffy feel he’s going for.
The menu has a similar cozy feel with hearty dishes he describes as “comfort” and “peasant” food for the region. Instead of copying any country’s particular cuisine, their recipes are inspired by dishes and ingredients all across the Alps region.
The fondue is big enough to share among 4 people with roasted potatoes, bread, and apples available to dip into the warm, cheesy concoction. If you love cheese, the raclette is another great choice, served melted across a thick piece of bread with honey and speck. For the main dish try the hearty goulash and spaetzle, or the Piedmontese Ragu if you love pasta. For a longer look at the menu, watch the video above.
Alpino is located at 1426 Bagley Street in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit.