Looking back at Rapid Growth’s January 2014 story, “The Vegan Kitchen Takeover: Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill,” I see more than just the rise of vegan options in Grand Rapids. It’s a reminder of what local restaurants can do when we see them as more than just places for transactions. 

This particular story captured a moment when vegan food was entering neighborhood eateries, proving that a new way of eating didn’t need to be separate from the city’s social life. 

Consequently, I keep revisiting this piece over time for what it also signaled in our culture.

Yes, vegan dining’s growth mattered. It reflected shifting tastes, health priorities, and a cultural shift that helped make plant-based foods more common in Grand Rapids. What was new in 2014 now feels integrated into our local food scene.

But this reflection isn’t only about veganism. It’s about what happens when people gather in shared spaces. 

A restaurant offers more than food; it provides atmosphere, surprises, conversations, people-watching, and the simple act of being among others. 

With most dining now off-premises—nearly 75% according to the National Restaurant Association—convenience has become key to our eating habits. While that can support restaurants in the short term, it can’t replace the experience of showing up. 

Why? Because that communal experience for humans is so vital to life, this tradition has spanned hundreds of years within our human evolution.

Restaurants shape a city’s culture. They’re where new ideas emerge, chefs test concepts, communities blend, and neighborhood personality shines. 

Today in Grand Rapids, places like The Søvengård keep fostering this spirit by hosting guest chefs and food entrepreneurs through its Late Night Street Food series, held after the main dining menu has ended on select Saturday nights.

Some restaurants will close—that’s inevitable. If you live long enough, you will see this firsthand, no matter where you are or what moment in time you’re in. Losses like Gaia, Asada, and The Green Well remind us just how fragile the industry is. 

But let’s remember: neglect isn’t the cause. These spaces are not just about feeding our bodies but about nourishing the city’s soul.

That’s why the vegan kitchen takeover still resonates with me. It’s about more than just what’s on the plate; it’s about the kind of city we shape when we make space for each other to gather and spend time, even if we’re alone in the company of others.

The Vegan Kitchen Takeover: Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill

In December of 2013, a new dining group, The Vegan Kitchen Takeover (TVKT), held their first event based on the rather simple concept that the expansion of vegan options within Grand Rapids’ eateries can actually happen easily, as they demonstrate in these takeover events, and do so without compromising flavor or the thoughtful sourcing of ingredients.  

The first event, held in December at the 28th Street restaurant Chicago 7’s, provided a taste of the chef’s creations, from pretzel beet burgers to chili cheese fries to root beer floats.

But after a slight scheduling bump with its second outing (originally set for January 27), the team has rebooked it and distributed freshly printed posters with the correct date of Feb. 3 and at the ultimate Westside music venue: The Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill.

Each month this inventive menu is prepared by TVKT’s Chefs Jean-Rene Renusson  (JR) and Justin Stermin, who will present their vegan menu but play off the style of the traditional menu at the host venue/establishment.

This is meant to be a family affair, and one look at the menu indicates this dining experience is truly ready for your family, with their famous meatloaf samiches, fried chikn samiches, loaded baked potatoes, fries, fried Oreo sundaes, mac n cheeze and chikn fingers ready for dipping.

Chef JR is one to keep your eye on in this city. He cut his teeth in his family’s kitchen, which would probably make him just like most of us weekend chefs were it not for the fact that his father is the world-renowned pastry chef Gilles Renusson, who also happens to be a professor at the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College.

Chef JR spent some time after graduating from GRCC’s culinary school at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel before landing at Savory Foods as their gluten-free and vegan chef.  

Chef Justin Stermin cut his teeth in pizza joints when he was younger but later, and after meeting JR as co-workers at a sushi restaurant, JR convinced Justin to try cooking vegan. Soon the two formed a friendship and a mission based on improving our food systems.

Both these chefs would go on to create the beloved menu at another Westside establishment, The Mitten Brewery and have worked closely with VeganGR -a site devoted to advocating, advancing and highlighting vegan dining options within our region.

The cost of the night varies depending on what you order, but please note that 10% of all food sales will benefit Carol’s Ferals.

Admission: Menu item pricing varies. Easy reservations here but seating is very limited.