Grand Rapids, on the Grand River and east of Lake Michigan, is a romantic location with numerous romantic activities, including eating at one of the many restaurants, cafés, and pubs. Despite its reputation for having a plethora of breweries, Grand Rapids also boasts some excellent restaurants for special occasions.
Restaurants are an essential feature and need for tourists visiting Grand Rapids, Michigan. Restaurants are vital when determining where to take customers, acquaintances, or even dates, whether you’re in town for business or pleasure.
Although Grand Rapids has a few traditional fine-dining establishments, such as The Chop House and Grangers, many of the greatest places to dine in Grand Rapids are informal eateries. These restaurants continue to provide the excellent cuisine and service that you would expect from a high-end establishment, but with a more relaxed and casual décor and environment.
There are so many restaurants in Grand Rapids that picking one might be difficult. Therefore I’ve compiled a list of the greatest restaurants in Grand Rapids that both residents and tourists, including myself, have enjoyed.
Visiting other Michigan cities? Check out our gastronomy guides to the cities listed below:
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Grand Rapids’ Top 10 Restaurants
Bella Vita Bistro
Grandville Ave SW # 100, +1616222460044
It’s no surprise that Bistro Bella Vita is one of the greatest restaurants in Grand Rapids. This is the place to go if you want high-quality service, environment, and cuisine. The staff was exceedingly friendly and eager to answer any of my menu-related queries.
The restaurant specializes on seafood and meals made using organic ingredients. The menu also includes seasonal specialties such wild mushroom risotto and grouper with roasted parsnips, fennel, and lemon-garlic butter. Diners may choose a wine from a large range in addition to their entrée.
I really recommend the Cozze al Vino Bianco, which are little mussels served in a white wine sauce with basil pesto. It’s one of those meals that everyone raves about.
Bistro Bella Vita, a wonderful Italian restaurant, features one of the most romantic settings you’ll ever encounter. It’s directly adjacent to Harmony Brewery and has a great view of the Grand River.
All of that scenery culminates in some spectacular vistas of the city. You’ll want to arrive early enough to take in the breathtaking sunsets in Italian style.
Wine & Grille Cork
+161694905701600 Galbraith Avenue Southeast
Cork Wine & Grille, situated in Cascade Township, is a superb casual dining institution and one of the top restaurants in Grand Rapids. Apart from award-winning wines, the cuisine features fresh seafood and catch of the day fish prepared into innovative gourmet dishes in a delightfully beautiful setting.
A social gathering. Handcrafted creative cocktails or a glass of award-winning wine accompany the delectable seasonal food served with Midwest friendliness. The location is ideal for a romantic supper or a business meeting.
Cork not only has a terrific atmosphere and service, but also a diverse food. I’ve been there many times, and my most recent visit was no exception.
Every dish, from the salads to the steaks to the soups, tastes distinct. My favorite foods have always been mussels and oysters. If you become hungry, try their lamb shank or bone-in chicken as well!
Thus, if you want tasty, high-quality meals in a peaceful setting, Cork Wine & Grille is the place to go.
Divani
Ionia Ave SW Suite 130 +1616774946315
Divani Restaurant, situated at 15 Ionia Ave, is a popular place with outstanding meals in a lively ambiance that draws a dynamic crowd. With its outdoor dining, 2-for-1 Monday deals, and happy hour, Divani is a great spot to come any time of year.
This restaurant, situated on the second story of the Grand Action building behind the Amway Grand Hotel Plaza, has a sleek contemporary environment.
The environment is ideal for any event, whether it is a professional lunch or a romantic evening. The meal is always made from scratch with fresh ingredients, and there are weekly specials.
picture of a divani dish
This is the ideal restaurant for couples seeking a romantic ambience and setting. The meal is outstanding, maybe the finest in Grand Rapids! Their cuisine is superb, and they provide a large selection of quality wine, drinks, and desserts.
I suggest the duck starter, steak tenderloin, and gourmet cheese plate while visiting Divani. If you have some time to drink and enjoy yourself, I suggest the duck or pork chop entrees. They both have a very delicate feel and will melt in your tongue!
