The Red Cedar Café
Whether you’re in search of a place to dine with friends, an alternate study location or just a quick coffee break, this is the perfect place to go. Located in Brookfield Plaza on the corner of Grand River Avenue and Hagadorn Road, the Red Cedar Café sits just on the edge of campus. Its late-summer opening earned this locally owned, independent business a spot on our “Best-Kept Secrets” list.
For owner Angie Anderson, opening the café has been a dream come true. Prior to running her own business, Anderson, a Dewitt, Mich. resident, worked at MSU Bakers and served as Dining Assistant Manager in Akers hall. Anderson now handles her own bakery inside the café where all of her desserts are made from scratch. “Our specialties are the cheesecake, the bumpy cake and the carrot cake,” she says of the beautifully hand-decorated desserts. Aside from the sweet stuff, the café offers a variety of soups, salads and made-to-order sandwiches. The business also serves as a catering service to events around the area.
Seasonal décor and freshly cut flowers give the café a homey feel. Scenic MSU photographs captured by Anderson’s mother-in-law Sue Lorencen line the walls to add a flare of school spirit. For students, free Wi-Fi and soft music make for a great place to study. During the busier hours of the afternoon, a small section of the café is sectioned off for laptop and study purposes only.
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Leo’s Spirits & Grub
OK, technically, it’s located just outside of East Lansing—which is what makes this place a secret to some Spartans—but this is just the right spot to grab some “grub,” hang with friends and watch the game. Leo’s Spirits & Grub is the newest of three locations in the area, with Leo’s Lodge and Leo’s Outpost located in Lansing.
The year-old restaurant and bar is sited on the corner of West Grand River Avenue and Okemos Road. Animal wall décor and wood furnishings give the log cabin a northern Michigan feel. Both family-friendly and reasonably priced, this place is great for casual gatherings. The restaurant offers everything from broasted chicken dinners to a wide variety of pizzas.
If you’re one of those people who just can’t wait for the weekend to start, celebrate a day early with a discounted dinner at Leo’s! Floor Manager Megan Guarnaccia explains that the restaurant receives most of their student traffic on Thursday nights during “Student Night” where students show their school ID and receive 20 percent off food orders.
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Wanderer’s Teahouse & Café
On the east end of Grand River Avenue, between Bailey and Division streets, sits one of the most unique places in town. With its relaxed vibe and foreign flare, the Wanderer’s Teahouse & Café is a great place to wind down after a stressful day of classes.
A teahouse is not complete without a vast selection of tea, and this one has dozens of signature blends. Though the café is centered around the leafy beverage, it does not limit itself to just tea. It also offers other warm and cool beverages as well as a range of café-type foods such as soups, crepes, salads and sandwiches.
The teahouse holds an assortment of books on cultures from all over the world in their “Book Exchange” library. The books can be enjoyed in the café or taken home at the request that customers leave a book of their own behind to maintain the vast selection. Magazines and board games are also available for customer use. The café offers a number of rolling events including tea parties, book clubs and Open Mic night.