20 small-town Michigan restaurants worth a drive

By Metro Times editorial staff on Fri, May 27, 2022 at 7:45 pm

When it comes to our definition of a “small town” in Michigan, we have to be very honest, it’s anything and everything smaller than Detroit.

If we’re being even more honest, some of our favorite “small towns” are simply college towns, frozen in time, that offer a sense of nostalgia, pride, and home (here’s looking at you Kalamazoo and Mount Pleasant).

While major cities like Detroit, Saginaw, and Grand Rapids are known for their rapidly growing dining and craft beer scenes, there are other places in Michigan that deserve the same love.

These restaurants might be in smaller cities, but they serve up big-town flavor.

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Palms Krystal Bar and Grill

1535 Pine Grove Ave., Port Huron, 810-985-9838, palmskrystal.com

The last existing restaurant in a chain formerly known as Chicken in the Rough that was founded in 1936 and once boasted nearly 300 locations, this spot is known for its former namesake’s eponymous dish: the Chicken in the Rough, or half a fried chicken, shoestring potatoes, and a biscuit with honey.

Photo via Palms Krystal Bar and Grill/Instagram

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Google Maps

Tonys I75 Restaurant

8781 Main St., Birch Run; 989-624-5860; tonysi75restaurant.com

If you have a thing for bacon, Tonys I75 Restaurant is the place you need to go. While Tonys serves everything from breakfast and burgers to Mexican inspired dishes, the one-pound BLT is the standout item.

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Google Maps

The Stray Dog Bar & Grill

245 N. Whittaker St., New Buffalo; 269-469-2727; thestraydog.com

The Stray Dog Bar & Grill sits right near New Buffalo Beach (aka the shore of Lake Michigan). This restaurant not only offers a great beer selection, but you can enjoy views of the water from their rooftop.

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Dark Horse Brewing Company

511 S. Kalamazoo Ave., Marshall, 269-781-9940, darkhorsebrewery.com

A microbrewery and taproom whose unique suds will leave you wanting a whole barrel. They also serve food to go with your beer.

Photo via Dark Horse Brewing Co./Instagram

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Google Maps

Trout Town Tavern & Eatery

306 Elm St., Kalkaska; 231-258-2701; trouttowntavern.com

While this restaurant might be located on Elm St., it’s far from a nightmare. Though they do offer a trout pate, fish and chips, and battered perch, Trout Tavern is actually a smokehouse. Land or lake, you can’t go wrong with what you pick on this menu.

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Smoke Street

424 N. Main St., Milford, 248-529-6464, smokestreetmilford.com

This barbecue spot is known for smoking its meats in-house for up to 12 hours, as well as its assortment of six sauces and 15 rotating draft beers.

Photo via Smoke Street/Instagram

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Catch 22 Bistro

2430 Point Tremble Rd., Algonac, 810-794-4844, catch22bistro.net

The family-owned restaurant serves salads, pastas, sandwiches, burgers, and more.

Photo via Google Maps

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Stella’s Table

340 Town Center Blvd., White Lake, 248-698-2400, stellastablemi.com

Formerly known as The Root Restaurant & Bar, the new Stella’s Table specializes in Italian cuisine. They offer pizzas, salads, sandwiches, seafood, and more.

Photo via Stella’s Table/Instagram

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Donckers

137 W. Washington St., Marquette, 906-226-6110, donckersonline.com

Along with chocolates and caramels, Donckers specializes in natural, local, and organic ingredients in all of their scratch-made dishes. They also make ice cream, malt shakes, and pulled sodas. President Barack Obama once stopped by.

Photo via Google Maps

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Lynwood Bar

596 Busha Hwy., Marysville, 810-364-8114, lynwoodbargrill.com

This family-owned restaurant not only serves great food, but they also have a full bar, a jukebox, and a pool table.

Photo via Google Maps

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Tecumseh Brewing Company

128 W. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh, 517-815-1726, tecumsehbrewingco.com

This downtown spot is known for its inventive beers, which use unique ingredients like peanut butter, goji berry, coffee, and more.

Photo via Tecumseh Brewing Co./Instagram

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Steis’s Village Inn

5523 Main St., Lexington, 810-359-5090

This spot located off of Lake Huron has become a favorite of locals and visitors alike for its handmade pizza.

Photo via Google Maps

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Taste

402 Phoenix St., South Haven, 269-637-0010, tastesouthhaven.com

This love-driven restaurant is owned by couple Chef Joel and Heidi Gesiakowski, known for their unique dishes and martinis.

Photo via Taste/Instagram

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Tivoli’s Pizza

68287 E. Main St., Richmond, 586-727-2242

For more than 30 years, Tivoli’s has served up a number of different pizzas, including both Detroit-style and Chicago-style.

Photo via Google Maps

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The Wicked Sister

716 Ashmun St., Sault Ste. Marie, 906-259-1086, wickedsistersault.com

Located in U.P., this family-oriented restaurant has burgers, salads, starters, desserts, sandwiches, and even an entire gluten-free menu.

Photo via Google Maps

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Jose's Authentic Mexican Restaurant

209 Petoskey St., Petoskey, 231-348-3299

Established in 2005, this family-owned restaurant is known for its homemade Mexican dishes.

Photo via Google Maps

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Salt of the Earth

114 East Main Street, Fennville (269) 561-7258, saltoftheearthfennville.com/

A rustic, farm-to-table spot that serves up seasonal American cuisine made from scratch. During the colder months, its known as a live music venue, featuring roots, Americana, bluegrass, and blues.

Photo via Google Maps

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Bistro on the Boulevard

521 Lake Boulevard, St. Joseph, (269) 983-6600, bistroontheboulevard.com//

This upscale bistro is located inside of The Boulevard Inn, overlooking Lake Michigan. The restaurant uses local ingredients in many of its dishes and offers gluten free and vegan options, too.

Photo via Bistro On The Boulevard/Instagram

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The Cabin

930 W. Broomfield St., Mount Pleasant, 989-779-9167,cabinmp.com/

Ask any student at Central Michigan University where to find the best pizza and they’ll most likely say “The Cabin.” While the pizza is good, the drink specials are better. $3 shots and karaoke? Yes, please.

Photo via Google Maps

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The Cove

11 W. River St., Leland, 231-256-9834, thecoveleland.com

The Cove overlooks Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands in Leland’s Historic Fishtown. Their motto is “fresh fish, cold beer,” but they also serve a drink called a “Chubby Mary” — a bloody mary with a smoked chub fish in it.

Courtesy photo

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