Boone Docks

Glen Arbor's original party deck is located riiiiiiight here, at Boone Docks!

As this blog rolls on, you'll notice a certain fondness for a certain tiny hamlet known as Glen Arbor. When I have an opportunity to venture forth on that ever covetted "day trip" we Northern Michiganders love so very much, I usually opt for a Leelanau Peninsula excursion, one that always includes Glen Arbor. Outside of Traverse City, Glen Arbor is easily my favorite place to be here in the Grand Traverse region!

Whether looking for a relaxed dining experience, a fun family outting or a party, you'll find it all at Glen Arbor's Boone Docks.

You'll recall, not so very long ago, I reviewed Art's Tavern, a Glen Arbor mainstay.

Another of my favorite Glen Arbor eating establishments is Boone Docks! This is the ultimate before/during/after beach party joint. Traditional, indoor dining, great for a laid back family meal, mixes excellently with some seriously fun deck party action.

This joint is the perfect dining experience for beach lovers!

Inside Boone Docks, you'll find three different indoor dining experiences. First, immediatley upon entering Boone Docks, you'll notice some supremely pleasant window seating along a narrow-ish corridor. This is where folks who are hoping for a quieter, more laid back experience hang out. The view is grand for people watching, you're looking out on M-22 and the sidewalks of downtown Glen Arbor.

Venture deeper into Boone Docks and you'll find a comfy lodge type atmosphere. A beautiful stone fireplace keeps the joint toasty in the winter and lookin' good in the summer, a wrap-around wood bar ensures that your glass is never dry and the amazing kitchen serves up some the area's most satisfying grub!

The epicenter of Boone Docks is its massive patio.

But, it's out on the patio where the action really is!

From the endless patio (one of the biggest around) to the massively awesome patio bar and the most excellent people watching and mingling opportunities, this patio is where Boone Docks really shines!

Grab a bench, grab a drink and grab a friend, because the fun goes on all night here!

 

Live music from some of Michigan's finest artists gets the patio rockin'.

From the grand selection of local brews to a mind boggling selection of mixed drink opportunities, the patio is always hoppin' here. Family friendly during the day, the patio offers some authentic beach town atmosphere for the vacationing masses or the fun seeking local.

A slightly less energetic pation section is available at Boone Docks' as well.

As the sun goes down, the place cranks up. How? With some outstanding local musicians, of course! Northern Michigan's finest music makers work their magic on the patio on an almost nightly basis during the summer months. This place really allows you to slip into that "vacation" state of mind!



Boone Docks' hosts a huge patio bar.

 Now, usually, I elaborate on the food of a restaurant somewhere in my blogs, yeah? Usually I highlight each section of the menu and price some of my favorites. But, alas, the menu for Boone Docks has very recently changed and they have no up-to-date resources.....at least none that can be removed from the restaurant.

So, allow me to tell you this:  this joint has some delcious nosh! Do you fancy yourself a lovely steak? Some succulent seafood? Ribs from heaven? A burger in paradise? And all the accoutremonts? Then you need to hit Boone Docks on your next Glen Arbor excursion!

This is where the action is at during the summer; Glen Arobor's Boone Docks!

Do it! You'll soon discover that there's only one place that's better for sipping on a hurricane!

Key West. Mallory Square. Just in case you didn't know.

(All photos by Brooks Vanderbush)

Art's Tavern

This is the ultimate "local's" dining experience on the Leelanau Peninsula!

Let me tell you about my favorite area here in Northern Michigan. When I'm in the mood to escape the hustle and bustle of Traverse City in the summer, I hit the Empire area. What do I love most about the Empire area? Well, it's got nature (the most beautiful place in America!) and I love to get outside! It's got some amazing beaches, in fact, these beaches are some of the most pristine and breathtaking in the world! It's got perfect little towns with hundreds of activity choices.

And it's got Glen Arbor! What do they have? Art's Tavern!

Whether eating inside or el fresco, Art's Tavern is the place to be!

