Left Foot Charley

Left Foot Charley hosts a perfect summer patio.

 

Wine and beer. You'll find that Traverse City is chock full of amazing, local selections of both. The entirety of the Grand Traverse Region has become synonymous with excellent wines, beers and food, all sourced from local farms and farmers. Indeed, many of the regions wines and brews have become national and international sensations, taking gold medals at worldwide competitions.

 

In short, when you're in TC, you need to sample some of the drink as well as some of the food! A great place to start that sampling is Left Foot Charley, a thoroughly Traverse City winery that focuses on excellent vintage, yummy bites and the perfect atmosphere for those who love what Traverse City is all about.

 

And yes, we have returned, once again, to the fabulous Village at the Grand Traverse Commons (the old state hospital grounds).

Wine. It's their business!

 

Left Foot Charley inhabits the old laundry house on the state hospital grounds. They are one of the only tasting rooms within walking distance of downtown Traverse City, making them an incredibly popular stop. In fact, Northern Natural Cider House and Left Foot Charley are the only two bonafide tasting rooms in the downtown region. If you're looking for other tasting rooms, you need to hit the peninsulas.

Want to have a look in the back? Just ask! Perhaps they'll let you in!

 

I'm a huge fan of the wines served here. My current favorite is a lovely mix of Riesling and Gewurtztraminer - not too sweet, not too dry, juuuuuust right. I dig it for sure!

 

While their wine list does change with the seasons, some remain static, so, if you see a wine that you hope to try on the list of suggestions that I am about to provide, it may or may not be there when you visit. No worries though, you're certain to find something outstanding no matter your taste!

Row after row of bottles await your purchase at Left Foot Charley in Traverse City.

 

The wine! During my recent visit, I sampled quite a few of their vinos. Here are a few of my favorites:

 

The Pinot Gris - not light nor easily understood, a great sip and savor.

Murmur - This thing changes year to year, always fun, a yummy dry wine, perfect for almost any occasion.

Hard Apple Ciders - Yeah, these are becoming all the rage in the region and, when done correctly, they can be incredibly diverse and tasty. Give them a try here, see what you think!

 

Obviously, there are many more flavors to sample. One can spend an entire afternoon losing themselves in the various bottles available here.

Not feeling the patio? No worries, the atmosphere inside is equally swell.

 

The food! While Left Foot Charley is certainly not the place to go if you're hoping for a huge meal with your wine, they do serve up some very satisfying grub. This menu, as well, is often changing, so take the following suggestions as an example of what you will find at Left Foot Charley.

 

First off, every Thursday K2 Edibles takes over the kitchen and offers a different international flavor. For $15 you can snag a glass of wine or hard cider and sample some fine thing from across the globe. When I visited, they were featuring a Polish theme.

 

If that sort of thing really isn't your bag of chips, as they say, no worries, there are other ways to nosh here. Take, for example, the Ploughman's Lunch. This is Finocchiona and Chorizo with Boss Mouse Swiss, 18 month Beemster and Blue Cheese served with Pleasonton Bakery's Golden Wheat Bread, Mike's Mustard, seasonal chutney and McClure's Pickles. All this local goodness for $12.

 

Another fun selection would be the Fish and Chips. For only $5 you can score some smoked Whitefish pate and Kettle Chips served with McClure's Pickles.

 

There are a few other selections as well, and a few daily specials. These dishes usually run from $3-$13 each.

There's no pretentiousness attached to the wine here!

 

This wine lunch thing is a grand way to spend an afternoon in Traverse City. Left Foot Charley is the ideal spot for such a thing. It has served as meeting spot, after work kickback, first date (or 1,000th date) locale and more since it first began operating around 2004. During the summer time, there really is nothing better than a good glass of wine, a perfect patio and Oscar worthy conversation.....unless, of course, you're doing all that with a good glass of beer, for that is equally as good!

The Filling Station Microbrewery

Outdoor seating lines the patio at the Filling Station Microbrewery in Traverse City during the warmer months.

Welcome to the Filling Station Microbrewery of Traverse City. No longer are the trains rumbling through or screeching to a steam or diesel spewing stop at this historic depot. Nowadays, the only rumbling comes from the brew house, the only smoke from the wood fired stone pizza oven. If you're a fan of artisan pizzas fresh from the flame's tender licking and handcrafted brews, then the Filling Station Microbrewery is the place for you!

