Our History

Our History

Hunter House Hamburgers was born in 1952 featuring sliders, little hamburgers with juicy, sweet onions smashed into the meat and the buns steamed hot.

Our small, white porcelain pill-box diner is a mainstay on Woodward Avenue, the first paved road in America. It is the oldest operating restaurant and one of the oldest businesses in Birmingham, Michigan. The name Hunter House dates back to when the road was a bypass named Hunter Boulevard, named after John W. Hunter who helped found Birmingham in 1819. Hunter Blvd. eventually became part of Woodward Ave., as it stretched out from Detroit.

Don Ellenwood, the founder of Hunter House, hand dug the restaurant's foundation and operated it until he passed away. Al and Martha Papazian purchased Hunter House in 1982 and it has stayed in the family for three generations. Today, their daughter Susan Papazian Cobb and grandson Kelly William Cobb operate the restaurant and food trucks.

Our butcher, our baker, and our pickle maker are proudly based in Detroit. Our food is always fresh and our ingredients come from local, family-run businesses, just like ours.
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