Guidebook for Traverse City
Food Scene
One of the best dinners you can have in all of Traverse City. Recently opened, and every local is raving about it. Many vegetable-forward dishes. An open kitchen so you can see the action. Clean, minimal, modern—an urban feel in small town TC. Just go!
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Alliance Restaurant
144 Hall StOne of the best dinners you can have in all of Traverse City. Recently opened, and every local is raving about it. Many vegetable-forward dishes. An open kitchen so you can see the action. Clean, minimal, modern—an urban feel in small town TC. Just go!
Every local will tell you this is the best lunch in town. The curry is great, also the Korean or pork tacos with kimchi. Amazing, I eat there almost every week. (Closed on Mondays).
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Harvest
136 E Front StEvery local will tell you this is the best lunch in town. The curry is great, also the Korean or pork tacos with kimchi. Amazing, I eat there almost every week. (Closed on Mondays).
BLK \ MRKT
144 Hall StBest coffee in town. A hipster's place to be seen.
Upscale food in a casual environment with affordable prices. Latin/Asian fusion. If you like food with flavor, ethnic roots, and creativity, then this is your only place in TC to go. Get the "around the world" tacos!
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Little G's Fusion Cuisine
531 W Front StUpscale food in a casual environment with affordable prices. Latin/Asian fusion. If you like food with flavor, ethnic roots, and creativity, then this is your only place in TC to go. Get the "around the world" tacos!
All local and sustainable cuisine. Expensive, but worth every penny. This is where you should go for a true Traverse City fine dining experience—eat food from our farmers from two of our most favorite local chefs!
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The Cook's House
115 Wellington StAll local and sustainable cuisine. Expensive, but worth every penny. This is where you should go for a true Traverse City fine dining experience—eat food from our farmers from two of our most favorite local chefs!
Breakfast! Lunch! This is one of Mario Batali's top 10 favorite restaurants of all time, according to a recent article! The breakfast food and coffee is to die for. Plan on spending some time and plan on being cozy. This is not an in-and-out joint. The servers are rude and there are only a few tables, so go with an open mind and schedule. It will be well worth it!
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Frenchies Famous
619 Randolph StBreakfast! Lunch! This is one of Mario Batali's top 10 favorite restaurants of all time, according to a recent article! The breakfast food and coffee is to die for. Plan on spending some time and plan on being cozy. This is not an in-and-out joint. The servers are rude and there are only a few tables, so go with an open mind and schedule. It will be well worth it!
You must have a gobbler for lunch! This is a TC secret, and it's rare that any tourist knows about it! Everyone in town loves Mary's gobblers—turkey sandwiches on salty bread. They are the best sandwich you'll ever have! It's deli style, so get it and go. Closed on Mondays.
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Mary's Kitchen Port
539 W Front StYou must have a gobbler for lunch! This is a TC secret, and it's rare that any tourist knows about it! Everyone in town loves Mary's gobblers—turkey sandwiches on salty bread. They are the best sandwich you'll ever have! It's deli style, so get it and go. Closed on Mondays.
The olive bread and the Pleasanton cookies! Ahhhh! If you love olives, then I don't care what you're doing—stop and go here and buy the olive-parmesan loaf. Just do it. And get a Pleasanton cookie while you are there...one of my all-time favorite cookies: sunflower seeds, oats, chocolate...crumbly and delicious like nothing you've ever tasted.
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Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery
811 Cottageview DrThe olive bread and the Pleasanton cookies! Ahhhh! If you love olives, then I don't care what you're doing—stop and go here and buy the olive-parmesan loaf. Just do it. And get a Pleasanton cookie while you are there...one of my all-time favorite cookies: sunflower seeds, oats, chocolate...crumbly and delicious like nothing you've ever tasted.
Tamales! This is the best Mexican in town. It will not disappoint. Your taste buds will thank me!
