The Sovengard expands into new dining space with lunch service

Known for its Nordic fare and biergarten (one of Grand Rapid’s coolest outdoor dining spots), The Sovengard has expanded to the storefront upstairs. Before, the main dining area was a bit hidden from the street – but now, it’s front and center on Bridge St.

The brand flaunts its “hygge” (Danish for comfy/cozy) vibes, which was perhaps partly due to its below-street-level location and Midwestern hospitality. The new upstairs space features warm wood tones, exposed brick, and accents of teal.

“We now have three distinct areas (garden level, outdoor Biergarten and main street dining room). We want the spaces to sort of speak for themselves and play up the unique features of the historic building we occupy,” said The Sovengard Owner Rick Muschiana.

With the new dining space comes a new lunch menu, which stays true to the restaurant’s Nordic cuisine theme. From Smorrebrods (Danish-style open-faced sandwiches) to Finnish-style potato salad, grilled squash and heirloom tomato with house ricotta, to smoked trout rillette, there’s something on the menu for everyone.

The new full lunch service will run Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m; Saturday, noon to 3 p.m.; and Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The lower level will transition to be more of an event space for small and mid-sized events. In addition, The Sovengard also is opening a plant shop, curated by Peace & Toil so that you can bring some hygge home.

“There’s something really great about the idea of having a cocktail downstairs or a beer in the biergarten and then coming up for a full dining experience,” said Muschiana.

“We’ve had a lot of requests for [lunch] and realize there are a lot of people who work here during the day and leave at 5 p.m. who might not get to experience The Sovengard as often as they would like. Hygge is starting to be such a buzzword, but we always strive to create something that’s fresh and clean, yet comfortable and cozy, for our guests.”