I love everything about Grampa’s Pastys. They noticed a lack of pasties on the west coast of Michigan and decided to do something about it, starting in 2011 and expanding to markets since. The acronym doesn’t entirely make sense since it stands for “The Great American Pasty & Pie Co,” (GAPAPC) but there’s little reason to care about that.
The only thing to care about is the pasty and that’s why you’re here. Grampa’s is all about local, fresh, no-nonsense ingredients. In addition to expanding to farmers markets, they’ve also added numerous varieties, most of which are available at every location. That’s not easy to do given the availability on the southwest side of the state and how spread out the markets are.
I visited South Haven and ordered at the same time a fellow customer said that these are “the best pasties I’ve ever had.” I was intrigued, but given the non-crimped crust, I wasn’t about to give them the same label.
The crust is the main issue with these pasties. They are made with “100% real butter,” but that’s still not lard. I can forgive a crust for not getting true crimping, but not if the taste is underwhelming and that’s the main problem. My crust was kind of flimsy and almost cardboard-like. Keep in mind, that first bite means everything.
Fortunately for the pasty (I got the Yooper flavor), the insides hit the mark with a nice ratio and good overall flavor. But as seen in the pictures, it was kind of small. While it tasted good, I wanted a little more of that meat and rutabaga love.
Grampa’s pasty fits in the health-conscience realm since I was still kind of hungry after eating mine for an early lunch. The goal after eating a pasty is to not be hungry. More often than not, you’re stuffed, but hopefully not still hungry.
Grampa’s is a great addition to the Grand Rapids area and can be enjoyed by trolls in need of pasties. If they can get to another level with the crust, that would be even better.
Taste: 4 (out of 5)
Crust: 2 (out of 5)
Pasty Presentation: 2 (out of 5)
The Shop: 3 (out of 3)
Would I come back for Pasties?: 2 (out of 2)
Total Pasty Rating: 13 (of 20 points)
(Reviewed Summer 2019)