Autumn in West Michigan offers a cornucopia of tastes guaranteed to warm your palate.
Want to sample the fruits of the season? Just check out the fall menus from these drinking and dining establishments within a 5-minute walk of ArtRat Gallery (46 Division Ave. South), in the heart of Grand Rapids’ Heartside neighborhood!
Plus: Click here for ArtRat's interactive restaurant map!
Check out our picks, listed below and on this handy interactive map. Did we overlook any fall feasts? Write us at maddy@artrat.us so we can experience them, too!
Wine
Grand Vin (15 Ionia Ave. SW, Suite 120) Tuesday - Thursday 11-6pm, Friday and Saturday 12-7pm. Sunday 12-5pm. Co-owner and sommelier Thomas Grimm shared his favorite for the season: a 2021 Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais for a crowd-pleasing, easy-drinking, sweeter red with notes of ¨crunchy fruit and spice.¨
GRNoir Wine and Jazz (35 Division Ave. S) 3-10pm Wednesday through Saturday. To pair with the season, GRNoir co-owner and Level II Sommelier Shatawn Brigham recommends the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon from Aslina Wines, a Black woman-owned label from South Africa.
House of Wine (53 Monroe Center St. NW) 11:30am-10pm Monday through Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11:30am-11pm, Sunday 12-9pm. Co-owner Emily Lynch and her sister Mary recommended visitors cozy up tableside with a mug of mulled wine that blends ¨spiced red wine, brandy, cider plus ginger, honey, cranberry¨ — or take a cold carton home.
Cafés
The Lantern Coffee Bar and Lounge (100 Commerce Ave. SW) 6am-8pm weekdays, 8am-8pm weekends. This thriving caffeine-powered social hub is offering three seasonal specials: a classic pumpkin spice latte; a maple miel; and cider served hot, cold or with a shot of chai! “The maple miel is probably our biggest seller,” Lantern co-owner John Bailey told ArtRat — but they’ll all hit the spot when the temperature drops.
The Mortals Cafe (111 Division Ave S) 8am-6pm Monday through Friday. Our friendly neighborhood death-themed coffee house is brewing a beverage owner Abbey Hunter has named pomme de terre: a latte sweetened with reduced apples and spices and topped with steamed milk infused with ube (purple yam). Mortals is also pouring chaider, a combination of chai tea concentrate and cider. Twenty percent of proceeds from the October specials goes to DisArt, a nonprofit dedicated to art that changes perceptions of people with disabilities.
Cuisine
MeXo (118 Fulton St. E) 11-9pm Wednesday through Saturday, 10am-3pm Sunday. Chef Oscar Moreno is dedicated to bringing the prehispanic cuisine of Mexico to a modern menu. His mission includes a monthly Chef Dinner Series that focuses on a specific indigenous culture. Friday, Nov. 4, from 6-9pm will be a “Noche De Teotihuacán,” a prix fixe menu inspired by foods of the ancient Mesoamerican metropolis located just north of present-day Mexico City.
Monsoon (55 Monroe Center St. NW) 11-10pm Monday - Saturday, 11-5pm Sunday. If you haven’t yet visited this tasty new spot in GR, head chef and owner Phong Nguyen has put together an array of wonderful new dishes for the season. Notably, the vịt nướng cam — roast duck with orange — is sure to bring you comfort with its delicate juicy flavor and citrus garnish.
San Chez (38 Fulton St. W) 9-9pm weekdays, 9-10pm Friday and Saturday, 9-2pm Sunday. Want to try something a little daring for spooky season? Grand Rapids’ celebrated tapas restaurant is offering “Dinner in the Dark” on Sunday, Oct. 30, with seatings at 5pm and 7pm. Enjoy a five-course dinner with a twist: You’re blindfolded for the duration.
Stella’s Lounge (53 Commerce Ave. SW) 4pm-12am Sunday through Thursday, 12pm-1am Friday/Saturday. True, every day is Halloween at this rock ‘n’ roll eatery. But if you’re in the mood for a meatless treat, check out Stella’s latest “creature feature” burger: the Krabby Patty, an Impossible Burger topped with a vegan crab cake, jalapeño aioli, fried Brussels sprouts, red onion and cilantro-lime slaw, all served on a pretzel bun.
And if you're in the neighborhood, stop by ArtRat at 46 S. Division. We’re open 11am-8pm Thursday through Saturday — and we're handing out candy! 
