Location, Hours & Contact
Where is Cafe Sous Terre located?
Cafe Sous Terre is located at 445 W. Forest Avenue in Midtown Detroit, Michigan 48201. The cafe occupies the atmospheric lower level of a 19th-century mansion, just a short walk from Wayne State University, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Detroit Medical Center.
What neighborhood is Cafe Sous Terre in?
We are in Midtown Detroit, a walkable cultural district that includes the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Historical Museum, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and Wayne State University.
What are Cafe Sous Terre’s hours?
We are open Monday and Tuesday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Wednesday through Sunday from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
Is Cafe Sous Terre open on weekends?
Yes. We are open every Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Weekend mornings are especially popular for brunch-style plates, fresh pastries, and specialty coffee drinks.
Does Cafe Sous Terre serve late-night food and drinks?
Yes. Wednesday through Sunday we serve until 11:00 PM, making us one of Midtown Detroit’s better options for a late coffee, cocktail, or light bite after a concert, DIA After Dark, or a Fox Theatre show.
How do I contact Cafe Sous Terre?
You can reach us by phone at (313) 228-2880 or by email at bonjour@cafesousterre.com. For event inquiries, please use the form on our Event Rentals page so we can capture the date, time, and headcount in one place.
About the Cafe
What kind of restaurant is Cafe Sous Terre?
Cafe Sous Terre is a French-inspired cafe and cocktail bar in Midtown Detroit. We serve specialty coffee and fresh bagels in the morning, lunch and quiche service in the afternoon, and have a full cocktail, wine, and beer program all day every day.
What does “Sous Terre” mean?
“Sous terre” is French for “underground,” a nod to our setting in the lower level of a historic 19th-century Midtown mansion. The name also captures the cafe’s atmosphere: intimate, warmly lit, with exposed brick and a slightly hidden, speakeasy-like feel.
Is Cafe Sous Terre related to The Grand Porter?
Yes. Cafe Sous Terre and The Grand Porter in Southwest Detroit are sister restaurants, both owned by Reimer Priester. We roast the coffee for both locations in-house, and The Grand Porter’s kitchen supplies many of the fresh food items you see on our menu.
Does Cafe Sous Terre roast its own coffee?
Yes. We operate a small-batch roasting program through local partner, Craig’s Coffee, and the coffee you drink at both Cafe Sous Terre and The Grand Porter is roasted nearby in Midtown.
Who designed Café Sous Terre?
The interior was designed by Rebecca Priester of Rebecca Priester Design.
Menu, Food & Drinks
What kind of food does Cafe Sous Terre serve?
We serve a focused French-inspired menu: the croque monsieur, quiche Lorraine, a seasonal garden quiche, fresh-baked bagels, house-cured olives from a traditional family recipe, pastries, and crème brûlée. The menu is designed to pair equally well with morning coffee and evening cocktails.
Do you serve breakfast?
Yes. We open at 8:00 AM every day with a breakfast-leaning menu centered on fresh bagels, croissants and other pastries, quiche, and our full espresso bar. Many guests use us as their Midtown Detroit breakfast spot before work, class at Wayne State, or weekend museum visits.
What is your most popular dish?
The croque monsieur is our signature dish — a classic French grilled ham and cheese with béchamel and gruyère. Regulars also rave about the quiche Lorraine, the house olives (made from an old French family recipe), and the crème brûlée.
Does Cafe Sous Terre have a cocktail menu?
Yes. We offer a full craft cocktail program, including a Clover Club, a fig old fashioned, a freezer martini, a spicy gold rush, Irish coffee, margaritas, and espresso martinis, typically priced between $13 and $17. We also carry beer, cider, and a carefully chosen wine list by the glass and bottle.
Do you have an espresso martini?
Yes. Our espresso martini uses coffee we roast in-house and is one of our bestselling cocktails. It is available any time we’re open.
What kind of coffee do you serve?
We serve espresso, cortados, cappuccinos, lattes, Americanos, and house drip, plus matcha, sencha, and a rotating selection of loose-leaf teas. Oat milk and house-made syrups (honey, mocha, salted caramel, vanilla French oak, spice, and floral) are all available.
