The Black Heron on the West Side of Grand Rapids makes The Jungle Bird with a tincture of the sunset shone warm about the verdant lime wedge. 

In this cocktail, the Campari and pineapple burst onto one’s palate like a phantom grapefruit lemonade inception. This Bird alights upon the tongue.

When I reveal that I’m a food writer, inevitably, I hear the same things. “That would be fun.” Yes, it is. “How do you find a good restaurant?” Well, the answer is simple. Choose a restaurant (really, any one will do), sit down and order food, then determine whether or not you’d come back. I promise, there are no secrets here.

For beginners in the West Michigan veggie game, finding tasty vegetarian and vegan dishes can be problematic. Where should you start?

Here are just a few local spots offering more than a house salad. Revue has you covered on breakfast, lunch and dinner, too.

While the term “meat and potatoes” doesn’t exactly elicit expectations of a culinary adventure, Fennville’s Salt of the Earth does its part to prove otherwise. If you aren’t familiar with Salt of the Earth, it is a Midwestern, ingredient-focused establishment that sources all of its food within about a 50-mile radius of its doors.

GRCC’s world-renowned pastry chef Gilles Renusson talks about keeping up with cooking fads, social media, the Food Network and gluten-free diets

A healthy lifestyle calls for a healthy diet. Easier said than done, am I right? Big chain stores may stock a plethora of products, but many of them are processed, treated with chemicals or dosed with pesticides. Yummy! Thankfully West Michigan has plenty of local health-food store options to choose from. Here are just a few.

You may know your resident servers and bartenders, but do you know who’s masterminding your favorite dishes? Revue chatted with a few local chefs about how they got started in the kitchen and what’s new on each of their menus.

When entering a coffee shop, one is welcomed by the warm and comforting aroma of richly roasted beans and fresh, brewed coffee. The cozy and aromatic atmosphere entices the senses and the first sip of an artfully crafted beverage brings the utmost satisfaction. 

While West Michigan’s LGBTQ nightlife hot spots are not as plentiful as they once were, the raging clubs and quiet bars you can find in our region are legendary.
Whether you’re intent on cruising the night away, showing off your pipes at karaoke or workin’ it in a pageant, here are some Michigan fixtures.

Learn how to make the Ramos Gin Fizz from Long Road Distillers. Like a tart creamsicle, it’s a perfect confection for any season, guaranteed to make your eyes roll across the floor (in ecstasy).