‘Food that feels like home’

Dining options near Michigan State University just got a little bit healthier.

Angela’s Cafe opened this month in the former Aloha Cookin’ location in downtown East Lansing, though the space is unrecognizable after a complete remodel. The Mediterranean restaurant serves sandwiches, salads, coffee and all-day breakfast, all made to order.

While the name is different, the ownership and menu are identical to Byrek & Baguette, a Seattle restaurant.

After the second Byrek & Baguette location near the University of Washington closed, owner and manager Natalie Muca decided to open another restaurant near MSU. She said the college-adjacent locations were intentional: She wants to help college students eat healthier.

“By the schools, they serve only fried food,” she said. “I want to give them the opportunity to have organic and healthy food.”

To that end, Muca orders organic ingredients whenever possible, with a focus on buying multipurpose ingredients that can be used in several dishes.

“Our menu isn’t too big,” Muca said, “but we use as many organic things as we can.”

The pastries are also baked fresh, including the byrek — thin, flaky, savory pastries that can be filled with cheese, beef, potatoes or spinach.

“Every day we make fresh ones,” Muca said. “Everything is homemade.”

Even the phyllo — a very thin, notoriously difficult dough used for byrek and baklava — is made fresh nightly. Many bakers shy away from making phyllo by hand, but Muca said the dough is a family recipe.

Family is a focus for Angela’s. Both Muca and her brother Ardian, who’s the cook at Angela’s, are inspired by their mother, who taught them to cook as children.

“The passion, we have it from childhood,” Muca said. “My brother, me, everybody in our family cooks, and they’re good cooks.”

Muca said she’s always wanted to turn that passion into a family business.

Family also brought the business to East Lansing. Muca is originally from Macomb County but decided to check out the Lansing area after her niece, who studied at the University of Olivet, introduced Muca to her friends from MSU. The atmosphere of East Lansing reminded Muca of Seattle, and she saw the opportunity to expand her business beyond Washington.

She said Byrek & Baguette has carved out a niche in catering, sending food “everywhere in Seattle” with third-party catering apps. She hopes she can find similar success here.

Muca is splitting her time between Seattle and East Lansing while she gets Angela’s set up, but her brother will continue to run the kitchen full time. Staying family-focused is important to her, she said.

“We’re really proud to be the food that feels like home.”