What is this Art's Tavern, you ask? Well, ask any local and they will regale you with a tale of Art or his tavern. This place, located in the middle of Glen Arbor's picturesque downtown on idyllic M-22. Art's Tavern has been around for over 75 years. To say that Art's is a Northern Michigan mainstay is an understatement. Art's has a loyal legion of followers from both the local and visiting populations. This joint is a must visit, their t-shirts a must buy. You have not experienced Northern Michigan, let alone Glen Arbor, unless you have experienced Art's Tavern!

The decor is extremely unique at Art's, complete with a pool table that rises from the floor.

Let's get this out of the way: A common complaint with Art's is that the decently priced sandwiches do not include any sides (fries, onion rings, etc.). After one orders a sandwich, fries and a drink, there is the possibility of spending around $12 or $14 on the one plate. While that is a bit more expensive than most comparable establishments, you will certainly find that the price is well worth the product! Not only have you just noshed and supped on one of the best pub menus in the area, you've just experienced Art's Tavern, and that will give you some amazing props with the true Northern Michigan crew! Congrats!

Art's Tavern does libations well!

Now that you know the catch that many local establishments have when tourist season comes to town, let's get to the food, yo!

As you can see from picture above, Art's Tavern is home to many a wonderful brew and other libation. These choices pair well with the extensive menu of pub favorites.



The varied menu at Art's Tavern has something for everyone.

First up on that menu are the appetizers. One can spend $3-$12 on a starter, depending on your choice. Some highlights from this section include Super Clams (big and tender, battered and fried, served with cocktail sauce), Whitefish dip (savory mix of Whitefish, cream cheese, capers and spices blended together to create a unique Northern Michigan favorite, served with warm flat bread crackers), a chilled shrimp cocktail and deep fried mushrooms. Much more is available on this section, all equally as tasty!

Next are the salads. Expect to spend about $8-$10 on this section, unless you want coleslaw, that's only about $3. Art's Tavern features the usual suspects when it comes to salads with one savory exception: the crancherry salad (assorted mixed greens with a touch of red cabbage, dried cranberries, dried cherries, feta cheese, tossed with their homemade black cherry vinaigrette).

And the bar has something for everyone too!

Next, the menu offers up Art's Sandwiches. A couple of highlights here include the Whitefish burger (minced Whitefish blended with savory spices, hand pressed and grilled, served on a wheat bun with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce), the Great Lakes Perch (deep fried perch on a fresh baked roll served with tartar sauce and lemon) and the Rachel (thinly sliced oven roasted turkey, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing, served on grilled sunflower rye). One can expect to spend anywhere from $5-$10 on a sandwich.

An Art's Tavern favorite is up next, the burgers! Burgers range from $8-$12. Highlights include a double decker Art's burger, a bleu burger and an Art's surf and turf (made with burger and smelt). Love it!

The outside bar makes for a convenient outdoors dining experience.

Dinner entrees include seafood and "from the broiler" sections, with my favorites being the crusty Whitefish (Whitefish dusted with parmesan and corn flakes, sauteed to a golden brown) and the petite ribeye. Entrees run from $13-$20.

Art's Tavern also offers a grand selection of pizzas and south of the border fare. These range from $11-$17.

Don't forget to grab an iconic Art's Tavern t-shirt!

Hungry for more? Want some Art's in the AM? Well! Luckily for you, Art's does breakfast as well! Don;t miss their ribeye and eggs, good god that's delish! There're also a huge selection of omelets and waffles/pancakes/French toast options. In my humble opinion, Art's is at its best during breakfast, but that's just me, I'm a breakfast kinda guy! And no worries, side orders are plentiful as well. The wide selection of breakfasts range from $6-$10.

Last, but certainly not least, are Art's desserts! They serve up Moomer's Ice Cream, the best ice cream in America (really, there was a vote!). This place is the place to be on a hot summer's day. Nothing helps you recover from that better than a Boston Cooler! Desserts range from $6-$7 each.

