New Lansing restaurants open or coming soon

With vaccines available to every Michigander over 16, restaurants in the Lansing area are hoping to prepare for a return to business as usual. The warmer weather won’t hurt, either. If you’re looking to venture out into the world again after a year of isolation, consider trying one of these restaurants that have recently cropped up.

Smoke and Soul Food Truck

Smoke and Soul is a brand new pop-up kitchen providing a variety of smoked meats for carry-out only. The owners wanted to bring Lansing residents authentic food based around the Souther Diet, a combination of cuisine that came over on slave ships and foods from the different countries running the slave trade. Okra from Africa, corn from Portugal, sweet potatoes from Mexico, macaroni from Italy. Meat sold at Smoke and Soul is smoked for hours. The creators claim, “That’s what we serve at Smoke and Soul. Real food. Real good.”

The Tangy Crab

The owners of The Tangy Crab first discovered Cajun cuisine on a vacation to the South. They spent months perfecting their spice blend and have recently opened two locations: one in Flint and one in Lansing. The Tangy Crab’s specialty is the seafood boil, a communal meal involving seafood tossed with spices and boiled in a bag. Expect to need a bib and a pair of gloves. It’s not the type of meal you eat politely with a fork and knife.

For Crepê Sake

For Crepê Sake’s original location in downtown Lansing was closed down permanently, like many other Greater Lansing restaurants, thanks to difficulties and financial hardship arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The gourmet breakfast joint has since reopened with a new location in East Lansing on M.A.C. Avenue. The new spot features the same fare as it did originally, offering customizable crepes to your exact liking. For Crepê Sake also offers curbside pickup and delivery through services such as DoorDash and GrubHub.