35 minute read
must-try
Taylor Kyle
Taylor Kyle is excited to bring her new business, Eastown Cereal Café, to the Eastown neighborhood.
MUST-TRY
Cereal café joins Eastown
An area teen launches her first business.
BY ALLIE OUENDAG // PHOTO BY ANGELA CICCU
At just 17, Taylor Kyle is balancing both life as a senior at East Kentwood High School and as a business owner of the recently opened Eastown Cereal Café.
The 1,000-square-foot space, at 1505 Wealthy St. SE, is the first cereal bar of its kind in Grand Rapids. The café offers breakfast lovers classics that include namebrand cereals, oatmeal, bagels, muffins, toast and grits, as well as a variety of milk, coffees and juices from which to choose.
Kyle originally got the idea for opening a cereal bar from traveling and seeing other businesses with similar concepts and thought it would be a great addition to Grand Rapids.
As one of the more diverse neighborhoods in the city, Eastown was a natural fit for Kyle when it came time to open the café.
“This location is a perfect location for my business considering the other small businesses surrounding it. The community is welcoming and lovely, and I think it’s a great place for me to grow,” said Kyle.
Kyle is lucky to have the support of her parents — experienced business owners themselves — to guide her through the process of opening the café. They currently own KD’s Sports Bar in Wyoming.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic hindering some of her plans, Kyle is optimistic about her ability to get the café up and running.
“The pandemic has been a little hassle but I’m taking all the precautions to make sure I have a safe environment for the customers and my employees,” she said.
The café will offer both indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a walk-up window for customer orders.
“I am very excited to open up the space, and I really hope it will be enjoyed by people across the Grand Rapids area,” Kyle said.
TOP 5
Neighborhood markets
Bringing unique experiences to the grocery aisle.
BY ALLIE OUENDAG
Local farmers bring their produce to the Fulton Street Farmers Market year round, ensuring you can always find the season's freshest ingerdients for your next meal. Grand Rapids enjoys a plethora of small markets offering everything from everyday items to specialty foods not easily found anywhere else in the city. Here are five of our favorites.
Bridge Street Market
is a one-of-a-kind neighborhood grocery store opened by Meijer on the West Side in 2018. Bridge Street places special emphasis on supporting local businesses by offering more than 4,000 artisanal products made by local favorites such as Field & Fire, Long Road Distillery and more. With one of the most expansive beer and wine counters in the city, every wine connoisseur or beer aficionado is bound to find something to enjoy.
Kim Nhung’s Kim Nhung Superstore, at 4242 Division Ave. SE, is one of the largest Asian supermarkets in Grand Rapids. The market boasts a wide variety of Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Burmese, Thai, Taiwanese, Filipino and African products. Along with dry goods, Kim Nhung also has an extensive produce, fish, meat and exotic fruit selection for any type of Asian cuisine you may be cooking.
Since its opening in 2013, the Grand
Rapids Downtown
Market has made it a goal to create a vibrant food-oriented space that includes not only shopping and dining experiences but educational classes as well. With a large list of local vendors ranging from Sweetie-licious Bake Shoppe’s bakery treats to Fish Lad’s fullservice retail fish shop, Grand Rapids Downtown Market is a great place to find specialty items you need — and didn’t know you needed. Shopping at Horrocks Market is an experience as unique as the products it sells. Where else can you enjoy your favorite beer or glass of wine while you shop? With 50 rotating drafts of craft beer from breweries in West Michigan and around the world, a complimentary coffee bar, a full deli counter and even a gelato bar, Horrocks creates an exceptional grocery shopping experience.
For over 98 years, the Fulton Street Farmers Market has been bringing together local farmers, artists and food creators to sell their products. Open year-round (on Saturdays during the summer from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., and 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the winter), Fulton Street Farmers Market allows you to find the freshest ingredients at a low cost and support local farmers and businesses.
editor's pick
There is a new burger shack in town, and it is living up to its name: Hall of Fame Burgers.
I became aware of this new to-go restaurant on the southeast side through social media — multiple friends were posting about how Hall of Fame Burgers has the “best burgers in town.”
So, one Saturday afternoon I decide to check it out, ordering a cheeseburger and a chicken tender meal — and the hype was not an exaggeration. Despite its humble setting, this place packs big flavor into its meals. It’s also great on the wallet with all of its menu items at $10 or less.
