If you were to ask me the hands-down BEST place I have been to lately the answer would be the Brewery Vivant Pub.

They say their beer is “is inspired by the small farm breweries of Southern Belgium and Northern France.”  This rings true for not just their beer but for the food and the location.  Brewery Vivant does the whole package so well that you actually feel like you are in the old French countryside instead of a quaint neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I’ll start with the food.

From country pate to fried duck livers to poutine to lamb shank cassoulet the food oozes with careful thought, preparation and flavors that can only be described as french-country.  The poutine was fall comfort in a bowl.  My belly will dream of the warm embrace of this dish over and over again once winter’s bite has taken hold.

The beer.

I loved three of the four beers we tried.  One seriously almost tasted like wine, which of course was a win in my book.  Their fall Pumpkin Tart was the best pumpkin beer I’ve sipped.  Not too ‘pumpkiny’ and blended with just the right spices, it’s a successful balance of how you always want something called ‘Pumpkin Spice’ to taste (and of course nothing ever seems to get it right).

This beer paired with the Country Pate was something to be remembered.  There was a subtle sweetness to the pate that balanced the pumpkin and highlighted the spices in the beer.  It is the best beer & food paring that I’ve ever had.

The pub.

It’s located in an old chapel, the pub restored beautiful stained glass windows and beams to their original glory.  It was inviting and cozy.  It completed the feeling that you were in an old building in the middle of the French countryside.

Brewery Vivant is so much more than just a brewpub.  It’s such a complete weaving of beer, food, and atmosphere that I would make this a destination restaurant for any occasion.