A dark, rainy day. Lunchtime. My good friend Jeff Schaap and I were on a mission to find some pub grub and maybe a beer or two. The road lead us to Zeeland, to an eatery with an unusual moniker: The Gritzmaker.
A satellite restaurant of sorts to Mill Creek Tavern out in Comstock Park, The Gritzmaker brings an extensive menu of elevated pub fare to downtown Zeeland. We ordered beers (Guinness for me, Voodoo Ranger for him) and dove into the range of food choices.
Gritzmaker’s appetizers include traditional or boneless wings, “deep-fried fungi” (battered mushrooms), pickle fries, nachos, and more. We opted for “Scott’s Tots” for our appetizer. Hash brown style potatoes plus bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onion, all batter-fried into perfect crispy tots with a side of ranch. I heartily endorse these, they are addictive!
Along with appetizers, salads, and a soup of the day, the main menu serves up a bounty of riches. There is an assortment of specialty burgers, entrees such as top sirloin and New York strip steaks, chicken kabobs, firecracker salmon, and a wet burrito, plus a variety of sandwiches like a reuben, bacon grilled cheese, a pot roast hoagie, buffalo chicken wrap, a Philly, and much more.
For the main course, we blue-collar slobs both opted for burgers and fries. I ordered the Bacon Jam Burger, a steak sauce-infused burger with white American and cheddar cheeses and covered in house- made bacon jam. It was messy, but quite delicious. My dining companion, Jeff, who is the Olive Burger Enthusiast Extraordinaire, gave his seal of approval to The Gritzmaker’s award-winning olive burger. He cited “a perfect synergy of flavors!” and noted the generous amount of olive spread and the soft brioche bun. Jeff doesn’t hand out food endorsements like candy, so you know this burger’s a winner. The seasoned, battered fries we had on the side were also exceptional.
The Gritzmaker also has a full bar with a variety of beers are on draft, plus bottled ciders and specialty cocktails including sangria, mules, and Manhattans. Look for their ever-changing list of seasonal cocktails as well.
Their hours are Monday-Wednesday 11:00 AM- 9:00PM, Thursday 11:00 AM-10:00 PM, and Friday- Saturday 11:00 AM-Midnight. So be sure to make The Gritzmaker a down Zeeland destination stop. The great food, friendly service, and pleasant atmosphere will make you glad you did, and keep you coming back for more.
