Door County
Whips up delicious all-day omelets, pancakes and other breakfast dishes, plus sandwiches and burgers. Find it on Hwy 42, about one mile north of Egg…
Must-see restaurants in The Great Lakes
Upper Peninsula
Buy fresh-caught trout or whitefish in various forms (smoked, pickled, sausage) right on the dock. Thill's is Marquette's last commercial fishing…
Chicago
Sink your teeth into chocolate marshmallow, chai latte, salty caramel and other creamy-frosted mini cakes. The cupcake ATM out front dispenses the goods…
Minnesota
Mickey's is a downtown classic, the kind of place where the friendly waitress calls you 'honey' and satisfied regulars line the bar with their coffee cups…
Indiana
A Bloomington classic. The Uptown Cafe offers Cajun/Creole–inspired American fare alongside Italian and other Mediterranean specialties right on Kirkwood…
Red Wing
A picture-perfect small-town bakery with freshly baked breads as well as cakes, cupcakes and cookies to eat in or take away. The adjacent coffee shop…
Detroit
Mmm, slow-cooked Southern-style barbecue in Corktown. Carnivores can carve into the three-meat combo plate (brisket, pulled pork and chicken). Vegetarians…
Michigan
The hummus, falafel, lentil soup, chicken shawarma and other Middle Eastern favorites have stood the test of time at Jerusalem Garden, an unassuming,…
Michigan
With its pink exterior and odd, slanted roof, Hamido certainly stands out. It does a big business in hummus, chicken shawarma and other Middle Eastern…
Minneapolis
Excellent pizzas as well as pasta dishes and sandwiches served in a casual neighborhood setting. The menu includes several vegetarian and vegan options,…
Illinois
Fork into everything from Western favorites to Mexican and Italian while chatting up locals at the 1924 Ariston Cafe's fabulous retro counter.
Michigan
Head into the handsome, horse-themed Seabiscuit for well-made American fare alongside fine pints of beer. The smoked whitefish chowder, perch tacos, lamb…
Wisconsin
Chomp sandwiches or inventive specials like sweet-potato stew. You can eat 'em at the sturdy wood tables in the bright-painted interior, or outside on the…
Chicago
Thanks to nearly nonstop hours and an enormous menu that has everything from Taiwanese-style fried turnip omelets to minced pork with spaghetti, beef hot…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
This Italian grocery store and butcher cuts a mean salami. If you’re planning a picnic, drop by and pick up a 9in sub sandwich or two (the Italian…
Illinois
Fork in to all the French classics – coq au vin, caussoulet, bouillabaisse – at this cozy little bistro across from the Ernest Hemingway Museum. If…
Upper Peninsula
This casual, quick-serve eatery serves up burgers, tater tots, fried whitefish and cans of beer in downtown Munising. Vegetarians get an excellent faux…
Gold Coast
Tough to beat this winsome little cafe for a lavender latte and crêpe, be it sweet (chocolate and coconut, honey and almond) or savory (spinach and…
Minnesota
Classic Main St malt shop with an authentic 1950s' diner feel and an accompanying long list of deli favorites, burgers, patty melts, shakes, malts and ice…
Minneapolis
The crowded dining room has all the ambience of a high-school cafeteria, but people don't come for the atmosphere, but rather the well-done Vietnamese…
Indiana
The Village Inn sells sublime pies, such as the best-selling rhubarb custard. Bonneted women in pastel dresses come in at 4:30am to bake the flaky wares…
Wisconsin
Cheerful and cozy Himal Chuli serves up homemade Nepali fare, including momos (dumplings), quati (winter bean soup) and lots of vegetarian dishes. Beer…
Milwaukee
A meal in Milwaukee doesn't always have to revolve around beer and brats. Kawa serves excellent ramen noodle dishes and a wide array of fresh sushi and…
Indiana
Judging by the crowds, the whole of Southern Indiana heads here to escape all things fried. There's a lovely array of internationally flavored grain bowls…
Leland, Northport & Suttons Bay
The Cove's specialty is whitefish that it prepares four ways (baked with almonds, stuffed with crab, encrusted with garlic, and foil-baked with peppers),…
Wisconsin
Browse the antique store or amble through the herb garden while waiting for your wafer-thin-crusted pizza to emerge from the wood-fired oven. All tables…
Door County
Join the crowds indoors and out munching on pizzas from the stone, wood-fired ovens. A lengthy list of craft beers helps wash it down. Those searching for…
Wisconsin
Kitschy, flamingo-themed Maggie's is the place to sample local lake trout and whitefish; there are pizzas and burgers too. Note it doesn't accept…
Chicago
This is a South Indian all-veg favorite, where friendly servers deliver well-spiced curries, dosas and iddlies (steamed rice-lentil patties) in the…
Wisconsin
Bite into a fresh limburger-and-raw-onion sandwich at this old Swiss tavern on the town square. Good local beers accompany the food. Be sure to ask about…
Ohio
This is the more formal of the two restaurants at Young's dairy farm, serving dishes like buttermilk chicken and gravy-kissed meatloaf in a high-ceiling,…
Ohio
In German Village, shovel in Old Country staples like sausage and schnitzel, but save room for the whopping half-pound cream puffs. Oompah bands play…
Detroit
The Cass is a bohemian art gallery fused with a bar and restaurant that serves soups, sandwiches and veggie beauties, like the lentil-walnut burger…
Michigan
Frita's modern take on Cuban street food is all the rage, offering burgers with tropical, citrusy toppings, roasted pork sandwiches, mojitos and booze…
Gold Coast
Munch pizzas, mussels and pretzel-crusted walleye with the housemade suds. Five-beer flights are available for $7. Not a brew drinker? North Peak also…
Upper Peninsula
Whitefish sandwiches and pizzas go down the hatch with housemade brewiskis and root beer at this woodsy pub in Grand Marais. FYI: it's also called the…
Illinois
This romantic little bistro serves a compact menu of both German and French classics. Dig in to escargot (snails) in garlic-herb butter or maybe a tender…
Indiana
This is a homey favorite for Italian-American staples – fettuccine alfredo, veal marsala, linguine with scallops – in a cutesy clapboard home in…
Northern Minnesota
Racks of pie are Betty’s claim to fame, though there’s a lengthy menu of sandwiches, burgers and omelets, too. Try a fruit-filled, crunch-topping slice.
Northern Minnesota
This little spot inside the DeWitt-Seitz building within the Canal Park district smokes sustainably harvested salmon and whitefish. It's primo for picnics.
