Anna's House in Holland opened in 2016. The original of the four locations opened in 2002. This place is large, has a 50's diner feel, great service and above all great food. They have taken breakfast to a new level. Large menu with lots of omelettes, skillets, pancakes etc. They are known for their focus on special diet needs like vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free and chemical free meats. None of that seems to have affected the taste or quality of the food. My wife had the potato pancakes with goat cheese and an applesauce reduction. I had the eggs benedict with large and tasty slices of ham. The cinnamon rolls are great looking and I saw the candied pecan and banana stuffed French toast go by that I will order next time. Fresh squeezed orange juice, other fresh baked items like muffins and some excellent coffee make this place special. They also have house made corned beef hash, turkey bacon and sausage as well as chicken sausage. Don't miss the chicken n' waffles, sweet potato and brussel sprouts hash or the red velvet pancakes. So many choices! Yes, they have lunch. Burgers, paninis, sandwiches and wraps. Also, lots of salads. Decorated with lots of coffee pots and teapots all around along with several large tasteful murals of diner scenes like Mel from Mel's diner t.v. show.

Brite Eyes Brewing Co. in Kalamazoo is a nice place with a great atmosphere and good food and drink. It is also a coffee shop offering breakfast and deli style lunch offered the rest of the day. My wife had a nice salad and I had a stacked hot ham and cheese sandwich which were both very good. I also have had the beers twice which were both flights. I have tried all but the mango IPA. I liked the blonde ale, the pale ale and the regular IPA. The seating area includes stools at the bar and tables. The dining room is two stories with a loft area which is not open to the public, but creates a nice feel. The windows are large and look over the city. When I paid at the counter, I spied a dessert which was a peanut butter crunchy square that was excellent. The menu is limited but offers some nice things. Good food and good craft beer! My kind of place. Check the guide for more details.

This place is my favorite breakfast place. I have a lot of ones I really like, but this is the one. Most people do not even know about this place. They have never advertised and I didn't know they existed for their first 21 years even though I had walked and driven by many times. A friend with a cottage in Saugatuck asked if I had ever been to Ida Red's Cottage? I thought it was a rental. After he told me, I had to check it out. I have been going every chance I get since then. It is small with limited hours and the wait to get in is usually long. However, if you like everything made from scratch using only the best and freshest ingredients, you have to go get in line. The homemade raspberry muffins are perfect. Especially with a glass of fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit juice. Lots of omelets and other egg dishes. (Check the specials board) Great pancakes and waffles. Everything has a unique twist from Asian, Greek, or Spanish to whatever the cook wants to do that day. My wife loves the potato pancakes which are not a regular item. I would drive a hour just to have breakfast here. As long as I have been going, the same people seem to work there. This is as good as it gets. Check the guide for more details.

This new place has turned the table on a bank. Building a nice restaurant in a former bank building strikes me as irony. The Vault Coffee House and Wine Bar opened in January in downtown Vicksburg. Not only is it downtown, it is also on part of a lake called sunset pond. Overlooking this pond is their very large outdoor patio which will be fun as the weather warms. The owners are former coffee shop people and I think intended this place to be more of a coffee shop and wine bar. While being that, it has also morphed into a popular restaurant. Nice sandwiches with a twist like the wrap my wife had called the Baja with chicken and avocado. I had their soon to be famous stuffed olive burger. On our second trip I had the soup and sandwich special which offered a very nice seafood bisque and a good deli style ham sandwich. My wife had another wrap. This time it was the Thai wrap with peanut sauce that she liked a lot. They are also getting known for their house made potato chips. They offer breakfast with crepes, French toast and their excellent coffee. Dinner includes the sandwiches described above along with steaks and pasta. The daily specials are always worth checking out. Kid and family friendly. Nice space in front with couches for relaxing with your coffee or wine. Growing wine selection and good craft beer choices. Live music sometimes, so check their facebook page. Nice owners Clint and Michelle with a true desire to offer Vicksburg a special place for food and drink. Check out the guide for more details.

