MALU — Restaurant in Saugatuck

If Saugatuck’s usual cannon-ball-sized ice-cream cones and steak-house sandwiches have you craving something fresher, MALU is the reset button. Tucked just off Butler Street, this 30-seat brunch café marries Midwest hospitality with a bright Brazilian accent: think locally roasted coffee, playlists that feel lifted from a Rio beach bar, and sauces that start with citrus instead of cayenne. Reviewers across TripAdvisor, Yelp, Facebook and vegan boards agree it’s the rare spot where you leave both full and feeling a little healthier.    

Why MALU Hits Different

MALU is the newest concept from Uncommon Coffee Roasters, purpose-built to bring “American breakfast, brunch & lunch favs with a Brazilian twist” to downtown Saugatuck.   The team renovated the intimate 1,600-sq-ft space so you walk straight into a coffee bar on one side and an open kitchen on the other, keeping the vibe airy and welcoming even when the tables fill.  

Service & Vibe

Guests describe being greeted “immediately and with genuine enthusiasm,” a rare find in peak-season tourist towns.  Baristas will comp a mini-muffin during longer weekend waits, and staff happily walk first-timers through the Brazilian menu cues. 

The Food: Brazilian Flair Without the Burn

• Red Sauce, Re-imagined – Instead of another vinegar-heavy hot sauce, MALU’s house “Molho Vermelho” leans citrusy, layering orange zest and mild malagueta pepper so flavor spikes without torching your palate. While the exact recipe stays in-house, multiple diners call it “bright” rather than “spicy.”  

Standout Plates

• Vegan ‘Crab’ Eggs Benedict – Hearts-of-palm “crab,” vegan hollandaise, and that red sauce on house focaccia.  • Pastel de Queijo – A brunch-size nod to São Paulo street food, stuffed with local cheddar and a dill-lime aioli.  • Dutch-Meets-Brazil Burrito – Michigan eggs, black beans, smoked gouda, and feijoada gravy—a microcosm of MALU’s fusion ethos. (Frequent mention across Yelp photos.) 

Dietary Range

Gluten-free pancakes, separate vegan menu pages, and organic produce keep everyone at the table happy.  

Bottom Line

MALU picks up where the previous health-forward café left off, then seasons it with Brazilian verve. Come for the plant-based Benedict or a feijoada-laced burrito; stay for barista-level coffee and staff who treat tourists like locals. If you need a break from heavy vacation fare, this...

Our first visit to MALU was wonderful, and we will definitely be back! We were drawn in by the charming exterior and checked out the menu after seeing a full house the morning before when we walked by. We were seated outside immediately at 8:30 on a Friday morning, but it was packed when we walked by a couple of hours later- I’d suggest getting there earlier in the morning if you don’t want to wait. (It’s well worth the wait, though!) I ordered the berry streusel waffle, a side of bacon, and a cafe miel with oat milk. My husband ordered the chicken and waffles and a coffee. Both of our meals were delicious, and the presentation was beautiful. Honestly, I think my waffles were the best I’ve ever had. The combination of flavors was perfect, and the waffles were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Sometimes waffles can get soggy almost immediately after they’re prepared; this wasn’t the case at MALU! My bacon was also perfectly crispy - our sweet and attentive server asked how I liked it prepared when I ordered. My latte was also really good. I didn’t try my husband’s meal, but he said the chicken was tender, lightly breaded, and had a nice kick to it that complemented the sweet waffles. Our server checked on us multiple times to see if we needed anything, and she offered my husband a refill of coffee to go when she brought our bill. I appreciated that there is a variety of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, and the kids’ menu looks like something my picky kids would actually eat! We will definitely be back the next time we vacation...

THE worst restaurant I have been to. We came for brunch at 1030 and they said there was an hour wait. No problem. We walked around downtown and circled back in an hour. We were seated and placed our drink orders - just coffees - which felt like it took a while, Fine, whatever. Coffees were served, and we placed our brunch orders. I kid you not our food didn't come until 130. We should have left 30 minutes after waiting, but the outright lies the staff were saying were unbelievable. First, they kept saying it will be out soon, couple more minutes. An hour after, they said oh one of our cooks is in the hospital, have some tiny muffins and the food will be out soon, we will take 15% off. Ok fine, we had little kids who were so hungry and the muffins didn't do much at all. Then 30 minutes later they tell us there are no chicken tenders - umm we ordered that 90 minutes ago, how do you not know this? Kids ordered the chicken tenders and they are now miserable. My sister let him have it and soon after at promptly 130 our food came out. And it was absolutely disgusting. Eggs were raw inside and burnt on the outside. Orders were wrong and kids ate steak sandwiches that tasted like rubber. They comped the meal obviously, but my god never go there! Worst service and absolute liars! If I could give it zero I would but google...