A round-up of the new restaurants and other businesses in Grand Rapids and across West Michigan, as well as closings and other changes.
Filling the shoes of Aperitivo at the Downtown Market (435 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids), Squibb Coffee Bar has opened Sav Sav. More than just a cheese and wine shop, Sav Sav offers coffee, a full wine bar serving pours from local and international wineries, select beer and specialty beverages, a robust cheese counter, a reputable coffee bar, and a retail space stocked with curated products.
Cats and coffee—what’s better than this? Whisker Room Café brings both to Muskegon at 926 2nd St. An extension of The Arc of the Lakeshore, they are committed to creating opportunities by hiring individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and to providing a unique space for our whiskered friends to find their forever homes. Stop in to enjoy a brew and/or spend an hour hanging out with lovely furry friends.
In Studio Park, you’ll now find the second location for Earthly Refillery (122 Oakes St. SW, Grand Rapids). This zero waste bulk shop offers eco-friendly household products for refillable containers, such as shampoo, dish soap, beans, grains, coffee, tea, oil, honey, snacks and seasonings—alongside local produce and dairy products.
Following its years-long success in Grand Haven that led to a second community in Rockford, The Toasted Pickle has opened in Grand Rapids, right on the Medical Mile at 820 Michigan St. NE, Grand Rapids. As the name implies, this sandwich shop has plenty of pickle-centric offerings, but there are plenty of burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads and sides even if you hate brine.
Get a taste of Grandma Gladys’ cooking at Gladys Grille, now open at 1167 Madison Ave., Grand Rapids. Opened by proud granddaughter Jeannica Garmon, the menu offers home cooking passed down through the family like peach cobbler and fried chicken, along with burgers, sandwiches, meatloaf, mac & cheese, and more.
Where once stood the eatery with our favorite name of all time, Sanitary Seafood, now stands 616 Batter Mix (2468 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids). This new spot from the owners of 616 Kabob Stop has similar offerings to its predecessor, with fried chicken, fried fish, wings, sub rolls, and of course, tons of tasty sides.
The former GrandVilla has been reimagined and reborn as Villa Bar & Banquet and The Dungeon Bar. In one location at 3594 Chicago Dr., Grandville, you’ll find both the elegant banquet hall event space of Villa Bar (which seats up to 300) and the “intimate, seductive, moody” cocktail lounge of The Dungeon, which also offers a wide variety of food.
If you love local art—and you should—Blue House Art Square is a lovely new little haven for you. At 7267 Thornapple River Dr. in Ada, next to the Tuesday Farmers Market, you’ll find five adorably charming sheds filled with work from 14 local artists, from paintings to fiber art, clay figurines, jewelry, glasswork, clothing and more.
The Elevated Market has leveled up with a new location at 955 Godfrey Ave. SW, Grand Rapids, hosting more than 75 vendor and artisan spaces with a huge variety of vintage home décor, furniture, clothing, and more—including a bookroom with cozy seating! The 25,000-square-foot space is also meant to be accessible, with an elevator and a large, free parking lot.
Pickleball and Wiffle Ball are finally seeing their day in the sun, and Dinks & Dingers Social Club has opened at 5080 Broadmoor, Kentwood to celebrate that. They have indoor and outdoor pickleball courts and Wiffle Ball fields for fun, casual play in a lively atmosphere. Not your games of choice? You can also play cornhole, shuffleboard and ping pong, or simply sit at the full restaurant and bar to enjoy food and drinks all day long.
Up Leaf Café expanded to Muskegon at 221 W. Webster Ave., down the road from the Muskegon Museum of Art, after the success of its original Holland location. They’re known for Asian fusion cuisine like Korean beef bowls, rice wrapper rolls, smoothies and plant-based energy drinks.
For a delicious marriage of Mexican and American flavors, check out Delicias Fusion Kitchen & Bar, now open at 4676 32nd Ave., Hudsonville. You’ll find everything from steak frites and to chipotle shrimp rigatoni, spaghetti & chorizo meatballs, fajitas, tacos and more—plus a full bar.
Taking over the former space of Beema Okaasan, Thai and Beyond opened doors at 1233 28th St. in Wyoming. They’re offering tasty and affordable Thai cuisine, including spring rolls, noodle dishes, fried rice, soup, curry, stir fry and house specialties.
