East Central Michigan and up Through the Thumb

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Driving through east central and the thumb of Michigan you will stumble upon many hidden culinary destinations that the locals find to be great treasures. The scenery will captivate you as much as the amazing food will. The land is filled with beautiful farms growing the freshest produce and miles of beaches along the lake and bay. Stop into any of these local towns and take in the essence of Pure Michigan.

Blue Water Winery & Vineyard 
7131 Holverson Road
Carsonville, MI 48419
Ph: (888) 609-4222 
Blue Water Winery and Vineyard, with its 16 acres of premium wine grapes, is located a stone's throw from the shores of Lake Huron. Join the fun and sample the wine at their unique tasting pavilion. Perfectly located for a day trip from the city, they offer vineyard tours, alpaca feeding and samples of their fine wines throughout the summer and fall. 

Bake Krazy Bake Shop  
56. S. Ridge Street
Port Sanilac, MI 48469
Ph: (810) 622-0031 
Bake Krazy is self explanatory as they create so many amazing items that you wont know where to start first. The bakery menu is filled with delicious cakes, fruit tarts, cheesecakes, cannoli, donuts, cupcakes, breads and so much more. They even carry Sanders products, which is one of Michigans most famous candy and chocolate companies. The bakery owners have a passion for culinary dishes and Bake Krazy is a reflection on their remarkable talent. You will love every bite. 

The Farm Restaurant 
699 Port Crescent Road
Port Austin, MI 48467-9693
Ph: (989) 874-5700 
The Farm restaurant offers a creative comfort style menu influenced by seasonal, fresh local produce, homemade desserts and breads. Their menu is filled with fresh local ingredients and delicious dishes. Great dishes to try are the Spicy Crab & Whitefish Tacos, Chicken Marsala, Chicken & Lemon Thyme Dumplings, BBQ Baby Back Ribs and dont forget their amazing desserts. The Farm Restaurants love for cooking with a great atmosphere for dining makes this place truly enjoyable. The restaurant offers culinary classes and special events for each month such as Deer Widows Weekend, Taste of Ireland and a play during dinner to name a few. Take time to try their delectable menu and you will be hooked. 

Main Street Cafe & Bakery  
15 S. Main Street
Pigeon, MI 48755
Ph: (989) 453-3663 
Good wholesome home cooking at a reasonable price. Soups made from scratch daily and fresh baked goods prepared from scratch daily.

Russell's Blueberry Farm & Nursery 
11895 Frost Rd
Freeland, MI 48623
Ph: (989) 781-2859 
Russells contains over 25,000 blueberry plants from ten different varietals. They offer U-pick fresh blueberries, frozen blueberries, Watkins products, blueberry plants, baked goods and ice cream. Along with all the blueberry products is a Book Barn filled with over 3,000 titles including Science Fiction, Romance, Mystery and Westerns. During the season the farm offers group tours that explain the history and biology of blueberries. This farm is a rare treat for blueberry lovers so make sure to stop by and see this amazing farm. 

Zehnder's Restaurant 
730 South Main Street
Frankenmuth, MI 48734-1686
Ph: (844) 802-8323 
Located in downtown Frankenmuth is the famous Zehnders Restaurant. Within the restaurant are ten dining rooms, which can seat more than 1,500 guests, and feature all-you-can-eat family-style chicken dinners, seafood, vegetarian dishes, steaks, fresh baked goods and European desserts. The Zehnder family pride themselves on having the best hospitality around and being able to cater to any special diet requests. The town of Frankenmuth is truly an amazing culinary destination and one of its treasures is Zehnders Restaurant. 

Montrose Orchards 
2473 Seymour Road
Montrose, MI 48457
Ph: (810) 639-6971 
Montrose Orchards is the place to go for U-pick farms, farm market, pumpkin patch, hayrides and bee watching. They have 20 acres of land dedicated to U-pick blueberries. At their farm market they sell fresh Michigan grown asparagus, peaches, cherries, apples, strawberries, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, plums, raspberries, pears and pumpkins. Dont forget to stop by Debbies Kitchen for delicious snacks including fresh pies, doughnuts, breads, warm cider and so much more. Debbie also offers a catering menu for take home meals. This family run orchard is a one-stop shop for the freshest crops, gift baskets, homemade delights and educational tours. 

Flint Farmers' Market
420 E. Boulevard Drive
Flint, MI 48503
Ph: (810) 232-1399 
Open year round and providing the widest range of quality food and craft products at a fair price is Flint Farmers' Market. This farmers market isnt your normal farmers market as they host many events throughout the year, which include amazing cooking demonstrations. During the Michigan growing season the market offers the freshest quality locally grown fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meats, breads and flowers from organic as well as traditional family farms in southeast Michigan.