Do you sell bagels?
Yes. We bake fresh bagels daily, available individually or as part of our breakfast menu. Supply is limited each day, so popular varieties can sell out by early afternoon.
Is there a happy hour at Cafe Sous Terre?
Yes. We run happy hour every day from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM for beer and wine.
Dietary Accommodations
Do you have vegetarian options?
Yes. Our garden quiche is vegetarian, and our pastries, bagels, and cheese-based cocktail snacks are all vegetarian.
Do you have vegan options?
We offer oat milk for any coffee or tea drink; however our vegan food options are limited to some of our bagels. For a fuller plant-based meal, our sister cafe The Grand Porter in Southwest Detroit has a broader vegan food menu.
Do you have gluten-free options?
We can accommodate many gluten-sensitive guests through our quiche fillings, house olives, and espresso bar.
Reservations, Seating & Groups
Do I need a reservation at Cafe Sous Terre?
We are a walk-in cafe and cocktail bar and do not accept reservations outside of event rentals for the entire café.
How many people can you seat?
The cafe seats up to 30 guests indoors, plus about 20 additional seats on our patio when weather permits. Larger groups are best accommodated through a private buyout.
Can I host a private event at Cafe Sous Terre?
Yes. We host private events, buyouts, and rehearsal dinners. Rates are $400 per hour on Monday and Tuesday, $500 per hour on Wednesday and Thursday, and $600 per hour Friday through Sunday, with a two-hour minimum and a 20% gratuity added to food and beverage. If interested please submit an inquiry form on our Event Rentals page.
Can outside caterers bring food into a private event?
Yes. For private event rentals, outside food catering is permitted, and our team can arrange custom specialty drinks specifically for your event. To reserve, submit the inquiry form on our Event Rentals page and allow at least 48 hours for a response.
What is the deposit and cancellation policy for events?
A deposit secures your event date. Cancellations made 15 or more days before the event are fully refundable; within 15 days, deposits are non-refundable but events may be rescheduled within 90 days based on availability.
Parking, Accessibility & Logistics
Where can I park near Cafe Sous Terre?
Street parking is typically available along West Forest Avenue and the surrounding residential streets of Midtown.
Is Cafe Sous Terre wheelchair accessible?
Because the cafe sits below grade in a historic 19th-century mansion, we are not wheelchair accessible.
Do you have outdoor seating?
Yes. We have a seasonal patio that seats approximately 20 guests. The patio is typically open from late spring through early fall, weather permitting.
Do you have Wi-Fi?
Yes, free, high speed guest Wi-Fi is available for customers.
Is Cafe Sous Terre kid-friendly?
Families and children are always welcome.
Are dogs allowed at Cafe Sous Terre?
Well-behaved dogs are welcome on our outdoor patio. Service animals are welcome inside the cafe in accordance with the ADA.
Do you offer takeout or online ordering?
Yes. You can order online for pickup through our Square ordering page, linked on cafesousterre.com.
Do you sell gift cards?
Yes. Digital gift cards are available through our website and can be used for food, beverages, and private event deposits. Physical gift cards are also available in-cafe.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept all major credit and debit cards and contactless mobile payments through Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Evenings & Atmosphere
Does Cafe Sous Terre have live music or DJs?
Yes. On Wednesdays we host live vinyl nights with local DJ’s from 7pm to 11pm; on Thursdays we have live solo jazz guitar from 7:30pm to 9:30pm and on Sun we have live jazz duos from 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Is Cafe Sous Terre a speakeasy?
We are not technically a speakeasy, but our below-ground setting, soft lighting, exposed brick, and rotunda banquette seating give us a speakeasy-adjacent feel. Detroit publications have included us on lists of the city’s best underground and hidden-bar experiences.
Is Cafe Sous Terre a good date spot?
Yes — especially on Wednesday through Sunday evenings. The low lighting, tucked-away setting, and cocktail program make it one of Midtown Detroit’s most-recommended date-night spots.