Restaurants
From Cornish pasties and hearty fish chowders to chocolate bread pudding and festival-worthy fudge, the eateries of Mackinac Island truly cater to every type of taste.
While peddling the eight-mile perimeter of the island, plan on making the Cannonball Drive-In at British Landing a mid-point stop. Relish a certified Angus beef burger with a shake or malt while enjoying the spectacular blue water view of the Straits of Mackinac or pick up a box lunch to go. Don’t forget the deep-fried pickles.
Start, or end the day on Astor Street at The Mustang Lounge, a locals’ hangout that welcomes visitors to join them for breakfast served all day, until 2 AM. Or, if the “breakfast in bread” dish doesn’t tempt you, try a ribeye steak or jumbo bacon wrapped shrimp before hitting the dance floor. (There’s live music every night).
Or, head further up Astor St. to the casual and comfortable Yankee Rebel Tavern. Just follow the aroma of pot roast and prime rib or grilled portabello mushrooms and mussels diablo.
Around the corner on Main Street, there’s a temptation to eat your dessert first. Who can resist the cinnamon rolls with fresh-brewed coffee at Martha’s Sweet Shop or the cookies, fresh baked bread, croissants and conversation at Marc’s Double Oven Bakery?
The Chuckwagon of Mackinac is another local favorite serving up made-to-order American fare. This classic diner is well deserving of its rave reviews (Voted a #1 Trip Advisor restaurant).
For atmosphere, and an unbeatable combination of Michigan micro-brewed beer with American and Southwest cuisine, Horn’s Gaslight Bar and Restaurant is a sure thing.
The Lakeview Hotel, the oldest continually operated hotel on the island, (established 1858), offers two options for hungry guests: the authentic Italian fare atGoodfellow’s Chop House, or its sportier cousin, Goodfellow’s Wings and Things.
On Hoban Street, try The Village Inn for everything from the famous planked whitefish, to pasta, fried perch and a butt-kicking bloody Mary. Sit inside and catch the game on a big screen TV or grab a table on the street side patio, where the people-watching can’t be beat.
On Mackinac Island, Grand Hotel is an entire culinary world unto itself. From the elegant, five-course meals gracefully served each evening in The Main Dining Room, to the more informal options including The Gate House, The Jockey Club at the Grand Stand, The Tea Room and Woods Restaurant, dining at a Grand Hotel restaurant is as unforgettable as your first glimpse of the hotel’s sweeping, 660-foot front porch.
Don’t miss the wildly popular Grand Hotel Luncheon Buffet, overflowing with all kinds of slow-roasted meats, seafood, exotic cheeses and twenty varieties of fresh-baked pastries. Be sure to save room for a Grand Pecan Ball, the hotel’s most popular dessert.
Without question, Mackinac Island is one seriously delicious destination. The following restaurant guide should help you choose from over fifty diners,deli’s, drive-ins, coffee shops, bakeries, bistros, pubs and fine dining restaurants.
Bon Appetit!
