If the daily grind of city life has you itching for a getaway, hop in the car this weekend and head to Michigan’s Harbor Country. The quaint cluster of lakeside towns is less than a two-hour drive from Chicago, but it’s enough of a change of scenery that you will still feel like you got away.
The clean white sand beaches, brilliant sunsets and the many stunning and luxurious lakefront homes have earned Harbor Country the designation as “The Hamptons of the Midwest.” I don’t know about that, but Harbor Country is charming and picturesque in its own right—and worth visiting again and again. In between visits to the honest-to-goodness vineyards and wineries (yes, in the Midwest!), stops at the quirky antique shops and lazy afternoons on the beach, you’re going to need to eat something, and I’m here to direct you to the best food in town.
Redamak’s, a kitschy burger joint in New Buffalo, is one of the first eateries you’ll see as you enter Harbor Country on Red Arrow Highway. It’s arguably the most famous restaurant in the area, so it’s worth a stop if you’ve never been. However, there’s a better burger to be had up the street at Stray Dog Bar & Grill. In addition to killer burgers and addictive crispy fries, you also can get one heck of a Reuben here. It’s worth noting that Stray Dog serves food until midnight, which comes in very handy since the sun doesn’t set until about 9:30 p.m. in summer and many restaurants close by 10:00 p.m., forcing beachgoers to choose between watching the sun sink into the water over one last cocktail or eating dinner that night.
For upscale pub food, try Red Arrow Roadhouse for a filling lunch or dinner. The house-made potato chips appetizer, smothered with melted blue cheese, sour cream and scallions, is a gooey, delicious sign of what’s to come. Sink your teeth into equally decadent entrées like four-cheese mac spiked with BBQ rib meat or a pulled pork sandwich, drenched in barbeque sauce and piled high with caramelized onions.
It’s not all burgers and BBQ on this side of the lake. There are also a few upscale spots serving elevated cuisine that could rival restaurants in Chicago (but these are beach towns, so nice shorts and sundresses are perfectly fine for dinner). The patio at Bentwood Tavern is a lovely place to spend a warm summer evening. Located on the New Buffalo Harbor, it’s one of the few restaurants offering waterfront dining. Granted, you’ll be looking at docked boats rather than waves crashing on the shore, but it’s a nice enough view and the service is delightful. The tuna and avocado tartar is spectacular, especially when you spoon it onto crunchy wonton chips. With steaks, seafood, salads and wood-fired pizzas, there’s a little something for everyone here—and every bite I had was well above average.
Now about those vineyards—no, it’s not Napa or the Loire Valley, but yes, there are indeed rows of grapes that get turned into wine right here in Michigan. Some of the local wines are a tad on the sweet side, but plenty of them are highly drinkable. If you’re doing a tasting tour, make Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant your last stop. After your wine tasting, buy a glass of your favorite varietal and head outside to sip it while you walk through the vineyards until sundown. Wine is the star of the show here, so I recommend a dinner made up of several glasses paired with a few appetizers to share. The polenta fries with white truffle aioli are exquisite and go nicely with Tabor Hill’s Traminette, a semi-dry white wine with subtle apricot and peach flavors.
If you want to rub elbows with the locals and the fancy-pants Chicagoans who own summer homes in Harbor Country, you will find them at Tosi’s. This hidden (literally) gem is tucked away on a dark residential street in Stevensville. Inside, it’s the kind of red-leather booth Italian joint where the owner walks around and asks how you like your meal. You must order the malfati, a crazy good concoction of doughy gnocchi-like spinach “rolls” covered in creamy béchamel sauce and slathered in a hearty meat ragu. This dish is the best thing I’ve tasted in Harbor Country, and I have searched far and wide. Seriously, don’t even consider ordering anything else here.
Wherever you decide to have dinner, I’d skip dessert at the restaurant and opt for an old-fashioned ice cream cone at Oink’s Ice Cream and Yogurt. Pick your favorite flavor (there are plenty of tempting ones like Georgia Peach and Mackinac Island Fudge yogurt) and then grab a bench outside and look up at the stars—they’re phenomenal out here.
After a day full of sun, wine, and too much good food, you’ll probably go to bed thinking you will never, ever eat again. But, you will, the next morning, in fact. Drive right on by The Casual Chef Café at The Pumpernickel Inn because there is nothing that extraordinary being served that can compensate for the outrageously rude service. Go instead to Viola Café, a darling breakfast spot tucked away in Three Oaks. One bite of the light buttery Swedish pancake topped with lingonberry preserves and you will know it was well worth the 15-minute drive away from the main drag on Red Arrow Highway. The biscuits are impossibly fluffy and when they are topped with rich and creamy sausage gravy, previously important things like buttoning your pants and lowering your cholesterol start to seem irrelevant.
If you don’t want to sacrifice any beach time driving, Luisa’s Café serves a reliable breakfast just a few minutes from the lakefront. The most memorable item on the menu is the carrot cake waffle breakfast sandwich. Spicy and sweet carrot cake flavored waffles are topped with chicken sausage, smoked gouda and a fried egg making this dish an inventive take on chicken and waffles. Or, if you’re in a real hurry, grab a pastry and a cup of coffee to go from the adjoining Harbert Swedish Bakery, and go claim your spot on one of the beautiful beaches.
Do you need some more Sugar & Spice in your life? Follow me on Twitter @SugarAndSpiceMS for inside scoop and commentary on Chicago’s dining scene.
RESTAURANT DIRECTORY
Redamak’s
616 East Buffalo Street
New Buffalo, MI 49117
269-469-4522
www.redamaks.com/site/index.htm
The Stray Dog Bar & Grill
245 N. Whittaker Street
New Buffalo, MI 49117
269-469-2727
thestraydog.com/
Red Arrow Road House
15710 Red Arrow Highway
Union Pier, MI 49129
269-469-3939
www.redarrowroadhouse.com/index.html
Bentwood Tavern
600 West Water Street
New Buffalo, MI 49117
877-945-8600
www.marinagrandresort.com/bentwood
Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant
185 Mount Tabor Road
Buchanan, MI 49107
800-283-3363
www.taborhill.com/index.html
Tosi’s Restaurant
4337 Ridge Road
Stevensville, MI 49127
269-429-3689
www.tosis.com/frameset.htm
Oink’s Ice Cream and Yogurt
227 W. Buffalo St.
New Buffalo, MI
269-469-3535
oinksicecream.blogspot.com/
The Casual Chef Café at The Pumpernickel Inn
16090 Red Arrow Highway
Union Pier, MI 49129
269-469-1200
www.pumpernickelinn.com/
Viola Café
102 N. Elm Street
Three Oaks, MI 49128
269-756-9420
www.violacafe.com/
Luisa’s Cafe and The Harbert Swedish Bakery
13698 Red Arrow Highway
Harbert, MI 49115
269-469-1777 (The Harbert Swedish Bakery)
269-469-9037 (Luisa’s Café)
harbertswedishbakery.com/index.html