Northern Michigan. Crisp air. Pristine nature. Friendly residents. Vegan food? Not something that comes to mind. But, believe it or not, I found a plethora of options here, and I was pleasantly surprised! Let me share with you some of my private eye findings:
Boone's Prime Time Pub in Suttons Bay has always been one of my favorite lunch spots to frequent with my grandpa. Its cozy lodge vibes and hunting rifle logo don't exactly scream "trendy vegan-friendly restaurant", but it was very easy to piece together a few of their delicious appetizers; the Southern Style Green Beans, Drunken Mushrooms, Fries and Onion Rings were all super tasty vegan options without having to make any modifications whatsoever.
Down the street lies Little Bee's, a charming historic establishment tucked away along a narrow garden path. I was beyond excited to find such a cute gem in Suttons Bay with so many vegan options! They have fresh, all-natural Italian ice that they genuinely make from scratch every day. If you're in the mood for something warmer, they have tons of café drinks with non-dairy milk options. Last but not least, the staff could not be any friendlier, and I found myself going back several times just to absorb their positivity (and more delicious treats).
There are dozens of amazing vineyards in the Leelanau County area. Shady Lane Cellars is my personal favorite. My top picks are the Coop de Blanc and the Sparkling Riesling, but their extensive wine list contains stellar choices in all taste categories. Just as importantly, their location is incomparable. Their tasting room is an enchanting converted chicken coop, and they recently added a beautiful outdoor tasting area, making for a scenic and picturesque experience. Nothing like sipping in style...
Perhaps the most exciting find of the trip was Third Coast, an unreal bakery a stone's throw from Suttons Bay. I didn't believe it existed at first; it seemed to materialize out of a dream! All of their baked goods are gluten-free and dairy-free and most are soy-free and vegan. As an added bonus, Heather and her team were kind enough to give my partner and me a little tour of the kitchen where all the magic happens, and even let us purchase some of their delicious cookies, scones and muffins to take home right out of the oven. Their peanut butter cookies were scrumptious, and their heaping chocolate chip cookies were the best I had ever tasted, comparable to Levain Bakery in New York! And to top it off, let's talk about the pie. I mentioned that we'd been looking for a vegan pie, to really savor the Northern Michigan spirit, but strangely hadn't found anything. Well, the Third Coast bakers actually offered to make a custom blueberry pie for us as a special order! We were elated. I'm already planning a return visit, but until then, I'll be ordering some delicacies from their online shop because these cookies make life more worthwhile.
The Redheads Cafe & Tasting Room in Lake Leelanau can make every dish on their menu vegan-friendly, so I made sure to stop here for lunch. As for the food, their Veggie and Black Bean burgers are amazingly crafted and very tasty. They also sell them at several local grocery stores, which are great to have on hand if your family wants to have a BBQ cookout. Throw them on the grill along with some veggie kabobs, and you're good to go!
The Cove, one of Leland's biggest tourist hotspots, is known for its panoramic views of Fishtown. While most of its menu items are not vegan-friendly, one dish in particular, the Portabella Mushroom Linguine, is a light and delicious surprise. I also ordered the Pomme Frites as an appetizer. Who said I wouldn't be able to enjoy dining at a seafood restaurant?
Traverse City, the Cherry Capital, has many diverse cuisines to offer, and numerous places with vegan options like The Dish Cafe. At first glance, their Wasabi Wrap doesn't look like anything out of the ordinary, but the combination of flavors and textures is out of this world. I would love to be a regular here, just so I could keep trying their wraps!
A few blocks down, Milk & Honey is a "cold stone" style ice cream shop that (despite the name) happens to offer some of the only freshly-made vegan ice cream in town. They offer several dairy-free varieties, all sweetened naturally with dates. We ordered a chocolate and vanilla combo with Oreos churned in by hand...and let's just say dairy ice cream better watch out.
I have travelled to Leelanau County every summer of my life, but this year I had a particularly fun time finding awesome and healthy vegan options from Traverse City all the way up to Leland. Hopefully this trend will continue and we will be seeing more and more places spring up next time around! If you're in the area doing some vegan sleuthing and have further places to add, please let me know in the comments below!
And, of course, this post would not be in the Northern Michigan spirit without the obligatory cherry orchard photo: 🍒
And, of course, this post would not be in the Northern Michigan spirit without the obligatory cherry orchard photo: 🍒
Until next time!