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Spanglish
1333 Yellow DrTamales! This is the best Mexican in town. It will not disappoint. Your taste buds will thank me!
Drinks & Nightlife
THE outdoor patio! And, the only place with food trucks! If you're not sure where to start, start here. It's close to the house and has great drinks. This is the place to be scene and be seen at night. It's also a great place to have lunch during the day—multiple food trucks provide tons of great choices if you are feeling hungry and undecided.
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The Little Fleet
448 E Front StTHE outdoor patio! And, the only place with food trucks! If you're not sure where to start, start here. It's close to the house and has great drinks. This is the place to be scene and be seen at night. It's also a great place to have lunch during the day—multiple food trucks provide tons of great choices if you are feeling hungry and undecided.
Well, a taproom. 7 Monks has the BEST selection for beer in town—draft or bottle. And the food is amazing...get the sausage platter! On Wednesdays, local favorite Levi Britton plays. His voice is like buttered gold; you'll want to hear him before he gets too famous.
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7 Monks Taproom
128 S Union StWell, a taproom. 7 Monks has the BEST selection for beer in town—draft or bottle. And the food is amazing...get the sausage platter! On Wednesdays, local favorite Levi Britton plays. His voice is like buttered gold; you'll want to hear him before he gets too famous.
Local dive! Irish pub that locals frequent to get away from tourists. Mean bartenders, poor beer selection, strong drinks, 2 pool tables, and great conversation at the bar with some of the best people you'll ever meet.
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Brady's Bar
401 S Union StLocal dive! Irish pub that locals frequent to get away from tourists. Mean bartenders, poor beer selection, strong drinks, 2 pool tables, and great conversation at the bar with some of the best people you'll ever meet.
True beer lovers, don't miss this. Best beer in town. It's a destination, out of the way, and more of a sip-and-savor, less of a gulp-and-get-crazy. It's built on 10-acres and uses only ingredients from the farm, including local-grown hops. The building is sustainable and reuses it's own energy from the brewing process The owner is a local favorite; this is a little known gem for a select group of people.
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Brewery Terra Firma
2959 Hartman RdTrue beer lovers, don't miss this. Best beer in town. It's a destination, out of the way, and more of a sip-and-savor, less of a gulp-and-get-crazy. It's built on 10-acres and uses only ingredients from the farm, including local-grown hops. The building is sustainable and reuses it's own energy from the brewing process The owner is a local favorite; this is a little known gem for a select group of people.
TC's favorite brewpub. If you want to go where the action is at, go here! Great beer, great people, great music, great location. Its...just...super...busy. Everyone is here for a reason—it's good! It's just that...everyone is here.
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Rare Bird Brewpub
229 Lake AveTC's favorite brewpub. If you want to go where the action is at, go here! Great beer, great people, great music, great location. Its...just...super...busy. Everyone is here for a reason—it's good! It's just that...everyone is here.
Dance, dance, dance! Sidetraxx caters to a LGBTQ crowd, but it's definitely a place where everyone is welcome! It's my off-the-beaten-path place where I can be myself and have a great time no matter what the occasion or who I am with. Are you looking to kick your night up a notch? To make an adventure out of your vacation? Are you not the mainstream, conservative type? Then go here, without hesitation.
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SideTraxx Dance Bar
520 Franklin StDance, dance, dance! Sidetraxx caters to a LGBTQ crowd, but it's definitely a place where everyone is welcome! It's my off-the-beaten-path place where I can be myself and have a great time no matter what the occasion or who I am with. Are you looking to kick your night up a notch? To make an adventure out of your vacation? Are you not the mainstream, conservative type? Then go here, without hesitation.
If you prefer a well-made drink (read: liquor snob) then go no further. If you can get in here (It's tough! Go early!) then you will not regret it. It has an exclusive, upscale feel and only the local elite and those with exquisite palates (and fat wallets) hang out here.
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Low Bar
128 S Union StIf you prefer a well-made drink (read: liquor snob) then go no further. If you can get in here (It's tough! Go early!) then you will not regret it. It has an exclusive, upscale feel and only the local elite and those with exquisite palates (and fat wallets) hang out here.
