DINING
Restaurant listings arranged by region
GRAND RAPIDS
25 Kitchen & Bar 25 Ottawa Ave. SW. 616-805-5581 AMERICAN. Casually comfortable with a high-energy twist. Located next to Van Andel Arena, 25 serves sharable plates and unique entrées, plus a selection of 25 wood-fired pizzas. Also features 25 signature cocktails and 25 draft beers.
Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO THERE FOR: Variety, especially beer and pizzas.
» SERVING: Lunch
Angel’s Thai Café 136 Monroe Center NW. 616-454-9801 THAI. This downtown restaurant makes your order fresh, fast, and hot. You can order your entree with your choice of meat and spice level, or create your own.
7 days. GO THERE FOR: Thai Steak and Yum Talay. » SERVING: Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Open
Bentham’s Riverfront Restaurant 187 Monroe Ave. NW. 616-774-2000 AMERICAN. Enjoy great breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert options while looking out at the Grand River. Bentham’s now offers a lunch buffet with choices of salads, breads, soups and roast beef and poultry carved to order – not to mention stir-fry stations with fresh vegetables, meats or seafood and unique sauces. Casual attire.
» SERVING:
Breakfast Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO THERE FOR: Lunch buffet.
Big O Café 80 Ottawa NW. 616-451-1887 ITALIAN. The downtown (and downstairs) restaurant has a reliable menu featuring pizza, pasta, and sandwiches that are Italian and Cuban influenced. A great spot for lunch or a quick glass of wine and plate of pasta before a downtown event.
Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO THERE FOR: Dead Head Vegetarian Pizza, Cuban dinners on Friday nights.
The Bistro 11 Monroe Avenue NW. 616-242-6000 AMERICAN. Serving American food bistro-style, whether it’s grab-and-go or guests dining in for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The Bistro offers fresh seasonal options, serves Starbucks beverages and has a full-service bar.
» SERVING: Breakfast Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7 days GO THERE FOR: Sandwiches.
» SERVING: Lunch
» SERVING: Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO THERE FOR: Mediterranean Country Cuisine and Martinis.
Bistro Bella Vita 44 Grandville Ave. SW. 616-222-4600 ITALIAN. One of Grand Rapids’ best dining experiences, featuring Mediterranean- inspired country cuisine, a swanky yet comfortable downtown atmopshere and personable service. BBV’s culinary team creates authentic, housemade recipes made with locally grown produce, fresh seafood and rotisserie roasted meats. Specialty gluten-free menu, and can prepare custom dishes for lactose intolerant, vegetarian, and vegan diets.
Blue Water Grill 5180 Northland Dr. 616-363-5900 SEAFOOD. One of Grand Rapids’ most inspired restaurants in terms of overall ambi- ance, with Frank Lloyd Wright-style architecture, a stunningly massive fireplace, and some of the best water views in West Michigan. The food is similarly inspired, drawing from Italian, Mediterranean and classic American influences. All the traditional favorites are accounted for with a wide variety of wood-fired pizzas, seafood, steaks, chops, salads, and sandwiches.
days. GO THERE FOR: Grass Fed Beef. » SERVING: Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7
Bobarino’s 20 Monroe Ave. NW. 616-356-2000 ITALIAN. A melting pot of food, live entertainment and fun. Live music Tuesday through Saturday, including rock, jazz, retro, country, rockabilly and more. Large game room with video games, billiards and shuffleboard. Menu includes vast array of wood-fired pizzas, plus burgers, entrées and classic appetizers. Lunch buffet with pizza, pasta, and salad for $6.45.
Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO THERE FOR: Wood-fired pizzas.
» SERVING: Lunch
Bombay Cuisine 1420 Lake Dr. 616-456-7055 INDIAN. The Eastown res- taurant has grown from neighborhood favorite to one of the region’s best-known spots for Indian cuisine. That’s left some of the locals who used to slide in there for a cheap meal grumbling, but the quality of the food is undeniable at any price.
THERE FOR: Naan, Rogan Josh. » SERVING: Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO
Brandywine 1345 Lake Dr./2844 East Beltline NE 616-774-8641/616- 363-1723 AMERICAN. Both locations do brisk business at breakfast, especially on Sundays, but also offer a solid lunch and dinner menu featuring sandwiches, pasta, Mexican favorites and the legendary beehive potatoes.
Breakfast Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO THERE FOR: Breakfast.
