The Fall 2025 Restaurant Guide

Seven spots to savor great food (and maybe some fall color)

By Northern Express Staff & Contributors | Oct. 18, 2025

The leaves are falling, and menus are switching over from summer fare to comfort food. For this year’s Fall Restaurant Guide, our staff pulled together seven of our favorite dining experiences from the last three months, but be forewarned: Some of these eateries have already said their summer farewell or will be closing up for the season soon! There’s no time like the beautiful, red-and-gold-and-orange present to treat yourself to a fabulous meal. (Especially if it comes with a view.)

Pictured: Café Exalt's pizza paired with Brengman wines.

Lake N’ Leaf

Harbor Springs

This past spring, transplanted Colombian Veronica Beydoun opened Lake N’ Leaf on West Main Street in downtown Harbor Springs.

“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. She gave the space a complete makeover, creating a warm, welcoming environment with bean-bag-like chairs, wood accents, and light colors.

On the Menu
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.

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.

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.”

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

Rock’s Landing

Frankfort

The strings of cars on either side of M-22 at Chimney Corners might be your first clue that something special awaits you inside Rock’s Landing. The warmth of the greeting upon entering is confirmation. Then there’s the view—the sparkling waters of Crystal Lake are visible from practically everywhere, and you may end up literally two feet from shore.

The cozy restaurant—“our capacity is 78,” says co-owner Chris Bigelow—serves about twice that many on a typical night. The open-air porch is enclosed with heavy-duty clear plastic to keep the weather out when needed, while portable heaters are at the ready for cool evenings. When those windows are rolled up, you can hear the waves lapping against the shoreline while you eat and watch as boaters pass by almost within reach.

With the lakeside setting comes a seaside menu. Bigelow calls the dinner menu “Mediterranean influenced.” Meyers trained in French cuisine while working in Portland, Oregon, and he’s expanded that influence with other Mediterranean styles, as well as Asian and Scandinavian influences.

On the Menu
The resulting menu is diverse and interesting, and almost as fun to read as to eat: salt and pepper calamari with pepper chutney, gnocchi sorrentina with red sauce and fresh mozzarella, mushroom adobo with tofu, broccoli, and adobo sauce, and blackened redfish with celeriac remoulade slaw, red beans and rice, and creole butter.

“All [of it] is homemade and made fresh every day,” says Bigelow with pride. Many of the vegetables and greens are sourced from local farms, while the fish is flown into Grand Rapids and driven directly to the restaurant.

That delivery is critically important, as Bigelow says the sablefish gets his vote as the best thing on the menu, as well as most popular. Also known as black cod, it is prized for its buttery texture, and Meyer and his crew pan sear each piece with za’atar spice and serve it with Mediterranean vegetables and couscous.

Bigelow also gives props to the Rocks Burger, ground in-house from the cuttings from the prime grade spinalis steak, aka ribeye cap, known for its marbling, tenderness, and flavor.

Find Rock’s Landing at 1577 Crystal Dr. in Frankfort, open seasonally from mid-May to mid-October. Reservations are recommended. (231) 399-0158; rocksoncrystal.com

Wildflour Bakery

Cadillac

In just one year, owners Tom and Heather Goodman have earned the 2024-2025 Trailblazer Award for business leadership from the Cadillac Area Visitor’s Bureau, plus a place on MyNorth.com’s 2025 Red Hot Best Bakery for their region. Their business, Wildflour Bakery, is billed as a “modern, fusion style cafe” with great teas—from the traditional cuppa (served with cute hourglass timers for the perfect steep) to authentic boba milk teas and bubble teas—and Viennese coffees, alongside Heather’s eye-popping array of pastries and sweets.

Everything is house made, and the Goodmans source their ingredients from near and far, just as long as they are the best. Local fruits and vegetables are a given, whenever possible, as are products from top-tier vendors. Some of the components come right from the source: French butter with 85 percent butterfat, and flours and olive oil from Italy. Add a state-certified reverse osmosis (RO) water system for the kitchen and the front of the house, and you can be sure that nothing interferes with creating the best flavors possible.

On the Menu
When you arrive, expect cookies, muffins, pies, and every iteration of American and international favorite, but Heather Goodman likes to “play with flavors,” so while you can choose a traditional scone with Devonshire cream, you might also try one with a flavor combo, like strawberry/rhubarb, strawberry/orange, or raspberry with lemon drizzle.

In that same vein, enjoy a traditional brownie, or choose Heather’s Milky Way or Trail Mix versions. French croissants come plain or flavored, with strawberry, chocolate, peach, almonds, and more. Guests often opt for the filled-to-order cannoli, and Wildflour’s ½ and ½ version comes with pistachios on one end and chocolate chips on the other, so you don’t have to choose.