Arts & Culture
The best place for art and culture in TC, hands down. Every concert I've been to here has BLOWN ME AWAY. Whoever curates this fantastic stuff is brilliant. The art exhibits are also amazing; you'll feel like you are in a metropolitan museum.
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The Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College
1410 College DrThe best place for art and culture in TC, hands down. Every concert I've been to here has BLOWN ME AWAY. Whoever curates this fantastic stuff is brilliant. The art exhibits are also amazing; you'll feel like you are in a metropolitan museum.
Always a good show! Community theatre that never disappoints. I volunteer to do set design and my boyfriend often acts in plays. Check it out!
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Old Town Playhouse
148 E Eighth StAlways a good show! Community theatre that never disappoints. I volunteer to do set design and my boyfriend often acts in plays. Check it out!
Parks & Nature
Clinch Park Pavilion
Traverse Area Recreation TrailTHE Traverse City beach and park. Enough said.
Little-known beach, just blocks from the house! The most secluded beach you'll find in town. Not everyone knows about it (shhhhh!). Great place to hang for the day where you'll be sure to have a section of beach to yourself. Bring hammocks if you can (lots of trees)!
Sunset Park
635 E Front StLittle-known beach, just blocks from the house! The most secluded beach you'll find in town. Not everyone knows about it (shhhhh!). Great place to hang for the day where you'll be sure to have a section of beach to yourself. Bring hammocks if you can (lots of trees)!
One of the best hikes in Leelanau County. Great view, an iconic "must-do" for anyone wanting a local insider experience.
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Pyramid Point Trail
Pyramid Point TrailOne of the best hikes in Leelanau County. Great view, an iconic "must-do" for anyone wanting a local insider experience.
Probably my favorite hike in all of northern Michigan. The view is of the iconic Sleeping Bear Dunes that you see painted in so many pictures. Just do it. Just go!
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Empire Bluffs
Probably my favorite hike in all of northern Michigan. The view is of the iconic Sleeping Bear Dunes that you see painted in so many pictures. Just do it. Just go!
Best in-town hiking trails! So easy to get to and GORGEOUS. If you want a hike that whisks you away to the woods but doesn't take long to do or far to go, this is it. Beech trees, vines, a cedar forest, the hidden "hippie tree" and my favorite, romantic sunrise spot (just ask). Bonus—surrounded by shopping and restaurants in the Grand Traverse Commons.
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The Village at Grand Traverse Commons
1200 W Eleventh StBest in-town hiking trails! So easy to get to and GORGEOUS. If you want a hike that whisks you away to the woods but doesn't take long to do or far to go, this is it. Beech trees, vines, a cedar forest, the hidden "hippie tree" and my favorite, romantic sunrise spot (just ask). Bonus—surrounded by shopping and restaurants in the Grand Traverse Commons.
This spot offers not only a historic lighthouse and a beach, but also 7+ miles of trails just beyond it that few go to—all for you! The Mission peninsula is one of the most beautiful drives you can take in the area!
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Old Mission Lighthouse
This spot offers not only a historic lighthouse and a beach, but also 7+ miles of trails just beyond it that few go to—all for you! The Mission peninsula is one of the most beautiful drives you can take in the area!
This hiking/biking trail will bring you all through town and even to Suttons Bay (17 miles north). It's a favorite commute of mine and well worth the ride!
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Traverse Area Recreation Trail
Traverse Area Recreation TrailThis hiking/biking trail will bring you all through town and even to Suttons Bay (17 miles north). It's a favorite commute of mine and well worth the ride!
Essentials
Right next to the house! It has all the basics, including a small beer/wine selection. Open late.
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Family Fare Supermarket
211 S Division StRight next to the house! It has all the basics, including a small beer/wine selection. Open late.
Getting Around
BATA stops right by the house at Rose & Walnut, going into town. $1.50 per ride. Check online for maps and schedules.
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BATA
115 Hall StBATA stops right by the house at Rose & Walnut, going into town. $1.50 per ride. Check online for maps and schedules.