If you haven’t done the Circle Tour around Lake Superior, it’s definitely one for the ‘bucket list’. While this trip is best done in summer, both spring and fall offer amazing changes in foliage and scenery. We went in early June, taking advantage of what was still springtime in Ontario. Breaking the drive into 2-3 hour segments will allow you to spend more time enjoying the beautiful Provincial parks in Canada, as well as spend an evening or two exploring the small towns and communities to enjoy the local cuisine. The entire trip would take about 7-10 days this way, depending upon how many places you’d like to stay.
A food adventure around Superior will most certainly involve many renditions of the native whitefish, and another very Canadian classic dish-poutine. Poutine is a decadent, heart stopping (in more ways than one) dish comprised of French fries topped with cheese curds and melted under a thick gravy. Seen on menus across the continent, I was determined to experience the origins of this dish and see its many iterations as we set out on our food journey around what the Ojibwe called Gitche Gamme.
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
From Northern Wisconsin, our trip took us counter-clockwise around the lake through the upper peninsula of Michigan, or the “U.P.”. Driving through Marquette, Michigan, this city is set into the hillside, hugging Lake Superior in a harbor for iron ore ships. It is flanked by the scenic point of Presque Isles Park; whose rocky cliffs and shorelines offers one of a kind views of Lake Superior. Marquette is the largest city in Northern Michigan, and boasts many upscale restaurants.
For breakfast in Marquette check out Donckers, in the heart of historic downtown on Washington Street. Downstairs is a candy store and old-fashioned soda fountain, and upstairs is the restaurant. Donkers serves breakfast and lunch using both local and all-natural ingredients. Breakfast features omelets, scrambles, pancakes and waffles, and a vigorous selection of breakfast sandwiches.
Taking Hwy 41 east out of town and joining Hwy 28 east you will follow the shoreline to the picturesque town of Munising, MI. This town is nestled amidst the rolling hills and sits on the very tip of Munising Bay. The view driving into town from the west is magnificent, with views overlooking the bay, and the town sitting at the edge with a backdrop of pine. From here there are excursions to the famous Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
In town there is a little Mexican spot called Taco Primo that serves the standard Mexican fare with a slight northern twist. Taco Primo offers a unique Upper Peninsula take on fish tacos, using Fresh Lake Superior Whitefish. A must-have! Tortilla chips are fresh fried, and accompany the meal. You can also try the frybread taco, the native American version of the Mexican taco from this region.
Smoked Fish
One of my absolute favorites is smoked fish. I could seriously live off of smoked fish, cheese and bread. Seriously…for a long time. If your experience with smoked fish is from the cellophane wrapped commercial varieties in the grocery case, you are in for a major treat. The smoked fish found in these small village smoke shacks along Superior is caught and cured the same day it comes off the boat. The meat of the whitefish is delicate, sweet, slightly oily, and its flavors enhanced by the essence of the hardwoods of the area. Before you leave Munising, make a stop at one of these amazing smoked fish places along the shoreline.
Just off Hwy 28 west of town is Cap’n Ron’s Smoked Fish. We bought 2 smoked whitefish which we wrapped and put on ice in the cooler to eat for picnics along the lake. We had planned ahead for this, and brought plastic forks and a sharp knife for cutting and peeling off the outer skin. These 2 fish, along with a loaf of fresh French bread, some cheeses and fruit provided several days of roadside lunches at scenic overlooks and shoreline picnics. Kept on fresh ice it keeps well in the cooler.
Ontario Food Finds
It is a 2 hour drive to Sault St. Marie, where the bridge crosses over into Ontario. The Trans Canada Hwy heads north along the lake, with bays and inlets jutting into the shoreline making the views spectacular. Along the highway near Batchawana Bay is the Chippewa River Restaurant and Store. This is a cozy and convenient roadside stop serving breakfast, hamburgers, sandwiches and local fare to the truckers, bikers, and road trippers like us. The lady who runs it is fond of pigs, with a collection of pig memorabilia filling the window ledges and dining area. It’s a friendly and homey atmosphere where locals stop to chat. The pie here is outrageous. Homemade, it stands a towering 3 inches tall. We had the blueberry and the rhubarb, and it was more than we could finish so we took the rest to go.
The Chippewa River Falls is directly across the road from the restaurant, with walking trails and falls that can be seen from the road.
Another road side stop on the Trans Canada Highway along the Batchawana Bay is the Voyageurs General Store. With lodging, cookhouse, general store and gas station, a highlight is the fryhouse which features homemade apple fritters.
Following the Trans Canadian Highway around over the top of the lake and now heading west is a small town called Schreiber, ON. Just outside of town across from Rongie Lake is the Hungry Moose. The restaurant is an unassuming roadside stop with bare floors, a counter, and long café tables where the working men from town gather for coffee and breakfast before heading off to make a Canada dime. But don’t let the slow pace and casual atmosphere color your idea of what the food will be like. The Hungry Moose boasts a menu filled with all the Canadian favorites, like pea bacon, Friday fish fry and Canadian Fries (poutine!).
We pulled in around 9:30AM for breakfast, and were greeted by the long table of locals as we found a quiet inconspicuous spot near the back. Chris, the bearded owner came out to pour coffee and give us menus. After ordering the breakfast poutine (!) and the French toast, he disappeared into the kitchen for what seemed like forever, leaving the guests to help themselves to the coffee pot while chatting about the great run the Raptors were having. And then our breakfast appeared….
It is everything you could possibly want in a breakfast and then some. As we left we were cautiously warned to “watch out for the moose.”
Several miles west in the township of Rossport and overlooking Lake Superior’s Rossport Bay sits the Serendipity Gardens Cafe. This is a cozy whimsical restaurant with an outdoor patio and garden setting. The menu varies with seasonal dishes and local specialties, and offers an elegant meal in a beautiful setting with large windows overlooking both the garden and the Bay. We enjoyed the fried Canadian Walleye, and a chocolate raspberry cake that was divine.
Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay is two hours from Rossport, ON, and is the largest Canadian city on the lake west of Sault St. Marie. The Prince Arthur Landing area near the harbor downtown has many exciting restaurants, including Bight. Bight works with local Canadian farms to provide a seasonally inspired menu, along with many brewpub favorites including the locally based Sleeping Giant Brewing Company. Its beautiful space of floor to ceiling windows overlooks the harbor and in summer is convenient to boaters coming in and out of the marina. It is both casual and elegant, and with the amazing menu options we ended up eating there both nights we stayed in Thunder Bay.
Poutine!
Bight’s version of poutine with added bacon and sour cream. Oh my…
Another favorite spot to try is Hoito, a Finnish restaurant in Thunder Bay that has a long history in this area. Hoito was started in the early 1900’s to serve the Finnish labors in the area, and is now a National Historical Site. The menu is homestyle Finnish cooking serving breakfast and lunch favorites, such as Finnish pancakes, sausage, pickled herring. The Finnish Pancakes are a must!
And, if you still haven’t gotten enough Finnish pancakes, or are looking for more great Finnish and homestyle cooking, there is Niva’s. This is a place often left off the attractions list for Thunder Bay, but it’s where all the locals go to linger over coffee and chat with the very friendly wait staff. The food is reasonably priced and well prepared.
Minnesota North Shore
Not far over the border, and just an hour and a half from Thunder Bay on Hwy 61 is another historical fixture which has been part of Minnesota’s great past. It is the Naniboujou Lodge and Restaurant on Lake Superior. If the brightly painted vaulted ceilings and walls in Cree Indian designs, or the largest stone fireplace in Minnesota is not enough of a reason to come, the highly acclaimed specialties of the dining room are. Local favorites like cranberry pork tenderloin, pan fried walleye and wild rice dishes grace the dinner menu. But breakfast here also is special. The Naniboujou omelet with ham and wild rice, or the Northwoods breakfast with eggs and wild rice blueberry sausage are just a couple of the many specialties on the menu. But one simply cannot leave without trying Nancy’s homemade cinnamon roll. It’s gooey, buttery, covered in thick frosting and ridiculously huge. One for the table will suffice…and a to-go box for the next day’s breakfast! Seriously it is pretty amazing.
Ashland Baking Company
In the city of Ashland, WI, about an hour and a half drive from Duluth, MN is another great stop; The Ashland Baking Company. Open seven days a week, you will find fresh baked breads and pastries, with daily bread specials like Kalamata Olive Sourdough, and Finnish Rye. You can enjoy their breads at a number of café’s and co-ops around northern Wisconsin and Duluth. Passing through Ashland is the time to stop and purchase one of their fresh baked loaves or a pastry to enjoy on your picnic lunch on Lake Superior.
The Lake Superior Circle Tour is a road trip to remember. The stunning beauty of this magnificent lake, with its ancient volcanic rock formations, pebble beaches, and Rocky Mountain pines is awe inspiring. Make it a ‘fuutii’ adventure by taking in the local cuisine and experiencing the gifts of the lake and the people who bring us all these wonderful foods.