» SERVING:
REVUEWM.COM | MAY 2012 | 53
REVUE’S dining listings are compiled by staff and minions. This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of restaurants in the region; for our full list, visit
revuewm.com/ restaurants. Our magazine listings will constantly change and grow in scope based on openings and closings, editorial space, budgets, deadlines, acts of God, congressional hearings and, of course, visits and meals at restaurants throughout the region. The listings are not intended to be reviews of West Michigan restaurants, although we will inject some opinions into the listings based on experiences or the personal preferences of staff. Our intention is to expand and sharpen the content every month to make it the region’s most user-friendly and accurate dining guide. To submit or correct information in a dining listing, please send an e-mail to
editor@revuewm.com.
Bulls Head Tavern 188 Monroe NW. 616-454-3580 AMERICAN. Downtown eatery is a great spot for business lunch or casual pre-show dinner, with a wide-ranging menu that includes salads, burgers, pasta, seafood and steaks. Specialties include the ostrich burger, sashimi tuna and smoked Gouda chicken pasta.
SERVING: Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Closed on Sunday. GO THERE FOR: The Ostrich Burger.
»
Charley’s Crab 63 Market SW. 616-459-2500 SEAFOOD. A staple on the fine- dining scene in Grand Rapids. Fresh seafood, a world-class Sunday brunch and a comfortable, upscale atmosphere for drinks and dining.
7 days. GO THERE FOR: The Sunday brunch buffet. » SERVING: Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Open
Cherie Inn 969 Cherry SE. 616-458-0588 BREAKFAST. The East Hills restaurant is one of the area’s most-loved breakfast and lunch spots. A neighborhood staple for more than 60 years, the eatery offers a cozy, café-style setting complete with French flags, weathered brick walls, pressed tin ceiling, and intimate tables. Breakfast is the true star, with a variety of regular dishes like eggs Florentine and blueberry pancakes, as well as specials like red-flannel hash and almond joy pancakes. » SERVING: Breakfast Lunch OPEN ON: T W Th F Sa Sn. GO THERE FOR: Eggs Florentine.
The Corner Bar 31 N. Main St. 616-866-9866 AMERICAN. The downtown Rockford tavern serves a solid menu of burgers, burritos, salads and sandwiches, but it is best known for hot dogs – serving almost 1,000 per day. Its hot-dog-eating challenge has been conquered by more than a few, but it raises the question: Why would you want to consume Corner Bar dogs in a hurry rather than savor each bite?
Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO THERE FOR: Hot dogs. » SERVING: Lunch
Cornucopia 187 Monroe Ave. NW. 616-774-2000 DELI. A refreshing option for on-the-go, or casual, lighter fare. Enjoy deli options such as homemade soups, salads, Panini sandwiches and freshly brewed gourmet coffee.
»
SERVING: Breakfast Lunch OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO THERE FOR: Sandwiches.
Cygnus 27 187 Monroe Ave. NW. 616-776-6425 ECLECTIC. Enjoy the skyline as you dine atop the Glass Tower. Indulge in a variety of globally infused dishes at this AAA Four-Diamond restaurant. Casual attire; no jacket required. Private dining also available.
» SERVING:
Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO THERE FOR: Seasonal Sunday Brunch.
GP Sports 187 Monroe Ave. NW. 616-776-6495 SPORTS BAR. Three large screens, more than 30 HD flat screens, pool tables, video games, outdoor patio seating, pizza, signature burgers and more.
» SERVING: Lunch Dinner
OPEN ON: Closed Sundays. GO THERE FOR: Score Big Burgers.
Garden Court Lounge 187 Monroe Ave. NW. 616-774-2000 LOUNGE. An excellent choice for a quick drink with friends or when you desire relaxing with your favorite drink. The Garden Court Lounge offers a fine array of beer, wine, cocktails and liqueurs.
» SERVING: Drinks OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO THERE FOR: Specialty cocktails.
Erb Thai 950 Wealthy St. SE #1A. (616) 356-2573 THAI. Food rooted in traditional Thai cuisine, but also made to accommodate health conscious and special diets. Not too strong, not too weak, like harmony and melody. Marketing representative Molly Rizor was a Thai virgin when she went and is now glad Erb Thai was her first experience.
Sundays. GO THERE FOR: Peanut Curry Noodles. » SERVING: Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Closed
Founders Brewing Company 235 Grandville SW. 616-776-1195 BREWPUB. A beer-lover’s paradise with a national reputation for flavorful, award- winning beers. Likewise, the brewpub’s menu consists mainly of flavorful handcrafted deli sandwiches that can stand up and complement the beers (or vice versa).
SERVING: Lunch Dinner OPEN ON: Open 7 days. GO THERE FOR: Award-winning beer, handcrafted sandwiches.
»
SCENE | SOUNDS | SIGHTS
DINING SCHEDULE
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68