I have driven by this place many times and thought someday I need to visit. That day came and I was glad to find a neat place near Clark Lake just south of Jackson. In Good Company is a full service spot with many unique items. They are known for one of the largest selections of Bourbon between Michigan and Kentucky. I had the Bourbon BBQ ribs which were excellent! My wife had the Sticky Pecan Bourbon Chicken which was also very good. Other entrees include Bourbon BBQ Shrimp. They do have non Bourbon items as well like pot roast, Delmonico or flat iron steaks, fish or chicken. I was also impressed with their award winning white chicken chili. The pasta sounded good. They offer grown up mac & cheese, deep blue mac or southwest mac. They also offer other pasta dishes like lasagna. Salads, sandwiches and desserts round out the lunch and dinner portion making this a good place to bring the family. Full bar with lots of Bourbon! They do have breakfast, but I will save that for another visit and another review.

Nice breakfast with homemade goods!

I especially like breakfast places that bake their own items. This is that kind of place. The Biscuit Cafe in Holland's Old Town area has an owner who has a culinary degree from Colorado, studied in Provence, France and Asti, Italy. Add to that she worked at both Bar Divani and Everyday People Cafe. All this background has led to a special restaurant where only the best ingredients are used and cooked properly. Try the fresh baked biscuits with a swiss scramble using real gruyere cheese. Maybe cover that biscuit with housemade onion jam. How about french toast made from their walnut cranberry focaccia bread or homemade brioche? They offer pancakes made from their housemade cherry almond granola or try the banana pecan pancakes made with housemade candied pecans. The meat comes from the local Montello's Meat Market with offerings like South African boerwors sausage. They have lots of omelets and scrambles to choose from and you can choose coffee, espresso or several loose leaf teas. For lunch try the pulled pork with tomato gravy or maybe braised beef. They also have tuna, greek, ham & cheese or a cubano sandwich. This place is worth a drive. Check out the guide for more details.

New breakfast place added

This Portage breakfast joint is worth a visit. The Daily Grind Cafe just north of West Lake is very cozy with very good food and great service. You can sense the owners pride in all areas. The omlets are excellent and filled to the max with quality ingredients. The sausage is ground fresh daily. The bacon is thick sliced and the steaks are tender. My toast and potatoes were done just right. On an earlier visit I had the crunchy french toast with corn flakes cooked into the batter. They also make homemade biscuits and gravy. With that they won the "best breakfast" in Kalamazoo county award from the gazette. I have not tried the burgers for lunch which are also fresh ground, however they won 2nd place for their burgers in the gazette as well. Cozy place with good food and local owners working everyday in the place! What more do you want? Check out the guide for more details.

Yes to Family Style!

I have avoided this place because I made a bad assumption that it was just another bad diner. After all it is a converted Big Boy. I was wrong. I tried the Oasis Family Restaurant in Three Rivers due to comments on the internet that said it was a good place. When you first walk in you notice how nicely decorated it is with well dressed employees. Very professional and comfortable atmosphere. Our service was excellent and we were very impressed with the large menu. We tried lemon chicken and barbeque chicken with sides of sweet potatos that were fresh cut. The salads were very good and so was the rice pudding that came with the meal! Very impressed and looking forward to going back for more. Our next visit I tried the pasta which was very good and I paid the $2 upcharge to get one of their amazing cakes for dessert. This is the place to go for desserts! Lots of choices and great quality. This place has an excellent build your own burger menu along with many other sandwiches and is known for having excellent breakfast offerings. I was surprised and pleased with such a nice family style dining place that reminds me of some favorites in the Detroit area.

New place in Mattawan

This place is a sister restaurant to the Portage location. The East Egg in Mattawan is very nice with good food and all items priced under $7. The benedicts are excellent including one not offered in Portage served with prime rib. Homemade corned beef hash is topnotch. Best coffee around since they serve Waterstreet coffee. Nice atmosphere and service. Bacon is thick and high quality along with bakery quality breads for toast. Good sausage which is ground fresh daily as is their hamburger. Burgers are good for lunch as well as the wraps. These people know how to run a restaurant and give good value with quality products. Check out the guide for more details.

