Discover the Launch Kit team's favorite lunch spots in downtown Grand Rapids! From Ski's Sub Shop to Parsley Mediterranean, get local recommendations for quick, delicious, and budget-friendly bites.
It’s noon—what sounds good for lunch? Today on the blog, I want to share with you the Launch Kit team's favorite lunch spots here in downtown Grand Rapids.
We’re lucky to have our office right on Ionia Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids. One of the fun perks of being in the city is that we can open the front door, take a short walk, and discover a handful of great places to grab a bite to eat.
So, what are the go-to downtown spots? Here are our current favorites.
Parsley Mediterranean, located on the corner of Monroe and Ottawa, is a popular pick for downtown workers. This spot is bustling between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Sometimes we order it to-go, and sometimes we hang out there. Their location offers ample seating, quick service, and great natural light. There’s a good chance you’ll see someone you know since the place is lively at lunchtime. We enjoy the energy; it gives you a small taste of big city lunch hour vibes, where everyone is out and about.
We mentioned Parsley’s great natural light; Express Cafe doesn’t necessarily have that. However, they do have a fantastic selection of lunch items. At first, we thought this place was a bit of a secret, but now we realize it’s more popular than we initially thought.
Sometimes we refer to it as the "basement place" because it’s located in the basement of 200 Ottawa. I’ll be honest; it can be a bit hard to find. You enter through the lobby, then work your way down about two floors until the hallway opens up. From there, you go down the hallway, turn left, and it’s on your right. You’ll stumble upon this perfect little café tucked inside the building. I love going here because there are always at least three or four menu items that sound great. The team enjoys the build-your-own salad bar, while I often go for the Buffalo chicken sandwich. The pesto sandwich is also good. Honestly, you can’t go wrong. Everything is very reasonably priced, too! The build-your-own salad is about $6, while full sandwiches are around $13.
I like that they have seating available. Sometimes it’s great to grab a table and tune out the world while enjoying your lunch. Other times, it’s nice to keep the walk going and stroll back to the office or around town.
Pete, if you’re reading this, you’re the man! Your consistency and loyalty to this downtown community are unmatched; we appreciate you! I get a smile on my face each time I see you bringing in supplies, getting things ready, or taking out the trash after a successful day.
Ski’s Sub Shop, located inside the Founders building, has two entrances—one from Monroe and one from Fountain. It’s a bit easier to find than Express Cafe, as there are no stairs involved. Ski’s is a no-nonsense, essential sandwich shop. They offer what you want without any frills. You’re guaranteed a great sub sandwich, chips, a beverage, and a wholesome conversation with Pete. His subs are the real deal, and the menu makes it super simple to build the exact sandwich you want. You can be in and out in a few minutes with a feel-good smile on your face.
Angel Thai on Monroe Center makes its way into the rotation every so often. When a few members of the team want something warm—a little more than just a sandwich, but not necessarily a full sit-down experience—Angel Thai is the place to go. It’s great because you can call in your order from the office when you start getting hungry, and it’ll be ready for pickup in about 15-20 minutes. That’s the perfect amount of time to wrap up your project, go for a walk, and grab your food.
I recently read a Crain’s article that mentioned we have a new spot coming to town. Well, kind of. They have other locations in the greater Grand Rapids area, but we’re getting a Poke place where Freshii used to be. Speaking of Freshii, we’re still sad they closed. That place would have definitely made our top favorites list. We look forward to welcoming PokeToki to the neighborhood!
On that note, I’m getting hungry myself, so I’m going to find some food. It’s 7 AM, so it looks like it’ll be a bagel and yogurt for me.
I appreciate you taking a few moments today to read about our go-to spots. If you haven’t visited any of these places, I hope you found this helpful the next time you’re looking for a lunch spot.
I’d be curious to hear from anyone else working downtown—what are your go-to spots? Send us a message on Instagram; we’re open to fresh ideas!
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