New Gourmet Grilled Cheese Takeout Joint Opens in Grand Rapids
Is there any food more comforting than a gooey grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup? And goodness knows we're looking for some comfort right now...
Well, there's a new gourmet grilled cheese takeout and delivery spot in Grand Rapids!
I saw Annika’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese Laboratory pop up on Facebook and thought, "Huh, how come I've never seen this place?" Well, turns out there are two good reasons for that 1) It's new, and 2) it's inside another restaurant downtown Grand Rapids.
As Revue West Michi0gan reports, Annika’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese Laboratory is operating out of Max’s South Seas Hideaway on Ionia Street. It's named for owner Mark Sellers' daughter. Sellers is also the founder of Barfly Ventures which is the parent company of HopCat, Stella's Lounge and Grand Rapids Brewing Co.
Revue is clear to point out this new concept is not replacing Max's, but will operate from the same kitchen:
It follows the “ghost restaurant” trend that Sellers saw in larger cities, where an eatery operates without its own dedicated dining space. Even before the pandemic, it was a great way for restaurants that didn’t really fit the takeout model to still have food to-go. It’s even more useful now, when Max’s is sitting with a large amount of unused kitchen capacity.
Made with three kinds of cheese, Annika’s offers a bunch of different kinds of sandwiches. I'm feeling the "Sing for Your Meat" with roast beef, caramelized onion, peppers, and horsey cream. They also have a Nashville hot chicken, crabcake, tuna, and even jackfruit grilled cheese!
Aside from gourmet grilled cheese (which come with chips), Annika’s serves soups, salads, and oatmeal or peanut butter cookie cream pies - yum! Check out their full menu here.
The new takeout restaurant is open 3-9 p.m Thursday through Sunday.