Try a place near the lakes

Michigan has so many lakes that I had to pick just one area to blog about for Labor Day weekend. Try the excellent breakfast at The Wright Place in Sister Lakes. With 10 lakes in the area, I thought this might get you to take a drive. They are known for european style pancakes that hang over your plate. I liked the pumpkin pancake with creme anglaise sauce, secret spices and walnuts, topped with whipped creme. You may prefer the "murtle turtle" which is covered in pecans, caramel sauce, chocolate, more pecans and whipped creme. Also known for omelets, skillets, waffles(similar to the pancake offerings) and fresh baked items. Check out the area's cider mills, golf courses and lake activities. Check the guide for more details.

New Dutch place added in Holland

I finally found a real Dutch restaurant! I always wondered if there was such a thing. deBoer's Bakkerij & Dutch Brothers Restaurant finally does the trick. This place has been around since 1956 and at the current location since 1998. A real mix of old and new with old world Dutch treats and baked goods mixed with modern popular items. From old world Dutch croquettes & pea soup to mahi mahi fish tacos. From the Amsterdamage to the barefoot hippy this menu is very unique. My favorite breakfast places are those with a bakery attached and this is one of the best. Don't miss the banket almond stick, the pig in a blanket, the dulce banana rhumba french toast, klompen cakes or the lekkerbekje for dessert. They will be roasting and grinding their own coffee real soon as well. This place is worth a trip for breakfast or lunch. Plan on taking something home from the bakery. Check the guide for all the details.

New Orleans style deli & bakery

New Orleans comes to Middleville in the form of Big Easy Deli & Bakery. The owners had lived in Gulf Shores, AL for several years savoring New Orleans style food from their close proximity and because that style is very prevalent all over that part of the gulf. Open for breakfast and lunch you could start your morning with local roasted coffee, a housemade muffin, pastry or strudel and move on the Bourbon Street croissant. How about a nice quiche with house baked bread for toast. Lunch has that same great bread in several sandwich options like a pulled pork po'boy with coleslaw on top or a shrimp po'boy. Their signature sandwich is the muffelatta which rivals any I have had on Bourbon Street. Don't miss the gumbo. The owner is up at 3am baking her breads, muffins and turnovers so we can enjoy all this homemade goodness. Daily specials like red beans and rice on Monday and jambalaya on Tuesday. Always chef choice fish on Friday. This place is worth a drive so check it out. More details in the guide.

Take a drive out to the farm!

This place defines my "hidden away" category.
The Farm House Bakery & Restaurant near Vandalia is really out in the country and is actually located on the farm! I really like breakfast places that are also bakeries because the toast is so good. Add to that the donuts, pastries, bismarcks, cinnamon rolls and apple fritters, you may have to take some of your omelet home. This place is a store, bakery and restaurant. Nice lunches and great breakfasts. The bread is made with hand ground grain for each batch! The salad dressings are all made in house and are available for sale. I liked the sweet and sour. All this is good but their real specialty is their pies! Several choices all made from scratch in house. Have a nice breakfast or lunch, then purchase some bread, dressings and pies to go. Neat place with very nice people operating it right on their farm. Sometimes you may even get to go on a horse drawn buggy ride. Check their website for special events. Check the guide for all the details.

Mother's Day at a Mansion?

Lots of places have great Mother's Day specials. Great brunches and dinner specials all over. Check some of your favorite places that are not usually open on Sunday and you may be surprised. How about a special place at some of the mansions around our area. W.K. Kellogg Manor House is very nice check www.kbs.msu.edu/visit/manor-house located on Gull Lake. In Jackson check out Cascades Manor House at www.cascadesmanor.com where they always have Sunday brunch. In Eaton Rapids check out The English Inn at www.englishinn.com or in Saugatuck check out The Belvedere Inn at www.thebelvedereinn.com. Just a few special places. I am sure there are many more. No quarantee they are not already booked so good luck!

New restaurant added in New Buffalo

New Buffalo is a great town for restaurants. I have some favorites there so that is my explanation for why I had never been to
Retro Cafe'. They have been there since 1994 and are right on US 12. This is a special place that uses organic ingredients and makes as much as possible from scratch. Breakfast and lunch only, so get there early. Outdoor deck is nice and the cafe' atmosphere inside is all their own. They bake many of their own items and make their own preserves and chutneys. They can be purchased in the store behind the restaurant called Kites Kitchen Bake Shop & Pantry. This restaurant has many original items like eggs benito or their grass fed roast beef hash. Great sandwiches and salads for lunch. I had the Drier's ham & brie with avocado & tomato grilled on sour dough bread. Excellent! Pricing reflects the top quality ingredients used and is worth it. Click the name above to go to their page for more details.
Enjoy! Thanks to Wendy for the tip on this one.

