Say Cheese!

Michigan native Holly McClain honed her talent for hospitality in Chicago and Las Vegas, where she played an integral role in the development and operation of five award-winning restaurants throughout the last decade. In September of 2020, she opened Olin Bar and Kitchen in Detroit – a creative American brasserie. At that time, she also opened a walk-up window on the side of Olin called Twist, featuring takeout soft pretzels and cocktails to go. Now the concept is evolving again, with the closing of Twist and the opening of Better Half Grilled Cheese Co. “Our intention from the beginning was to serve lunch at Olin. Since we opened during the pandemic, that never happened. We opened Better Half Grilled Cheese Co. because we wanted our walk-up window to offer something more substantial – more than just a snack,” said McClain. Currently, the Better Half Grilled Cheese Co. is opened Friday and Saturday from 1- 9 p.m. Customers will find a rotating offering of hearty gourmet cheese sandwiches to-go, such as the Original Grilled Cheese featuring a cheesy house blend of cheeses; the Pizza Grilled Cheese with pepperoni and mozzarella; the Bacon Grilled Cheese with bacon, cheddar and onion jam; and the “I Like it Spicy,” with pepperjack, havarti and buffalo sauce. The window also offers homemade lemonade, which includes an option to “make it boozy” with a shot of Elijah Craig bourbon, Lunazul Blanco Tequila or Deep Eddy Vodka. 25 East Grand River Avenue, Detroit