Caprese salad is a simple dish. Yet the mere combination of tomato, basil and mozzarella cheese, dusted with salt and slathered in olive oil, accomplishes so much. Dressed in the colors of the Italian flag, Caprese exemplifies the fresh, ingredient-centric ethos of Italian cuisine. Like a margherita pizza without the crust and heat, Caprese is the perfect way to enjoy the downslope of summer. more

Williamston’s Old Nation Brewing Co. offers a relaxed atmosphere, creative sides and plenty of locally crafted beers to choose from. Its masculine design aesthetics — think open-concept with exposed HVAC, a la Lansing Brewing Co. — are balanced out by the genuine friendliness of the staff and little touches of care such as a phone-charging station at the bar. more

Two local joints that have popped up since fall you may have missed are Social Cloth Cafe & Bakery and Sunshine Diner. more

A popular Lansing restaurant is shutting down one of its locations. Leo’s Outpost, known across town for its pub fare and cozy hunting den atmosphere, is permanently closing its spot at 600 S.  Pennsylvania Ave. The location had been serving customers since 2002. more

Winter break is the perfect time to visit the restaurants of East Lansing, so last week, my friends and I took advantage of relaxed schedules and (relatively) ample parking and visited BAPS, a new-to-me Korean restaurant … more

As holiday talk builds to a festive pitch and the cold darkness moves to embrace you, don’t sleep on pomegranate season. It’s ready to sneak back into your life. more

One of my son’s first tastes of solid food was dirt licked from a freshly dug parsnip. He didn’t yet have the teeth to chew into the ivory taproot itself, but his attempts to do so sure … more

The Toarmina’s Pizza location on East Michigan Avenue is beloved by the City Pulse staff. When we need a fast lunch, the restaurant’s premade slices of pizza are just a two-minute walk away, and when we have occasional staff meals together, we typically order a few pies that are quickly devoured. more

With the invasion happening in real time as I write this, I have no idea how the chips will have fallen by the time you read it. But one thing is clear. President Zelensky, and the nation he leads, are like a hearty bowl of borscht. Vladimir Putin, by contrast, is nothing but a tepid plate of Chicken Kiev.  more

The Avenue Café, one of Lansing’s favorite east side neighborhood haunts that functions as a bar, concert venue and ramen restaurant, is shutting its doors until March. more

There are more than a score of Mexican restaurants, food trucks and shops around Lansing. But who has what you’re craving? Luckily for you, we’ve analyzed the menus of more than a dozen different … more

 Good Truckin’ Diner is known for creative twists on classic American diner food, plus tacos.   They offer an array of interesting options like jackfruit, spicy maple syrup, … more

French onion soup is the world’s most elegant dish. Not the kind of elegance you’d find on a white tablecloth with extra silverware, but elegant in the sense that scientists use the word. Like when a simple equation can express the relationship between matter and energy with as few ingredients as a pot of French onion soup. more

My first kitchen job involved making six gallons of gazpacho every Sunday. This was back when earning your chops meant something, and making that whole batch with just a knife and peeler — no … more

If you’re unfamiliar with Gopuff, the first thing to note about it is that it has absolutely nothing to do with marijuana. Like seemingly every single one of my friends, I too had that misconception. Disappointing, I know. It’s actually a delivery service that specializes in products that you would find at your garden-variety convenience store — snacks like potato chips ands bottles of soda.  more

Despite the enduring summerlike weather, co-workers at both of my jobs have been calling in sick like any other turn of the season, and this week, I was finally taken out myself. It’s strange … more

It’s 5 p.m. Friday at Harry’s Place.  A group of customers in their 30s and 40s are having a nice long chat with their waitress.  “Did you miss me?” she says, … more

Facebook Marketplace is a hotspot for homemade carryout. But unless the food is made in a licensed food kitchen, it’s illegal — and can be potentially dangerous to your health, health officials warned. more

Modern grocery stores put their predecessors to shame with the number of items available for purchase. Gone are the days when grocery stores featured roughly 12 aisles and stocked shelves primarily … more