African restaurant Tatse to close in downtown Lansing; new venture planned

LANSING — African restaurant and bar Tatse & Alobosa Bar in downtown will close its doors permanently later this month as owner Taiwo Adeleye makes plans to open a new restaurant in East Lansing.

Adeleye announced the restaurant and bar's July 17 closure in an Instagram post on Wednesday. The news comes more than two years after he opened the business at 221 S. Washington Square in February 2022.

"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closing of Tatse Restaurants in Downtown Lansing in two weeks," the post said. "After three incredible years of serving our community with authentic Nigerian cuisine, we must bid farewell to this chapter of our journey...Your loyalty and love for our food have meant the world to us, and we are grateful for every moment we shared together. This journey has been an emotional, joyful, and personal development experience marked by persistence and dedication. Though this is a bittersweet goodbye, we cherish the memories and connections we made in this wonderful community."

Adeleye plans to take Tatse's two employees to Handie: African Infused Wraps and All, the restaurant he plans to open in East Lansing. It's expected to open at 515 E Grand River Ave, Suite G, sometime in August. There are plans to hire an additional four employees there, he said.

Tatse has struggled over the last few years to flourish, Adeleye said. Last year, he said the COVID-19 pandemic and the rising costs of everything from food to supplies had been challenging.

"It hasn't been better," he said on Wednesday.

At Handie, the menu will cater to Michigan State University students, but it will maintain the same African-inspired flavors, Adeleye said.

"This time, the model is to put everything in wraps and sandwiches," he said. "We'll be getting more creative. We have the students. That's why we decided on the model with wraps, coffee and juice."

"Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lives," the Instagram post said. "We hope our paths will cross again in the future at Handie."

Contact Reporter Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on X @GrecoatLSJ .