Chef Drake Harper

05/20/2026

Asparagus on the pan, cooking like a pro… crisp on the edges, flavor in the glow 🌿🔥✨

05/11/2026

A historic Saugatuck boat warehouse is getting a new life — reopening as Marker 14, a riverfront restaurant and cocktail bar.
After years of renovation, the old Mermaid Waterfront Bar & Grill space on Water Street is finally reopening its big garage doors to the Kalamazoo River. Waterfront seating, boat‑watching, cocktails, and a full dining setup rolling out by Memorial Day. Cool to see a piece of Saugatuck history stepping into a new chapter. 🌊🍸✨

The property has had many lives including as a warehouse, blacksmith shop, boat livery, fruit store and theater.

05/11/2026

Love’s Ice Cream is leveling up — three new locations coming in 2026. 🍦✨

After more than a decade at the Downtown Market, they’re expanding big: a year‑round scoop shop in Ada, a spot at the new Acrisure Amphitheater, and another location rolling out later this year. Always good seeing a local favorite grow and keep that West Michigan flavor moving. 🚀🍨

Love’s Ice Cream & Chocolate is planning a multi-location expansion in 2026 as it taps a new COO to help scale the business.

05/11/2026

West Michigan’s food scene is moving fast again — new restaurants opening, familiar spots expanding, and a few longtime favorites closing their doors.

From new kitchens popping up on Wealthy, Madison, and Division, to fresh concepts in Grandville, Holland, and Ada, there’s a lot happening across GR right now. And like always, a couple places are saying goodbye after years of serving the community. 🍽️✨

If you like keeping up with what’s shifting around town, this month’s Biz Beat has a full rundown of openings, moves, and closings across West Michigan. A lot of talent out here doing their thing.






📍GR

A round-up of the new restaurants and other businesses in Grand Rapids and across West Michigan, as well as closings, relocations and other changes.

04/01/2026

Electric Cheetah just did something you never see right now… they’re lowering their prices. 🔥

While restaurants everywhere are raising costs to survive, they rolled out a new menu where almost everything is $19 or less — without shrinking portions. Just a straight‑up move to make eating out in GR feel normal again, like pre‑pandemic days.

Love seeing a local spot choose community over margins. Wealthy Street stays winning.

The popular Wealthy Street restaurant is rolling out a new menu with nearly everything at $19 or less, aiming to bring back pre-pandemic affordability.

04/01/2026

Grand Rapids stays winning. 🙌

Butcher’s Union just landed the #11 spot on Yelp’s Top 100 U.S. Restaurants for 2026 — the only Michigan restaurant to make the list. Huge shoutout to the team over there. From the cocktails to the plates to the whole vibe, they’ve been putting in the work since 2017, and it shows.

Love seeing GR food culture get the national shine it deserves.

Yelp, a crowd-sourced local business review website, just released its Top 100 U.S. Restaurants list for 2026. Butcher's Union in Grand Rapids came in just outside the top ten at number 11.

03/22/2026

Private chef business that blends great food, fresh air, and community. Cooking outside, connecting with people, and bringing good food into natural spaces.

03/17/2026

Two longtime West Michigan Denny’s locations have officially closed their doors.
The restaurants on Plainfield Ave. in Grand Rapids and Cork St. in Kalamazoo are now listed as permanently closed, with the GR location found locked and empty when crews stopped by. Former employees say the heat had been out for months, creating freezing working conditions before the shutdown.
Both locations had been around for decades, and the franchise owner previously filed for Chapter 11 in 2023. These closures add to the growing list of Denny’s restaurants shutting down nationwide over the last two years.
Another big shift in the local dining landscape.

Two West Michigan Denny’s locations appear to be closed.

03/17/2026

Big news for Wealthy Street!
Our Brewing Company is officially expanding into Grand Rapids, taking over the former Woosah Outfitters space at 736 Wealthy St SE. Even better — they’re teaming up with Picnic on Wealthy to launch a full outdoor food‑truck garden this spring.
Expect three local food trucks, hammocks, cozy seating, fire pits, and that classic Wealthy Street community vibe coming back to life. Picnic is already accepting food‑truck applications, and the garden is set to open May 1.
Woosah passed the torch with love, and it’s great to see the space getting a new chapter. GR’s food + drink scene just keeps leveling up.

The Holland-based brewery is expanding to Grand Rapids at the former location of Woosah Outfitters.

01/14/2026

Big news for the GR food scene 🍔

Shake Shack is officially opening its first West Michigan location right here in Kentwood near Woodland Mall. The plan is for the restaurant to open in 2027 at 3029 28th St. SE, complete with a drive‑thru and dine‑in space.

Another fast‑casual spot is being built next door too, though the tenant hasn’t been announced yet. West Michigan keeps leveling up with new food options.

The company has selected a site for its first Grand Rapids-area Shake Shack location, which will include drive-thru service.