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FEELING HUNGRY?

70+ Delicious Destinations | Must-try regional foods | Superior water views and more

After traveling miles of Lake Superior coast, rocketing down rugged, calorie-burning hills, hiking to roaring waterfalls, skiing down twisty slopes … you are bound to get hungry.

Whatever you do, don’t rip open a packaged energy bar and call it good.

Pull over. Walk into a decades-old diner, step out on a picturesque lakeside restaurant deck or pore over the tubs of colorful ice creams and pots of jam in our cozy shops. Quench your thirst in our craft breweries or pubs. Strike up a conversation with the locals. They’ll help you find your next adventure and a memorable meal along this unforgettable peninsula.

CAN’T-MISS DINING EXPERIENCES

 

A plate of poutine from the Fitzgerald's Restaurant in Eagle River, MI.

Poutine from The Fitzgerald's topped with smoked barbeque meat.

The Fitzgerald’s (or The Fitz) seats you only feet from Lake Superior where the dramatic view battles with the real Keweenaw barbecue for your attention. This restaurant has won several accolades including Lake Superior Magazine‘s Best of the Lake for restaurants a number of times. Eat great BBQ and drink wine, mixed spirits and 20+ different brews. 

Copper Harbor’s Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is worth the drive to sample their rustic, authentic food with a craft beverage after a relaxing round of golf or a day outside experiencing the Keweenaw wilderness. Currently the lodge is only accepting private reservations. Make sure to call ahead to make arrangements. 

The Bonfire at the Continental Fire Co. provides a fantastic, bird’s-eye view of the Portage Canal. Enjoy an upscale dining environment in a historic venue while listening to live music with your friends and family. 

The Den offers an upscale dining experience in downtown Houghton. We recommend grabbing a bite from their rotating Specials menu. Enjoy a refreshing cocktail and relax in this modern and classy environment. 

MUST-TRY REGIONAL FOODS

Toni’s Country Kitchen

Traditional pasty from Toni’s Country Kitchen in Calumet, MI

Pasty. Pronounced (pass-tee). This is THE food of the U.P. and the original fast food on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Its roots are in Cornwall, England. During the Copper Boom, immigrant miners and lumberjacks would take to work these hand-held pastries filled with diced beef, pork, potatoes, onions, swede (rutabaga) or turnips and seasonings. Finnish recipes call for carrots. Take the Pasty Trail Challenge to find your favorite traditional or non-traditional pasty. 

Thimbleberries. These scarlet berries grow wild on the Keweenaw. Their unique tart flavor is similar to a blend of currants and raspberries. Pick up a jar of jam at one of our local gift shops. Or try the original thimbleberry margarita or thimbleberry cosmopolitan at Carmelita’s in Calumet.

Want to pick your own?  Thimbleberry season runs from later summer to early fall and the fruit grows along many of the public recreation trails.

baked whitefish

Enjoy freshly caught whitefish from the cold waters of Lake Superior.

Lake Superior Trout and Whitefish. Caught from very cold Lake Superior, our freshwater trout and whitefish are firm-fleshed and delicately flavored. Whether served on a plank or in smoky dips, our fish will delight your taste buds. Stop in at Peterson’s Fish Market - 4-Suns Fish & Chips Outdoor Cafe in Hancock where the family rises before dawn to reel in today’s catches. Houghton’s Joey’s Seafood & Grill is famous for its fish and chips, whitefish and trout. Quincy’s in Dollar Bay is a great local fish destination throughout the week but if you’re nearby on Friday, don’t miss their fish fry. Or stop by Offshore Fish & Chips in Calumet, MI for a quick meal. 

Dreamland Restaurant & Bar in Lake Linden serves lunch and dinner throughout the week and is also a Friday fish fry destination. Built in 1913, it’s been in the family ever since and its décor is steeped in history. In the summer, boaters dock close by and walk to the restaurant; when the snow flies, snowmobilers park out front, grab a bite to eat before riding nearby groomed trails.

Keweenaw Brewing Company

Live music and craft beer at the Keweenaw Brewing Company in Houghton, MI

Craft brews. Michigan is gaining national attention as a beer destination and you will be quick to toast Keweenaw’s brewmasters. Include Keweenaw Brewing Company in Houghton and the Michigan House Cafe and Red Jacket Brewing Co. in Calumet on your beer tour. While at the Michigan House, look up at the ceiling mural (circa 1906) as well as be awed by the ornate fireplace and massive wood bar. Once you make it to Copper Harbor, make sure to stop by Michigan's northernmost brewery, Brickside

MORE WATER VIEWS

Fitzgerald’s Eagle River Inn and Restaurant

A view of Lake Superior from the deck at Fitzgerald’s Eagle River Inn and Restaurant – Photo credit: Mike LaMotte

Several Keweenaw Peninsula restaurants provide gorgeous water views:

Ambassador Restaurant in downtown Houghton is regionally known for its pizza, historic gnome murals and an amazing view of Portage Lake and the Portage Lake Lift Bridge.

Roy’s Pasties & Bakery is also located on the Houghton Waterfront.

Harbor Haus in Copper Harbor provides fine-dining on Lake Superior with a focus on German/ Austiran flavor. 

80+ DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS

The Pasty is a cultural point of pride in the Keweenaw. They’re considered sacred among many life-long residents of the U.P. Debates range far and wide on…