Zini Dining and Cocktail Lounge Opens in Muskegon

A new kind of dining experience has come to downtown Muskegon. Basically, you can take a culinary tour through Asia without leaving West Michigan!

ZINI Dining & Cocktail Lounge has set up shop at 380 West Western Avenue in Muskegon. Right now, they're in full soft-opening mode, letting diners test drive the dishes before everything becomes official.

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The new restaurant goes beyond your standard dinner out. ZINI is built around a guided, multi-course culinary experience where every plate comes with the stories, traditions, and inspiration behind the ingredients, paired with handcrafted cocktails. The menu actually rotates through themed collections to take your palate across Asia.

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They just wrapped up their Land & Sea collection, which took guests through Japan with seared ahi tuna and salmon onigiri, China with a dumpling trio in garlic chili sauce, Korea with bulgogi bao, and Taiwan with braised beef noodle soup. That collection is officially in the books, and a brand new themed menu is set to unleash this Thursday, September 17.

ZINI - Dining and Cocktail Lounge via Facebook

The person behind the restaurant is founder Kavy Lenon. As a first-generation Lao American who has spent more than two decades supporting local entrepreneurs across West Michigan, Kavy grew up around family tables where food was the ultimate way to share culture, connect, and celebrate. The name ZINI reflects that personal drive, standing for Zealous, Intelligent, Natural, and Independent.

Her team has been putting the space through full kitchen stress tests, even bringing in guest talent like Chef Min from Myanmar Meals at the Downtown Market to hone their sushi lineup.

It is all building up to the main event when ZINI celebrates its official Grand Opening on September 25. If you want to make the drive over for a preview run or plan a night out for the launch, grab reservations on their website.

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Whether you’re craving a hearty breakfast, a family-friendly dinner, a salad bar, or a late-night snack, there is something new for every taste. This gallery will be updated throughout the year as more restaurants open, so check back often to see what is new and worth trying!

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