Business & Tech

Rochester Mills Beer Co. to Hold Home Brew Competition and More Restaurant News

Sip and savor your way around Oakland County's eateries with Patch.

If you're hungry for the latest restaurant news from around Oakland County, we've got you covered! Read on to find out what's new, what's closed and more.

Rochester Mills Beer Co. in Rochester: The brewery invites Michigan home brewers to gather April 27 at its production facility in Auburn Hills for 2013 Mills Big Brew Day, one of the largest single-day home-brewing events in the country. Space is limited to the first 100 entries. Register here. Beer brewed during the Big Brew Day will be eligible for the Michigan Homebrew Competition on June 1. The winning beer will be produced at The Mills and distributed in July to bars across the state. Visit the event page for more details.

Schramm's Mead in Ferndale: The craft meadery will be located at 327 W. Nine Mile Road in the former Record Collector location. Owner Ken Schramm will sell meads by the bottle and by the glass in a tasting room. Some small plates also will be offered. The business is set to open in May, according to its website. More information is available on Schramm's Facebook page.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Treat Dreams in Ferndale: The ice cream shop recently held a grand re-opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony after tripling its dining space and expanding its kitchen. The larger space includes a kids area and windows for customers to view the kitchen. The expansion will allow Treat Dreams to add to its on-site ice cream making events, including its popular Kids Camps and "Treat Dreams After Dark" ice cream parties for adults.

Bastone Brewery in Royal Oak: The restaurant will add 1,500 square feet on two levels this spring. The main floor expansion will add six tables for guests, and the second floor, which will overlook Bastone’s bar, will have a capacity of 20. It will be designated for private parties.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Craft and Commune Lounge in Royal Oak: The venue located beneath Bastone, known as Commune Lounge, will be renovated and re-emerge as Craft this spring. The concept aims to create a hip 1970s look and feel. Craft will feature a new stage for live music on Wednesday and Thursday nights and will continue to host a deejay on Friday and Saturday nights.

Café Habana in Royal Oak: The restaurant closed Feb. 24 after nine years so its owners could develop the space as Monk, a Belgian beer abbey. Loyal Café Habana customers can look forward to a new, bigger space elsewhere in Royal Oak in the future.

Monk in Royal Oak: The menu at the Belgian beer abbey, which is set to open this spring, will offer chef-created burgers, mussels, frites and waffle sandwiches. Guests can expect an extensive bottled Belgian beer list, as well as French wine selections and Bastone Brewery’s Belgian-style craft beer. Monk will add a new outdoor patio with 36 seats along Fifth Street. It will open at 4 p.m. daily for dinner only.

Coffee Beanery in Berkley: Owner Dan Cleary said unexpected, non-life-threatening health problems in his family, compounded by financial challenges related to the still-soft market, forced him to shut the Woodward Avenue business March 13. Cleary said he has no imminent plans to reopen the popular gathering place, but is looking for alternatives with his landlord and the Coffee Beanery.

[Do you have restaurant news to share? Leave a comment!]


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Oakland Township-Lake Orion