Gather Restaurant

06/05/2026

It’s Friday! And it looks like rain is heading our way but there’s always sunshine of a sort in Smyrna.

Tonight, we have Kevin Schaffer on stage—hopefully outside but we will keep our fingers crossed for the rain to pass in time for 6.30.

For specials tonight, we’re reimagining some American classics, which seems only fitting for the start of summer. We made our own hotdogs—start to finish, ground, stuffed, smoked—and they are served Chicago-style. Our fish sticks are fresh whitefish that we formed and dredged. Plus, duck mole tacos that have a depth of flavor enhanced by caramel corn.

I’m busy as a bee in the kitchen so we will get photos posted soon!

Also, I keep hearing that we aren’t good at communicating this fact: our regular pub menu is ALWAYS available in addition to our weekend specials. So we still have the standards each week that you know and love, like our award-winning burrito, burgers, and homemade gluten-free tenders!

We open at 4.30 today.

06/04/2026

Dinner in the White City Dining Experience Recap

Thank you to everyone who attended, ate, drank, and enthused with us. A huge note of appreciation to my staff for all their hard work—behind the scenes snaps coming soon!

Join us in October for our next one that focuses on Ancient Greece!

Photos courtesy

05/30/2026

Night One of Dinner in the White City was a big win—even if we did go over our goal of 3-hours from start to finish. There are so many things I remembered that I wanted to talk about as I tried to fall asleep last night. You all are lucky we didn’t end up needing 5 hours! 🤣

One guest gifted me with such an amazing family treasure last night. He found a ticket for Chicago Day in his grandfather’s memory box and gave it to me. When I think about where this ticket has been—handed out at the ticket stand to an excited visitor, kept in their pocket as they walked the fairgrounds all those years ago, and treasured through almost 133 years to wind up here with me. Thank you, Eric and Todd. It means the world to me.

Another guest showed me pictures of her great-grandmother at the 1904 World’s Fair, and we spent time dissecting pictures from 1893 to see which location it was taken.

Moments like these are just a few examples of why we offer these dinners and why we work so hard to create an immersive, engaging experience.

Thank you to everyone who has attended, past, present, and future! You’re part of our extended food family.

05/27/2026

We have the best friends and neighbors, and they have community at the forefront of their minds. Help spread the word for those who may need a helping hand or those who may have a little extra to share.

It truly takes a village!
Today, I want to recognize the incredible founding donors who helped make the Smyrna Little Free Pantry a reality. ❤️

A very special thank you to:

Roberts Innovations - Mike Roberts donated countless hours of his time, energy, tools, craftsmanship, and workspace to build this beautiful pantry from the ground up. He carefully selected materials to ensure long-lasting beauty. This project simply would not exist without his dedication.

Hansen Metal Roofing Supply - for generously donating the metal roof that will help protect the pantry for many years to come.

Alaina Taylor - for designing and donating the beautiful sign at the top of the pantry.

And thank you to our additional founding donors and supporters who stepped up to help bring this vision to life:

• Your House of Pizza
• Elizabeth Maki
• Andrea Ochoa
• Shelly Hanses
• Kaytie Boomer
• Laura Muzzarelli
• Ranee Zachow
• Susan Hall
• Sarah Vega
• Mikayla Kelley
• Krupp Road Farm Goods

And of course, a huge thank you to Gather Restaurant for graciously allowing us to place the pantry on their grounds to ensure safe, visible, and easy access for the community. Their willingness to open up their space for this project speaks volumes about their commitment to helping neighbors in meaningful ways. We are incredibly grateful for their support and partnership in making this pantry accessible to those who need it most.

This pantry was built with love, generosity, and a true belief that community care matters. Thank you all for helping create something that will make a real difference for our neighbors. ❤️

Please continue to support the pantry by taking only what you need, leaving what you can, and spreading the word!

✨ Donations always welcomed via Venmo

📍 5022 Whites Bridge Rd, Belding, MI 48809

05/27/2026

Calling all bosom friends and kindred spirits! If you love Anne Shirley (or Gilbert Blythe) as much as we do, we invite you into her world for an afternoon of tea and friendship, flower crowns and recitations. There will be raspberry cordial, cakes and sandwiches, and so much fairy magic that you will leave lighter and happier for all the days of your life. Anne would want you attend, so won’t you?

Reservations can be made by calling or texting us at 616.794.1691. A $10 deposit per person is required. You can make it via Venmo, CashApp, or PayPal.

05/23/2026

UPDATE: All salads were scooped up. Thanks for helping us out.

Bad weather means you win! We didn’t have as many sales as we anticipated today so we have leftover salads. Garden salad with or without salmon. Kale Caesar (pre dressed) with or without salmon. Veggie salads are $3 and Salmon salads are $7. We would just hate to see them go to waste and are trying to recoup some costs.

If you are in need of a free meal, we will happily give them away, too!

05/23/2026

While the weather may not be bringing the spring warmth, our soft shell crab sandwiches will allow you to feel like you’re relaxing at an Oceanside restaurant where it’s a perfect 82* with low humidity. We sold about 50% of our stock last night, so come get your share tonight.

Or begin working your way through our new specialty cocktail and mocktail menus…

05/23/2026

Plant sale day at fullhollowfarm! Lots of amazing plants for eating. Plants for admiring. Compost and worms. Garden art. Food from Gather made from Full Hollow greens and kale. It’s the perfect day for a farm tour.

05/22/2026

Drumroll, please 🥁🥁🥁🥁

It’s soft shell crab weekend! 🦀

These little buggers have arrived fresh from the waters off Georgia and are ready to be fried up for your hungry tummies. But let’s not stop there! We have radishes and lettuces from Full Hollow Farm our asparagus is from Nyblad Family Farms. Local duck eggs and potatoes. We’ve got Karlene’s famous molasses buns and Ashlie’s delicious lemon posset, the perfect end to your meal.

We are also premiering our new cocktail and mocktail lists for the summer… pics will be in the comments because I’m limited to 10 images. We can’t wait to hear what you think, and your feedback helps us refine our flavors over the next few weeks so your summer sips reach perfection!

Remember, crabs are limited so if you are hankering, get here early to snag one.

See you in Smyrna!