Brews on the Lakeshore

The beaches are emptying in West Michigan, while Grand Rapids’ coffee shops brim once again. As the steamy summer cools into autumn, darker places are needed to complement the longer hours of nightfall over the lakeshore.

Grand Rapids’ 24-Hour Coffee House

Down on Fulton Street, The Bitter End Coffee House is the area’s only 24-hour cafe, drawing in students and insomniacs alike. Although The Bitter End is in the heart of Grand Valley State University’s Grand Rapids campus,  the coffee-goers range in all types. Solo workers, couples on late-night dates, and people-watchers alike haunt The Bitter End.

The Coffee House offers a generous drink menu, pushing the bounds of a traditional latte with exciting recipes like the Original Sin: a latte with white chocolate,apple, and brown sugar cinnamon, or the Spotted Owl: a latte with toasted marshmallow, vanilla, and hazelnut. Espresso, frozen, tea, smoothie, and specialty cold drinks make up the rest of the towering menu at The Bitter End, with a distinctive list of lite lattes.

Grand Rapids has no shortage of coffee shops, but the ambiance of The Bitter End sets it further apart. Edgy, curious, and experimental, like many of its patrons, it is unlike any other in the area. The Bitter End radiates a little bit of darkness that is unique for a coffee shop.

Now in its 25th year, The Bitter End occupies a short building tucked between its taller neighbors. It retains the roots of the historical bank it’s housed in, through high ceilings and dark wooden tables. The walls are saturated with dark and moody artwork, plus the long menu behind the bar. Dark tables, chairs, deep mahogany walls, and accent tables darken the space and give mind to a rainy midnight cafe in a lonely corner of New York.

Toasting Autumn Beyond The Bitter End

A fall tour of Grand Rapids doesn’t end with a latte at The Bitter End. The city’s calendar is piled with autumn celebrations like the Donut & Beer Fest, Oktoberfest, and the Pumpkin Spice Fest. 

Amazing stops to toast the season after a morning spent at The Bitter End carry fall traditions year-round at local favorites like Vander Mill in Grand Rapids and Farmhaus Cider in nearby Hudsonville.

The Bitter End Coffee House brings Grand Rapids more than just caffeine; it provides a place to sink into the autumn season as West Michigan cools. Experimental ambiance and drink recipes make visiting the midnight coffee house an adventure, now being the perfect time.