Hall of Fame Burgers is owned by Kiyona Westbrook and opened in 2018. Visit Hall of Fame Burgers at 655 Eastern Ave. SE.
During enormously diffi cult times, local business owners — friends, neighbors, family — found new, innovative ways to serve the Grand Rapids community. When the pandemic hit our area, the fi rst priority at Beacon Hill was taking care of our people, our residents, staff, families and neighbors. Working with local restaurants Bowdie’s and Van’s Pastry Shoppe demonstrated how working together mutually benefi ts each entity and meets a critical need for these community institutions.
TOGETHER, WE WILL BUILD A CYCLE OF SUCCESS.
From the beginning of the pandemic, Beacon Hill’s employees were working extra shifts making sure all our residents were safe and healthy, often at the cost of having very little time for cooking and shopping for their own families. Partnering with two temporarily displaced employees from Bowdie’s Chophouse in East Grand Rapids, to cook take-home meals for our care team, helped Beacon Hill provide relief for their employees’ daily sacrifi ces. Van’s, the oldest bakery in Grand Rapids, opened in 1927 and has been in the same family for fi ve generations. Beacon Hill purchases donuts and pastries weekly for all the staff, to help boost morale and help sustain local business.
David Vander Meer, owner of Van’s Pastry Shoppe
Nick Fisher, Manager at Bowdie’s, says, “So many of my friends and colleagues are really struggling; they need the business. Now is the time to focus on local businesses, especially local restaurants. They in turn will do the same for you. There’s a real chance that if things don’t turn around, we could lose a full third of all our local restaurants and if they close that could mean no jobs for 20 to 30 employees at each restaurant.
We are fortunate to build these partnerships which benefi t all of us. That is the very defi nition of community — people who come together for the
good of everyone.
Above: Donkey's bar area
Opposite page: Alpaca bowl, tostado and margarita from Donkey
For restaurants, the past year was tumultuous. They were forced to change their entire business model during the course of a week when the stayat-home order was first put into place in March, then asked to reopen with capacity restrictions that lasted for months, and later forced to close again to indoor dining.
Grand Rapids Magazine wants to acknowledge all the restaurants in Grand Rapids that managed to keep their doors open through the past year; just doing that was quite a feat and worthy of recognition. But, these 10 restaurants particularly stood out for their innovation, flexibility and maintaining the quality and experience we’ve come to expect from them.
Grand Rapids Magazine is proud to present the Top 10 Restaurants of 2021 with its dining awards.
D O N K EY
Donkey’s extensive outdoor space helped it transition early on.
BY JAYE BEELER
When Paul and Jessica Lee opened Donkey, a spell-binding spot, across from their crown jewel The Winchester, they decided against posting signage or even sharing a telephone number for their taqueria. That’s how much they believed in Donkey. Definitely a rule-breaking move for most restaurateurs. But it worked. Quickly the neighborhood recognized it as one of its own.
“For us, it’s not enough to have fantastic food, not enough to have a cool environment, not enough to have wonderful service,” said Paul Lee, who owns and operates All-In Hospitality Group with his wife Jessica. All In Hospitality Group is the management company for the pair’s restaurants: Donkey, Winchester, Royals and Hancock — all located in the Uptown Business District along Wealthy Street.
With inspiration from their travels, they decided to introduce Grand Rapids to a new one-of-a-kind Mexican eatery, with Mexican flavors like you’ve never had before.
The tacos, all served on corn tortillas made in-house, are both delicate and complex — try the green mole chicken with roasted salsa, queso fresco, radish and cilantro. Or a vegetarian option with crispy fried Brussels sprouts, jalapeno mayo, salsa verde, macha corn and bacon sprinkled with queso cotija — a hard, crumbly Mexican cheese made mainly from cow’s milk. Another not-to-miss option is the beer-battered fried cod taco brightened with cabbage, lime, cilantro, red onion and chipotle-caper mayo.
“We wanted to create a restaurant that was woven into the fabric of Wealthy Street, that provided a sense of place. We love old buildings, and we feel that the building dictates what the concept is going to be — there’s discovery, compromises, a history. Donkey was an old service garage and we let the structure guide us.”
