Two Years in the Making, Grand Rapids Soul Food Restaurant Opens Second Location

A local award-winning soul food restaurant has opened up a new location and an event venue in southeast Grand Rapids.

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More than two years ago we told you that Candied Yam planned to transform a vacant building at 932 S. Division Ave., once occupied by Club Tequila, into a new restaurant.

Owner Jessica Ann Tyson opened the original The Candied Yam Delightful Southern Cuisine at 2305 44th St. SE in the Breton Meadows Plaza in 2017. In 2023, the restaurant won Business of the Year from the South Kent Area Chamber of Commerce. Recently the Candied Yam took home the first place judges award at the Grand Rapids Tots and Taps Festival.

The new location on South Division has a similar menu to the original restaurant which offers up scratch-made soul food. You have the choice of one meat with one side or two meats with two sides. Meat options include fried chicken, catfish, perch, meatloaf, wings, porkchop, and ribs.

Options for sides include green beans, mashed potatoes, collared greens, cornbread, mac and cheese - and candied yams, of course. The Candied Yam also serves desserts like Peach Cobbler and Banana Pudding.

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According to Wood TV 8 renovating the space cost more than $2 million.

In terms of the more than two year project, a post to Facebook noted the restaurant had been sitting vacant for 12 years and experienced neglect. Other reasons cited for the length of the project include "systems, financing, Covid, unforeseen structural issues, ‘new code requirements’, established code requirements, costs inflation, etc.".

Well, finally, the Candied Yam is set to open on South Division!

The restaurant is holding a ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony June 12 at noon. Hours will are 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

In addition to the restaurant, there is a new event space called The Venue with room for 200.

Want more new places to try? Check out all the new restaurants that have opened in West Michigan recently.