Joe Louis Southern Kitchen, a restaurant brand honoring the legacy of boxing legend Joe Louis, has announced plans to open a new location along Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit.
The restaurant, to be located at Bedrock’s 1528 Woodward Ave. property located south of the David Broderick Tower, Gilly’s Clubhouse, and Bleu Detroit, will offer Southern-style comfort food. The goal is to open the restaurant in time for Detroit Tigers Opening Day on April 3, 2026.
It joins locations in Detroit’s New Center and in Southfield.
Led by Joe Louis’ son, Joe Louis Barrow II, and local restaurateur Johnny Cannon, the establishment is an all-day breakfast restaurant. Signature dishes paying homage to Joe Louis’ history — The Weigh In skillet, The Heavyweight omelet, and The Champ chicken sandwich topped with signature Brown Bomber sauce — will anchor the menu.
Other selections include BBQ Cajun Smoked Turkey Leg, Mama Lillie’s Flapjacks, Cinnamon Roll Flapjacks, Golden Gloves French Toast, Creole Gumbo (The Knockout Punch), and the Early Bird Skillet.
“Detroit helped shape my father. Preserving his name and keeping his legacy alive in the city he loved means the world to me and my family,” says Barrow, co-CEO of Joe Louis Southern Kitchen.
“As we prepare to open our third location, we are continuing to give something meaningful back to the city (by) inviting visitors, residents, and sports fans to experience the values of excellence and community my father stood for.”
Joe Louis Southern Kitchen first opened at 6549 Woodward Ave. in 2021 (just south of West Grand Boulevard) with the purpose of celebrating Louis’ athletic pursuits as well as his entrepreneurial endeavors. The company recently opened its second location at 29649 Northwestern Hwy. in Southfield in November.
“Detroit is experiencing incredible momentum and bringing our homestyle cooking to this iconic Woodward spot feels like a natural progression for our homegrown brand,” says Cannon, co-CEO of Joe Louis Southern Kitchen.
“Partnering with a transformative place maker like Bedrock for our new space enables us to share Joe Louis’ legacy with an even broader audience right in the heart of downtown, adding an element of history and flavor to the city’s entertainment, sports, and shopping districts.”
The Woodward Avenue restaurant will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be the company’s first location to feature a bar and offer extended late hours on game or entertainment nights at Comerica Park, Ford Field, Little Caesars Arena, or a collection of historic theaters.
The interior will feature an elevated design concept intended to make guests feel right at home, while highlighting milestones and photos from Joe Louis’ boxing career. The new restaurant will span approximately 4,000 square feet and seat more than 80 guests.
“Joe Louis Southern Kitchen celebrates the legacy of a hometown hero whose character and connection to community still resonate,” says Jennifer Skiba, vice president of retail leasing at Bedrock.
The first-floor eatery will be located in the historic United Foundation Building, which was constructed in 1916. Today, the upper floors of the fully-restored structure are occupied by office tenants.
For more information, visit JoeLouisSouthernKitchen.com.