Long before the pandemic’s restaurant restrictions Donkey had an expansive and popular outdoor dining space — showing that the restaurateurs may have been ahead of the curve trend-wise.
With the pandemic, Donkey quickly adapted its outdoor area with igloos to allow for outdoor dining during the cold winter months. Donkey’s Instagram-worthy igloos are hot commodities and will stick around until springtime. Diners order and pay from a mobile phone, and staff delivers food and drinks to a table outside your igloo entrance for a safe, contact-free experience.
Even as the pandemic continues, rest assured, Paul and Jessica Lee are always thinking about what Grand Rapids might need next. The pair has additional development plans for the Wealthy Street neighborhood and hope to announce their latest project in early 2021.
Left: Donkey's tacos, torta, tostada and margaritas.
Top right: Mayan chocolate churros.
Bottom right: Spicy Paloma and Prickly Pear margaritas.
A M O R E T R AT T O R I A I TA L I A NA
Tasty Italian cuisine served with a slice of unmatched hospitality.
BY AUSTIN LANGLOIS
Amore Trattoria Italiana's arancini. W hat makes a restaurant really stand out isn’t always the food, but how it makes you feel. Is it a place that makes you want to linger over an extra cup of coffee with a special someone? Is it a place you bring your out-of-town friends because “it’s amazing,” you tell them?
For me, that place is Amore. And if it’s your place too — then you know why it’s in our Top 10 Restaurants of the Year list. It’s the staple of date nights, Mother’s Day celebrations and holiday hangouts. Here, the team works hard to make you feel special and appreciated. The ingredients are fresh, in-season and locally sourced — and the menu is especially sensitive to people’s diets and allergies.
Cooking through the pandemic
Amore always has remained a popular restaurant in Grand Rapids, but it’s how it has worked through the pandemic that has shown how dedicated to the community the restaurant really is.
And while 2020 was a tough year for everyone, especially the restaurant business, it’s been Arcidiacono’s quick business decisions and the support from her loyal customers that have kept the restaurant cooking.
Amore has been seemingly more active than ever on social media keeping customers updated. From sharing sneak peeks of tasty eats from the kitchen to heartwarming customer stories to menu updates — its Facebook page is the hub for loyal fans looking to snatch up the restaurant’s latest kitchen creation.
“We have had to pivot our whole business and we literally did it overnight without putting any staff on furlough,” Arcidiacono said when asked about the decision to only offer drive-thru takeout. “We didn’t open inside for many reasons — our goal is to keep staff and guests safe. We didn’t know much about the virus and felt best doing takeout. We also realized that opening at 50% is not worth it. We have to pay 100% of our rent, and I’m not a mathematician but the numbers don’t look good — especially when any restaurant’s profit margin is already slim before COVID.”
And it’s more than just feeding customers and supporting employees. Amore also has fed more than 10,000 frontline workers and veterans for free. It even received an extra $10,000 from Mike Rowe’s “Returning the Favor” show during the spring to continue this work.
While many things in 2021 remain uncertain, one thing is for sure: Amore is a strong member of the Grand Rapids community that’s more than just a great restaurant. That incredible Italian dinner does more than just fill your belly — it helps feed frontline workers and veterans and supports an extensive network of local farmers and suppliers across our region. What an impact a meal can make! 5080 Alpine Ave. NW
Left: Luna's classic margarita, prickly pear, mango and pink margaritas.
Left bottom: Luna's bar area.
Right: tablescape with tacos and a variety of fajitas and margaritas.
LU NA
Bringing the restaurant experience home.
BY SARAH MARILYN
Luna is located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids off popular Ionia Street and is steps away from Van Andel Arena. Last year, I came upon this independent Latin-infused eatery during a Saturday night stroll. Husbandand-wife owners Mario Cascante and Emily Stachowicz say their Latin heritage is the inspiration behind the menu. Cascante, who is from Costa Rica and raised in Southern California, opened Luna in downtown Grand Rapids in 2015.
Most other aspects in life are unstable, but Cascante said, “We pride ourselves on being a nimble and forward-looking organization. Thanks to our staff and management team, we were able to make a full transition to online ordering and takeout within 24 hours of the initial March shutdown order.”
