Reviving TaffelTown

The 75-year-old eatery is once more open for dinner

By Al Parker | June 15, 2024

The president was Harry Truman, gas cost 24 cents a gallon and the Cleveland Indians battled the Boston Braves in the World Series.

The year was 1948 and an ambitious young guy named Al Tafel built a sturdy log structure out in a remote spot along a sleepy M-66 in rural Kalkaska County. Over the years, the place housed a general store, a tavern, and a restaurant. With a slight twist in spelling, the joint became known as “Taffeltown” and passed through a series of owners. 

Live music, cold beer, and cheap eats drew crowds, but eventually the eatery was closed and sat vacant for years, falling into pretty deep disrepair. Until a downstate couple armed with energy and a dream decided to take on the challenge of reviving the place.

A Log-House Dream

Rene Anderson and Dean Horn saw potential in the aging landmark, which they had known about—and driven past—on trips Up North.  

Anderson and Horn grew up in rural Montcalm County and both carved out successful careers in the motion picture business. But as years went by, they each had an interest in doing something different as they neared retirement. Neither had much experience running a restaurant, though “Dean’s parents had a small bar, and he worked there when he was young,” Anderson says.  

In 2019, a year before the pandemic slammed shut the doors of many restaurants, they bought the log building and about 40 acres. Then they gave it a new name, TaffelTown Lodge.

“We looked at each other and said, ‘We just bought ourselves a job,’” laughs Anderson. “It needed a really good cleaning.”

But the bones were good, and Horn (“Deano” to his friends) is a hardworking guy who has serious construction skills that he put to work overtime. He updated the plumbing and wiring, re-did a bathroom, and added a back patio area, built ramps, and more to make the place compliant with ADA requirements.

“It had been broken into several times,” recalls Anderson. “Someone had sprayed fire extinguisher foam all over the walls and ceiling. That was hard to clean up.”

Log-by-log, Anderson used lemon oil and elbow grease to make the wooden interior gleam. They pulled out seven satellite dishes and miles of cable wire. The result is a very comfortable, non-tech haven where guests can soak in the laid-back vibe. 

“When people walk into here, they see it’s not corporate,” says Anderson. “It’s our house, you’re my guest, and I’m going to cook you a meal.” 

Visitors will hear 1950’s lounge music, and some may take advantage of Horn’s skills as a martini maker. “People here talk to each other,” adds Anderson. “We don’t see anyone on their phones. And we’re not into turning tables. If you want to sit for two hours and talk and relax, we’re okay with that.”

That welcoming attitude has been enhanced just a bit by technology. “We have become a destination,” says Anderson. “A lot of that was our Facebook followers.”

Good Old Home-Cooked Food

Anderson visits local markets and nearby farms to pick out all the food herself. One of her usual haunts is 3rd Day Farm in Lake City where she gets vegetables, greens, and other items. Their Reuben sandwich features corned beef from Louie’s Meats in Traverse City, and they rely on To the Moon Bakery in Lake City for many of their baked goods. 

“We decided I would cook good old home-cooked food,” Anderson tells us. “There’s no microwave, no fryer. But I have a wall of cast iron [skillets and pans] that I cook in. And Deano waits tables.”

TaffelTown Lodge’s menu changes weekly, with Anderson whipping up her favorites in her impressive cast iron collection. One recent menu opened with TaffelTown Sauteed Mushrooms ($9), a generous pile of fungi bathed in butter, garlic, and wine and served with enough bread to sop up the goodies.   

Entrees include a healthy portion of skewered beef ($19), bites of seasoned ball tip beef hot off the charcoal grill, or go with similarly grilled chicken ($17). Both are served with creamed potatoes, a vegetable, and a hand-made dinner roll. Vegetarians can create their own pasta bowl ($16), and add three ingredients like mushrooms, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, and feta cheese, accompanied by a flavorful garlic baguette. 

If you’re interested in a burger, they offer a one-third pound treat on a handmade bun with a bag of chips for only $11. There’s a similar olive burger, topped with Swiss cheese and covered in olive and pimento sauce for $13. Roasted pork and roasted beef sliders are only $4 each. Eight-inch personal pizzas are $13.

It’s early days, but do they have a signature dish yet?

“That’s gotta be our Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf,” Anderson says with a laugh. “We perk it up with our secret recipe and lots of things like basil, garlic, and fresh oregano. We’re going to put this on the menu more often.”

TaffelTown Lodge also has a small, but refreshing array of local craft beers to enjoy with your meal. “We support Michigan’s small brewers,” says Anderson. And the craft beer lineup backs up that talk. Of the five Michigan brews on the menu, you’ll find three from northern Michigan–Dickory Dock pale ale from Stone Hound Brewery in Acme and two from Short’s Brewing in Bellaire: Locals Light and Bellaire Brown.  

If beer’s not your thing, the adult beverage menu features several local choices. There’s a tasty Pinot Grigio from Bowers Harbor Winery on Old Mission Peninsula and a northern rye whiskey from Mammoth Distillery in Central Lake. Soft drinks are from Northwoods Soda and flavors include root beer, black cherry, orange, lake effect lemonade, and wild ginger.  

Growing Slowly

TaffelTown Lodge made its summer debut on May 22 this year. It’s only open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 4 to 9pm. They offer live music on select Wednesday nights from 6pm till closing. Aaron Dye will bring his twist on northern Michigan swamp rock on July 3; on Sept. 11 it’ll be Luke Woltanski, “The Dangerous Music Man,” entertaining. 

The regular dining season ends on Nov. 1. But that doesn't mean the doors are locked for good and the TaffelTown Lodge’s fun is over.

Each month over the winter there’s a special “Reservations Needed” event that Anderson plans down to the finest detail. In November you can attend a vintage Thanksgiving meal, and December boasts an old-fashioned New Year’s Eve party, complete with delicate china, that sells out every year.   

January’s big bash is a vintage snowmobile party with dozens of old sleds stopping by, followed by a romantic Valentine’s Day in February. March brings a rousing St. Patrick’s Day event that’s followed by an Easter dinner that draws a crowd. Their Mother’s Day celebration comes just before the opening of the regular dining season.    

In addition to the dining, TaffelTown Lodge hosts weddings in the Hemlock Wedding Garden, an outdoor area devoted to special intimate gatherings. “It’s a very unique place,” says Anderson. “Not a barn, not a church—it’s historic.” 

With all that going on, Anderson and Horn are in no hurry to expand services at cozy TaffelTown Lodge. “We don’t really advertise,” says Anderson. “We want to grow slowly.”

Find TaffelTown Lodge at 12397 M-66 in Fife Lake. (231) 564-1203