Neighborhood Blog: Caledonia

Located in southeastern Kent County, Caledonia Township is a rural community only 20 minutes from Grand Rapids Michigan. Just around the corner from the bustling city, Caledonia is home to several industrial and office parks. The township includes two golf courses, a diverse group of churches, and many other amenities. Caledonia’s convenient location places it near the M-37/M-6 interchange allowing easy access to Lansing, Holland, and Kalamazoo making it an excellent commuter community.

Restaurants

FireRock Grille excites its customers with creative flavors, top-notch service, and a unique experience. The restaurant was rebuilt in an existing country club building, adding a new restaurant with a creative concept. The name FireRock comes from its 500-degree lava stones that guests are allowed to cook

their own steak, jambalaya, fajita, or ahi tuna. If cooking your own food table side isn’t what you prefer, FireRock also offers a variety of cuisines ranging from fresh seafood and tasty pasta to hearty sandwiches and delectable burgers. The restaurant recommends its Prime Rib served with a loaded baked potato, green bean, and au jus. This entree is only available Friday and Saturday after 5 pm. The establishment even offers a birthday special with half off your entree up to a $20 value. This deal is dine-in only and only valid on your birthday with the validation of a driver's license or birth certificate.

Fricano’s brought pizza to West Michigan in 1949. Founder Philip Fricano began learning to make and bake pizzas while in high school and from there he fell in love with the craft. Accompanying his father and uncle at their pizza tavern awakened his desire to eventually own his own establishment. After 70 years, this restaurant has mastered the flavors of Italy, voted “The Best Pizza in Michigan” by Pure Michigan. The

Caledonia location remodeled a building built in the 1800s to display the original wood and brick interior giving the space a warm and relaxed atmosphere. Aside from the legendary pizza, Fricano’s has a selection of beer, wine, and cocktails from its bar. A dish that keeps customers coming back is the famous chicken parmigiana, lightly breaded chicken breasts topped with marinara sauce and provolone served on a bed of linguini. The Caledonia location of the franchise is the newest being purchased in 2013. Since its opening in June 2014, Fricano’s of Caledonia has become a favorite in the community.

Having 5 locations in the Grand Rapids area, Uccello’s Ristorante, Pizzeria & Sports Lounge has seemed to make its mark in Caledonia. If you enjoy Italian cuisine, this restaurant is the place for you. The cooks utilize the freshest ingredients to make mouth-watering tortellini, tasty pizza, and savory steaks. One prominent dish is the six-cheese lasagna, A tasty blend of

mozzarella, Colby, ricotta, pecorino Romano, Swiss, and Asiago cheeses in layer upon layer of pasta and sweet tomato sauce. With its hours of operation being 11 am to 2 am every day, Uccello’s is perfect for any night owl. The sports lounge holds one of the largest football-shaped bars in town featuring HD flat-screen TVs, jukeboxes, sound boxes, video games, NTN Trivia, and NTN Texas Hold 'em along with free Internet access. If you prefer a quieter atmosphere, Uccello’s also has a family dining area for a more intimate dining experience. For bigger groups, try out Uccello’s Ristorante’s banquet facilities which can hold groups of up to 50.

Attractions

The Motherland Cooking Xperience showcases the diverse and authentic culture of Africa with food rich with flavor, cooking demonstrations, beverages, and music from Africa hosted by members of the African community. This unique experience

allows for cultural competency training and appreciation for the African culture. The business’ goal is to give its students the skills and confidence to cook this world-renowned cuisine. The cooking demonstration takes guests through a 3-course dinner experience accompanied by African music and wine. Motherland Cooking Xperience strives to give a platform to immigrants with ties to Africa to display their talent with food, music art, and storytelling to lessen the cultural gap between African immigrants, their families, and their residential communities.

The Murder Mystery Company performs live interactive murder mystery dinner shows. Within the two hours of food, fun, and murder a three-course meal comes with a three-act show. As you indulge in your meal, a plot will unfold as a cast member is

killed, it is up to the guests to determine the murderer before it's too late by investigating suspects and gathering clues. “Investigation Times” throughout the production allows guests to interact with each other and the mystery experts to try to solve the crime. The production has a variety of themes that change periodically, and guests are encouraged to dress accordingly. Shows take place once or twice each week depending on the location. Reserve your seats at (888) 643-2583.