Now, a year into a pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the dining industry, Luna is offering takeout and delivery options in an effort to stay afloat. New state guidelines have permitted cocktails to-go and Luna offers multiple margarita options that bring the bar experience home. “We want to provide as close to a restaurant experience (as we can), from quality eco-conscious packaging, easyto-assemble meals and great quality food at reasonable prices,” Cascante said.
While most businesses have had the opposite trajectory this past year, Luna is defying the odds with a planned expansion, coming to 7471 River St. SE in Ada Village, that was in the works prior to the pandemic.
As indoor dining remains restricted, Cascante predicts that the food industry will change. However, he said, “Luna is focused on bringing comfort and familiarity to our clients — something that was needed during uncertain times. Our family meal represented a great way for households to find comfort in yummy tacos.”
Cascante and Stachowicz are still on track to open their new restaurant in Ada some time in 2021 and will announce details as they become available. 64 Ionia Ave. SW, #100
Above: The bar area at Mertens Prime.
Left: Manager Nicole Vandy Bogurt mixes a cocktail.
Right: Seating in the dining room.
Mertens Prime's shrimp beignets and mixed lettuce salad.
M E RT E N S P R I M E
Adjusting to the pandemic with a new concept.
BY JAYE BEELER
With a gorgeously restored 1914 historic building, James Beard Foundation award-winning chef (Paul Berglund), tableside beef tenderloin-carving theatrics and a soul-searching approach, Mertens Prime flourishes with a delicious magnetism.
Anthony Tangorra, owner of Mertens Hospitality, knows a thing or two about running a restaurant with innovation and improvisation — considering he developed airport lounges before moving to Grand Rapids. In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Tangorra turned a fifth floor conference room of the New Hotel Mertens building into a little control room focused on reinventing every aspect of his business.
“The idea was to hold on tight to our core conceptual values of being a business that celebrates the history of Grand Rapids and serves incredible French cuisine,” Tangorra said.
As Mertens Hospitality diversified in realtime through social media, COVID-19 safety measures in the restaurant, a slimmed down menu, takeout and delivery (including alcohol), all restaurants in the state were shuttered.
That pushed Tangorra to accelerate the launch of pop-up restaurant 9th Street Steaks to just a few days after the state’s shutdown.
Offering from-scratch cheesesteaks, 9th Street Steaks can be ordered for takeout and delivery at 9thsteaks.com. “The bread is made from scratch in our bakery, the meat is sliced down in-house from the whole ribeye, we make our own cheese whiz,” said Tangorra, who spent a fair amount of time in Philadelphia around the aughts. “We make the ice cream from scratch for our shakes. We slice and hand-dip every onion ring.”
In 2020, with feedback from a comprehensive survey sent to 2,000-plus past guests, Tangorra decided to tweak his entire enterprise, reimagining New Hotel Mertens into fine dining Mertens Prime and French street food venue Café Mertens — along with a top-floor outdoor lounge called Mertens Rooftop and pop-up restaurant 9th Street Steaks. All are located at 35 Oakes St. SW.
For a brief shining moment in autumn, Mertens Prime rolled out its newest and brightest in the French-style steakhouse and brasserie — before indoor dining closed yet again.
Turns out the timing was an opportunity for Berglund — the 2016 James Beard Foundation Best Chef Midwest recipient (executive chef at The Bachelor Farmer in Minneapolis at the time) — to join the team.
“We take absolutely zero shortcuts and love the products that we are able to produce by doing it the old-fashioned way,” Tangorra said. 35 Oakes St. SW
F I E L D & F I R E CA F É
Farm-to-table breakfast and lunch spot invests in its future.
BY CHARLSIE DEWEY
Since opening its doors four years ago, Field & Fire Café has been providing breakfast and lunch options that far surpass the quality of most similarlyfocused restaurants. From the presentation to the quality of its ingredients, the café has been a go-to in the North Monroe neighborhood.
The café’s bright interior and natural light also create an inviting atmosphere and you’ll often find diners lingering over lattes or macarons into the later afternoon hours.
As a breakfast and lunch spot, the pandemic brought a unique set of challenges to Field & Fire Café. Julie Kibler, who owns the café with husband Shelby Kibler, said the initial days of the pandemic were “uncomfortable” and “chaotic.”