Lounge and Ju Sushi
+161657558581144 E Paris Ave SE, Suite 9
Ju Sushi and Lounge is an excellent choice for a laid-back evening out. They provide some of the best handcrafted sushi, sashimi, and Asian fusion dishes in town, and are located near the Bonefish Grill.
The restaurant includes three different dining rooms, high ceilings, and huge windows, as well as a pleasant environment furnished with black flower wall art and a white bar. See the food being made in a hibachi kitchen as you eat.
Nigiri with spicy mayo. Nigiri with carrots, shrimp tempura, and avocado Nigiri with mayonnaise, spicy salmon, and avocado Signature dishes at Ju Sushi & Lounge include seafood and vegetable tempura, hibachi grilled salmon, eel rolls (also known as unagi), mango mahi-mahi, and a variety of nigiri such as spicy scallop.
Ju Sushi and Lounge is a fun location to hang out with friends or on a date. It is as appropriate for a family meal as it is for a dating night. The happy hour menu is relatively affordable, and it is popular with the locals.
Moreover, the pleasant staff is happy to offer their advice with sushi newcomers who are hesitant to order on their own.
The Green Pool
+16168083566924 SE Cherry Street
If youre searching for an upmarket brunch or supper with a twist, Green Well is the place to go. Green Well is owned by the same company that operates Grove, an acclaimed vegetarian restaurant in downtown Grand Rapids, and has its own site in the center of downtown.
Green Well is a green restaurant in the sense that it delivers nutritious and ecologically friendly meals. The founders and team are highly enthusiastic about their ecologically friendly, fair trade initiatives.
Green Well has a mood that, for once, does not make you feel like you’re eating in a school lunchroom. The lighting is a little dim, which leads to some interesting talks. The floor-to-ceiling windows let in enough natural light so you don’t feel like you’re in some subterranean bunker of a restaurant.
From the lentil loaf entree to the grilled cheese sandwiches, salads with roasted sweet potatoes and black beans, and a daily vegetarian bowl, there’s enough for people who don’t eat meat. Even better, almost everything can be made gluten-free.
Leos Seafood Restaurant & Bar is a seafood restaurant and bar.
+1616454670060 Ottawa Avenue Northwest
Leos provides an elegant but relaxed ambience in the center of downtown Grand Rapids, with its modern decor, high ceilings, and soft lighting.
On the menu, youll discover fresh seafood, excellent steaks, and meat meals, as well as salads and vegetable dishes. The pasta is made artisanally using fresh garden vegetables and the best tomatoes from Leos’s own tomato farms in northern Michigan.
Leos serves amazing meals made from locally produced products that will amaze your senses and thrill your taste buds. For starters, try the cheese tortellini or the mussels in Pernod sauce, and for the main course, opt for the center cut veal chop with seared scallops.
Leo’s courteous crew and outstanding ambience soon established this restaurant as one of the finest in Grand Rapids!
Old World Italian Dinner at Notos
+161649366866600 28th St SE
Since 1970, Notos Old World Italian has been Grand Rapids’ top option for authentic Italian food. Notos provides huge family-style meals to customers, as well as a complete bar and banquet facilities. There are slight distinctions in the old-world Italian cuisine prepared at Notos. They utilize only the freshest products and have created a non-deep-fried menu.
The food at Notos Old World Italian has the same relaxed elegance. Signature meals include sirloin steak, chicken alfredo, pan-seared sea scallops, veal parmigiana, and veal al Bianco, as well as a comprehensive assortment of pizzas and pasta servings.
As you enter inside the restaurant, you will notice a comfortable environment that will entice you to remain longer. From the bright flowers on your table to the soft music playing above, everything about the restaurant is pleasant and friendly.
When taking my order, the waitress also gave me a little lecture on the menu and then left me with my water and fresh bread while I looked at it in more depth. Considering how crowded it was, I was astonished at how attentive our waitress was; she never hesitated to refill water or question if we needed anything more.
Notos Old World Italian is a popular luxury Italian restaurant among Grand Rapids residents. It’s no wonder that the restaurant was rated one of Grand Rapids’ top Italian eateries.
