Little Liberia Opened Detroit Restaurant in March
Chef Ameneh Marhaba transitioned her long-running culinary venture into a permanent brick-and-mortar space in Detroit.
Updated on Oct. 11, 2026 in Dining Out
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Chef Ameneh Marhaba opened a permanent restaurant for Little Liberia at 16530 E. Warren Avenue in Detroit in March 2026. The new location provides a stationary home for the business after years of operating as a mobile pop-up.
Why it matters
The brick-and-mortar space marks a significant expansion for Marhaba, allowing her to serve signature Liberian dishes like pepper kala and groundnut stew to the community in a dedicated dining room.
The restaurant occupies a space within The Ribbon apartment complex. Patrons can purchase house-made seasoning blends and browse rotating artwork featured throughout the dining room.
The players
Ameneh Marhaba
Ameneh Marhaba is the founder and chef behind Little Liberia who transitioned her pop-up culinary concept into a permanent Detroit storefront.
Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest
The Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest is a business competition that provides entrepreneurs with startup capital to help launch or grow businesses in Detroit.
Motor City Match
Motor City Match is a city-backed grant program that provides funding and technical assistance to small businesses aiming to open locations in Detroit.
The details
After launching as a pop-up in 2016, the business used its significant competition winnings and city-backed grants to secure the East English Village storefront. The menu features traditional Liberian specialties including collard greens, pepper kala, and savory groundnut stew.
Timeline
Chef Marhaba founded the business as a pop-up in 2016.
Marhaba won the Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest grand prize in 2022.
Marhaba received an $80,000 grant from Motor City Match in 2024.
Little Liberia opened its permanent location in March 2026.
Culture Shift
This transition mirrors a broader trend among Detroit entrepreneurs who use city-backed grant programs to stabilize mobile concepts into permanent neighborhood fixtures. This shift reflects a wider movement toward supporting minority-led local dining through targeted small business funding.
Residents of the East English Village neighborhood gain a new local dining option that serves traditional Liberian cuisine in a permanent setting. Patrons can support the local chef while also purchasing specialty seasoning blends directly at the restaurant.
The takeaway
The move from pop-up to permanent space highlights the importance of financial grants for emerging small businesses. Aspiring restaurateurs can look to this successful transition as a model for leveraging local business competitions to achieve growth.
Further reading
Discover more local food scene updates on the Detroit Dining Out section.
More information
View the current menu or learn more about the concept at the Little Liberia restaurant official website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Detroit Free Press.
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