Tatse African Restaurant to Close in Downtown Lansing; New Business Planned
LANSING — Downtown African restaurant and bar Tatse & Alobosa Bar will close its doors for good later this month as owner Taiwo Adeleye plans to open a new restaurant in East Lansing.
Adeleye announced the restaurant and bar’s closure on July 17 in an Instagram post Wednesday. The news comes more than two years after the business opened at 221 S. Washington Square in February 2022.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closure of Tatse Restaurants in downtown Lansing in two weeks,” the post read. “After three incredible years of serving our community with authentic Nigerian cuisine, we must say goodbye to this chapter of our journey… Your loyalty and love for our food has meant the world to us, and we are grateful for every moment we have shared together. This journey has been an emotional, joyful, and personal growth experience marked by perseverance and dedication. While this is a bittersweet goodbye, we cherish the memories and connections we have made in this wonderful community.”
Adeleye plans to take Tatse’s two employees to Handie: African Infused Wraps and All, the restaurant he plans to open in East Lansing. It’s expected to open at 515 E Grand River Ave., Suite G, sometime in August. Plans are to hire four additional employees there, he said.
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Tatse has struggled to thrive in recent years, Adeleye said. Last year, he said, the COVID-19 pandemic and rising costs of everything from food to supplies posed challenges.
“It’s never been better,” he said Wednesday.
At Handie, the menu will cater to Michigan State University students, but it will retain the same African-inspired flavors, Adeleye said.
“This time the model is to put everything in wraps and sandwiches,” he said. “We’re going to be more creative. We have students. That’s why we chose the model with wraps, coffee and juice.”
“Thank you for letting us be a part of your lives,” the Instagram post read. “We hope our paths cross again in the future at Handie.”
Contact journalist Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on X @GrecoatLSJ .
This article originally appeared in the Lansing State Journal: Taiwo Adeleye to close Tatse African restaurant in downtown Lansing
