Tastes and Treats of Traverse City
A driving foodie tour through Traverse City area will leave you satisfied and full. The Grand Traverse area encompasses an array of local eateries, restaurants and food markets. They have a place for any appetite, you just have to look. Along with great food the area offers beautiful beaches, delicious wineries and scenic boat rides. Spend time to get to know this wonderful area, you won’t be disappointed!
1. 
BLUE TRACTOR COOK SHOP & THE SHED
423 South Union Street
Traverse City, MI 49684
Ph: (231) 922-9515
Located in historic Olde Towne Traverse City, at the former site of Dill's Olde Towne Saloon, Blue Tractor is an Old School Dining Establishment. They offer true country home cooking with soups, sandwiches, burgers and BBQ made from the highest quality ingredients that Northern Michigan has to offer. They are committed to offering fresh, local products whenever available.
2. 
GRAND TRAVERSE PIE CO.
525 West Front St.
Traverse City, MI 49684
Ph: (231) 922-7437
Founded in 1996 by Mike and Denise Busley, Grand Traverse Pie Co. has been making all kinds of fresh, homemade pies, including fruit pies, cream pies, pot pies, along with quiches, cookies, scones and muffins. They are committed to using Michigan products and suppliers whenever possible, and strive to be a “connecting point” in each of their communities. The cherries in their pies are Michigan cherries from the Traverse City area, and along with pies their menu includes soups and sandwiches. They are nationally known as one of the “Best Foods To Buy Online” by Oprah in her “O” Magazine.
3. 
RIGHT BRAIN BREWERY
225 East 16th Street
Traverse City, MI 49684
Ph: (231) 944-1239
A redeveloped old warehouse is the location for Right Brain which features at least 12 northern Michigan beers on tap at most times. They are shooting for 18 with three cask ales. The brew-master, John Niedermaier, is famous for putting a variety of ingredients in his recipes, from chocolate and healthier to coffee and raspberries. The menu is non-existent, but you can bring your food with you. They do offer a few snacks such as Redheads Hummus, Farm Boy Flap Jack Tortilla Chips, Uncle Gene's Backwoods Pretzels, Sweet Asylum's Trail Mix and Pop-kie’s popcorn.
4. 
THE VILLAGE AT GRAND TRAVERSE COMMONS
Traverse City, MI 48685
Many of the area’s foodie attractions are located in The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, a vibrant new multi-use development on the site of what was once the local mental asylum. The Village offers places like Higher Grounds Trading Co., which features 100% fair trade and organic handcrafted coffee, Trattoria Stella, a restaurant that prepares its menu items from locally grown food and creates a new menu every day, The Village at Grand Traverse Commons Farmers Market and so much more.
5. 
MOOMER’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
7263 N. Long Lake Rd.
Traverse City, MI 49684
Ph: (231) 941-4122
Moomer’s was started by Jon and Nancy Plummer and has grown to be known as the best ice cream store in the country by viewers of “Good Morning America”. This isn’t your normal ice cream shop as they offer over 100 flavors of ice cream, which make picking your favorite ice cream very hard. Some unique flavors include Cupcake, Lemon Poppyseed Muffin, Mr. Monkey Tail and their classic Mooberry. No worries they still have classic flavors and can make a custom flavor just for you.
6. 
SCOTT’S HARBOR GRILL
12719 SW Bay Shore
Traverse City, MI 49684
Ph: (231) 922-2114
Overlooking beautiful Grand Traverse Bay, Scott’s Harbor Grill is a great dining choice only minutes from downtown Traverse City. Their menu offers a delicious variety of seafood, steaks, ribs, pasta and pizzas that are created with local ingredients whenever available. They offer take out orders and Marina To-Go, where boaters can stop at the Harbor West Marina and stroll down the docks to the restaurant to pick up their order. Specials are always a big hit and Scott’s is no different as they have Men’s Night Mondays where men receive 50% off their bar tab all night, Taco Tuesdays, Wednesdays Ten Bones for Ten Bucks, and Ladies Night Thursdays where ladies receive 50% off their bar tab all night.
7. 
SARA HARDY DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET
Traverse City, MI 49685
Ph: (231) 922-2050
The market is located in downtown Traverse City between Cass and Union Streets just off the Grandview Parkway (across from Clinch Park). You will find vendors and shoppers displaying and selling a variety of locally grown and produced goods. The market offers fresh and unique local fruits, vegetables, plants, flowers, baked goods, soaps, meats, coffees and so much more. The market is open every Wednesday from mid June through September and every Saturday from Mother’s Day through October.
8. 
THE COOKS’ HOUSE
439 E. Front Street
Traverse City, MI 49686
Ph: (231) 946-8700
The Cooks’ House restaurant promotes and celebrates local sustainable foods by including local agriculture and artisan made products on their menu. They use a long list of suppliers from the area to prepare their delicious meals, which change daily. Some of these suppliers include American Spoon, Brownwood Farms, Sanders Meats, Zingerman’s Creamery, Cross Fisheries and many more.
9. 
TRAVERSE TALL SHIP CO., LLC
13390 S.W. Bay Shore Dr.
Traverse City, MI 49684
Toll free: (800) 678-0383
Ph: (231) 941-2000
Known as the Tall Ship Manitou, this ship offers a breathtaking venue for weddings, corporate functions, birthdays and reunions. The ship is also a floating bed & breakfast, and has specialty cruises that include Microbrew & Pizza Nights, Moomer’s Ice Cream Sails, Wine Tasting Sails, and many more. Manitou sails out of Traverse City and offers a Noon Sail, Afternoon Sail and a popular Evening Sail that includes specially catered meals. Each adventure is two hours in length.
10. 
BLACK STAR FARMS
10844 E. Revold Rd.
Suttons Bay, MI 49682
Ph: (231) 944-1270
One destination with a lot to offer is Black Star Farms. Their location includes a winery, inn, Leelanau Cheese Co. and Hearth and Vine Cafe. Leelanau Cheese Co.’s aged Raclette has been named the Best Cheese in America. They also make a variety of French style fresh cheeses and you can watch the process through a set of picture windows in the winery tasting room. Hearth and Vine Café is a vineyard café with a market & bakery. They are open to the public Thursday, Friday and Saturday from noon-9, Sunday noon-5 and Monday from noon-5. The menu consists of wood-fire oven pizzas and sandwiches, salads, fresh local vegetables, and a wine list of Black Star Farms wines. The market features processed foods from local producers including Cherry Republic, Food for Thought, Brownwood Farms, 9 Bean Rows and Naturally Nutty.
11. 
GROCER’S DAUGHTER CHOCOLATE
12020 S. Leelanau Hwy (M-22)
Empire, MI 49630
Ph: (231) 326-3030
A delectable stop on your tour is at Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate, where they create homemade chocolates blended with local herbs, flowers, fruits, nuts and honey. Some of their delicious truffle flavors are blueberry, almond, espresso, honey, lavender, pear ginger, rosemary and whiskey. Gift boxes and custom orders for special events like weddings are available. They even offer Chocolate-Of-The-Month Club for true chocolate lovers or as a great gift.
For more culinary destinations, please visit Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau.
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