Alpino to introduce taste of European mountains to Detroit with May 1 grand opening in Corktown

Owners aim to make Alpino a rustic neighborhood wine bistro patterned after a high-altitude Italian Refugio.
Alpino to introduce taste of European mountains to Detroit with May 1 opening in Corktown
Photo: Perry Haselden

After much preparation and anticipation, Alpino announced this week that it will be opening May 1 at its Corktown location, 1426 Bagley St.

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Alpino is an Alps-based concept developed by owner David Richter, who was inspired to blend traditional dishes from countries along the Alpine Mountains in Europe.

The menu of gourmet cheeses, cured meats, fine sausages and authentic recipes from the European countryside includes ingredients sourced from the Alps. The goal is high-quality food made simply, paired with good wine made affordable.

“We’re there, we’ve got a date, we’re happy and we’re going to be open very soon,” Richter said. “At this point, you hand it off to your team of operators in the building. You hope you hired well. I think they’re all anxious to get open and I think we are too.”

It’s a full-circle homecoming for Richter, a Detroit native who opened a pizzeria in Sterling Heights in 1998 at the age of 23 and ran it three years before heading off to New York. He spent over two decades in the Empire State building his career as an executive in the world of hospitality.

Alpino represents the fruit of his yearslong journey. Richter said he kept hearing about Detroit’s thriving food scene and returned to the area to open Alpino. Three months after he arrived, the pandemic struck.

He pushed through those delays and make good on his dream of serving up a scenic Italian refugio experience in Detroit.

Alpino will be a restaurant rooted in the “heritage and tradition” of the Alpine foothills. The Alps are an expansive mountain range that stretch across seven European countries – Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia and Liechtenstein.

“I don’t know that anybody’s really doing it,” Richter said of the idea. “I think it fits a niche that’s not really represented all that well.”

Richter said he came up with the idea from trips he made to Europe over the years. He fell in love with white truffles while visiting townships in Piemonte, Italy and enjoyed Prosecco wines in the country’s Verona province. He began studying the cuisines that were mainstays in the different regions and the vision began to blossom in his mind.

“I loved the comfort of it, and the simplicity that makes it more of a neighborhood feel,” he said. “These recipes have been around for generations, just like you’d find in Rome and other areas of Italy and France. So it just kept evolving in my understanding.”

Alpino boasts 3,200 square feet of indoor space that includes a bar and an 80-seat dining room. Outside, a 1,500 sq.-ft. patio seats 50 guests. A private dining area that holds 75 more seats will open this summer for large groups.

When they walk through the front door, guests will be greeted by notes of aromatic herbs and wild flowers. A stone fireplace sits in the center of the dining room and customized oil paintings hang on the walls. The scent of pickled shallots, prosciutto, veal cutlets, Thuringer sausage and mountain cheeses will permeate the dining areas.

Colin Campbell, a former executive chef at Pour Kitchen & Bar in Petoskey and Steihaus, a European restaurant in Marquette, will helm the kitchen. The menu includes entrees like chicken valdostana, wienerschnitzel, Alpino mac and cheese, pesto risotto and host of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Hospitality expert Andre Sykes, a 2022 James Beard award semifinalist, will manage the curated beer, cocktail and wine list.

Most of the wines are under $60 a bottle, with a wide assortment of vinos imported from France, Italy, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. Italian, German and a local Michigan brew will be among the beers on tap.  

Richter envisions a setting for casual business outings or a homespun space for people from the neighborhood to come enjoy an affordable meal and a bottle of wine with friends.

“We’re trying to be everything for everybody,” he said. “It’s a place that just wraps its arms around you…It’s kind of like a third place. If you’re not going to be home or you’re not at your office, you want to feel cozy when you’re here.”

Reservations now available for Alpino, which will be open seven days a week.

Matt Bruce

Matt Bruce

Matt Bruce is a Louisiana-based reporter who enjoys road tripping, karaoke singing, and touring Gulf Coast casinos to try out their po’ boy sandwiches. A foodie at heart, Matt enjoys the culture of cooking and exploring the historical evolution of different cuisines. Born and bred on Chicago’s South Side, he’s a self-appointed high priest of all things mild sauce, deep dish and “gym shoe” gyro. His shenanigans outside of writing include boxing, beat-boxing and slowly teaching himself how to play the trumpet. You can also find Matt’s latest work in the Baton Rouge Advocate and the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Matt Bruce

Matt Bruce

Matt Bruce is a Louisiana-based reporter who enjoys road tripping, karaoke singing, and touring Gulf Coast casinos to try out their po’ boy sandwiches. A foodie at heart, Matt enjoys the culture of cooking and exploring the historical evolution of different cuisines. Born and bred on Chicago’s South Side, he’s a self-appointed high priest of all things mild sauce, deep dish and “gym shoe” gyro. His shenanigans outside of writing include boxing, beat-boxing and slowly teaching himself how to play the trumpet. You can also find Matt’s latest work in the Baton Rouge Advocate and the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

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