Looking to support restaurants? Try dining out on a Wednesday
Many restaurants make the bulk of their money on Friday and Saturday night. With a 25% capacity limit, one manager asks customers to also try dining on weekdays. Author: Alana Holland (WZZM13) Updated: 4:17 PM EST February 2, 2021
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Restaurants are once again open for in person dining. There are still some challenges, however, with 25% capacity limits and other restrictions.
Anthony Tangorra, the managing member of Mertens Prime in Grand Rapids, is asking customers to dine out on weekdays. Many restaurants make the bulk of their income on Friday and Saturday nights. With capacity limits on those days, less money is being made. So, to spread it out, try dining on a Wednesday.
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The crew at Hamburger Mikey s is back in business, and ready to serve you what may be Michigan s Best Burger for take-out.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.
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The unbelievable rollercoaster that is Michigan’s pandemic-era restaurant industry took a slight climb back toward normalcy this week when state health officials allowed a partial return to indoor dining.
The Feb. 1 reopening came with multiple limitations, including on capacity as well as hours. Once again, the changes put restaurant owners in the position of figuring out how to make a new approach work, all while maintaining strict safety standards.
Grand Rapids Business Journal
Courtesy Mertens Hospitality
Courtesy Mertens Hospitality
The new chef at Mertens Prime finished creating his debut menu, and the restaurant is now taking reservations for its first day of indoor dining next week.
Paul Berglund, winner of the James Beard Foundation Best Chef Award Midwest in 2016, released his debut menu for Mertens Prime, at 35 Oakes St. SW in downtown Grand Rapids.
The new menu which has 20 additions created by Berglund can be viewed online at mertensprime.com, and the restaurant has begun taking reservations on the website. Dinner service will begin Wednesday, and the restaurant will be open 4-10 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
Mertens Prime hires James Beard Award-winning chef
James Beard Foundation
Paul Berglund, winner of the James Beard Foundation Best Chef Award Midwest, was hired to take the reins of the Mertens Prime kitchen in 2021.
Grand Rapids-based Mertens Hospitality said Tuesday it hired Berglund, former executive chef at The Bachelor Farmer in Minneapolis, to start as executive chef at the Mertens Prime restaurant at 35 Oakes St. SW in downtown Grand Rapids when indoor dining resumes.
As only the third James Beard Best Chef awardee in Michigan since 1984, Berglund said he is excited to bring his cooking to Grand Rapids, which he described as having a vibrant food landscape.