Broad Leaf to join Bridge Street lineup

    Grand Rapids spinoff opening second location
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    Courtesy Broad Leaf Brewery + Spirits

    Broad Leaf Brewery + Spirits Westside is set to open Wednesday, Nov. 16, at the former location of The Sovengard, 443 Bridge St. NW, the company announced Monday. It is the second location for Broad Leaf, joining 2885 Lake Eastbrook Blvd. SE in Kentwood, which is owned by the Brewery Vivant duo Jason and Kris Spaulding.

    The Spauldings opened Broad Leaf in 2019 as an outlet for beers diverting from Brewery Vivant’s standard portfolio, as well as spirits and food.

    “We are super excited to join the energy of amazing restaurants and breweries on the West Side,” Jason Spaulding said. “This new location will allow us to bring what we have been perfecting in Kentwood to the heart of Grand Rapids. We have been able to really innovate with our spirits and continue to make some incredible creative beers that will add to the draw to that part of town.”

    Broad Leaf takes the lower level of the old Sovengard space along with its large outdoor beer garden. The beer garden bar will be closed for the season, but outdoor seating will remain available, complete with outdoor heaters.

    The Sovengard vacated the space earlier this year and plans to reopen early in the new year in a new location.

    Unlike the French- and Belgian-inspired beers at Brewery Vivant, the brews at Broad Leaf are more in line with American craft beers. The menu puts together a selection of Asian-influenced dishes with more traditional bar food fare.

    The grand opening will be celebrated with a 50% off sale on to-go beer, and the first 100 people that order a bowl of noodles get a set of customized chopsticks.

    “We wanted to find some fun ways to celebrate and allow people to take a little something home to remember us with,” said Assistant Manager Taylor Holwerda.

    Along with the new opening, Broad Leaf recently launched a new line of spirits, the Undead Spirits, made from beer left over during the pandemic.

    “We distilled otherwise dead beer into a neutral spirit and offer several different flavors in hand-painted skull bottles,” General Manager Shayla Stuchell said. “Because we create all of these unique spirits ourselves, we can make traditional cocktails or push the boundaries and explore making something you cannot get anywhere else.”

    Broad Leaf is just one of multiple new locations set to open in the next month in the Bridge Street corridor. Drip Drop cocktail bar, which takes The Sovengard’s street-level space, opened quietly last week.

    Nonla Burger, 449 Bridge St. NW, is on pace to open in early December, according to the restaurant’s owners.

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