The restaurant had to temporarily close due to finances — reopening once PPP money came through. “We adapted as quickly as possible once we were back up and running,” Kibler said. “We purchased new point-of-sale hardware to limit person-to-person contact. We purchased Plexi dividers. We updated our website. We began providing online ordering and delivery through Square. We bought outdoor tables and umbrellas for the summer, and then greenhouses for the winter. The amount of money we spent just trying to stay open seems surreal. We could not have done it without the grants and donations we received.”
Overall, Kibler said she counts the restaurant as “lucky.”
And that is an important element to Field & Fire Café’s success. As a farm-to-table restaurant, its own success helps local farms that it sources its ingredients from succeed as well.
“The farmers that supply us grow their food with flavor and seasonality in mind, not how far can it travel and sit on a shelf. Our chefs are talented. They are making ‘high-end’ breakfast and lunch, if there is such a thing, and they really do deserve the recognition,” Kibler said. 820 Monroe Ave. NW, #100
Opposite page: avocado mash and breakfast burrito with matcha latte, latte and orange juice.
Top: café interior.
Right: sasquash sandwich with squash bisque.
Left: Bistro Bella Vita bar area.
Bottom left: arugula salad.
Since 1997, the Heartside neighborhood has been graced with the constantly delicious Italian- and French-style cuisine from Bistro Bella Vita. The restaurant’s classic décor is warm and inviting while the waitstaff is always charming and going above and beyond to make your experience memorable.
Bistro offers a variety of experiences from romantic booths, an energetic bar, urban patio tables and an option for private parties in one of its spacious dining rooms.
Head chef Dan Blanchard is constantly producing new and exciting seasonal menu options while continuing to offer patron
B I S T RO B E L LA V I TA
Standing the test of time.
BY SARAH MARILYN
favorites like the beef brisket bourguignon and the rigatoni Bolognese. Bistro Bella Vita’s commitment to its patrons continued throughout the past year as the restaurant faced the increasing challenges of the pandemic.
Owner James Berg recently announced a VIP Wine Club to stay connected to guests and keep them updated on delicious everyday bottles and premium selections. The VIP Wine Club has two membership options: Tier 1, which offers three bottles of thoughtfully curated wines for $50/month, and Tier 2, which offers three bottles of premium wine selections for $100/month. Both subscriptions offer free delivery to the greater Grand Rapids area, a free month of VIP Wine Club, and exclusive access to pre-sale offers including wine dinners, specialty wines and flash sales.
In addition to its VIP Wine Club, Bistro continues to offer takeout and delivery service. Berg notes that Bistro’s takeout family-style dinners have been particularly popular. Bistro offers many different family styles ranging from $50-$100. Some favorites are the lasagna dinner and dinner for two. Additionally, the restaurant offered special family-style meals for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Berg said the dinners were so popular they sold out.
As regulations seemingly change from week to week, Berg and his staff have been equally dynamic. Bistro Bella Vita has stood the test of time because of its innovative approach to dining and will continue to do so as regulations and restrictions are lifted. If Bistro isn’t on your list for takeout dining you are surely missing out. 44 Grandville Ave. SW
Right: The Mitten's Grand Salami Sandwich.
Far right: Dining area with sports memorabilia décor.
T H E M I T T E N B R EW I N G CO.
The restaurant’s commitment to its employees was unwavering.
BY CHARLSIE DEWEY
The Mitten Brewing Co. is known for its great pizza and fun atmosphere, and since the pandemic took hold, it’s become known for its loyalty to its employees, too.
Masking became a controversy early in the pandemic and restaurants took the brunt of people’s discontent.
“Our team members found themselves on the receiving end of many politically-charged unpleasantries, which awoke the ‘Papa Bear’ instincts in my business partner Max and I,” said Chris Andrus, co-owner of The Mitten with Max Trierweiler. “We ‘fired’ many customers for poor behavior, and I have no regrets about any of them. We’d rather err on the side of safety and sticking up for our team any day of the week.”
The Mitten also joined forces with other restaurants in Grand Rapids to create the MI Restaurant Promise, a commitment to follow the state’s restaurant guidelines. “It stemmed from a desire to showcase our safety protocols, build confidence and transparency, and to put some distance in between the good actors and the bad actors in the hospitality world. At the end of the day, building back that confidence is something only we can do, and I believe the Promise has been instrumental in the process,” Andrus said.
