One day, someone was eating a salad and said, “I love this so much, I just want to bundle it up in a little blanket and hold it tight.” That day, wraps were born.
And thank God, because they’re a brilliant invention. If you want to eat healthy — or at least feel like you are — but a pile of leaves isn’t going to cut it, wraps are here for you.
They’re versatile, working great for lunch or dinner. They’re easy to hold and eat on the go, thanks to innovative tortilla technology. They’re the perfect food to pair with beer, neither too filling nor too slight.
The wrap is a reliable friend on the menu wherever you are, but there are some particularly excellent options out there in West Michigan.
The next time you’re looking at a menu and thinking, “This wrap sounds weirdly good, but is it really going to satisfy me?” The answer is yes.
Just follow our lead.
Supper Club Wrap
HopCat
Multiple locations
hopcat.com
The Supper Club may well be the perfect wrap. I think of it often, at all times of the day. A healthy amount of spinach sets the base, then add turkey and smoked bacon for protein, avocado for creaminess, tomato for a touch of brightness, garlic aioli to tie it altogether, and swiss and cheddar, because of course. It’s all swaddled in a cheddar-jalapeno wrap that has just enough of its own flavor to lend a hand. They’ve taken texture into account as much as flavor, so there’s never a dry bite. When you’re one snifter deep in the latest barrel-aged rye ale, this is the wrap you want by your side. Plus, you can have a little Cosmik Fries, as a treat.
The Gaucho
Bliss & Vinegar
888 Forest Hills Ave. SE, Grand Rapids
Bliss & Vinegar, Downtown Market
435 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids
blissandvinegar.net
At Bliss & Vinegar, wraps and salads abound. In fact, you can make anything in there into a wrap, but you should know they’ve already dialed into something great with The Gaucho. This is a hearty one, with steak, quinoa, arugula, corn salad, queso fresco and chimichurri vinaigrette. As the venue name implies, the vinaigrettes are really the star of the place — and this chimichurri is no exception. You get the light fluffiness of the quinoa mixed with the hearty bites of steak, but the vinaigrette is the herbal, bright sauce that brings it all together.
Kyle’s Chicken Tender Wrap
Studio Grill
312 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo
studiogrillkalamazoo.com
Sometimes a wrap isn’t about being healthy: It’s about taking your chicken tenders to the next level. In fact, this is one of the most common styles of wrap I see (in the Midwest at least). Studio Grill is your friendly neighborhood Kalamazoo restaurant that does it well. Take those juicy chicken tenders and add lettuce, diced tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, cheddar cheese, and chipotle ranch. That’s how Kyle does it, with a side of fries to boot.
The Woody Harrelson
Two Beards Deli & Catering
38 Commerce Ave. SW, Grand Rapids
twobeardsgr.com
While “vegan” isn’t actually a synonym for “healthy,” you’ll usually feel pretty darn good after eating an entire dairy-free, meat-free meal. At Two Beards, your decision to step away from the cattle farm will reward you with flavor in spades. Check out their Woody Harrelson: vegan bacon, pickle shreds, red onion, jalapeño, cucumber, tomato, romaine, chipotle veganaise and avocado spread, all on a sundried tomato wrap. It’s an absolute whirlwind of textures and tastes you can eat in good conscience.
The Outlaw
The Toasted Pickle
112 Washington Ave., Grand Haven
thetoastedpickle.com
You’re craving a big ol’ barbecue burger, but you know you’ll feel too bloated to head to the beach after. Enter The Outlaw, a wrap at The Toasted Pickle that meets your needs and then some. Thinly shaved turkey meets with stout brew barbecue sauce, fried onion strings, tomato, smoked bacon, baby greens and sharp cheddar. It’s a perfectly flavorful little lunch, and the best part is you can have it delivered right to your seat — along with anything else from Toasted Pickle — at Odd Side Ales’ nearby taproom.
Ahi Tuna Wrap
Brick and Porter
47 Monroe Center St. NW, Grand Rapids
brickandportergr.com
Ahi tuna is a miracle of a protein, beautiful to see, delicious to eat, and never too heavy. Brick and Porter is smart to make it the star of this wrap, adding only a few complementary ingredients to bring it to life: mixed greens, wasabi ranch, cucumber and house-made boursin cheese, all in a garlic herb tortilla. It’s light and creamy, with the smallest little kick — like a baby in the womb — from the wasabi ranch.
Chicken Parmesan Wrap
Nick Fink’s Tavern
3965 W. River Dr. NE, Comstock Park
thegilmorecollection.com/nickfinks
Nick Fink’s is a rebellion against the form: a sort of Frankenstein’s monster of local dive bar, high-quality restaurant, private event space and haunted tavern. It only makes sense that the wrap would follow suit. The Chicken Parmesan Wrap throws a whole meal in a tortilla and calls it a day, with fried chicken, mozzarella sticks, marinara, red onions, and mozzarella. It’s a special luxury, meant to be savored thoughtfully.
