Grand Rapids Breakfast & Food Festival! 🍳

Two weeks ago, I heard about the 16th International Wine & Food Festival happening in Grand Rapids! With over 1,200 types of drinks to sample – including Michigan’s local craft beers – as a budding craft beer enthusiast, I couldn’t miss it! 🍻🤩 Before heading to Michigan’s second-largest city, I scoped out four brunch spots online and planned to choose one on Saturday. Saturday morning, I drove 160 km to Grand Rapids with double the excitement! Parked on a free weekend street near the venue and started my food exploration. 🚗💨 First stop: Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen Whoa – the place was packed! People waiting outside, every seat taken inside. 🏃‍♂️💨 I figured, "If it’s this popular, it must be good!" So I put my name down and checked the other three spots… all equally crowded! (Secretly thrilled – now I have backup options for future content 😉) After 25 minutes, I was seated! As an extrovert, I confidently asked the server for recommendations. She strongly suggested the ‘Old Skool’ Breakfast Bowl, but I flashed a smile and ordered the Chicken & Waffles – a (brand-new version): Mac & Cheese Waffles with Asheville Hot Chicken! 🧇🍗🔥 Server (with a playful smirk): “Good Choice!” 😄 Me (proudly): “I know, right?” 😎 Artistic embellishment aside – I’m actually someone who listens to food advice, so I also ordered her recommendation! After chatting happily with my friend for over ten minutes, the server brought two gorgeous plates of food! 🎨🍽️ My plate: Green pickles garnishing golden fried chicken, white sauce in between, sprinkled with chili powder and orange-red hot sauce. 🌶️✨ The pickles’ crunch and tanginess + the ranch’s garlic creaminess balanced the spicy, crispy chicken perfectly. The waffle was milky and lightly sweet (almost like maple syrup 🍁), with three layers of crispiness: waffle, chicken, and pickles – a magical texture explosion! 💥 The mac & cheese? It added… more calories! But also a savory richness that complemented the waffle. 😂 And my friend’s plate – the server’s highly recommended ‘Old Skool’ Breakfast Bowl? (To be continued…! Stay tuned!) 🍯🥣 #Grand Rapids #MichiganUSA #WeekendFoodTour #BrunchLovers #FoodFestival #CraftBeer