In addition to its commitment to enforcing masks and other safety protocols, The Mitten was forced to change its operations to accommodate carryout-only service.
“Our single phone line proved to be a huge liability,” Andrus explained. “The telephone has always been a fairly unimportant part of our business, but when all ordering suddenly had to be done through the phone system, we realized how inadequate our setup was. We added lines, but quickly saw that online ordering was the only way forward. So, we’ve had to make some serious technological upgrades to a business that was very ‘old school’ in the years prior.”
The Mitten also utilized previously unused outdoor space. Andrus said he believes carryout service and outdoor dining changes will remain for his restaurant and others even after the pandemic.
“Along with leaner workforces across the board, I believe we will emerge with a bigger focus on the back-of-house, since table service likely won’t play as big of a role in dining as it has in the past. Also, there will be a shift in what constitutes ‘ideal’ restaurant real estate. If a space doesn’t have outdoor areas or is too reliant on indoor dining density, it will no longer be a safe or wise bet.”
While The Mitten always has been known for its “warm and cozy atmosphere” and “packed taproom,” the past year has allowed the restaurant to build on its reputation as a committed community member and leader in the Grand Rapids restaurant scene. 527 Leonard St. NW
Right: Noco Provisions' array of cheese burgers.
Far right: The restaurant's dining and bar areas.
Bottom right: A bartender prepares bloody marys.
N O CO P ROV I S I O N S
Going big on ambiance helped the restaurant weather 2020.
BY JAYE BEELER
Noco Provisions’ interior always stands out, luminous with dramatic lighting, open fires and leafy planters that appeal on such a visceral level. Here, it’s all about nudging you along, a little nibble of comfort, a satisfying sip of a hoppy Michigan beer, perhaps a big family meal.
As the COVID-19 restrictions dragged on, owner Steve Millman and operating partner Ryan Sichta decided to go for a big ambiance — adding a large, inviting tent in the restaurant’s parking lot. “Our tent is a real event,” said Courtney Posthumus, bar manager. “It’s especially exciting at sunset when the light hits everything just right, it feels kind of special.”
Months ago, Noco Provisions created this outdoor dining room, staging it with 12 tables and a smattering of high tops, socially distanced and decked out with patio lights, heaters and opportunities for natural light to flood in. Noco even offers a cozy sanitized blankie if you forget to bring your own. Three bubble dining pods also provide a lovely bit of privacy and warmth on the restaurant’s patio.
“We’re trying our hardest to deliver the same warm hospitality inside and out, whether it’s outdoor dining or takeout,” Posthumus said.
From its start, Noco Provisions set out to introduce familiarity with a delicious cleverness to Grand Rapids. Executive chef Chris Kail delivers huge flavors to everything from a grilled brisket burger topped with bacon, avocado or sunny side up egg to a fine 8-ounce filet with blue cheese horseradish spread, green beans and potato wedges or the beet burger — sandwiched with goat cheese, avocado mash, dijonaise, greens and toasted English muffin.
A crispy chicken sandwich is embellished with green chile aioli, white cheddar and coleslaw and accompanied by sweet potato fries dusted with rosemary salt and housemade dipping sauce. The grilled Norwegian salmon with garlic-rosemary lemon butter and cavatappi pasta in white wine cream sauce, butternut squash and Brussels sprouts also please the crowd.
Noco also makes a lovely range of cocktails, house-made infusions and spiked coffees, including the Noco Cosmos, with houseinfused citrus vodka, the Vintage with aged whiskey whirling with Four Roses, brown sugar, barrel-aged whiskey bitters, freshsqueezed orange juice, and the Carmela Soprano, a Rowster cold brew with salted caramel Stoli, Bailey’s cream, whipped cream and caramel drizzle.
When indoor dining is permissible, Sichta plans to eagerly throw open the doors in welcome and dismantle the big event tent — as its footprint takes over the parking lot. Though the private dining bubbles will stay on the terrace for a while.
Above: Terra's pork ramen.
Left: Terra has an open kitchen concept.
Right: The margherita pizza (top) and the mushroom pizza (bottom).
