Where Lake Meets Leaf

New health-focused eatery opens in Harbor Springs

In a season full of cookouts, chips, cherry pie, and cold ones on the beach, a healthy meal can be a welcome reprieve. 

Transplanted Colombian Veronica Beydoun answered that call with the opening this past spring of Lake N’ Leaf on West Main Street in downtown Harbor Springs. Lake N’ Leaf offers a variety of healthy bowl options, typically served with a base of rice, tricolor quinoa, or a lettuce/spring greens mix. The base is complemented by a variety of protein, vegetables, and other ingredients. 

“It’s not easy to find healthy and tasty options around here,” says Beydoun, who moved to northern Michigan from Colombia five years ago after meeting her future husband, Andrew Beydoun. “Healthy food doesn’t have to be boring. It can be tasty. We’re making healthy food that tastes good, is affordable and convenient.” 

Lake N’ Leaf adjoins the resort city’s popular Harbor Ice Cream. In fact, Beydoun operates the revamped restaurant—now under her brand and creations—and the long-time ice cream shop, taking the latter business over from her husband’s parents, Cindy and Rocky Beydoun. 

The restaurant’s name reflects its proximity to Lake Michigan and the forests of northern Michigan.  

“I love the lake,” says Beydoun, who has a background in personal training and nutrition. “I loved the lake as soon as I moved here. Wherever you look around here, you see trees. It’s so natural. The name represents what we’re trying to bring to our customers—fresh and healthy food.”

Ice Cream Remains

When her in-laws made it known they wanted to sell the business and retire, Beydoun stepped in, leasing the space to create her own health-conscious restaurant (the eatery had been a sandwich shop) and maintaining the ice cream shop. 

“I knew I wanted to do something with healthy options,” Beydoun says. “But I was sad about the ice cream shop. I love Harbor Springs and the ice cream shop. I told [Andrew’s parents] I would lease the space and do something different.”

Beydoun has made significant changes, She gave the space a complete makeover, creating a warm, welcoming environment with bean-bag-like chairs, wood accents, and light colors. Instrumental music plays in the background.

“It’s so peaceful,” says Beydoun. “People come in and say, ‘Wow, this place feels very relaxed.’ People can feel the vibe to relax.” 

Traverse City’s Moomers Ice Cream is still served at the ice cream shop, along with other offerings, including shakes, sundaes, soft-serve ice cream, and more. Among the novelties is a Dubai Strawberry Cup: a concoction of fresh strawberries, Nutella Hazelnut, Kataifi (a Middle Eastern pastry made with shredded phyllo dough), and Italian Pistachio cream. 

But Healthy Eating Wins the Day

Open for breakfast every day—with hours extending into the early evening—Lake N’ Leaf sells salads, bowls, coffee (made from the Lavazza brand), kombucha, coconut water, and other NA beverages. 

The bowls are the stars of the menu, featuring an array of fresh and tasty ingredients. Take the AM Sunrise, which is packed with roasted sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and spinach, served with boiled egg, avocado, and feta cheese. Or try the Lake Cream for a sweeter palette, which includes plain Greek yogurt with banana, fresh blueberries, strawberries, crushed chocolate, granola, and topped with a honey drizzle.

Although Beydoun has no formal culinary training, she possesses an instinct and flair for combining ingredients to create flavorful dishes.

“My husband and I love to eat out and try different restaurants. We like all kinds of foods,” she says. “I like to try different kinds of dishes. I will try them, and then I will add other ingredients. You have to put things together that taste good together.”

At the top of the most-ordered bowls on DoorDash is Brune Grove, served with the customer’s base choice, topped by a combination of grilled chicken, sweet corn, cucumber, carrots, purple cabbage, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and a chipotle sauce. 

Another popular choice, the Unami Flame, features grilled steak, pickled red onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, avocado, green onions, and a house leaf sauce. 

Among the standouts, Beydoun says, is Aqua Bloom, which features grilled salmon, mango, purple cabbage, seaweed salad, edamame beans, avocado, and yum yum sauce. “All these ingredients go very well with salmon,” she says.

Also noteworthy is the Burrata Bomb, creamy burrata cheese paired with cherry tomatoes, peppery arugula, and pesto topped with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. “The Burrata Bomb has been very popular,” Beydoun says. “People seem to love it.”

On special occasions, like Independence Day, Beydoun has created special bowls. The July 4th special was the BBQ Brisket Bowl, a rice-based dish with brisket, BBQ sauce, sweet plantains, jalapeños, carrots, and red cabbage.

Hungry for More

So far, the response to Beydoun’s creations at Lake N’ Leaf has been overwhelmingly positive, earning high marks on DoorDash and other apps.

“You don’t know how people are going to react,” she says of getting the restaurant started. “I was a little scared of opening the restaurant. You can find sandwiches and other options around the area, but they’re not really healthy options. I wanted to provide healthy food that is convenient and you can take away, too.”

Customers, she says, have found the space relaxing and welcoming, as she had hoped. More than one customer has remarked that they’ve walked away from a meal there feeling energized and ready to keep working, instead of feeling sleepy and tired after a heavy lunch.

What’s ahead? Beydoun is considering whether to keep the restaurant open year-round. “We would love to be open all year round because the locals have been requesting that we stay open,” she says. “It all depends on how business goes at the end of the season.”

Although that is uncertain, Beydoun plans to share aspects of her Colombian culture with the community. Beydoun and her brother plan to demonstrate traditional Colombian dance at the Harbor Springs Farmers Market on August 9. 

“I was ready to do something for my future, my dreams,” she says about opening the restaurant, which now includes family members working for her. “I feel like I’ve accomplished something.”

Find Lake N’ Leaf at 117 W Main St. in Harbor Springs.

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