Kalamazoo is a happening city, with a brewery around every corner, museums and art halls waiting to be explored, and natural wonders to be had at the Kalamazoo Nature Center. When fall foodies pine for that autumn chill, there’s also plenty of cozy corners to discover. Check out these hidden gems for the culinarian that needs a quiet place to tuck away in Kalamazoo.
Table of Contents Cafe
Bibliophiles will love a visit to Table of Contents Cafe, tucked as tight as a bookmark inside ‘this is a bookstore’. A selection of modern fiction and literary classics are within reach in this delicious eatery. Leaf through the literary-themed menu with items named Ramona the Pesto, Scout’s Honor Black Forest Ham Sandwich, and Reuben in the Rye. Caffeinate with local honey-drizzled Cafe Miel, brewed with Kalamazoo’s own Factory Coffee. Hitting the books after work? Grab a local beer on draft, a creative cocktail, or Michigan wine. You can also enjoy some tasty mocktails if you want to keep your wits about you. 3019 Oakland Dr.
People’s Food Co-op
Since 1970, this community staple has been feeding Kalamazoo with healthy, organic meals. 3,800 owner members of this co-op can’t be wrong! The selection of local Michigan produce and products are phenomenal – perfect for supplies for your next cozy dinner at home. Eating out while stocking up? Be sure to stop at the PFC Deli for a rotating menu of hot prepared organic meals, an olive and antipasto bar, and a fine selection of vegan and gluten free desserts.
Saugatuck Brewing (Coming Soon)
Blueberry Maple Stouts and Bonfire Brown Ales all hit the spot on those crispy autumn afternoons. Saugatuck Brewing is moving their location on Westnedge and focusing all of their forces on the former Olde Peninsula brewpub building in downtown Kalamazoo. This brewery is making big moves, and with their attention to detail in every pint, and the atmosphere is sure to make you feel at home among their specialty pours. We will be some of the first to belly up to the bar when their doors open this fall. 200 E Michigan
Dabney & Co (Coming Soon)
Jazz, Soul, Funk, Disco, Hip-Hop and R&B classics? Yes please! Handcrafted Cocktails? Alright, this can’t be happening?
Soon, Kalamazoo will have a new hot spot in town, Dabney & Co. Cocktail Bar & Lounge. This new stop is named after John Dabney, a former slave that shaped American hospitality, purchasing his freedom and opening his own restaurants pre-Emancipation. This intimate live music venue aims to showcase the beauty of Black culture with a Grand Opening this fall. Stay tuned and tune up your instruments – Dabney & Co is searching for local musicians to fill the halls with a sound as heady as the spirits. 344 N Rose St.
Where are you headed to this Fall in Kalamazoo?
Neil Davey is a resident of Marshall, MI and is the Southwest Michigan Local Food Coordinator for Taste the Local Difference. This Hoosier turned Michigander can often be found writing his next book, fooling around in the garden, experimenting with his weekly CSA produce, or planning his next hiking trip somewhere in the pleasant peninsula.