Terra's beet margarita.
T E R R A G R
A simplified menu and attention to details make Terra a favorite.
BY JAYE BEELER
Nobody celebrates food in such brilliant Technicolor like Terra GR. From start to finish, the Eastown favorite is invested in your happiness.
“When taking reservations, we’re definitely looking for details — perhaps you’re celebrating a birthday, one year of sobriety, the weekend, a father-daughter dance, anything really, because we believe that our Terra guest experience is an opportunity for us to put a smile on your face,” said Kevin Skukalek, general manager.
During the state’s service restrictions, Terra GR upped its takeout game by simplifying its offering to weekly pop-up menus available Wednesday through Sunday from 4-8 p.m. Never losing sight of its farm-to-table ethos, chef de cuisine Ryan McClure and sous chef Lucas Cahoon wowed with seasonal ingredients, flawless techniques and lovely presentations.
During the COVID-19 disruptions, “our culinary team decided to deviate from our typical menu,” Skukalek said, “even bringing back the classics like pesto rigatoni and gazelle salad for a week.”
For the holidays, Terra GR accommodated its guests with special-occasion take-home feasts such as prime rib with cheesy potato au gratin, green bean casserole, dinner rolls, shrimp cocktail and peanut butter-chocolatecaramel turtle pie.
The food is as flavorful as it is colorful — with plenty of gluten-free and vegan options. During Terra’s weekly takeout menu, you might get something wonderful like the Koreaninspired mushroom bibimbap bowl or the massaman red coconut curry. My family’s crazy about the margherita pizza dressed with tomato sauce, basil and hand-pulled mozzarella.
This bustling restaurant is a magnificent space with a high ceiling, stone floor, hard woods, big windows and window sills lined with succulents. The patio is positioned to always soak up the sun and offers the best seats in the house.
“When we reopened for dine-in after the last shutdown, we were surprised at how busy we were, with wait lists and full reservations,” Skukalek said.
Just a few doors down from Terra in the Kingsley Building you’ll find Terra Bagels — a new venture by Ken Sung, Terra owner, and Clark Frain, Terra’s executive chef. The bagel shop launched in September during the global pandemic. It’s exceptionally successful with the same philosophy of scratch cooking along with utilizing local ingredients. Really an ideal eatery for take-away with its 12 varieties of bagels, 13 schmears and bagel sandwiches — highlighted in the house-made lox and pastrami. 1429 Lake Drive SE
QUA R A N T I N O ’S
The Best New Restaurant to emerge this past year was inspired by the pandemic.
BY JAYE BEELER
Quarantino’s Pizza feels like a secret, impossibly so as it’s located on a busy boutique-lined stretch of Lake Drive in Eastown across from its sister business The Early Bird. Here, chef Joel Wabeke’s latest darling rocks out his Detroitstyle pizzas, truly addictive squares with crispy charred edges and ingredients reverse layered so they’re blanketed by red sauce.
Quarantino’s isn’t just any pizza place, it’s creative and crafty concoctions stand out, like the Greek pizza, which pays homage to Detroit’s Greektown with brick cheese, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, spinach, red sauce and herb-marinated feta. The pesto in the chicken pesto pizza is pared down to basil, olive oil and garlic — skipping the pine nuts and Parmesan to ensure the safety for those with food allergies. And Quarantino’s vegan pizzas are equally alluring, such as the Fun Guy with Violife vegan cheese, plenty of mushrooms, herb oil, mushroom cashew cream, leeks and cracked black pepper.
“The whole thing starts with the pans — these square pans originally came from Detroit’s auto plants and were meant to hold stuff like parts,” Wabeke said.
In the late 1940s, Gus Guerra invented Detroit-style pizza with those square pans and opened Buddy’s Rendezvous — which later became Buddy’s Pizza.
“Living in Detroit was so good for me — that’s when I came across Detroit-style pizza,” said Wabeke, reflecting on the blissful time when he cheffed in Detroit’s astonishing urban-inspired restaurants such as Wright & Company.
Back in Grand Rapids, Wabeke and his wife Sarah Wepman started their restaurant collection with The Early Bird and Littlebird. The couple closed another of their properties, Kingfisher — a casualty of the state’s pandemic restrictions — and transferred the staff over to Quarantino’s.
