Grand Rapids is one of the finest cities in all of Michigan, with tons of exciting nightlife, recreation, and a wealth of upscale restaurants to check out during your next trip. Located centrally along the Grand River, the Western Michigan locale offers a wide array of delightful cuisines, from coney dogs, to fried chicken, to the Grand Rapids specialty wet burritos. The greater Michigan area is known for its culinary masterpiece of whitefish, while some trendy establishments have even taken to catering a fine dining iteration of things like breakfast cereals, gourmet fudge, and meat pasties.
With so many bold flavors to try out, it can be truly overwhelming to find the right restaurant for you and your group. Luckily, we’ve got you covered, with a list of some of the best eateries in the entire city. With this list in hand, be sure to make Grand Rapids your next destination for a girl’s night, date night, or weekend getaway!
Butcher’s Union
Kicking off our list of the best restaurants in Grand Rapids, we have Butcher’s Union, located on the west side of the city right by John Ball Zoo. This semi-upscale establishment has ranked on Yelp’s Top 100 Midwest eateries list on more than one occasion, with its meat, whiskey, and locally-grown vegetables serving as standout menu items. Butcher’s Union touts over 100 beverages in their whiskey selection, making it the perfect place to bring a connoisseur for a big date. If whiskey isn’t your thing, Butcher’s also packs a whopping gastropub selection, loaded with specialty cocktails that will leave you wanting more. Butcher’s offers a few menu mainstays for patrons who don’t enjoy red meat, such as fish, pastas, and poultry dishes, though their real specialty is their wagyu sirloin, beef stroganoff, and house-made meatloaf.
The B.O.B.
Next up on our list, we have The B.O.B., perfect for those with a hankering for classic all-American eats at a reasonable price point. The establishment, lovingly nicknamed the Big Old Building, is actually home to a number of restaurants and breweries, all operating out of a converted warehouse. Located in the heart of Grand Rapids’ downtown area, The B.O.B. includes Bobarino’s Pizzeria, Gilly’s BBQ Grill, Judson’s Steakhouse, and many more. This makes The B.O.B. the best possible spot for a group of indecisive friends who can’t settle on one dinner choice for their big night on the town. After visiting the Big Old Building, be sure to stop by the DeVos Place convention center for a quick look at the city’s greatest offering of entertainment and nightlife.
Forty Acres Soul Kitchen
If you are able to make up your mind about one thing in Grand Rapids, it should be making a quick pilgrimage to Forty Acres Soul Kitchen in the Uptown district. This Creole inspired kitchen offers some of the heartiest and most mouthwatering soul food in the entire Midwest, courtesy of the down-to-Earth staff, Urban vibe, and thriving culture. The restaurant’s official website describes their establishment as an “Authentically American restaurant and bar with a resilient, unapologetic style,” which supports local black communities and brings the culture of African American cuisine to the forefront of Grand Rapids.
Menu mainstays at Forty Acres include fried green tomatoes and a delicious house-made gumbo over rice, as well as fried catfish or chicken and waffles. Forty Acres is located right in the upscale shopping center of GR’s Uptown, though you’ll want to get your shopping done before stopping in, as you’ll definitely be leaving the eatery fully stuffed and ready for a nap.
Mitten Brewing Company
If you’re interested in going all-in on a delicious Michigan style pizza, while also searching for some high quality local IPAs to test out, be sure to stop in at The Mitten Brewing Company. The restaurant, named for Michigan’s iconic shape, is one of the finest pizza joints in Grand Rapids, complete with an in-house brewery that will knock your socks off. From traditional style pizzas to out-of-this-world topping choices, you’ll have an embarrassment of riches at this West Side stop. Be sure to check out the Westerdog pizza, which comes with a chopped Coney hot dog topping, or the Field of Greens vegetable lovers, which comes loaded with enough vegetables for your entire weekly intake. With some delicious sandwich options also available on their menu, the Mitten Brewing Company has a little something for everyone.
New Hotel Mertens
Like The B.O.B., and many of the trendy eateries in Grand Rapids, the New Hotel Mertens is situated inside a converted place of business. As you could probably guess, this restaurant is located inside of a decommissioned hotel, which was originally established over a century ago. Since pivoting to the restaurant model, Mertens has scaled up their fancy factor, and now offers a myriad of menu options depending on which floor you choose to dine in. The bottom floor is a quaint little bakery where consumers can pop in for a quick cup of coffee, a small sandwich, or a few house-baked pastries, while the main dining floor offers a sit-in French tasting menu complete with steak frites, Paris poutine, escargot, and a table-side cheese cart.
Those lucky enough to score a reservation on the rooftop of New Hotel Mertens are given a breathtaking view of the city, alongside a delicious menu of chilled seafood platters, expansive charcuterie selections, and deconstructed American classics. The rooftop portion of the restaurant is known to frequently host private events and parties, and has a bit of a reputation for being tough to get into. Still, we simply couldn’t construct a list of the finest restaurants in Grand Rapids without calling attention to this unique location and their intriguing three-tier gimmick.
Hancock
Taking things back to a more reasonable price point, we have Hancock, which brings the delicious blend of Southern spices and Nashville hot chicken up to West Michigan. This trendy Uptown establishment offers 4 tiers of heat for you to experience, depending on your preference and general bravery. Order your chicken with the spice level of “Not, Hot, Hotter, or Hottest,” and test your limits with the delicious flavors of Tennessee’s signature dish. While Hancock’s fried chicken is obviously the best seller, there are also a number of side dishes and add-ons available for you to try out, including house-brined pickles, jalapeño cheddar cornbread, and of course, a classic, crispy basket of French fries. If you need a delicious beverage to help tame the heat of your latest wild decision, be sure to check out Hancock’s house-made lemonade, which is often available in a myriad of seasonal flavors.
Sovengard
Rounding out our list of the best restaurants in Grand Rapids we have Sovengard. Sovengard offers a Scandinavian twist on a few local favorites, utilizing a menu of home-grown ingredients from across the Midwest. Like many fine-dining experiences, Sovengard offers a revolving daily menu which frequently switches out their main entrées based on the best selection of ingredients for the given week, though items such as house-cured salmon, fried perch, and rye rebollita are among the menu mainstays. This trendy location brings lush flavors and a fresh take on beloved classics to the West Side of Grand Rapids, making it a favorite to locals and tourists alike.
