The Grand Traverse Region has a rich restaurant and culinary scene, a vibrant local food culture, and is complete with world-renowned vineyards, breweries, and boutique distilleries. Living here gives you opportunities to explore and keep your tastebuds curious. Check out Eater Detroit’s 14 Essential Traverse City Restaurants for a taste of what’s on offer, and keep scrolling for more…
Photo by Harpe Star
FARM TO TABLE.
Taste The Local Difference
Find local food and farms with Taste the Local Difference – an online local food and farm guide. Their Local Food Guide and monthly regional newsletters provide recipes, stories, and content about the Michigan local food scene.
Visit Farm Club
A gathering place to celebrate the land, honest food, and community. Nestled in Leelanau County, Farm Club is a farm, brewery, restaurant, bakery, and market place.
MI Farm Co-op
Northwest Michigan’s Farmer Owned Cooperative provides a wide selection of fresh, local produce from various local farms in one order, one delivery and one csa. Community members, schools, grocery stores, restaurants, and private chefs have the ability to taste Northern Michigan year round with their CSA and wholesale offerings.
Photo by Sam & Laura Brown
A peppering of GRAND TRAVERSE CULINARY EXPERIENCES.
Farm to Table and so much more.
With farms and agriculture defining much of the rural landscape of Northern it’s no surprise that Traverse City has become the culinary epicenter of Northern Michigan. But it doesn’t stop there – there’s hidden gems in all the towns and villages of the Grand Traverse Region. Here’s a few guides to get you started…
Food Trucks and a Yurt
The Little Fleet is Traverse CIty’s home to pop-up food trucks, as well as events, live music, a bar, and plenty of outdoor space. Oh, and a yurt to keep you warm through the winter months.
ORYANA
Your Neighborhood Grocery Store
The purpose of Oryana is to provide high-quality food produced in ecologically sound ways at fair value to owners and the community. Oryana owners and staff are committed to enhancing their community through the practice of cooperative economics and education about the relationship of food to health.
THIS IS WINE COUNTRY. And Beer, And CiDer…
Local craft beer, handcrafted ciders, and specialty small-batch liquors are a celebrated commodity produced in northern Michigan. With more than twelve craft breweries and over forty wineries in the Grand Traverse Region, there’s plenty to explore. Located on the 45th parallel, Northern Michigan’s wine country boasts two unique peninsulas – the Leelanau Peninsula and Old Mission – both microclimates influenced by the waters of Lake Michigan and perfect for growing grapes. We’ll let the wines do the talking.
“Best Small Town Beer Scenes” – USA Today, 10 Best
GRAND TRAVERSE DISTILLERY
Northern Michigan’s First Original Craft Distillery
Kent Rabish grew up on a small family farm in Pinconning, Michigan. One day, while exploring the property, Kent came across a still hidden in the back of the barn. Grandpa George had been putting the excess grain to good use. Fast forward a few decades… with a little imagination and a lot of elbow grease, Grand Traverse Distillery opened in 2005. Northern Michigan’s first craft distillery.
the coolest coffee shops
Find your favorite spot to work remotely, catch up with friends, or relax with a tasty beverage at one of the diverse coffee shops around town. You’ll quickly ditch your national chain for our delicious local caffeine stops that include northern Michigan’s only certified B-Corporation, a family-run empire of espresso entrepreneurs, a colorful community juice shop, and so much more!
MEET YOUR NORTHERN NAVIGATORS.
MEG ZAMMIT
When I’m not helping newcomers and locals alike in finding their dream homes, you can find me on a hiking trail or swimming at one of our many beautiful beaches with my two daughters. I have a passion for reading, trivia, and whiskey.
ASK MEG ABOUT HER FAVORITE FARM-TO-TABLE EATERIES & THE BEST LCOAL WHISKEYS AROUND.
Top tip? Make friends with a local to help you acclimate and get connected within the community.
Photography by Allen Kent Photography, Harpe Star, and Sam & Laura Brown.
