[agoldy]

]I’m looking for those magnificent little places that you’d take a week’s vacation just to visit. I’m talking about that place where you HAVE to stop and get jerky before you hit deer camp. Or that place where you buy pasties, smoked fish, and cheese curds every summer on your way to the cabin up north. Or even that lady up the road who sells the world’s best jams and jellies out of her own kitchen.

The two that come to my mind immediately are Cherry Republic in Glenn Arbor and The Chocolate Garden in Coloma.

Who’s got a gem worth sharing?

[Michigansnowflake]

The Jam Lady for Thimbleberry Jam in Eagle River, Mi

We have a Cherry Republic in Charlevoix, good salsa!

Friskes Orchard in Atwood for cider and doughnuts and apples

Judys Restaurant in Charlevoix for breakfast, tiny little place but oh so good!

Mitchell St Pub in Petoskey for Leinkugels and the famous fried mushrooms and horseradish sauce.

Shorts Brewery in Bellaire....for the Huma Luma Lucious...hoooowe, good beer!

Bells in Mackinaw for fresh fried fish & fries.....a little known treat.

I could go on and on...

Thai Orchard in Petoskey.....best pad thai around these parts

Pearls in Elk Rapids...real Lousiana home cookin' check them out.

[Peter B]

Pearls in Elk Rapids is awesome, however, it would be great to have a real Italian restaurant somewhere near TVC (Olive Garden is NOT Italian food), a Greek place, and good Chinese.

[chiroptera]

There is - or was - a place just north of Tawas that sold fish sausage and smoked fish, all locally caught. Some sort of whitefish, and salmon. It was a family business, dirt road off to the north of US23, wind around through the woods and they were about a mile up.

Before I moved here but was visiting a lot, I would buy some to take back out west. I think they're called Lixsey fish (?) but I couldn't find them online. Absolutely amazing, and a big hit when I brought it back west. I have no clue if they're still in business but I'd make the trip if they are.

[miniature]

Oh dear there are so many, where to start?
The pie lady in Lexington, there is a sign out front it is just a tiny bit south of the main town on the left side of the road, cant remember the name of the road but it goes up the lakeshore from port huron all the way north. Lady makes fresh pies every morning and sells them from her home.,
Home made maple syrup, this guy taps his own trees just down the road, he sells them in the party stores in brown city.
The turkey roost resturant on m13 just south of kaw kaw lin. Thanksgiving dinner every day with all the trimmings and amazingly good and super fast. Its not a hunting trip without a stop there on the way for dinner.
Any of the Amish roadside stand around Brown City and its paved side roads in the vacinity.
They sell fresh baked goods, jams, produce, eggs, you can even order your thanksgiving turkey or chickens raised right on thier farms and dressed out for you to pick up . Just ask anyone at any of the stands who is doing poultry that year and they will direct you to the farms.
Yale michigan has an awesome meat shop,. C Roys. they smoke thier own meat and it is all local meat.They make the famouse Yale balogna too. Nothing better then Yale ring balogna and crackers on a trip.
There are so many family businesses and nooks and crannies with great stuff out here. The list could go on and on.

[YAZ]

Marv's Meats in Green Oak township on Grand River just east of Brighton.

Cook it your own self......

[ImaMichigander]

Originally Posted by Peter B

Pearls in Elk Rapids is awesome, however, it would be great to have a real Italian restaurant somewhere near TVC (Olive Garden is NOT Italian food), a Greek place, and good Chinese.

Tratoria Stella in Traverse City is OUTSTANDING Italian. But pricey! It might be my favorite restaurant anywhere!

[Peter B]

Stella is very good but is not "traditional" Italian. Very contemporary, eclectic, and modern. I'm talking about a place where I could linguini with clam sauce, calamari arabiatta, veal & chicken parmigiana, etc. I've heard Funistrata in Glen Arbor is good but is 45 mins from my house

[Michigansnowflake]

Wanted to add:

Dons Drive-In in TC for the BEST chocolate Malt you ever had! This is a must stop for us. The burgers and fries are great as well.

A Shout Out to NorthMan for the tip on Petoskeys Thai Orchard....helps the cravings for good thai food at least. Still searching for great Chinese...almond boneless chicken, fried with a brown gravy...like I could get down state....and egg rolls with Bean Sprouts instead of cabbage in them, I would seriously kill a proper egg roll.....*sigh*


Guiseppes Italian Grill in Charlevoix has some seriously good Italian going on...took friends from Grand Blanc there and they raved....the scallops capri and the catillioni .....*sigh*.....divined.

The Country Smoke House in Almont....the best turkey jerky ever, plus elk and buffaloo burger to buy and a great deli filled with all kinds of fresh meats and sausages and jerkies and cheeses...

[Bydand]

My favorite "best kept secret" was so secret he didn't open back up this year. He was generally busy all Summer, but I guess not enough to justify staying open. RIP "Ronnie's Ribs"