HOLLAND — For food lovers, it's been a great year along the lakeshore.
From donut shops to bakeries to lakeside eats, residents in Holland, Zeeland and Saugatuck have plenty of new options (and some old favorites, returned from what once seemed goodbye forever).
Here's a (nonexhaustive) list of some of our favorite openings in the first half of 2024:
Reservoir
Reservoir at 2155 Ottawa Beach Road opened to the public Monday, May 27, in the former Playa Tacos and Tequila (and, before that, Ottawa Beach Inn). The restaurant is owned by Corina Sepsakos and her husband Vasilios, who also own Brick and Porter and Brickyard Tavern in Grand Rapids.
The restaurant serves "upscale Italian-American cuisine" with breakfast, lunch and dinner services, plus vegetarian and vegan dishes. Sepsakos also plans to offer fan favorites from the former Ottawa Beach Inn.
Good Earth Café
In another return to nostalgia, Good Earth Café reopened in a new location in Holland in June. The business was once located in a standalone building on Seventh Street, but has since moved into the Towers on River.
New owners Todd and Michelle Girdis have kept the menu as similar as possible, specializing in breakfast and lunch with a wide variety of flavored bagels, cream cheeses, breads, muffins, casseroles, sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads.
Public Restaurant
Also returning after more than two years' absence in downtown Zeeland, Public Restaurant reopened Tuesday, June 25. The restaurant at 131 E Main Ave. in Zeeland has plenty of similarities, but saw some interior and recipe tweaks.
Lucas Grill, who owns 1983 Restaurants, was able to bring back many of his former team members, with about 80% of the staff returning for the grand opening.
Erica June Baking Co.
Former hair stylist and flight attendant Erica White opened her brick-and-mortar bakery at 435 Water St. in Saugatuck in May. The bakery serves made-from-scratch cinnamon rolls, donuts, cookies and other treats, along with bagels and veteran-owned Three Rivers coffee.
Retro Bakery
More sweet treats were announced in Saugatuck with the opening of Retro Bakery at 3217 Blue Star Highway.
The business itself launched about a year ago, when Eric Peterson of Fennville decided to leave mortgage banking behind. Peterson uses classic recipes dating back to the 1950s and offers cakes, cupcakes, cookies, bread, cinnamon rolls and more.
Sprinkles Donut Shop
After months and months of anticipation, Sprinkles Donut Shop opened at 62 W. Eighth St. in April. The business planned to open in summer 2023 but was delayed by nearly a year.
The business is located in the former Market Zero and sells a variety of cake donuts, yeast raised donuts, muffins, cupcakes and other specialty items. There are plans for a second brand, Urban Sliders, in the same location with sliders, soup and salads.
Olive Garden
Perhaps the most attended opening along the lakeshore came in January, when Olive Garden opened in the former Golden Corral at 12420 Felch St. Months later, residents are still urged to sign up for the waitlist online before heading to the restaurant.
The Gritzmaker
The Gritzmaker Social House opened Monday, July 1, at 120 E. Main St. in Zeeland. The restaurant offers lunch, dinner and late night drinks.
The restaurant is owned by Scott Ingersoll, who also owns Mill Creek Tavern in Comstock Park. Ingersoll helped open The Win Tavern 33 and Bird Dogs in Jenison, the latter of which closed in March.
B&N Sandwiches
Eight months after signage appeared in Holland Township, B&N Sandwiches opened at 1011 136th Ave.
The restaurant already has a location in Grand Rapids. The menu includes sandwiches, egg rolls, noodle soup, rice dishes and pho. The eatery's drink menu is expanded, with boba milk tea, fruit teas, coffee and more.
The eatery fills the former home of Don Miguel Restaurant, which moved to 264 N. River Ave. in 2021. The building, listed at 1,788 square feet and built in 2004, was once home to La Hacienda and Ice Cream Forest and Restaurant.
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MALU and MALU Café
Uncommon Coffee Roasters expanded their footprint in Saugatuck with the opening of MALU at 302 Culver St. in the former Grow Café and Bistro and MALU Café around the corner at 121 Griffith St.
MALU serves brunch, while MALU Café has a more limited menu of specialty coffees, drinks and baked goods.
— Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.
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