A La Mode

A La Mode Cafe serves breakfast and lunch from a converted house on North State Street, just north of Ferris State University in downtown Big Rapids. The kitchen has operated here since 2001, building a following for scratch-made comfort food served in a cozy dining room with a working fireplace.

Regulars come back for the beef pasties, made from a family recipe passed down from the Upper Peninsula town of Ironwood. The biscuits and gravy and the homemade raspberry jam served with toast keep loyal customers ordering the same plate every visit.

The Grilled Alamode is the cafe's signature sandwich, often paired with cheese broccoli soup. Quiche and corned beef hash round out a breakfast and lunch menu built around scratch cooking rather than shortcuts.

Visitors exploring the Big Rapids Riverwalk or in town for a Ferris State event often stop here first, since the cafe sits close to campus and the downtown corridor. The dining room includes a wheelchair accessible entrance and accessible seating, and the menu offers vegetarian options. Outdoor seating is available for guests who want to eat along North State Street.

Tripadvisor ranks A La Mode Cafe among the top restaurants in Big Rapids, and travelers passing through on US-131 regularly detour into downtown specifically to eat here.