I love this place!

Why? Because, for me, Art's Tavern in Glen Arbor rounds out a trip to the Sleeping Bear Dunes or the shops of Glen Arbor or the many hidden beaches of the Leelanau Peninsula so well! It maintains that "escape" atmosphere for a bit longer. It allows you to relax in a booth, sip on some great local brews and lose yourself in conversation with friends and strangers alike. It helps that exhausted-from-the-sun feeling sink in at a comfortable pace. And when you leave, you leave happy.

The next time you're in Glen Arbor, hit up Art's Tavern! You won't be sorry!

(All photos by Brooks Vanderbush)

Tuscan Bistro

Slightly nautical, but all-the-way Italian, the Tuscan Bistro in Traverse City, MI is a grand place to nosh, but is often missed by visitors to the region.

Every town has its little hideaways. You walk into the place and you expect to see Al Capone perusing the headlines in the corner while a few other "family men" mix and mingle with the locals. It's the kind of place where the folks who know about it tell their favorite friends, but no one else. It's their's. It's the hometown restaurant that the hometown has made its own and it deserves its loyal clientele and comfortable aire. No matter who you are or what you do, when you enter the door, you're welcomed with a smile, great food and good drink. It's what a truly great restaurant should be.

Traverse City is blessed enough to have a few such restaurants. One such place is the Tuscan Bistro.

A comfortable atmosphere is on the menu at this Traverse City eatery featuring Northern Italian fare.

Situated at the base of the Leelanau Peninsula, just outside of downtown Traverse City, MI, and housed within a nondescript building on the opposite side of the road as the Bay, many visitors to the Grand Traverse Region miss this fantastic eatery. It truly is their loss.

Some wonderful reds and whites occupy the bar at Tuscan Bistro.

I'm going to dive right in here. The Tuscan Bistro is the home to Traverse City's Raw Bar, served every Friday and Saturday starting at 5PM. It features fresh oysters, shrimp, clams, mussels and more. Freaking delightful!

Tuscan Bistro also features an Early Bird Dinner every day of the week from 4PM-6PM. This includes a glass of wine, salad, entree and dessert, all for $25 per person. Quite the deal, believe me!

Everyone loves Tuscan Bistro's dive-man pull station!

The everyday menu is an outstanding mix of Italian specialties. Highlights from each section include:

Carpaccio Di Manzo (from the antipasti menu)- A raw filet of beef with lemon, arugula, shaved Parmigiano reggiano cheese and evoo for $12.

Ahi tuna and baby spinach salad (from the insalata menu) for $11.

Flank steak (from the panini menu, served only during lunch hours)- A marinated flank steak with gorgonzola, Portobello mushrooms and roasted red peppers, pressed in foccacia for $10.

Spaghetti fruti de mare (from the pasta menu)- Spaghetti tossed with shrimp, scallops, baby clams, mussels and squid in a light tomato broth. The half serving is $10, the full is $19.

Pesce Bianco Capponata (from the carne and pesce menu)- Sauteed Michigan Whitefish over sweet and sour eggplant relish with grilled asparagus for $19.

Wow, right? Each item on the menu is just as tasty as the next! And, with the most expensive item hitting only $20, you get a lovely surprise when the bill arrives to top it all off.

Behind this unassuming door is one of Traverse City's best kept secrets.

And, of course, as you can see from a few of the above pictures, Tuscan Bistro has a very nice bar scene as well, as any self respecting Italian joint would. From New Grist and Sam Adams in bottles (and many more of the usual suspects) to Stella Artois and Sierra Nevada on tap (and, again, more), beer folks are certain to find something that will please. For those of you that enjoy a bit more kick, the bar at Tuscan Bistro is quite deep! Perfect for an evening out with your favorite someone.

From the road, as you sail by on your way up the Leelanau Peninsula, it's easy to miss Tuscan Bistro. Don't. Miss it that is.

