From Bridge Street Taproom in Charlevoix to Art’s Tavern in Glen Arbor, these local hangouts do comfort food right. Read on as we nosh, guzzle and lounge at cozy Northern Michigan pubs across the snow-covered North.
Bridge Street Taproom
202 Bridge St., Charlevoix // 231.437.3466
Outside, snow whirls over Round Lake but it’s all frothy pints of porter and two-handed pork belly 
sandwiches at The Bridge Street Taproom, Charlevoix’s bustling craft beer and comfort food hangout that pays delicious homage to Michigan craftsmanship. The Taproom’s 32 handles pour forth a bounty of bitter IPAs, imperial pilsners and creamy stouts from every corner of the Mitten, with a constant rotation of rare, small-batch suds. Where there is beer and hard cider so too must there be pub grub, and Bridge Street Taproom pushes a concise and creative spectrum of housemade brew-friendly vittles like smoked brisket nachos, naan bread pizzas and a heroic grilled mac and cheese sandwich with Plath’s bacon, sliced avocado and sriracha aioli. (See the glorious mac sandwich below.)
Clam Lake Beer Company
106 S. Mitchell St., Cadillac // 231.775.6150
After riding Cadillac’s trail network or ripping up the slopes at Caberfae, slide into the Clam Lake Beer Company for a cold craft pint and a brick oven pie with sausage, goat cheese, roasted garlic and wild mushroom pesto.
Art’s Tavern
6487 Western Ave., Glen Arbor // 231.334.3754
Chase out the chill with smoked trout dip and an expertly shaken vodka tipple, or wrap your jaws around an olive burger at this beloved Glen Arbor watering hole.
Tap 30 Pourhouse
422 E. Mitchell St., Petoskey // 231.881.9572
Petoskey’s neo-industrial gastro pub pulls pints from all over the craft brew diaspora and serves juicy burgers, decadent mac-and-cheese (spicy buffalo mac pictured above) and Korean BBQ pulled pork tacos to soak up the booze.
Rare Bird Brew Pub
229 Lake Ave., Traverse City // 231.943.2053
Slap on your best hipster grin and head to TC’s old fruit dock district for fusionistic Northern Michigan pub fare like jumbo chicken wings with a Thai coconut lime dry rub, pecorino-dusted frites and curry chicken sandwiches with spicy honey. Wash ’em down with tasty proprietary brews like the Still the Dude IPA.