Cocktails & Spirits Stories

Cocktail Week GR is back for its fifth year of creative cocktails and fun! Restaurants, bars, and distilleries are showing their creativity with specially crafted Cocktail Week GR spirits,... Read More ›

Even though the temperature is dropping, there’s no need to run indoors. There are a number of restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries near Grand Rapids that have the perfect outdoor patio spaces to... Read More ›

Grand Rapids is home to many locally owned and operated LGBTQ+ businesses, and there are more than you might think. The city is becoming a destination to live and work for people of all ages and... Read More ›

Several bars and distilleries in Grand Rapids have elevated the standard gin and tonic (G&T) by using local or house-made spirits and adding a variety of botanicals and other spices to create a unique... Read More ›

Following the East bank of the Grand River, the North Monroe Area, once a bustling industrial hub of Grand Rapids, is a now thriving business district offering much for visitors to see and do. The... Read More ›

Grand Rapids has a national reputation for beer, but that’s not the only beverage in town to sip on. For those who prefer wine, Grand Rapids offers a wide range of places to indulge in delicious grape... Read More ›

One of the hottest new things to do on a Sunday around Grand Rapids involves high kicks, cartwheels, and spins. It’s known as Michigan Drag Brunch, and it’s the latest Sunday Funday event hitting... Read More ›

Widely recognized for its exceptional food, Grand Rapids is a true foodie destination. Restaurants across the city offer unique, specialty weekend brunch menus paired with adult beverages. Weekend... Read More ›

Proprietor and mastermind Mitch Ermatinger, along with wife and partner, Whitney, opened Speciation Artisan Ales in Comstock Park in January 2017. As Speciation’s website bio accurately points out,... Read More ›

Bridge Street Market, a new neighborhood grocery store from Meijer, opened its doors to the Grand Rapids community in August 2018. Located on the city’s West Side at the corner of Bridge Street and... Read More ›

Grand Rapids is home to numerous distilleries that are focused on producing high-quality distilled liquor blended with superior ingredients, careful technique, and attention to detail. In fact, Grand... Read More ›

Thanks to the availability of high-quality craft spirits from local and global sources, the cocktail craze is booming -- especially right here, in Grand Rapids. In fact, Grand Rapids’ cocktail... Read More ›

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If downtown is the heart of the city; neighborhoods are the soul. Grand Rapids’ Uptown neighborhood features community-centric restaurants with a flair for innovative cuisine and cultural fusion. The... Read More ›

With over 90 music venues, Grand Rapids has an impressive music scene that offers many places to dance the night away. Experience Grand Rapids polled their followers on social media to find out the... Read More ›

The West Side of Grand Rapids and its surrounding neighborhoods is growing at an amazing rate. Everywhere you turn there is a new place to eat, drink, and relax with family and friends. Whether you’re... Read More ›

Gather ‘round the bar, catch up with old friends, meet new ones, and enjoy a warm sense of camaraderie while hoisting a drink or two at one of the many Irish pubs in Grand Rapids. Known for stout... Read More ›

Grand Rapids may be known as Beer City USA, but that’s not the only drink in town. With overflowing apple orchards and crisp fall weather, craft cider flows as strong as the Grand River. Unlike its... Read More ›

On Draft Of the 50 beers on draft, three are on nitro. Because of the sheer abundance of “so much great beer from our state,” Smith currently allocates about 80% of the tap handles to Michigan beer.... Read More ›

There’s no denying Grand Rapids’ brunch scene is growing, and with it, there are more options than ever to find the perfect Bloody Mary. From full-service Bloody Mary bars, to secret recipes and... Read More ›

The West Side of Grand Rapids is transforming, making the beloved neighborhood a destination for dining, shopping, and nightlife. In 2015, we saw the addition of Harmony Hall and Black Heron to the... Read More ›

Foodies rejoice! With so many new restaurants opening regularly in and around Grand Rapids, there’s always a new place to savor innovative, delicious fare. In a post last month, we talked about... Read More ›

This year's Cocktail Week Grand Rapids runs from November 9th-20th, when local bars, distilleries, and restaurants showcase West Michigan's craft beverage culture. For $25 or less, you can enjoy two... Read More ›

Craft beverage selection: 9 beers on draft, all proudly from MI, and nearly 10 hard ciders, too. Craft beer and MI cider flights available, each with four healthy 5-oz. pours. Kid friendly Kids’ menu... Read More ›

Have you ever had a Negroni? I hadn't even HEARD of a Negroni until June of 2015, when the Grand Rapids Cocktail Guild brought the first Negroni Week to Grand Rapids. After a successful week of... Read More ›

The grass is green, the trees are budding, and spring is in the air! After snuggling up with warm drinks by the fireplace for months, it’s time for something cooler. If the nicer weather has you... Read More ›

In my opinion, a year in the customer service industry should be just as required as the two semesters of a foreign language in college. Service, particularly in the food and beverage sector, provides... Read More ›

There are certain realities about bartenders that the casual beverage consumer understands. They should be good listeners, it's awesome when they memorize your drink of choice, and it's weird to see... Read More ›

This is a guest post by Tory O'Hare, Founder of the Grand Rapids Cocktail Guild. With the Grand Rapids Cocktail Guild’s mission reflecting the group’s passion and desire for strengthening West Michigan’s cocktail culture, and ExperienceGR’s consistent creative efforts to boost Grand Rapids’ community engagement, a cocktail festival seems like the perfect collaboration. The Grand Rapids Cocktail Guild is excited to join Experience Grand Rapids and the Michigan Distiller’s Guild to invite you to the first-ever Grand Rapids Cocktail Week! We’re kicking off an 11-day long celebration focuses on the burgeoning cocktail movement and helping the public explore and educate themselves to enjoy a higher standard of drinking culture, plus encourages local bars and restaurants to step up the caliber of their spirits programs and learn more about Michigan and craft distilleries.... Read More ›

November 11-22 is gearing up to be quite an exciting transition into the 2015 Holiday Season!  The GR Cocktail Guild is excited to bring the 1st Annual Cocktail Week GR to town. Photo Courtesy of Experience GR The cocktail culture has been growing in Grand Rapids for years now: local bars, bartenders, new distilleries, and passionate sippers have made cocktails just as relevant and just as hand-crafted as craft beer.  The Grand Rapids Cocktail Guild was founded in March of 2015 by chef and cocktail lover Torrence O'Haire and is making waves in the hand-crafted culture of West Michigan, and this year, for eleven days you can enjoy events around town designed to showcase the talents and local ingredients of bartenders all over the city. ... Read More ›