Tom Goodman’s delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner items fill out the rest of the space. Fresh salads, sandwiches, and wraps are available every day.

Perfectly formed individual quiches are encased in a deep crust, and Tom’s rich and creamy Chicken Pot Pie delivers a bite of tender crust with every bite. Soups range from Tomato Bisque to Mushroom and Sausage and everything in between. (Add a Mac and Cheese puck if you choose.) Fresh pasta bowls and pasta salads get their inspiration directly from Tom’s Italian experience.

Find Wildflour Bakery at 105 S. Mitchell St., Cadillac. (231) 444-6400; wildflourcadillac.com

Douglas Lake Bar

Pellston

You won’t see any billboards or flashy advertisements for the Douglas Lake Bar & Steakhouse as you make your way to this hidden gem 20 minutes south of the Mackinaw Bridge and just six miles west of I-75.

The almost 100-year old log cabin bar and restaurant is situated on the south end of Douglas Lake and blends into the sleepy, residential lakeside neighborhood. For generations, residents and visitors from afar return each summer for fine dining in an idyllic, laid-back setting.

Inside the restaurant, the Grateful Dead plays in the background as a slew of staff members make last-minute preparations. The main dining room is laden with wood from the floor to the ceiling, and there are two original stone fireplaces that give the expansive room an up north feel of a bygone pioneer era.

On the Menu
The restaurant is known for its steaks, like the top shelf DLB Steak Au Poivre. (The steak is so tender even the weakest of teeth will be undeterred.) There’s also a New York strip, a ribeye, and an 8-ounce Bistro Steak.

One of the more popular seafood dishes is the Shrimp Lenny—jumbo shrimp stuffed with crab, wrapped in bacon, and topped with hollandaise sauce—which is filling and decadent. Dinners can also try the Blackened Chicken Pasta (complete with fresh Roma tomatoes), the Butternut Squash Ravioli (which can be topped with a protein), and the Ahi Tuna Dinner (seared rare with wasabi and soy sauce).

DLB even has an entirely gluten-free menu, with multiple apps, salads, and mains available. Meanwhile, the kiddos can choose from Petite Filets, Chicken Fritters, Grilled Cheese, Linguini, and more.

Last but not least, dessert is a must at the DLB. The restaurant serves homemade carrot cake, and while the large portion is big enough for two, you will want your own slice. (For those on the fence, it has no nuts or raisins!) Other sweet-tooth options include the Peanut Butter Pie, Ultimate Chocolate Cake, the Crème Brûlée Du Jour, and a Hot Fudge Sundae.

Get it all while the getting’s good: The restaurant holds seasonal hours May through October and is open for a couple of weeks in December for Christmas parties. DLB also throws a New Year’s Eve party.

Find Douglas Lake Bar & Restaurant at 11001 Douglas Lake Rd. in Pellston. (231) 539-8588; douglaslakebarandsteakhouse.com

Elberta Pizza Co.

Elberta

When we talk about fresh, house-made, and hand-crafted at a pizzeria, that means fresh dough daily, in-house sauces, hand-grated cheese, and hand-cut meats. We wouldn’t expect anything else, and Elberta Pizza Co. has made its mark doing just that after a soft opening in May.

Situated at the Elberta-Frankfort causeway, this might be considered a quiet location choice for a year-round business, but Bryan and Desiree Fast, who hail from the area (Frankfort and Beaulah respectively) know what they’re doing. “There’s a bit of foot traffic,” Bryan Fast says, “but a lot of overflow from M-22.” Adds Desiree, “It’s a good location.”

“We know operating costs will be negative for a few months in a row, [during the winter],” Bryan says, and they will adjust with the seasons, perhaps with new hours and delivery changes. (Hint: Winter will be a great time for dedicated patrons to show Elberta Pizza some off-season love.)

On the Menu
Start with the crust, American pan style, or thin. (There is a gluten free option, as well as a noteworthy cauliflower crust. “It’s pretty delicious,” Bryan says.) Crust flavors include Butter, Cajun, Garlic/Parm, Ranch, Sesame, or Everything seasoning. For sauce, choose from Marinara, BBQ, Pesto, Ranch, White Garlic, or no sauce at all.

Patrons have five sizes between eight and 16 inches for their pies with build-your-own capabilities, or they can choose from a baker’s dozen of house choices. For example, there’s the Chicken Pesto with fresh spinach, feta, roasted red peppers, and artichoke; the house favorite Elberta Special with ham, sausage, pepperoni, and bacon, plus fresh mushrooms, onion, garlic and Italian herbs; and the Cheesy Roni, with pepperoni, jalapeños, and hot honey drizzle.

