Birmingham’s Forest Grill Closes for Renovations, Changes Owners

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Forest Grill, an American bistro style restaurant in Birmingham’s Triangle District, has closed for the summer for renovations as it changes ownership.

Award-winning chef Brian Polcyn previously owned the restaurant, located at 735 Forest Ave. in a three-story structure called Forest Avenue Development. Victor Saroki, president and founder of Birmingham-based Saroki Architecture, and several partners, own the building, which is comprised of apartments, offices, and the Forest Grill.

The liquor license for Forest Grill was transferred to Elm Restaurant Group LLC during a Birmingham City Commission meeting on June 29.

The restaurant opened in 2008 and featured menu items from Chef de Cuisine Nick Janutol such as house-made charcuterie, a raw bar, clay oven baked pizzas, and traditional bistro dishes.

Placing a premium on green practices, the building uses recycled products and incorporates such components as a white roof coating for high solar reflectance, spray-foam wall insulation to minimize air loss, and more.

Forest Grill was named the Restaurant of the Year by Hour Detroit magazine in 2009.

The restaurant is expected to reopen by the end of the summer.