Anna Faller | Author

Dec. 3, 2022

Picture, if you will: a powdery layer of new-fallen snow, punctuated by a crackling fire and a mug of something hot in your hands. Heck, maybe there’s even a yurt involved! If a more restorative scene exists, we don’t know what it could be, but we do know it begins with Ethano... Read More >>

7 Monks’ Braised Pork Nachos

Nov. 26, 2022

While the rest of us pulled out our winter boots and grabbed an extra blanket (or five) this past week, 7 Monks Taproom in Traverse City was cranking up their menu’s heat in the form of a creamy queso, which they’ve spiked with flecks of flaming ghost pepper—and frankly,... Read More >>

The Holiday Foodie Guide

Nov. 19, 2022

The holidays are fast approaching, and you know what that means…it’s time to get cooking! Before you bust out your cookbooks, have a peek at our list of 10 local makers whose goodies are changing the gourmet game. Stock up on early gift ideas or just stock your pantry shelves... Read More >>

Big Buck Brewery’s Michigan Sunrise

Nov. 19, 2022

As its name suggests, there’s nothing small about Big Buck Brewery. Established in 2018 (though the space had a past life in the mid-90s), this iconic Gaylord alehouse impresses, from its 300-seat interior to the can’t-miss-it beer bottle on the lawn. The pub has pulled out al... Read More >>

Lighthouse Cafe’s Pumpkin Pancakes

Nov. 12, 2022

If you ask us, there’s never a wrong time for breakfast. No shade to lunch and dinner, of course; there’s just something about a cheesy egg scramble or buttery toast that sates at all hours. To quell those singular AM cravings, Elberta’s Lighthouse Café is a must,... Read More >>

The How-to-Retire Checklist

Nov. 5, 2022

These days, retiring is no easy feat. In a sea of inflation and increased costs, those caught without a floatation device (or a sizable savings account) often flounder. How do you stretch those hard-earned dollars in today’s sink-or-swim marketplace? And, most importantly, how do yo... Read More >>

St. Ambrose Cellars’ X.R. Cyser

Nov. 5, 2022

What do you do when life hands you honey? For beekeepers Kirk and Sharon Jones, the ownership team behind Sleeping Bear Farms, the answer is make it into mead—and cider and occasionally beer and wine. Enter: Beulah’s St. Ambrose Cellars. Established in 2010, what began as an a... Read More >>

Chubby Unicorn’s Truffle Philly

Oct. 29, 2022

Do you believe in magic? If the answer is no, we’re about to change your mind, because we’re pretty sure Chubby Unicorn is sneaking fairy dust into their sandwiches. The brainchild of Traverse City restaurant veterans Justin Chouinard and Ashley Moore, this gourmet lunch bus h... Read More >>

Cheboygan Brewing Company’s Blood Orange Honey

Oct. 22, 2022

The fall colors are changing, folks! And at Cheboygan Brewing Company, so are the beers. Opened in 2011, this old-school alehouse-turned-urban pub offers a rainbow of hand-crafted suds, from Blackberry Blonde Ale’s rosy pink to the deep cocoa of Oatmeal Cookie Stout (psst – th... Read More >>

Maybe We’ll Make It

Oct. 15, 2022

Of the countless stages Margo Price has played, Traverse City’s State Theatre isn’t one of them…until now. On Thursday, Oct. 20, the acclaimed country musician joins the National Writers Series to discuss her memoir, Maybe We’ll Make It.

It’... Read More >>

Playa Bowls’ Pura Vida Bowl

Oct. 15, 2022

Opened in September, the Traverse City location of nationwide chain Playa Bowls specializes in surf-friendly eats like juices, smoothies, and healthy bowls, all with a superfood twist. Of these, antioxidant-packed acai (which they source straight from Brazil) is the top banana. It’s... Read More >>

American Spoon’s Paloma Mix

Oct. 8, 2022

Since its establishment in the early 1980s, American Spoon has hung its hat on homemade brunch and breakfast bits, from Blueberry Coffee Cake to fruit conserves. (Try the Spiced Pear and thank us later.) Craft cocktail blends are a recent addition to their lineup, and the Paloma Mix is gi... Read More >>

Two Are Better Than One

Oct. 1, 2022

Local restaurateurs Nick and Natalie Crawford never sit still very long. As industry veterans and co-owners of two successful eateries, this pair is always looking for ways to push the edible envelope.

“We’re trying to figure out the next best thing, and how we can get... Read More >>

Tillie’s Tafel’s Cinnamon Rolls

Oct. 1, 2022

For Jeff and Patti Dewes’ family, the communal table (“tafel” in German) has always featured cinnamon rolls, thanks to Grandma Tillie Dewes’ famous gourmet recipe. Opened in December 2020, Tillie’s Tafel in Petoskey—named for Grandma Tillie herself&mdas... Read More >>

Merlyn’s Patisserie’s Ube Croissant

Sept. 17, 2022

From cultural fusion to croissant colors, the best things seem to come in twos at Merlyn’s Patisserie in Traverse City. Helmed by siblings Jun Dupra and Anna Mae Kucharski, the bakehouse, which they named for their mom, blends the art of French confection with bursts of Asian-inspir... Read More >>

Murder and Medicine

Sept. 17, 2022

What does it take to get a man out of prison—especially one who doesn’t deserve his sentence?

In his memoir, The Other Dr. Gilmer (of This American Life podcast fame), author Dr. Benjamin Gilmer examines this question, amongst countless others, in his... Read More >>

Roast & Toast’s Bour-Burundi

Sept. 10, 2022

For the under-caffeinated among us, Roast & Toast is piping-hot coffee mecca, and this autumn, you’ll find us cozied up with a mug of their Bour-Burundi brew. Inspired by the flavor combo of coffee spiked with buttery bourbon, this variety got off the ground when a pairing dinne... Read More >>

Common Good Bakery’s Paris Brest

Sept. 3, 2022

This year, Common Good Bakery added a line of patisserie-inspired desserts to their ranks of breads and breakfast pastries, and we couldn’t j’adore them more if we tried. The menu’s crowning glory is the traditional Paris Brest, named for the final destination o... Read More >>