One of Traverse City's newest breweries is receiving some rave reviews.

Located near Traverse City's public library off of Woodmere Avenue, this microbrewery focuses, first and foremost, on their beer selection. That selection is partnered well with some very creative and tasty artisan pizza offerings.

You'll notice that the urban minimalist atmosphere mixes well with the menu offerings and the slowly evolving industrial surroundings of this former home to numerous Traverse City rail based enterprises. Again, this joint doesn't need to tease your senses with any sort of flash or sparkle in the decor. They know why you're there, for brews! That's where they focus their dazzle! 

Urban and open, the decor at the Filling Station Microbrewery only adds to its offerings.

Despite the fact that the depot that houses the Filling Station Microbrewery was the epicenter of a hard working area, the views from the Filling Station's dining areas are perfect for a slice and a pint. The Boardman Lake is just a few steps away and the people watching is spectacular during the warmer months, what with one of Traverse City's many parks running adjacent to Boardman Lake's shores just beyond this eatery's windows, the TART trail cutting through that park, the library next door and a small marina and sailing school nearby as well.

The Filling Station Microbrewery near Traverse City's public library is a great place to meet and unwind.

We'll begin with the food! As stated, this eatery features wood fired pizzas and a lovely salad option. Some of the highlights of the menu include:

Cock O' The Walk for $14. This pizza features house made basil oil, oven roasted chicken, artichokes, oven roasted tomatoes and mozzarella.

Burlington Northern for $14. This pizza features garlic oil, roasted garlic, red onions, fresh pears, prosciutto, brie and a balsamic reduction.

Three Rivers for $12. This pizza features marinara, fresh basil, roma tomatoes and mozzarella.

As I said before, there is also a fun and tasty salad as well as a dessert pizza (for guys like me who can not live without dessert) that features Nutella, graham crackers, marshmallow and more. Yum!

The taps are magical at the Filling Station Microbrewery.

Now, on to the reason that this place exists! The beer! (also Yum!)

Each brew is listed under a track number, tracks 1-9. These tracks do change from time to time, so the beers listed below may not be the exact same as the ones offered during your visit. Be sure to check out their site for updates on small craft brews, etc.

Having said that, their current menu offers some tasty, fun examples of craft brewing, definitely worth a look and sip on your next trip to Traverse City!

Out of the 9 available treats, I'll list three, two from my set of favs, one from my lovely Lisa's preferred drinking style.

First (as always), my lovely Lisa.

Track 4 carries a Dublin Stout. 4.3% ABV for you tickers out there. It is described as a nice session stout.

My two picks are these:

Track 3 features a Bacharach Golden Ale, 4.4% ABV. It's a nice malty ale with a subtle bittering.

Track 5 is a Denver Brown Ale, 4% ABV. It has a higher finishing gravity, which gives body and sweetness to this mild ale.

Arriving on every track, some scrumptious brews!

Obviously, my tastes are my own. If you don't see something that tickles your fancy in the items that I have chosen to highlight, don't let that stop you from visiting this brand spanking new TC brewery! There are plenty of other options available on both their pizza and beer menus.

An ancient art conjures up some tasty fare at the Filling Station Microbrewery!

Traverse City is hoppin', literally. The number of breweries springing up throughout TC and beyond is astounding. Another brewery is slated to take up residence within the depot district very soon. Life is good here in the Grand Traverse region for lovers of both the hop and the vine. And, luckily enough for us all, local and visitor alike, these amazing concoctions are being paired with some superb culinary offerings.

Whether it be the fun, urban atmosphere of the Filling Station Microbrewery or any of the other outstanding dining experiences here in Traverse City and the surrounding regions, you will be hard pressed (hard cider pun, that's also a very popular and growing industry here in the Grand Traverse region. Aren't I just da bomb at these innuendos and sly transitions??) to find any other city or town that can rival Traverse City in culinary prowess, options of amazing local brews and vints (my own word, that).

I encourage you to keep an eye on this blog for some amazing "do not miss" dining experiences here in Northern Michigan! Pass the word around! And hit up the Filling Station! It's easy to miss joints like this if you're new to the TC area or don't really get out too much. It is my aim here to make a resource for those that want to be "in the know" to actually have a constantly updated, actionable way to truly be in the know! Thanks for reading!

(All photos by Brooks Vanderbush)