Great coffee and friendly service. Cozy vibes for sure. Great spot to go before a show at TPS or…read morethe next morning too.

Decent coffee shop in the downtown area. Ordered the Carrot Cake Latte, and it was okay; nothing to…read morewrite home about. The best attribute of this place is the space it has to get work done. The lower-level is darker and cozier so it's great to dial in some work. Staff seemed friendly enough, but nobody went above and beyond by any means. Not the best coffee in downtown IMO, but not horrible either.

did you know that morning ritual has breakfast sandwiches?…read more all of which are default vegan (option for dairy cheese available) 1. bacon, egg, and cheese 2. sausage, egg, and cheese 3. egg and cheese all sandwiches come on an english muffin with richie sauce which is some sort of spicy mayo. they still sell nantucket goodies too like bagels, vegan croissants, and the vegan pb chocolate rice crispy treats. i personally like the new location, though of course i miss the character of the old building. the photo booth is fun and i enjoy perusing the various local products and art they sell/display.

I don't know how to feel about this place! It's creative and unique, the space is big with lots of…read morenatural light and a good amount of space to work. The drinks are interesting. It wasn't bad, but not my favorite. I didn't love the specialty options, but the fruity loopy special was pretty good and tasted just like the cereal (although I wasn't expecting a green coffee) In terms of specialty coffee, I wish they had more staple espresso options (such as brown sugar or cinnamon) rather than fruity syrups (strawberry/peach). Everyone's taste is different, I'd still encourage to give it a try!

I visited this place while I was in Michigan with a few friends, and it ended up being such a fun…read moreand relaxing stop! We came to celebrate my friend's birthday before continuing our day exploring Grand Rapids, and it was the perfect way to unwind. The staff was incredibly kind and welcoming, and you could tell they genuinely cared about the kittens. The kittens were so curious, playful, and adorable. Whenever one of them had a little accident, the employee cleaned it up right away and made sure the kittens were well taken care of. The only thing I'd love to see is a few more non-coffee drink options since I'm not much of a coffee drinker. That said, my friends ordered coffee and really enjoyed it. Overall, we had a wonderful experience and would definitely recommend stopping by if you're looking for a cozy place to relax and spend some time with some very sweet cats!! :)

Staff was welcoming and friendly. They had tons of drink selections…read more Super fun experience!

I cannot believe I never wrote a review for Otono because it's easily my favorite coffee shop in…read moreGR. I've been going since late 2022/early 2023, back when they were just a vintage shop (with a cute cat) at their old spot further down Division. I first came across them at a market and bought a shirt (still probably my favorite shirt in my collection) but at the time they were pretty under the radar, so I forgot the name. Almost a year later, an old friend complimented that same shirt, which led to me telling the whole story. I was like, "all I remember is they sold spoon rings," and said friend immediately goes, "sounds like Otono on Division." Ofc I went there that weekend, and sure enough, that was them. Been a fan ever since. At this point, a good chunk of my wardrobe is from them. It's been really cool seeing how much they've grown and evolved, especially with the addition of the café. I think it's such a hit and fits their vibe perfectly. The owners are also super personable and the staff are always kind. I added a few pics from past visits, but I definitely recommend checking them out. And if you get lucky, they sometimes have cookies and other treats from Cou Cou Bakehouse when there are leftovers from her pop-ups!

coffee shop meets vintage clothing store - otono is unique. good drinks. great lighting. cool…read moreclothes. we've been to otono a few times now. it's very spacious and it's a great place to work from. i've had a few vanilla matchas. it's not my favorite in GR but it's good. recently though, i tried the strawberry rhubarb matcha and the strawberry cold foam was heavenly. the overnight oats are vegan and feature crisp apple chunks and cacao nibs. clothes are super easy to try on. it's no hassle to pop into a changing space. i even found a cool pair of pants during my last visit.

Incredible bread and incredibly kind customer service, after getting some soup nearby I was craving…read moreone of their mini pretzel loaves to go with and I can't even describe how good of a choice that was, I also got a half loaf of one of their specialty grain loaves and I have already snacked on a piece since I got home a half hour ago, it's that good.

I got their Turkey Club sandwich and LOVED it. I had heard so much about this place so I was really…read morecurious to try out their food. Honestly, I am not a huge sandwich person, but if I heard a sandwich shop is good, I'll try it. The sandwich was cut in half and had their Michigan Turkey, bacon, avocado, and other veggies that you can read in their menu. The turkey was really delicious - like, really, REALLY delicious. It was so flavorful and soft. And the veggies like avocado, tomatoes, and lettuce tasted so fresh. I got it with sourdough bread, which was really good. It was a bit tough to put the whole sandwich in your mouth because of the crusty crusts (lol), so I just resorted to eating it with a fork and a knife (very proper). The food came out rather quickly, and the service was very sweet, friendly and down to earth. Ambience was great! Casual and friendly. There is street parking - usually, it's not too difficult to find parking around this area. But maybe I just get lucky, I don't know. If it's a good day, you can walk around and enjoy the scene with the river and park!