This corner site — open for takeout and delivery only — is stuffed with all of Wabeke’s hopes. There’s an old-fashioned
Quarantino's Ok Shroomer (top) and the veggie pesto (bottom) pizzas.
ice cream maker because he might roll out a late-night kiosk for slow-churned ice cream and freshly fried doughnuts. New to the menu are Wabeke’s handmade lasagnas to be baked at home — including a vegan option with marinara, mushroom, spinach, artichokes hearts, semolina pasta and Violife vegan mozzarella. 1444 Lake Drive SE
"Home, sweet home." “There’s no place like home.” “Home is where the heart is.” There are many reasons there are so many heartfelt expressions surrounding the places where we live. Warmth, comfort, security are all found at home, as well as happy memories, special occasions, and some of life’s greatest milestones. It’s no wonder we put so much emphasis on feathering our nests and making them our own, personal spaces. The following businesses featured here all play an important role in helping you create — or find — the sanctuary of your dreams. Maybe you’re looking for your first home, or the one where you plan to retire. An experienced, trusted real estate agent may make the process both enjoyable and successful. It could be that you’ve decided it’s time to update your existing home and a great offer on a renovation loan will help you get the most out of your investment. Adding new appliances, no matter if you're building, buying, or revamping, are another factor — and an easy way to modernize your home or give it your signature style. No matter where you are in the home buying or homemaking journey, there’s a resource here to help you get there. ■
GERRIT’S APPLIANCE
2410 – 28th St. SW, Wyoming, MI 49519 | 616-532-3626 | gerritsappliances.com
Since 1948, Gerrit’s Appliance, has been a fixture in the West Michigan area and also a valuable resource for appliance shoppers looking to furnish their new homes or renovate their existing dwellings. The store has been family owned and operated for 70 plus years, providing a distinctly different experience than the big box stores. Homeowners will enjoy peace of mind knowing that Gerrit’s Appliance has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 1971 — that’s 50 years this year. The owners have earned those credentials by consistently operating ethically, with integrity, transparency, and responsiveness. They also employ the most experienced, knowledgeable professionals to assist shoppers with appliances to fit their needs, whether it’s for the kitchen, the laundry room, or outdoor patio or deck. Gerrit’s only specializes in appliances, and offers everything from sales, delivery, and installation to parts and service. All the best brands are at Gerrit’s, too, including Bosch, Frigidaire, Speed Queen, JennAir, Thermador, and others. ■
ROMANOWSKI HOMES, GREENRIDGE REALTY EGR
2213 Wealthy St. SE, East Grand Rapids, MI 49506 | 616-458-3655 | romanhousekey.com
Buying a home is one of the largest investments most people will make in their lives and the team at Romanowski Homes at Greenridge Realty EGR truly understands that. Deciding which agents to work with for this significant life moment isn’t one to take lightly. With nearly 20 years in the business, Janet Romanowski and her team have built their reputations on establishing trust and leading with integrity. They have walked in the same shoes as most of their clients, which gives them a level of empathy not all agents may possess. They also take pride in making strong connections and nurturing personal relationships with their clients — many of which evolve into lasting friendships. Romanowski Homes will partner with you to find a home that’s a perfect fit — that’s a difference homebuyers will feel immediately. They’re with you for the entire search and buying process and afterward to ensure this exciting step is also fun and enjoyable. ■
NORTHPOINTE BANK
100 Grandville, Ste. 300, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 NMLS: 447490 | 616-552-5705 | northpointe.com/grand-rapids-michigan
in the current economic market with low-housing inventory, it can be difficult to find the home of your dreams. Additionally, for some, the cost of renovating to create that perfect home might seem impossible. If you are looking to purchase a house that needs minor or major renovations or your current home needs updates, Northpointe Bank has a solution for you. Plus, for a limited time, you can receive $500 off closing costs on renovation loan applications received on or before May 31, 2021 with properties located in the counties of Clinton, Kent, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, and Ottawa. Whether it’s a bathroom remodel, gutting an entire house, or adding a major addition, let Northpointe Bank make it simple with our home renovation options. One loan, one low rate, will create a home that’s uniquely yours. Connect with Northpointe Bank today or learn more at northpointe.com/reno. ■
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