Munising Restaurants

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The Brownstone Inn is a favorite place of mine. It's a classic traditional "Road House" serving simple fare (but tasty) and doubling as a cheerful tavern. Good burgers, chicken sandwiches, basic salads,etc. Oh, and of course a nice whitefish sandwich, too. They also make an excellent spinach lasagna. This place tremendously popular both with locals and with vacationers who come for the beaches, the hiking, the canoeing, the kayaking, the snowmobiling or cross-country skiing.

The Brownstone is located on M-28 about ten miles to the west of Munising. The restaurant is about a mile past the "flasher" (flashing traffic light) in Au Train.

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The pasty isn't a dish peculiar to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, but it is certainly done well there -- and, according to a banner I saw in October 2007, Muldoon's has been named the best purveyor of the dish in northern Michigan. A small place which includes miscellaneous tourist kitsch as well as the counter from which comestibles are sold, Muldoon's is just off the main highway, adjacent to Munising Bay, which makes it a convenient stopping point if you're traversing Lake Superior. There ARE things other than pasties on the menu, but you aren't going to want to leave without trying one of these heavy, fragrant melanges of potato, meat, and sometimes root vegetables. My father the Yooper claims you can't eat one without slathering it in ketchup, but fresh, hot pasties are fine just as they are. One of them can easily make two meals.

Favorite Dish: Whatever the filling, the pasties are king!

The Falling Rock Cafe serves a real need in Munising. Ideally located on M-28, not far from the dock for the Pictured Rocks Cruises, this intimate, woody, coffeehouse serves brewed favorites and home-bakes goods. It's a good place to stop to pick up a cup of joe before your hike in the woods: really, the coffee is so much better here than at one of those gas stations!!

The Falling Rock also has serves as a locally owned independent bookseller, with a selection of new and used books, particularly those that relate to the local region. Live music on some occasions as well.

A mid sized and cozy restaurant, the Dog Patch comes with a full bar and attached gift shop. We came for breakfast, which for $6.49 you get an all you can eat breakfast buffet. The service is very friendly, as are the locals!

Favorite Dish: The breakfast buffet was reasonably priced, with an array of dishes including french toast sticks, scrambled eggs, corned beef hash, cubed potatoes, sausage links and ham.

The restaurant has a bit of an Australian theme, however their menu will suit almost anyone's taste in cuisine. Fish, pasta, chicken...they have it all! They also have a full bar with a generous list of wines to choose from.

Favorite Dish: Being Italian, I'm not big on Alfredo sauce, however, Sydney's shrimp alfredo was to die for!!
The breaded fish was good too, my brother in law enjoyed it immensely. Portions are generous as well,so a doggy bag was in order for all of us!

Many people seem to eat at the Dogpatch. Since it is the only restaurant I am familiar with in Munising the following is more of a description for your own information than a recommendation. I have only eaten dinner there once many years ago, and I do not remember what my meal was like. I had lunch there the summer of 2002 and had a chicken sandwich—it was awful, the chicken breast had been untrimmed so that there were still pieces of fat on the breast. The place was crowded, however, and many of the people were locals. This restaurant was established in l966, is the only AAA recommended establishment in town, and is a family restaurant with cocktail lounge. Some of the items you will find on their menu are country style breakfasts, hamburgers and other sandwiches, as well as charbroiled steaks. Dress is casual, and the atmosphere is patterned after the Little Abner Cartoon strip.

A great place to have a quick, but hearty meal. Very popular with the snowmobilers and also with the hikers from the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The locals swear by it as well, as evidenced by the large mug club collection.

Favorite Dish: Either the pastie (I always get a dozen to bring back with me), or the Friday fish fry.

Pasties (past-ees)!! Just like you get in Wales. These meat and potato pies made it to the Upper Peninsula (U.P.). and are still popular with working folks for lunches. Before starting the trail, stock up, they travel well and can be eaten cold, or warmed in the fire.

Favorite Dish: Pasties!! Meat and Potato Pies, in a flaky crust. A good heart meal after a long day on the trail.