Sometimes you just need a place to escape the hotel room, crack open the laptop, and get some work…read moredone. That's exactly what brought me to Midnight Express Cafe in Grand Rapids. Apparently this is a favorite among the local college crowd, and I can see why. The space is big, bright, and inviting. There were groups of friends playing card games, plenty of people working on laptops, and an atmosphere that somehow felt both fun and relaxing. The vibe check? Passed with flying colors. It wasn't perfect, though. If you're planning on working for a few hours, be prepared to hunt for actual working power outlets because they're surprisingly scarce. My chai latte also left a lot to be desired. It wasn't bad, just forgettable. Then came the açaí bowl. Organic açaí blended with blueberries, mango, blue agave, and coconut milk, then topped with granola, coconut flakes, chocolate chips, honey, strawberries, blueberries, and peanut butter. Oh... my... goodness. I was not prepared for what arrived at the table. Every ingredient tasted incredibly fresh. The fruit was vibrant, the granola had amazing texture, and every bite felt like the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, and refreshing. It wasn't just delicious--it was one of those dishes that makes you stop what you're doing because your full attention suddenly belongs to the food. Here's what makes that statement carry some weight: I live in an area of South Florida surrounded by a huge Brazilian community. I have no fewer than six dedicated açaí shops within eight minutes of my house. I've had a lot of açaí bowls over the years. Without question, Midnight Express Cafe serves the best açaí bowl I've ever had. I never expected to find my favorite açaí bowl in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but here we are. Sometimes the biggest surprises happen in the places you least expect them.

We got a drip coffee, iced coffee, and two acai bowls. The acai bowls were delicious! The added…read morepeanut butter was the perfect touch. They overall were very filling, I was surprised how full I was after. Definitely recommend. We sat outside bc we brought our dog but the vibes were clearly nice. Definitely caters to the college crowd.

Portion of meat and vegg in the chicken gyro was awesome, let me just say that right off the bat…read more Otherwise this gyro doesn't stand out. There was not much flavor to it and it was incredibly water-runny (and flavored). This wateriness was probably due to the fresh lettuce and diced tomatoes. I thought that maybe the tzatziki sauce might add some flavor, but again was underwhelmed by a lack of flavor. Consistency, however, was good - it wasn't too thick and wasn't watery. For $13+, it would've been nice to have something that was more flavorful, but portion wise I'd say it was worth it.

The gentleman at the counter was incredibly helpful for myself and baby when we came needing to…read moreadjust a menu item for our allergies. After the chicken Gyro without the tzatziki sauce. It was absolutely phenomenal and everything was cooked fresh. Any items the gentleman wasn't sure if he brought me to review the nutrition label. The downtown market is seriously such a gem!!

So I really dropped the ball with this review. I usually start with a bunch of photos, but I was…read moretoo preoccupied with taking in the charming ambiance, the veteran-created art pieces, the photos and stories all around honoring the legacy of the heroes who have served their nation, and getting to meet the interesting people inside. I realize the tiny structure is perfect for what this place is all about - honoring the stories each of us holds through connection and community. The coffee was smooth and flavorful, possibly the best drip coffee I've ever had (and I have had some really good coffee!) and I'm told by my wife that the chai was absolutely delightful. A small menu of drinks and treats may make this spot slip off of your radar - but you would be missing out on a magical little place that, as the name implies, truly has heart... and plenty of it.

Must check out! Grateful to have discovered on Yelp! I don't explore downtown often, and was…read morelooking for a nearby coffee shop to work at in the morning (saw in pics there were many outlets available). I love all of the natural light, music (Jack Johnson when I was there), and overall vibes. Enjoyed the pour over coffee (takes time) and they had almond milk I could add on request. Has Heart Coffee Shop celebrates veterans and their stories. Their goal is to make sure every vet never has to pay for coffee. Located directly across from the GR Children's Museum entrance in Veterans Memorial Park. Street parking (meters / MOTU App) if you can get in before the museum opens.

Quite possibly one of the best cafe mochas I've ever had. Just great coffee- with great vibes…read more Bonus points for super friendly staff.

5/5 for aesthetics and natural light, but a 3.5/5 for the coffee. I just felt like I got a little…read moreless than what the cup could hold and my drink was more milky than it was coffee. For the description of what the drink was, it fell short from the experience. It was a seasonal Japanese style drink with undertones of anise, ginger, and cinnamon, with some smokiness and a housemade syrup. The service was wonderful and supportive with my indecisiveness haha I hope I have a better experience next time!

I tried this restaurant out with a friend for lunch on a Saturday one weekend and it was great!…read moreThis is the perfect spot for a friend date, real date, etc etc! The service was a tiny bit slow but we were not in a time crunch so it wasn't really a big deal. I had a glass of wine and my friend and I split an appetizer, a charcuterie board, and the Parisian sandwich. Their menu is seasonal but I think the sandwiches stay pretty consistently. Everything was really good and high quality. I especially loved the sandwich. Truly similar to the same sandwiches you can get everywhere in Paris. The charcuterie board was yummy with unique choices! Everything paired pretty well. I would definitely come back here to try more menu options and wine :)

I've been so excited for Sav Sav by Squibb to open in the former Aperitivo space in the Downtown…read moreMarket. I'm a big Squibb fan and it's great to see them utilizing this space to serve drinks, coffee, and small plates, as well as cheese to go and other fun items for sale in their market. It's a one stop shop for a perfect picnic! Nate and I stopped by on their first day open and ordered the Parisian, heirloom tomato and burrata, and the mini charcuterie board. If you liked Aperitivo, you'll love Sav Sav. Everything we ate was delicious, but we both loved the tomato and burrata small plate the most. It was bursting with flavor and was nicely balanced between savory and sweet. I also really loved the Parisian and want to try the other sandwich options. I'm excited to see how their concept evolves! The little market area is super cute and they have lots of tinned fish, cookbooks, wine, snacks, and more. This will be a go-to spot for me in the Downtown Market.