There certainly is a lot of variety in Traverse City's restaurants. From the mundane and boring to the truly exceptional, eating in Traverse City can be quite adventure! If you're in the mood for some truly outstanding fare, a comforting atmosphere and a pretty decent view to boot, then you, my friend, are in the mood for Tuscan Bistro, "An Italian Restaurant."

Yes, that's their tag line. Questions? Fuh-get about it.

(All Photos by Brooks Vanderbush)

Village Cheese Shanty (Cheese Shack)

Nestled within Leland's historic Fishtown is a shack you can't afford to miss!

Award winning Leelanau County wines, over 60 imported and domestic cheeses, a grand selection of local brews, packed lunches for island hikes and fishing trips and more.  Yes, ladies and gents, you have entered the world of Fishtown's own Village Cheese Shanty!

Nautical decor and local food; a day out in Leland, MI does not get any better than this!

Fishtown is a historic fishing village located in the small town of Leland, MI on the Leelanau Peninsula.  Its shanties house some of the most eccentric, wonderful shops and foodie finds.  It oozes history and makes one feel as though they've stumbled off of the Mitten and landed on some northern New England coast in the midst of fishing lore.  The fresh air, the sound of the waves, the historic boats, the sweet little shacks and the ferry heading to Manitou, ferrying campers and hikers, all combine to make for a deliciously surreal experience. 

In the midst of all this wonder rests the Village Cheese Shanty.

Plenty of wine options abound for the avid picnic basket filler within us all.

The Shanty offers a wide array of goods, including wines from such fabled Leelanau vinters as Blackstar Farms, L. Mawby, Gills' Pier and beyond.

The beer selection is wonderful.  From Arcadia Ales to Bell's, Short's to varied other local lovelies, the lover of the hop is certain to be pleased by this selection.  Some are sold by the bottle, nice and cold.  Is it legal to take your single brew and sit at one of the dockside picnic tables and enjoy?  Who knows?  Who cares?  Just do it, blame it on Nike.

Even the chips are local at the Village Cheese Shanty is Leland, MI.

Despite the grand selection of local wonders: chips, cherry products, hot sauces...................

Life is nothing without dessert!

.........homemade desserts..........

A myriad of tasting experiences rests within this little case at the Village Cheese Shanty.

.........massive amounts of varied cheeses..............

For those of you that love a local brew, the Village Cheese Shanty in Leland, MI is the place to be!

........and, again, the beer, there is but one reason that locals and travellers alike flock to this tiny shanty on the dock:  The sandwiches.

The main attraction: sandwiches.

Completely homemade (including the bread, you MUST try the pretzel bread, best ever!), these sandwiches are of a wildly different form than any other sandwich that you have ever tasted.

Do not be afraid to ask the artists what you should try. 

When I asked the purveyor what form of meat and wheat I should partake in, she did not hesitate:

"Leelanau with turkey on pretzel bread."

I was in!  I ordered the selected sandy and was soon in crusty creation heaven!  My sandwich consisted of turkey (instead of roast beef), Leelanau peppercorn fromage blanc, onion, cucumber, lettuce, tomato and dijon mustard.  It was sublime!

El fresco doesn't get much better than it is in Leland, MI!

Now, I'll be the very first to admit that one's surroundings have a huge effect on whether or not one enjoys their meal.

My surroundings consisted of a crystal clear river, the smell and feel of the fresh, wide open out-of-doors (as my grandma once said), the sun, the amazing company and the surrounding Fishtown.  Would I of loved this sandwich as much were I eating it in Fulsom Prison?  Perhaps, who knows?  All I know now is that this was the perfect combination of ambiance and edible brilliance, a tour de force of awesome, if you will.  No restaurant in all the land, no matter how fine, could match what I was surrounded by at that moment.

Be sure to explore the other shacks of Fishtown!

Lastly, please notice that my can in the first sandwich pic is from Arcadia, not Pepsi.  I drank it at the river's edge, in full view and did not get ticketed.  That's proof enough of non-illegality for me!

(All photos by Brooks Vanderbush)