Food
From the Hands of the Artists
Creative duo serves up artisanal vegetarian pies at Make Believe Pizza
By Geri Dietze | March 16, 2024
Is it easy for an artist to switch mediums? In the case of Make Believe Pizza, absolutely. Em Randall is a self-taught northern Michigan artist with a solid following in and outside of Michigan; now, with musician husband Jack Senff, she’s taken their creativity into the kitchen. The pandemic had something to do with the birth of Make Believe Pizza, in that it gave the pair the time to tinker with their ... Read More >>
Artisan's Lemon Tahini Cauliflower
Tastemaker
March 16, 2024
With warmer days just around the corner, we’re looking for light, bright dishes to tide us over until our own goodies are growing in the garden. To soothe that craving, we’ve been indulging in the Lemon Tahini Cauliflower from Artisan ($16), located inside Delamar Traverse City. The chefs get the cauliflower just right—not too crunchy, not too soft—and then toss the veggies in a lemon-tahini vinaigrette that includes maple syrup from Sleeping ... Read More >>
Modern Bird’s Heartbreaker
Bottoms Up
By Anna Faller | March 16, 2024
There’s a new dessert cocktail at Modern Bird in Traverse City, and it’s releasing our inner sweet-treat fantasies (eat your heart out, Pat Benatar!). Enter: the Heartbreaker ($15). Crafted in homage to both romance and the dessert menu’s rotating flavors, this velvety post-dinner drink combines Oma’s Vodka, infused with local cherries, and hibiscus tea backed by Crème de Cassis with amaretto almond liqueur and fresh lime juice. Finished with a frothy layer ... Read More >>
Nano Brewing, Macro Impact at Third Life Brewing Company
This Manistee brewery puts creativity (and drinkability) first
By Karl Klockars | March 9, 2024
On a Friday evening, near the end of a dark road but still within sight of the glow of Manistee’s Vogue Theatre, bright light pours from the corner windows at the massive Manistee Iron Works building. Inside, patrons huddle around the bright bar, chat at tables, play board games, and sip a variety of lagers, IPAs, and other ales. This is the space where longtime brewer Jamieson Hanna opened Third Life Brewing ... Read More >>
Drink What Defines You
Get to know Identity Brewing Company’s beer (and food!) menu
By Greg Tasker | 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 rebranded as Identity on Dec. 1, 2023. Traverse City couple Josh and Amanda Thomas purchased the business last fall. Josh’s craft beer dreams inspired the couple ... Read More >>
The Workshop's Smoked Nachos
Tastemaker
By Anna Faller | March 9, 2024
Lunch is back on the board at The Workshop Brewing Co. in Traverse City, and it’s nacho typical soup and salad combo! The menu is all about comfort fare, and the heaping Smoked Nachos ($14) are a must. Picture this: a base of crunchy corn chips piled high with melty cheddar-jack cheese, house tomatillo salsa, sour cream, and Cowboy Caviar (ingredients: black beans, veggies, corn, and chili pepper). Smokey and savory with ... Read More >>
Hop Lot's Woad Warrior Scotch Ale
Bottoms Up
By Craig Manning | March 9, 2024
An undervalued but wonderful style of beer, the Scotch ale is known for its full-bodied character, rich maltiness, subtle sweetness, and delicious flavor notes of caramel, roasted toffee, and stone fruit. It’s a perfect beer for this kind of in-between season—not as dark and heavy as a wintertime stout, but also not as crisp and refreshing as a summer-ready IPA. If you’re feeling a craving for Scotch ale these days, head to ... Read More >>
Charles and Reid's Heatwave Margherita
Tastemaker
March 2, 2024
Good news, readers: You don't need to drive all the way to Detroit for Detroit-style pizza. We popped into Charles and Reid in Traverse City, and they had everything we love about the big city pie: the crispy, caramelized crust, the generous use of sauce, and plenty of classic brick cheese. Our top pick was the Heatwave Margherita ($20 for a small, $24 for a large), which had the usual fresh basil, ... Read More >>
Rocket Fizz's Americana Huckleberry
Bottoms Up
By Anna Faller | March 2, 2024
While you might know Rocket Fizz in Traverse City for its wall-to-wall shelves of snacks and sweets, it’s their effervescent soda stash that’ll have you feeling like, well, a kid in a candy store! Unleash your inner child with vintage-inspired picks like Honey Cream, Cherry Cola, or our favorite (and the staff’s!): Americana Huckleberry. Handcrafted and sweetened with pure cane sugar, this bright purple sip is as juicy as its namesake fruit ... Read More >>
Red Door Coffee House's Loaded Grilled Cheese Panini
Tastemaker
By Anna Faller | Feb. 24, 2024
Tucked in the heart of downtown Lake Ann, Red Door Coffee House is a one-stop shop for all things coffee, lunch, and killer pastries. Our go-to order, though, isn’t on the menu—not the printed one, at least. Enter: the Loaded Grilled Cheese Panini. A bit of a secret amongst guests and staff, this ooey-gooey sandwich is built between slices of Bay Bread’s Italian loaf and stuffed with cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, and a ... Read More >>
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