Story by Martina Devetak, Reporter
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Bored of Wege? Tired of cooking at home? Want to try something new? The Saint prepared a list of a couple of authentic places located around AQ just for you.

The first, and possibly most unknown one, is GoJo Ethiopian Cuisine & Deli, which is located on 421 Norwood Ave. (right next to the CVS in Eastown). Personally, I had never tried Ethiopian cuisine before I visited GoJo, but once I tried it, it became one of my favorite places to go in Grand Rapids. The cozy atmosphere makes you forget how cold it is outside and it feels like you’re in warm Ethiopia.

The business is actually owned by a family from Ethiopia, so by having a meal there, you’re helping to support a small local business with real and authentic food. Speaking of the most important part, the food, there is just one word to describe it—delicious. Most of the meals are under $15 and come in huge portions. I often walk out with a to-go box.

Meat eaters as well as vegetarians and vegans will find many options to choose from. All the dishes are served on the Ethiopian bread “injera.” In Ethiopian cuisine, people don’t use silverware, instead, they wrap the meal in “injera” (waitresses are great at explaining how to do it the right way), which is another cultural thing you get to learn while dining out at GoJo. Come for dinner and experience it yourself!

If you’d like to experience what a real Italian pizza tastes like, then Brick Road Pizza Co. on 1017 Wealthy St. is the place for you. Delicious pizza and many other Italian dishes are waiting for you to try them out. If you’re lactose intolerant or have other dietary restrictions, vegan pizzas and impossible burgers, as well as many gluten-free desserts, are waiting there for you!

It might be a bit far to walk on a snowy day, but that’s why Grubhub is there to help you out. You can order your tasty Italian dish online and expect delivery within an hour. Although Brick Road Pizza is on the pricier side of the restaurants in GR, it’s worth the experience of feeling like you’re in Italy for a couple of hours!

If you’re looking for some authentic Asian cuisine, my top suggestions would be Pho Soc Trang on 4242 Division Ave, and Bangkok Taste Cuisine 15 Jefferson Ave. Both are very reasonably priced and are great options for those who are in a rush or want a quick take out. Also, they are a perfect combo with a Harry Potter movie night. I’ve tried it myself.

If you’ve already tried all the options listed above, then I’d strongly recommend utilizing the app “YELP” to find other cool local places around the area or anywhere else in the world.

Hopefully, this article will give you some new ideas on where to dine out in Grand Rapids!