
Year-End Biz Beat 2025: New Restaurants in West Michigan

West Michigan Brewery Guide 2025

There's really no reason to stay indoors during a West Michigan summer, especially on days where the sun doesn't do down til 10 p.m. So much to do, and so much time. Make the most of this month by exploring your outdoor feasting and cocktail hour festivities near and far.
The Union Cabaret & Grille features no shortage of impeccable Southern flare. Chefs who got their start in places like New Orleans and Kansas City have put together a menu that features showstoppers like St. Louis-style ribs and Gumbo. Also available are six different barbeque sauces, all gluten free.
It's an optimistic time of year. The days are noticeably longer and temperatures are getting warmer. Not that you need to rely on the weather to heat things up—a spicy bite or sip can do the trick just as well.
If you asked me why I hadn’t tried CVLT Pizza until now, I would say it’s because I had no faith in gluten-free pizza. The key word here is 'had'.
There’s been an explosion of restaurants offering vegan options in the Grand Rapids area over the last couple of years. Choosing just five favorites seems somehow cruel. However, when push comes to shove, here are five that rise to the top.
The last three months have been my learning experience. ... But it's nice to have that creative flow to really cook food for people. I'm not a big talker. My food speaks for what I would say.
To Michigan’s economy, restaurants are kind of a big deal. The industry currently employs 10 percent of Michigan’s total workforce, registering $13.1 billion in annual sales. The National Restaurant Association projects a 5.8 percent increase in employment over the course of 2014, which means the creation of 23,000 jobs in the state.
Half of our menu can be made either gluten free or vegan. I love to cater to things like that. People who are close to me, myself included, have dietary restrictions. So I'm very in-tune to that.
There's a saying that pizza is like sex. Even when it's bad, it's pretty good. But when it's good, holy s***. While we never turn down pizza, regardless of how bad it is, there are just some pies that make life on earth a little bit like heaven. We've searched all over West Michigan to find the most heavenly slices out there, and there's no messing with these ones. From light-your-mouth-on-fire hot to artisan to a pizza with a twist, here are our pizza picks.
We asked our staff members to choose their last West Michigan meal on Earth. Here are their picks.


