Greg Tasker | Author

Upping the Ante at Room 94 Taps and Bourbon

April 20, 2024

For gamblers and non-gamblers alike, the dining options at many casinos are often lackluster—a sandwich shop, small café, or a standard all-you-can-eat buffet.

Odawa Casino in Petoskey is out to change that dynamic.

The casino is upping its food and drink game... Read More >>

Drink What Defines You

March 9, 2024

Meet the new kid on the block on Union Street: Identity Brewing Company. Identity took over the former home of The Dish Cafe, a popular luncheon destination in downtown Traverse City that offered alcoholic beverages and a healthy menu but with limited hours. The eatery officially rebrande... Read More >>

Cows and Artists and Bon Jovi, Oh My! The 106-year history of Castle Farms

Feb. 10, 2024

For more than a century, the fieldstone towers of the Renaissance-style castle outside Charlevoix have loomed over the handsome countryside, stoking the imagination of the curious and the aspirations of dreamers. 

Count me among the curious. Why is a European-style castle tuc... Read More >>

Jack Archiable: The Man, The Beer, The Legend

Jan. 20, 2024

It’s been a long time since Jack Archiable could be found behind the scenes at the Short’s Brewing Co., helping with bottling, packaging, cleaning kegs, and giving public tours at the brewer’s facilities in Bellaire and Elk Rapids.

“I told Joe Short [owner ... Read More >>

Making the Nectar of the Gods

Jan. 6, 2024

In just a matter of weeks, if Mother Nature cooperates, clusters of frozen Riesling and other selected grapes clinging to barren, gnarly vines will be harvested, perhaps in the dark of night or in the flurry of snow.

There’s much more work ahead—in frigid conditions as... Read More >>

Shipwreck Whiskey: What’s Happening with the Westmoreland and its High-Proof Treasures?

Dec. 2, 2023

Few shipwrecks in the Great Lakes pique the fascination of armchair treasure hunters as much as the Westmoreland, a cargo-laden passenger steamer that met its doom in the icy waters of the Manitou Passage off the Leelanau Peninsula in 1854.

Bound for Mackinac Island on it... Read More >>

Keepin' a Good Thing Goin' at Jax

Nov. 18, 2023

It’s not every day a popular restaurant changes hands.

But that’s been the case with Jax Northside Food & Spirits, a dining and drink destination in Charlevoix that’s been around in various incarnations for decades and has been a go-to for year-round and seas... Read More >>

90 Years of Art’s Tavern

Oct. 7, 2023

Chances are, if you spend any time exploring the Leelanau Peninsula, you’re going to end up eating at least one meal at Art’s Tavern in Glen Arbor.

This welcoming throwback to another era stands proudly on M-22 in the heart of Glen Arbor, welcoming tourists and locals ... Read More >>

The World Is Her...Lobster?

Sept. 16, 2023

If you’ve checked out Gaylord’s dining scene lately, you’ve likely eaten at one of Kat Steinbrecher’s popular family of restaurants.

There’s Mary’s Stein Haus, offering German and American fare. Porter Haus, with a menu featuring steaks, burgers... Read More >>

Bringing the South to the North

Aug. 19, 2023

Over the years, North Country Kitchen and Bar in Suttons Bay (formerly North Country Grill and Pub) has become a favorite among locals and tourists, thanks to its welcoming and rustic vibe and a menu laden with Up North favorites like prime rib and whitefish.

Now, under new owners... Read More >>

Inside The Alluvion

Aug. 5, 2023

Without a doubt, there are plenty of places in Traverse City for musicians to take the stage and perform: The City Opera House, the Dennos Museum Center, and Interlochen Center for the Arts, as well as countless bars, breweries, and wineries.

But for many local musicians, those op... Read More >>

What’s on Your Plate?

July 22, 2023

Summer on the Leelanau Peninsula means many things, but for restaurants like Martha’s Leelanau Table in Suttons Bay and Farm Club, tucked along a rural stretch of a county road outside Traverse City, it’s the bounty of the season. Orchards and farms dot the rolling, bucolic la... Read More >>

The Littlest Cherry Ambassadors

June 24, 2023

As sweet and tart cherries ripen in the orchards surrounding Grand Traverse Bay, an exclusive group of first-graders and their classmates are putting the finishing touches on colorful school floats for the National Cherry Festival parades.

This special group of kids—56 in al... Read More >>

What’s Happening in Cherry Land?

May 27, 2023

With the cherry blossom season behind us, the age-old question arises: How does the cherry crop look for the summer?

The good news first: Michigan cherry farmers are predicting a robust crop of tart and sweet cherries this year, following some uncertainty about possible damage in ... Read More >>

Family Matters at Burke’s Waterfront

April 22, 2023

With its extensive American menu, lakeside setting, and friendly service, Burke’s Waterfront is a popular stopover for hungry tourists motoring along Route 115 through the outskirts of Cadillac. 

“The lake is busy all year,” says Mary Burke, who opened the n... Read More >>

Histories and Mysteries: The Great Michigan Fire

March 18, 2023

Every schoolchild knows the tale of how Mrs. O’Leary’s cow (supposedly) kicked over a lantern in a Chicago barn, igniting one of the most famous fires in American history.

While the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 is a well-known tale, few, it seems, are familiar with the f... Read More >>

The Caffeine-Fueled Growth of Mundos Roasting & Co.

Feb. 18, 2023

When Mundos Roasting celebrated its five-year anniversary with free coffee pour overs earlier this year, the family-founded enterprise had plenty of reasons to celebrate.

From its humble beginnings on Boon Street in Traverse City, Mundos Roasting has expanded to include three Trav... Read More >>

Wine Country Getaway: Planning the Perfect Leelanau Vacation

Jan. 14, 2023

Believe it or not, winter is an ideal season for a wine country getaway on the Leelanau Peninsula. Snow-draped vineyards are as eye-catching in the winter as they are in the summer or fall, and colder temperatures means a welcome change in the cadence of life on the peninsula.

Thi... Read More >>