New Downtown Restaurant Nears Opening

Diners in Saline will soon have another option on the menu of downtown restaurants.

The Downtown Diner, a breakfast and lunch restaurant, is nearly ready to debut in the Merchant Square building that also houses The Bling Thing, New Hairizon and Saline Social Services.

The restaurant is owned by partners Terry Thompson and Mark Marsh. Thomson, a Whitmore Lake native who now lives in Saline, said Wednesday that he still had hopes the restaurant might open by this weekend’s Saline Summerfiest.

“We’re nearly there. We could be open any day now. We’re just waiting for the menus and on a few things from the health department,” he said. “Obviously, we’d love to have the exposure we’d see from Summerfest.”

The Downtown Diner is located in the back of Merchant Square—or the front, if you consider the North Ann Arbor Street parking lot entrance as the front. 

Thomposon said the restaurant’s menu will feature what you’d expect from a breakfast and lunch diner.

“Lots of stuff from the grill. Lots of sandwiches. But we’re going to try to have a few things that you won’t find anywhere else in town,” said Thompson, talking about steak sandwiches, corned beef brisket and homemade coffee cake.

The diner is painted maize and blue, or blue and gold, depending on your perspective.

“We’re big University of Michigan fans and we’re big Hornets fans,” Thompson said. “So we kind of killed two birds with one stone with our colors.”

The restaurant will feature two flat screen televisions that will usually be tuned into sporting events. The Downtown Diner also plans to cater the press box at the Saline Hornets’ home football games.

The restaurant seats 50 and Thompson said he plans to utilize space on the patio, too.

The restaurant is also playing up its carryout and catering business.

The Downtown Diner is located at 131 E. Michigan Ave. For more information, call 734-316-2343.