The Team Behind Marrow Is Bringing Filipino-Inspired Cooking to Detroit
Calamansi will open in the former PizzaPlex space later this year.
Sarah Welch, the chef and owner behind Marrow, is opening a Filipino-inspired restaurant called Calamansi in Detroit's former PizzaPlex space. It's expected to open later this year, and it fills a gap that has been conspicuous in Michigan's dining landscape for a long time.
Filipino food is the most underrepresented major cuisine in the state. Metro Detroit has a sizable Filipino community, but the restaurant options have never matched the population. Calamansi won't be a traditional Filipino restaurant. Welch has described the concept as Filipino-inspired, which suggests the same sourcing-driven, technique-forward approach that defines Marrow's kitchen.
That track record is the reason this opening matters. Marrow's whole-animal program, where the butcher counter and the restaurant menu are built around the same supply chain, demonstrated that Welch thinks about food systems, not individual dishes. Applying that philosophy to Filipino cooking, with its emphasis on vinegar, fermentation, braised meats, and rice, is a promising match.
The PizzaPlex space gives the project room. The former venue was known for its sprawling layout, and while details on the buildout haven't been released, the footprint allows for a restaurant that could include both a dining room and some form of market or counter component, consistent with Welch's multi-format instincts at Marrow.
Specific menu details, opening dates, and reservation information haven't been announced. We'll be following the project closely and will report on developments as they come.
Calamansi will be in the former PizzaPlex space, Detroit. Opening expected later in 2026.