Beyond the pizza, you can try a calzone, the pocket pizza for those who love a hand-held and as perfectly formed as Bryan’s hand tossed crusts. Plus there are Meat Ball or Pizza grinders, and five versions of tasty chicken wraps. P.S. “People really love our French Dip,” Bryan says.

Round out the meal with Cinnamon Sweet Dessert Sticks that come with frosting and jam for dipping or an Apple Pie calzone drizzled with caramel.

Find Elberta Pizza Co. at 619 Frankfort Ave. in Elberta. (231) 399-0071; elbertapizzaco.com

Café Exalt

Traverse City

Brengman Family Wines’ vineyard and tasting room sits among the rolling hills of Leelanau Peninsula just outside Traverse City. The winery produces a variety of reds, whites, sparklings, and pinks (not just rosé but their special wild ferment Viva Magenta made with Cabernet Sauvignon and Viognier).

Before you sample the libations, let’s put a little food in your stomach. Nestled inside the winery is Café Exalt, where chef-prepared shareables, small plates, and pizzas await. The cold bar is also a seasonal summer favorite, with oysters, ceviche, poke, and carpaccio available on Fridays and Saturdays.

Chef Josh Morrison was brought on board this past spring to bring new energy and ideas to the menu. This year also was the inaugural year of the winery’s vegetable garden, which Morrison has been using in his dishes and letting inspire him. Going forward, seasonality will be the name of the game at Café Exalt.

On the Menu
Change is in the air! Morrison is excited to share new dishes for fall that will warm guests from the inside out. He also recently hired an in-house baker, who will be making everything in house including baguettes, focaccia, mini sourdoughs, and all the pizza dough.

“We’ll be introducing a hand-crushed tomato rigatoni dish that will have elk sausage, made with our tomatoes that we grow here in the garden,” he says. “It’s going to be perfect with any of our reds, but the merlot is always my choice for something like an elk with that gamier taste to it.”

A classic on the small plates menu is the Sea Scallops, which currently features white wine sauce, pea puree, carrot tuile, crispy prosciutto, fresh Parmesan, and microgreens.

“We’re also going to be changing the scallop dish to have a little more winter feel to it,” Morrison tells us. “We’re changing that one to have a butternut squash puree with a cranberry gastrique, some fried prosciutto, and dill-infused beurre blanc. It’ll pair very well with our sauvignon blanc.”

In terms of small bites, “I’ll be making a roasted carrot spread with some crispy fried chickpeas and za’atar seasoning,” he shares.

Find Café Exalt and Brengman Family Wines at 9720 S Center Hwy in Traverse City. brengmanfamilywines.com

K-Pocha

Traverse CIty

This restaurant’s name comes from the Korean term for a type of outdoor food and drink stall, a “pocha.” It’s actually a shortened version of the Korean “pojangmacha,” or covered wagon. (And the K denotes Korean, for those who might not have guessed.)

Owner Phong Nguyen says that in Korea, most of the street food stands specialize in one product. At K-Pocha, you have choices—lots of them. “In Asia, it’s one dish only. They specialize. That’s hard to do in America. People love the variety,” he says.

And variety there is. According to Nguyen, Korean food is known for its bold flavors. Others might substitute the word “spicy” or “hot” for bold, as various chili peppers and other spices bring out the umami (his word) of the expansive menu.

On the Menu
That bold flavor is front and center in the Sizzling Spicy Galbi (grilled ribs), Beef Skewer, or Spicy Chicken Bao Bun, while lending more familiar dishes such as Chicken Tenders and loaded fries a new zest.

Then there are the classics, though they may not be so “classic” to American taste buds. There’s the Tater-nado (skewered, spiralized potatoes), Cheesy Spicy Tteok-bokki (a simmered rice cake), Black Bean Tteok-bokki, and an array of corn dogs with eight different toppings.

As Nguyen says, in America people like choices. So at K-Pocha, which are the most popular choices? He points to BiBimBap with Beef Bulgogi as a favorite, though it’s the Kimchi Fried Rice with Pork Belly he says is the No. 1 choice among customers.

The pork and chicken base for the Japanese Ramen is marinated for 16 hours, before being cooked and mixed with the seasonings. Take that, fast food.

The KFC Fried Rice—or noodles—is not based on the recipe of a famous colonel, but is Nguyen’s take on Korean Fried Chicken. Beyond its bold flavor, Nguyen says he uses a lot of potato flour in the coating. “That makes it crisp and juicy,” he says.

As for dessert, there are various ice creams and toppings. Maybe the staff will be Berry Nice to you, with a bubble waffle cone with strawberry and cherry ice cream, strawberry sauce, berry compote, and chocolate pocky rolls.

Find K-Pocha at 720 Munson Ave Suite A in Traverse City. (231) 252-2468; kpochatc.com