Easter, East Egg and Spring!

Had trouble finding an Easter Brunch that wasn't sold out. Finally got in at Win Schulers in Marshall. Good luck if you are looking! Tell us about your experience. Did you know April is Wine month? Check the guide for almost 20 wineries where you can go tasting. Tuesday Bell's Brewery launched their famous spring beer Oberon. This is a great beer and my favorite thirst quenching beer. I normally drink dark beers, however, after a round of golf, there is none I like better!
On to East Egg This new breakfast and lunch place is next to Craftsman Chop House by Crossroads Mall in Portage. Start with Water Street Coffee and their homemade donut holes. They have unique offerings like their 7 benedicts, scramblers, grits, omelets and crepes. Try a smoothie with your breakfast. Nice atmosphere and well run by the owners who also own Craftsman next door. Lunch offers 8 flat top burgers, nice salads, homemade soups and chili. Also, many nice sandwiches and hot dogs served 5 different ways. Nice addition to the Portage breakfast scene!

New in downtown Kalamazoo

New in 2010. This place is located next door to the venerable Michigan News Agency. It was formerly a coffee joint. The Studio Grill is a great addition to the downtown dining scene. They still are a coffee shop, bakery as well as a unique one of a kind restaurant. Their claim to fame are their stuffed burgers! They are really good. Made with always fresh ground beef. I had the Craig's burger marinated in buffalo sauce, stuffed with pepperjack cheese and sweet onion topped off with cheese and spicy buffalo sauce. Craig's is named after the husband half of the ownership. They have a spicy-sweet pineapple burger or kalifornia king burger plus several other unique offerings. They also allow you to create your own. Try the large selection of hot dogs or deli sandwiches as well. Even though the stuffed burgers are the thing, they also make a very nice breakfast with lots of choices of omelets, pancakes, french toast and their fresh bakery items. Click the name to go to the results page.

Out of the area, but worth talking about!

Most of you have heard of Ann Arbor's famous Zingerman's Deli. Many are not aware of their other restaurant out near I94 at Jackson Rd. This one is called Zingerman's Roadhouse and is a large, nice, sitdown and be waited on place. Bon Appetit calls the Roadhouse one of the "top 10 new barbecue restaurants". Chef Alex Young and staff offer "really good american food!" as it says in their self description. Regional dishes are served using the best and freshest ingredients possible. Well known products like Nueske's applewood bacon, Pasolivo olive oil, American Spoon and of course corned beef from Zingerman's deli. These products or others like them go into their Tennessee Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Texas Beef Brisket or Chesapeake Bay crab cakes. Don't miss their mac and cheese with vermont cheddar or their burger which is ground fresh twice a day. They have daily specials and a full bar however, be prepared for higher prices than you are used to. Check out the guide for more details. Very good food!!

New place added in Coloma

You will think I am kidding when I tell you about the great broasted chicken at the Hot Spot Cafe in Coloma. What is so surprising is not just how good it is, but their amazing Sunday special. A friendly down home cafe with homemade food. It is about the fried chicken, but they have lots of other homemade dishes on their large menu. Even if you can't get in on Sunday after 4pm because of the line out the door...try their food any other time at regular price and it is still a great bargain! Check the review in the guide for the "deal" I am referring to.

Enjoy!

New place added in Paw Paw

How about a place where the chef is the owner and used to be the chef at the Black Swan? Go to Paw Paw and try Cafe' 237. Bill Sutcliffe does a great job with farm to table cooking. He even makes the thousand island dressing from scratch for his top selling reuben sandwich. The corned beef is cooked and cured inhouse. I liked the goulash (not what you think). Chalkboard menu changes frequently with lots of new ideas. Lunch and dinner except weekends when breakfast is available. Check out the guide for a full review and details.