FERNDALE, Mich. — Another highly regarded Michigan restaurant is being forced to shut its doors, and this time it’s Coeur, the beloved French-inspired spot in downtown Ferndale. The restaurant, which opened to glowing praise for its refined but approachable dishes, served its final meal on October 19. Its owners say the decision wasn’t about demand or quality. It was about something far more universal — and far more painful: inflation that has become brutally unforgiving for independent restaurants…
Coeur launched with a clear mission. The team wanted to cook with the best seasonal ingredients, pay employees fairly, and deliver a dining experience that felt special without being exclusive. That vision resonated immediately, turning the restaurant into a neighborhood favorite and a destination for Metro Detroit diners looking for something thoughtful and fresh.
But in a statement announcing the closure, the owners said the economics of running a restaurant in 2025 have become nearly impossible. Ingredient costs have continued to surge. Labor remains significantly more expensive than just a few years ago. And trying to maintain a high-quality operation without raising prices to unsustainable levels simply didn’t add up anymore. They said they would have had to raise menu prices past what “makes sense for our guests,” and that was a line they weren’t willing to cross. Saying, they “can’t keep to our mission.”
The team invited customers to visit one last time — whether for the tasting menu, a happy-hour burger, or just a final night in a space they poured so much heart into. For regulars, the announcement landed hard. Many had come to see Coeur as a symbol of Ferndale’s evolving dining scene: creative, ambitious, and community-minded…