New in town

Lansing gets intergalactic Wednesday with the opening of Cosmos, a wood-fired pizzeria attached to intown Zoobie’s Old Town Tavern. Co-owner Sam Short said Zoobie’s, the 2-year-old craft beer, wine and cocktail hotspot, has been successful, but demand for food has been astronomical.

“I think we’re going to make a lot of people happy with the Cosmos,” he said. “Zoobie’s only has light snacks right now, but when you’re out for the evening, sometimes you want something more (substantial).”

The first 50 customers at Wednesday´s opening will get free duck fat fries, but they should plan to stay and explore the full menu offerings.

Chef Dan Konopnicki, has designed a menu including a fleet of specialty pizzas and twists on traditional pizzeria fare. One such twist, the Crispy Duck Pizza, is topped with caramelized apple, onion and goat cheese. Other pizzas will utilize a housemade mozzarella cheese, which is part of the Cosmos’ plan to stand out.

“You can get pizza anywhere,” Short said. “Our goal is to give Lansing diners something unique.”

Cosmos is part of the fledgling Potent Potables Project restaurant group, which includes Zoobie’s and Creole, a Louisiana-themed bistro scheduled to open in the former home of the Creole Gallery April 1. Short said there will also be an announcement “very soon” for the group’s next project.

Cosmos’ space used to be Papa Leo’s pizzeria, a separate building next door to Zoobie’s. Construction teams worked throughout the fall and winter to join the two buildings. There are also plans for a full outdoor bar that will accommodate about 120 people. Short said the expanded patio will have a massive barbecue pit, where the restaurant can roast whole hogs, chickens and ducks.

“That won’t be ready until summer, of course,” Short quipped. “Not a lot of demand for the patio just yet.”

Gone too soon

One of REO Town’s newest gathering places, Kait’s Vintage Café, closed for the holidays but will not be reopening. A sign hangs on the door saying “Vintage Café is closed and will not reopen in 2015. We want to thank all of our patrons for your support. — Kait Medrano.” The restaurant was taking a holiday break according to a Facebook post from Dec. 18. The café was to have re-opened Jan. 12, but did not. The Vintage Café’s menu featured breakfast scrambles and quiches, sandwiches, and baked goods made by Medrano. Medrano also ran a catering business out of the café, and the last post on the café’s Facebook page is an image from a catered holiday event. The café’s phone number is disconnected, and it’s website is down. Medrano could not be reached for comment.

Ty Forquer contributed to this report

Cosmos 611 E. Grand River Ave., Lansing 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday- Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday (517) 483-4737, thecosmoslansing.com