When The Søvengård opened on Bridge Street in 2016—before the neighborhood blossomed into the lively dining destination it is today—owner Rick Muschiana set out to introduce the New Nordic movement to West Michigan, infused with Midwest charm. Since then, the restaurant has relocated to a beautiful purpose-built space further west at 1232 Bridge St. NW and continues to shape the vibrant local food scene.
It worked well, combining the seasonality and sustainability of the Scandinavian minimalist cuisine with the fresh local farm ingredients and an amazing beverage program.
While most Midwesterners are not the most adventurous eaters, those that like to see the world of culinary delights were excited to try the food and often love it. At the time, it peaked in 2020, when it was named Grand Rapids Magazine’s Restaurant of the Year … just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down restaurants across the United States and ravaged the restaurant industry…