Rossa Osteria
+1616988935016 NE Monroe Center St
Osteria Rossa is an Italian restaurant managed by Italians that serves traditional Italian food. Osteria Rossa features a brick-adorned industrial-chic setting packed with classic artworks, and my time there was nothing short of fantastic on many levels. I couldn’t have hoped for a better experience, from the service to the meal to the ambience.
The decor is designed in a sleek, classic style that is becoming more prominent in restaurant design. On two sides, the restaurant is brick, with a wood roof and dark brown hardwood flooring.
This restaurant serves hand-tossed, wood-fired pizzas, tapas, and traditional Italian food. On the menu, you’ll discover fresh ingredients and meals created from scratch, such as handmade pasta and sauces, fresh fish, prime beef and veal, and wood-fired pizzas.
It has a traditional Italian feel about it, and the cuisine is fantastic. This isn’t your typical spaghetti and sauce joint. Yet, the finest part is the live music and ambience.
The Republic of Rockwell
+1616551356345 Division Avenue South
The Rockwell Republic is located in the historic Heartside District, which is regarded as one of Grand Rapids’ most unique and creative areas. The Rockwell Republic’s goal is to provide a lively, welcoming environment that offers Asian fusion cuisine.
The majority of their components are sourced and farmed in Michigan. They also serve specialty drinks made from fresh ingredients by Grand Rapids’ greatest mixologists.
Mixing Asian ingredients into an American-style restaurant delivers a unique dining experience in Grand Rapids.
The Rockwell Republic is an excellent choice for a romantic dinner for two or a big gathering of friends or family. It is also a good alternative for people wishing to experience local live music, local spirits, local beer on tap, and an extensive whiskey menu, since it is located in the historic Heartside District.
Chef Timmy Malloy’s dishes are steeped in Southeast Asian and North American tastes, yet they are also very comforting and familiar.
With dishes like warm tangles of fried chicken wings, an upgraded twist on a traditional BLT with crispy duck confit, and a pot roast sandwich with pulled beef shoulder cooked with red wine and stock until it splits apart succulently in your mouth.
The Rockwell Republic is one of the top restaurants in Grand Rapids, offering a steady and diverse menu of wonderful cuisine, a sumptuous cocktail selection, and good beers on tap.
Tapas Restaurant San Chez A
+1616774827238 Fulton Street West
San Chez Bistro has a wonderful variety of meals that keep the tastes in this Mediterranean restaurant lively and entertaining. The menu includes a good amount of Spanish food, as well as influences from South American and Mediterranean sources, so there’s something for everyone.
Moreover, the restaurant specializes on small meals and tapas that are designed to be shared among family and friends.
Chef Serafin’s Mediterranean-inspired meal offers diversity and originality at a reasonable price. In addition to the tapas-style cuisine, you may enjoy the pleasant ambience and friendly service in San Chez Bistro’s attractive interior décor.
Freshly baked flatbread, assorted olives, roasted red peppers, calamari and octopus, vegetarian and meat specialties of shish kabobs, skewers with lamb or chicken, paella overflowing with seafood such as scallops and mussels, and delectable desserts such as churros with chocolate sauce are served at the restaurant.
San Chez Bistro is one of Grand Rapids’ top restaurants. The instant you step in, you feel transported to another place. The cuisine is delicious, and the service is second to none. The guacamole and chips are excellent!
Synopsis Of The 10 Top Grand Rapids Restaurants
Grand Rapids is still considered an underestimated gastronomic destination, which is far from the case.
Culinary variety, farm-to-table ingredients, and creative food championed by smart and famous chefs abound throughout the city.
I’ve spent years exploring Grand Rapids’ pubs and restaurants, which are known for their award-winning craft beer, scrumptious sweets, sumptuous desserts, and imaginative, original cuisine, making this city one of the greatest places to dine in the Midwest.
Nothing is out of place here. Anything you need to prepare, whether it’s the necessary components or a particular cuisine. Whatever your culinary preferences are, Grand Rapids offers something for everyone.