Brand new restaurants to get excited for in Lansing

Two new restaurants are now open and waiting for Lansing to come check them out, Sonia’s Soul Food and PappaRoti.

PappaRoti is an international chain of cafes founded in Malaysia by chef Rasha Al Danhani, with locations in Qatar, Malaysia, South Korea and England. The restaurant’s newest location, which just opened in East Lansing on Trowbridge Road, specializes in deluxe baked goods, coffee and tea. 

Its signature dish is the roti bun, a wide and round bun that’s soft and doughy on the inside and crispy and crunchy on the outside. PappaRoti has several methods of preparing the bun with distinct flavors like coffee and caramel. 

Sonia’s Soul Food, on South Waverly Road, focuses on classic comfort food staples such as mac and cheese, chicken wings, baked beans, okra, ribs and various fried fish dishes. Each weekday has its own special combo meal, such as chicken and waffles on Monday and catfish on Wednesday. 

On the horizon for Lansing is longtime favorite Pablo’s Old Town Mexican Restaurant’s new location on Michigan Avenue in Lansing’s east side neighborhood, where it will be housed in the same building as Strange Matter Coffee. 

Owner Pablo Maldonado originally planned to open a second location in REO Town, which was hyped up for several years but never came to fruition. This new address, set to be in operation by the end of year, places the Mexican eatery just a stone’s throw away from El Oasis, another local favorite. So, if you want great Mexican food, Lansing’s east side is going to be the new hot spot. 

Also coming is Etta’s Coffee House, a new coffee shop located in the formerly graffiti-splattered building on Cedar Street next to Lansing Brewing Co. It’s since been renovated with a simple black paint job with the coffee shop’s logo adorning the side. Alongside gourmet coffee, Etta’s will also serve breakfast dishes such as special avocado toast and pastries.  

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