More than 12,000 people voted in MyNorth’s 2020 Red Hot Best competition, and if you were one of them, you saw we’ve changed it up. After more than a decade of sharing the winners in each category for Northern Michigan as a whole, we decided to dig into 11 different regions and discover the best in each unique area. So, without further ado, here are voters’ picks for best businesses, people and places in Marquette.
Want to see the winners from other regions, too? Click here for Above the Bridge, Cadillac, Charlevoix, Gaylord & Grayling, Leelanau, Ludington, Mackinac Island, Manistee & Benzie, Petoskey & Harbor and Traverse City.
Bank or Financial Institution (Branch)
1. First Bank, Upper Michigan, Marquette
Company motto since 1916: “Modern banking methods in which the public is given the benefits of all accommodations in which safety and conservative management will permit.” ‘Nuff said.
2. Range Bank, Marquette
3. mBank, Marquette
Bar to Hear Live Music
1. Ore Dock Brewing Company, Marquette
The region’s top bands accompanied by great beer and a relaxed, industrial-hip vibe.
2. Blackrocks Brewery, Marquette
3. Superior Culture, Marquette
Beach
1. Little Presque Isle Beach, Marquette
A bona fide UP wilderness and water getaway just a short jaunt from Marquette. Jump off the Black Rocks here.
2. Picnic Rocks Beach, Marquette
3. McCarty’s Cove, Marquette
Bloody Mary
1. Stuckos’s Pub and Grill, Marquette
He said he had the best bloody Mary mix. She said hers was best. So they mixed their recipes and voila! Pssst, the secret’s in the marinade.
2. Northland Pub, Marquette
3. Iron Bay Restaurant & Drinkery, Marquette
Breakfast Spot
1. Donckers, Marquette
Great Marquette mornings start here: in an old-timey building with views of downtown Marquette and a creative menu that doesn’t disappoint on the old standby’s.
2. Cafe Bodega, Marquette
3. Third Street Bagel, Marquette
Brewery (Must Brew Own Beer)
1. Blackrocks Brewery, Marquette
Marquette’s outdoor sports/craft brew culture started right here, folks!
2. Ore Dock Brewing Company, Marquette
3. Superior Culture, Marquette
Chicken Wings (Place)
1. DIGS Gastropub, Marquette
Wet wings? (Honey BBQ, Soda Pop, BBQ, Diablos Alas …) Dry rub (Jamaican, Korean, vindaloo curry, Parmesan garlic …) Boneless? Bone-in? DIG those wings!
2. Vango’s Pizza & Cocktail Lounge, Marquette
3. Lagniappe Cajun Creole Eatery, Marquette
Conservancy Preserve
1. Echo Lake Nature Preserve, Marquette
Twenty-acre Echo Lake is surrounded by exposed bedrock cliffs and more bedrock cliffs—gorgeous.
2. Vielmetti-Peters Conservation Reserve, Marquette
Favorite Nonprofit (In Region)
1. Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy, Marquette
Preserving 6,000 (and counting) precious acres of the UP wilderness and shorelines. Bless them!
2. Mining Action Group (Formerly Save the Wild U.P), Marquette
3. 906 Adventure Team, Marquette
Fish Fry
1. The Vierling Restaurant, Marquette
Friday nights, beer-batter up on whitefish or cod served in this cozy, long-time Marquette establishment with its backdoor view of the UP waterfront.
2. Portside Inn, Marquette
3. Vango’s Pizza & Cocktail Lounge, Marquette
Fishing Charter Company
1. Daybreak Charters, Marquette
A trip to the Stannard Rock reef 50-miles out in Lake Superior turns your charter into an adventure.
2. Hooked UP Charters, Marquette
3. Rivers North Fly Fishing Guide Service, Marquette
Gallery to Buy and Browse Local Art
1. Zero Degrees Artist Gallery, Marquette
Among the treasures of this gallery are discovering how the 40 regional artists here—both craft and fine—invoke Lake Superior into their work.
2. LakeSuperiorPhoto, Marquette
3. The Studio Gallery, Marquette
Happy Hour
1. Superior Culture, Marquette
Wrap up your workweek here with a kombucha-craft beer mashup.
2. The Dry Dock Bar & Grill, Marquette
3. The Delft Bistro, Marquette
Hotel, Inn or Resort
1. Landmark Inn, Marquette
Do as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Amelia Earhart and the Rolling Stones did: When in Marquette, stay at the downtown and historic Landmark Inn.
2. Rippling River Resort, Marquette
3. Seacoast Resort, Marquette
Cliff diving at Black Rocks
Ice Cream Shop
1. Donckers, Marquette
If you can pull yourself away from their dreamy homemade chocolates, get yourself a cone full of hand-scooped yum.
2. Yoop Phoria, Marquette
3. Frosty Treats, Marquette
Interior Furnishings
1. Interiors By Design, Marquette
Bringing home style to Marquette from a brand new building just down the road from downtown.
2. Creative Interiors, Furniture & Design, Marquette
Local Insurance Agent
1. Marv DeMilio, State Farm Insurance, Marquette
Marv’s mission: To be true to our policyholders at every turn, to protect them from the outset and to help them when in need.
2. Rod Lizak State Farm Insurance, Marquette
3. Joseph Schetter, Allstate Insurance, Marquette
Mountain Biking Trail
1. Noquemanon North Trails, Marquette
Mountain bike 60 round-trip wilderness miles. Afterward, proceed directly to a Marquette craft brewery.
2. Harlow Lake, Marquette
Outdoor Dining
1. Iron Bay Restaurant & Drinkery, Marquette
This patio is covered so come rain, shine or snow (they’ll give you a blanket!), you’ll enjoy the farm-to-table food, great spirits, waterfront view and downtown buzz.
2. Portside Inn, Marquette
3. Stuckos Pub Grill, Marquette
Outdoor Gear Store
1. Down Wind Sports, Marquette
Call them the Patagonia of the UP—then again, does Patagonia drive up to your door on an environmentally friendly e-bike to drop off the gear you need for your next weekend camping trip?
2. Superior Outfitters, Marquette
3. Sports Rack, Marquette
Outdoor Running Trail
1. Iron Ore Heritage Trail, Marquette
Jog the paved portion in downtown Marquette or lace up your trail runners and hit miles of unpaved natural heaven.
2. Noquemanon Trail Network, Marquette
3. Fit Strip, Marquette
Party Store
1. Phil’s 550 Store, Marquette
#getyourPhil #getnakeddrinkbeer #stayweird #getthepicture?
2. White’s Party Store, Marquette
3. Superior Blue Link Party Store, Marquette
Place to Get Your Annuals and Perennials
1. Nagelkirk Gardens, Marquette
Largest retail garden center in the UP and, we’re pretty sure, the only one with an art gallery in it. Oh yah, they’re certified to install a live roof, too.
2. Rock River Perennial Garden, Marquette
3. Flower Works, Marquette
Place to Take an Instagram Photo
1. Top of Sugarloaf Mountain, Marquette
If you’ve ever wanted to share the cobalt-blue grandeur of our Canadian border, take the short hike up to the viewing platform.
2. The Black Rocks, Marquette
3. Downtown Marquette
Restaurant for a Special Occasion
1. The Vierling Restaurant, Marquette
Cozy atmosphere, intimate service, something for everyone on the menu, great beer and other bevies. You’ll feel special as the occasion.
2. Elizabeth’s Chop House, Marquette
3. Lagniappe Cajun Creole Eatery, Marquette
Sports Gear Rental Company
1. Down Wind Sports, Marquette
Paddleboard? Kayak? Mountain bike? They’ll deliver it right to your door—or port of entry.
2. Sports Rack, Marquette
3. Quick Stop Bike Shop, Marquette
Spot to Bird Watch
1. Presque Isle Park, Marquette
Waterfowl, sandpipers and warblers seeking rest find it on this peninsula that juts out into Lake Superior.
2. Van Riper State Park and Peshekee Grade, Marquette
3. Greenwood Reservoir, Marquette
Summer Festival or Event
1. Hiawatha Music Festival, Marquette
Shining the spotlight on traditional American music and dance for 40 years.
2. Blueberry Festival, Marquette
3. HarborFest, Marquette
Wedding Venue
1. Presque Isle Pavillion & Gazebos, Marquette
Tie the knot in Northwoods splendor at this rustic building set in beautiful Presque Isle Park on Lake Superior.
2. Barrel + Beam, Marquette
3. Lake Superior Theatre, Marquette
Winter Festival or Event
1. U.P. 200, Marquette
Canine and human adrenaline fire up the night when 40 dog-sled teams take off from downtown Marquette for this 238-mile round-trip Iditarod qualifier that traverses the U.P. wilderness.