Eat and drink en plein air at these fine Northern Michigan restaurants with outdoor dining.


The Franklin

160 East Front Street | Traverse City | 231.943.2727

The Franklin’s Charcuterie Master, James Westbrook, makes a mean board pairing pork with various cheeses, in-house mixed berry jam, fruit-based moustarda, baguettes, parsley caper shallot salad, and a pickled medley of onions and radishes. Order this on the outdoor deck.

Mission Table

13512 Peninsula Drive | Traverse City | 231.223.4222

Keep the summer spirit alive with this light, breezy strawberry rhubarb mojito recipe, and try Chef Paul Olson’s fresh, farm-to-table fare such as seared lake trout and peach crisp with vanilla bean ice cream.

Bella Fortuna North

104 West Main Street |  Lake Leelanau | 231.994.2400

Sardinian-born Chef Mario Deruda is known for the fresh pasta he makes at Bella Fortuna. Here’s his recipe for ricotta and spinach ravioli with sage and butter sauce. Try his Italian-inspired dishes on their award-winning landscaped terrace.

The Garage

108 South Waukazoo | Northport | 231.386.5511

Northport is on the rebound with the help of new businesses like The Garage, a kicked-back pub with a menu built around house-smoked pork.

The Landing

10231 Ferry Road | Charlevoix | 231.547.9036

See the new renovations at Charlevoix’s beloved dockside dining destination which reopened in May after being closed for over a year and a half.

The Pier

102 East Bay Street | Harbor Springs | 231.526.6201

Northern Michigan foodie Maureen Abood, known for her award-winning food blog Rose Water and Orange Blossoms, orders this cocktail at the Pier’s dockside patio. Hint: It’s made with Kahlua and ice cream!

West End Tavern 

12719 South West Bay Shore Drive | Traverse City | 231.943.2922

West End Tavern is one of Traverse City’s newest outdoor dining options. Here, Chef Andrew Viren and his crew are kicking out rustic tavern fare with bright Mediterranean flavors like wood-grilled chicken wings with creamy garlic sauce and flintstone-style tomahawk steaks. Chef Andrew shared a few tips with us for simple outdoor cooking.

Eat your way through the North with MyNorth’s restaurant guide.


More Northern Michigan Restaurants

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Photo(s) by Todd Zawistowski