Grand Rapids has grown into a city where outdoor dining means more than just grabbing a table on the sidewalk, turning fresh air into a real part of the meal instead of an afterthought.
I have clocked an impressive number of patio meals in the name of research, moving through downtown corners, lakeside decks, neighborhood hideaways, and buzzing urban spaces spread across West Michigan.
The restaurant scene here in Michigan keeps surprising me with how many ways it can turn good weather and thoughtful menus into something worth planning an entire evening around…