Food
Birch Tree's Naughty and Nice Cookies
Tastemaker
By Anna Faller | Jan. 25, 2025
Sugar meets a touch of spice at Birch Tree Bakery and Café in Harbor Springs. Opened in 2022, this from-scratch bakeshop offers everything from custom cakes to artisan breads and beyond, and their cheeky Naughty and Nice Sugar Cookies are back on the menu in time for Valentine’s Day. Modeled after the love season’s heart-shaped candies, these sweet treats up the indulgence ante with their buttery bite, delicate almond flavor, and holiday-hued … Read More >>
Mammoth Distilling’s Cherry Switchel
Bottoms Up
Jan. 25, 2025
For anyone playing along at home, it’s the final week of Dry January! Let’s celebrate with one more standout local mocktail: the Cherry Switchel ($6) from Mammoth Distilling. The distillery—which has locations in Central Lake, Bellaire, Traverse City, and Bay Harbor—knows how to make a great cocktail, and they bring that same expertise to their zero-proof offerings. (There are five of them on Mammoth’s winter drinks menu!) The Cherry Switchel is our … Read More >>
Recipes: Tapping into the Michigan Maple
Inside the Ingredients
By Nora Rae Pearl | Jan. 18, 2025
One could make the argument, what’s more Michigan, cherries or maple? And by maple, of course we mean maple syrup. Tap into your Michigan roots with these recipes that honor the ingredients grown in the land we love and the trees that live on it. Depending on the weather, we’re just a few months or even mere weeks out from maple syrup season. Producers like Old Mission Maple in Traverse City, Leelanau … Read More >>
Hexenbelle's Falafel
Tastemaker
Jan. 18, 2025
Still hanging in there with your New Year’s resolution to eat better? Head to Traverse City’s Hexenbelle, where the menu centers on vegan and vegetarian dishes. Self-described as “new Arabic comfort food,” Hexenbelle is known for their coffee and morning eats, but we like to go in for lunch and order the Falafel ($12). Think: deep-fried fritters tucked in pita with pickled turnips, cucumbers, yogurt, and an herb tahini sauce. You can … Read More >>
Elder Piper Beer & Cider's Silver Birch Imperial Stout
Bottoms Up
By Anna Faller | Jan. 18, 2025
Northern Michigan roots are the name of the game at Elder Piper Beer & Cider in Petoskey, and we can’t think of a better place to be rooted during cozy season than by a crackling fire with a glass of their Silver Birch Imperial Stout. Inspired by winter’s decadent darkness, this powerhouse packs an 11-percent ABV and is brewed using Michigan malt and hops and infused with cacao nibs and toasted coconut. … Read More >>
The Bistro's Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Tastemaker
By Anna Faller | Jan. 11, 2025
We’re starting our New Year’s resolutions right this year with top-notch breakfast, and the cult favorite Cinnamon Roll Pancakes at The Bistro in Petoskey might just take the cake! Each made-to-order stack (three pillowy pancakes come in a full order) starts with the café’s buttermilk batter swirled with gooey cinnamon, butter, and sugar griddled to golden perfection. Topped off with a vanilla syrup and accompanied by bacon or sausage, these breakfast treats … Read More >>
Malted Vinyl's NA Winter Tiki
Bottoms Up
Jan. 11, 2025
Dry January doesn’t mean you’re stuck drinking soda water all month, at least not if you head to Malted Vinyl in Petoskey. On their winter cocktail menu are several non-alcoholic choices that are crafted with just as much care and creativity as their boozy counterparts. Take, for example, the NA Winter Tiki, which starts with a spiced rum alternative from CleanCo—a line of alcohol-free spirits—and a wine aperitif from Martini & Rossi … Read More >>
Tacos, Tradition, and Traverse City
Taqueria Las Lagunas keeps its wheels and puts down roots
By Abby McKiernan | Jan. 4, 2025
Taqueria Las Lagunas in Traverse City is more than a restaurant—it’s the realization of a family’s long-standing dream. What began with a few family recipes has showcased the Guillén family’s dedication to authentic, homemade Mexican cuisine…and created a loyal following that continues to grow. Today, Taqueria Las Lagunas operates from both its brick-and-mortar location at the Cherryland Center and their original Suttons Bay food truck, serving as a culinary bridge between the … Read More >>
Keweenaw Kitchens' Strawberry Jam
Tastemaker
Jan. 4, 2025
This time of year, it’s easy to miss the bright flavors of summertime. While we can’t find Michigan strawberries in January, we can find Michigan-made strawberry jam, courtesy of Keweenaw Kitchens in the U.P. The little jam shop that could got its start in 1992 in a small house trailer in Pelkie and now distributes its treats all over the state. Their Strawberry Jam is exactly what you want it to be: … Read More >>
POUR Kitchen & Bar's The GOAT
Bottoms Up
By Anna Faller | Jan. 4, 2025
We’re all about starting the new year off with a punch—especially if it comes in sippable form! Enter POUR Kitchen & Bar’s fan-favorite cocktail, The GOAT ($15). A variation on a classic milk punch, this bevvy blends Don Fulano Blanco tequila with Eastern Kille Distillery’s Génépy L’Epicéa liqueur (that’s a Michigan-made riff on Green Chartreuse with 25 ingredients!), fresh-squeezed grapefruit and lime juices, and a homemade pineapple gomme, which adds viscosity and … Read More >>
Loading More Stories...