No. 7: Vesper turns old Detroit bank into playful space to gather around wine, cookbooks
One of the most highly anticipated openings of 2024, Vesper made a splash with its collection of wines by the bottle or glass. The new wine bar is operated by Rob Wilson, an alum of Kiesling in Detroit's North End, and partner Symantha Duggan. The duo has established a space that defies the traditional expectations of a stuffy wine bar.
Wilson takes the curation seriously, sourcing bottles from purveyors in France and Italy, Napa and Argentina, yet his approach to the pour is lighthearted. Rather than dainty-stemmed, perfectly polished vessels, sturdy wines glasses at Vesper are stamped with the bar's squiggly red and yellow logo.
There are also fun small food pairings, like chilled olives dusted in lemon zest, cheese plates with housemade jam and a range of tinned fish offerings. The space embodies the playfulness of the wine program here. The walls are lined with green brush strokes, cushy seats boast vibrant orange hues and menus are printed on paper the color of marigold petals.
Wilson and Duggan describe Vesper as a "third place," a venue that becomes an alternative for placemaking outside of home or work. It offers the energy of a café, replacing dark roasts with burly reds. As much as it is a wine bar, it is a cookbookstore, selling the most current titles in the food space. Guests can lounge on a couch, flipping through the sacred text, 'Daily Bread,' an issue of the indie magazine Cake Zine or gather a book club in a quaint back room anchored by the original vault of the century-old Detroit Savings Bank. Behind a steel door is a space lacquered in emerald walls and matching tufted velvet benches, perfect for discussing literary gems, like Diana Henry's 'Roast Figs Sugar Snow,' and Eric Adjepong's new 'Ghana to the World.'
[ Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for extras and insider scoops on Detroit-area dining. ]
A glass of acidic Jean Louis et Fabienne Mann Pinot Blanc Fly Me to the Moon prickles the tongue. To eat, sliced rye bread from Core City neighborhood breadmaker, Mother Loaf, is a real treat paired with salted butter.
5001 Grand River Ave., Detroit. 313-716-1708; vesperbooksandwine.com
Save the Date: On Tuesday, July 8, Vesper, the Detroit Free Press and Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers will host a Top 10 Takeover dinner. Stay tuned for ticket information at Freep.com.
For a chance to win five $100 gift cards to dine at restaurants on the 2025 Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Top 10 New Restaurants & Dining Experiences list, visit chevydetroit.com/community/giveaways/roy25.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Best New Restaurants 2025: Vesper in Detroit
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Future financial and operating results; benefits and synergies of the transaction; future opportunities for the combined company; the conversion of equity interests contemplated by the Merger Agreement; the issuance of common stock of Rocket Companies contemplated by the Merger Agreement; the expected timing of the closing of the proposed transaction; the ability of the parties to complete the proposed transaction considering the various closing conditions and any other statements about future expectations that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements in this communication, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements that may be identified by the use of words "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," "would" and, in each case, their negative or other various or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are based upon current beliefs, expectations and discussions related to the proposed transaction and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed in such statements. 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These risks, as well as other risks related to the proposed transaction, are more fully described in a registration statement on Form S-4/A (the "Registration Statement") filed by Rocket Companies with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on July 25, 2025 in connection with the proposed transaction. While the list of factors presented here and the list of factors presented in the Registration Statement are considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Additional factors that may affect future results are contained in each company's filings with the SEC, including each company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Form 10-K/A, as it may be updated from time to time by quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, all of which are available at the SEC's website The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date hereof is hereby disclaimed. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Rocket Companies, Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio
