CityFlatsHotel dishes up new catering partner for private events; rebranded cafe

CityFlatsHotel in Port Huron has undergone some changes, with a rebranded cafe, and a new catering business partner for its event department.

The former Michigan National Bank space became a hotel in 2022 and delivers a sleek, modern design, using reclaimed wood, glass, marble columns, vaulted ceilings, and handcrafted furniture. Located in the heart of downtown on the riverbanks, the three-story hotel offers 18 uniquely designed rooms, a ballroom, and a cafe. 

Sales and Event Manager Chelsey Winkle says this new partnership has helped elevate CityFlatsHotel’s level of detail and services for weddings, private parties, company meetings, awards ceremonies, fundraisers, and special gatherings for up to 300 people.

Collaborating with Local Catering Business and Rebranding CitySide Cafe

Chef Mike’s Catering was brought on in November 2024 as an off-site catering partner, bringing a fresh new flavor to the culinary offerings of the hotel’s event department. The longstanding family business has been around for nearly 40 years, and regularly provides catering services around town for funeral homes, the Blue Water Convention Center, churches, and other events. 

The Ballroom at CityFlatsHotel.

Winkle says she’s very excited to have the family catering business become part of the CityFlatsHotel team working behind the scenes. Due to frequent turnovers in the hospitality industry, the events department experienced some inconsistencies within its culinary program. 

“We wanted to go in a direction where we could guarantee we would have a consistent culinary program,” she says. “My regional managing director brought up Chef Mike as a possibility. I have worked with Chef Mike in other employment and have a really great working relationship with them. I was more than thrilled to hear that there would be a possibility of moving off of an in-house provided service to an offsite catering company.”
Missy Damon and Mike Moretz.
Although Chef Mike has only been catering for CityFlatsHotel events for just under a month, the stellar reviews of grilled sirloin, brisket, and chicken dishes have already been rolling in. 

“We have gotten a lot of positive feedback from the last three weddings that they have catered,” she says. “Their food is top-quality, it’s absolutely phenomenal, and it absolutely has elevated the quality and our service standards for the building. They are huge assets.”

Missy Damon is the event manager with Chef Mike’s Catering. The St. Clair County business started small catering to church events, and has grown over the past four decades. 

“My parents retired and now we do catering for what we thought was going to be on the side just for fun, but now we’re a full-time company again,” Damon says. “I love working with my parents and it doesn’t feel much like a job when you work all day with family.”

She’s also been impressed by the CityFlatsHotel event staff, and the venue, and is excited to be part of the high-quality service provided at the hotel. 

“It’s been amazing,” she says. “The venue has a gorgeous view of the Black River and is a staple of our downtown area. I’d love to get more people to use this facility now that it’s got the ambiance and great food to go along with it. We’re happy to be a part of it and are loving it so far.”

CitySide Cafe's Avocado Toast.

The hotel also reopened and rebranded CitySide Cafe. It’s open daily for breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Their menu was revamped to feature more sustainable and clean menu items. The menu includes in-house items including specialty coffees, egg bites, avocado toast, sandwiches, and soups. 

Chef Mike’s Catering is not in charge of the cafe menu, but Damon hopes this offsite catering partnership could grow into something even more. 

Looking Ahead 

In the future, Winkle hopes the community can continue to utilize this unique space when hosting their private events and memorable moments. They’re currently booking for weddings in 2025, but can also accommodate for other events of varying sizes. 

“We also have a floating barge that is literally in the Black River, which is an amazing space,” she says. “We have multiple spaces available for rent for events and try to accommodate events of any size. I would absolutely love to partner with more people in the community because I feel like our building is still a little bit of a hidden gem. It’s absolutely stunning and severely underutilized. It’s a beautiful space and I’m just trying to get people more aware that it’s right here in Downtown Port Huron.”