Comments on: good eats in lansing, michigan?

Question: good eats in lansing, michigan?

mdiskin — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 16:32:06 -0800

Business trip to Lansing, MI this week (Wed-Fri) with 2 colleagues. Where should we eat?

We all like good food of any kind, but we are all foodies so something upscale might be fun one night. Any Suggestions?

By: rmhsinc

rmhsinc — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 16:40:27 -0800

Upscale casual--always good, innovative and right next door. I do not think you will be disappointed.Dusty's

By: k8t

k8t — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 16:44:13 -0800

Beggar's Banquet is always a ton of fun.

Dusty's is a great choice too.

If you're into ethnic food, Traveler's Club is fun.

Note, I haven't lived near Lansing in 10 years, so this may have all changed.

By: not that girl

not that girl — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 17:01:32 -0800

I haven't been yet, but many people I know have rave about Restaurant Villegas, not far down the road in the Lansing suburb of Okemos.

For a more casual dinner or a lunch, we love Altu's Ethiopian Cuisine.

Beggar's, Dusty's, Traveler's Club--all still there, all still good.

I feel strangely honored to have my little rust-belt city show up in a travel AskMe.

By: blackkar

blackkar — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 17:16:54 -0800

Emil's on E. Michigan Ave. - I miss that place. My boss and I used to walk there from our office on Fridays.

Clara's is nice - it's in an old train depot and has a huge menu.

Both of these are closer to the capital/downtown Lansing area. If you head to Okemos, you will pass a bunch of bars and stuff on Grand River across from campus. I'm also about 10 years out of town, so YMMV.

By: k8t

k8t — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 17:26:33 -0800

I have a Lansing favor for anyone out there -- if someone could send me some of El Azteco's excellent cheese dip, I'd be the happiest ex-Michigander around.

By: amery

amery — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 18:49:46 -0800

k8t's got it -- go to El Azteco. I prefer the location in East Lansing to the one downtown. It's really close to Michigan State's campus. Have the cheese dip and a Topopo salad.

By: pyramid termite

pyramid termite — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 19:03:19 -0800

Clara's is nice - it's in an old train depot and has a huge menu.

if the clara's in lansing is anything like the one in battle creek, it's worth going to

By: mdiskin

mdiskin — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 19:41:13 -0800

Many thanks... looks like 3 days' worth right here.

By: not that girl

not that girl — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 20:00:47 -0800

It's a pretty comprehensive list, too, mdiskin--you can have your whirlwind 3-day "best of Lansing" dining tour and leave feeling confident that you haven't missed anything.

By: drstein

drstein — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 20:51:18 -0800

Steak N' Shake
Dunkin Donuts
White Castle

I visited Lansing in October and made sure that I hit up all three of those places. Upscale? Oh no. Open 24/hours? Aw yeah.

Clearly I have very simple culinary tastes. :) I wish we had those chains in California.

By: pyramid termite

pyramid termite — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 21:17:42 -0800

there's a white castle in lansing? ... i don't remember that ... where is it?

By: jengineer

jengineer — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 23:19:31 -0800

I second Altu's. I live in Seattle now, and I can't find an Ethiopian restaurant that compares to Altu's!

By: mdiskin

mdiskin — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 06:20:53 -0800

I should mention that I'm a food writer on the side. I think I'd disappear in a puff of smoke if I even stepped inside a White Castle. But any local dives with good food are right up my alley.

By: mdiskin

mdiskin — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 06:21:28 -0800

And I believe the client is in Okemos.

By: k8t

k8t — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 10:29:10 -0800

I prefer the downtown El Az to the EL El Az for authenticity and the downtown makes you pay for chips. (or did 10 years ago.)

By: reenum

reenum — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 10:45:40 -0800

I'd check the forums at Chowhound. The users there are usually on point with food recommendations.

By: drstein

drstein — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 11:55:46 -0800

pyramid termite:

6541 S. Cedar St.
Lansing, MI, 48911

From whitecastle.com :-)