Mackinac Island & the UP of Michigan?

I'll be heading up to Mackinac Island and the UP next month, and I'm wondering what the "must try" food/restaurants are? I know the UP is famous/infamous for its pasties so I'll give them a shot. Apparently fried whitefish is even more popular there than it is here.

I won't be staying at The Grand, and my friend is on a budget so I don't expect to dine there.

We'll be driving from the Detroit area to St Ignace and staying overnight in Mackinac City before taking the ferry over.

Any recommendations?

[Robin Garr]

Apparently fried whitefish is even more popular there than it is here.

Are you sure they aren't talking about smoked whitefish, Terri? It's been years since my last UP visit, but I definitely remember getting pasties at roadside stands, and getting smoked whitefish, which are sort of like smoked salmon but still on the fish ... you can pick off pieces with a fork or, if you wish, by nibbling on it like a sparerib.

Are you sure they aren't talking about smoked whitefish, Terri? It's been years since my last UP visit, but I definitely remember getting pasties at roadside stands, and getting smoked whitefish, which are sort of like smoked salmon but still on the fish ... you can pick off pieces with a fork or, if you wish, by nibbling on it like a sparerib.

From what little info I can dredge up on the 'net, there's apparently plenty of fried whitefish to go around up there. My friend who lives in Michigan vouches for that, and it disgusts her because she hates fish.

I love to find little places off the beaten path. My friend is pretty much stuck on meat & potatoes, while I'm much more adventurous. Leaving DTW, we always wind up at Tim Horton's (which doesn't impress me much).

She wants to take me to a German restaurant too, but she says to feed 4 people, it's out of their price range. Surely some of the German places have a lunch menu? I wouldn't mind trying it.

I've already put my foot down and insisted on NO chains unless they are specific to Michigan. They want to take me to Applebee's. **sigh**

Fudge.

I see pastys,fudge and whitefish(plenty of fried up there in addition to smoked) have all been covered. When you go across the big bridge,what part of the UP are you going to? If you can make it,Id suggest a trip up to the copper country of the UP,the Keweenaw peninsula. Its the little bit that sticks into Lake Superior at the west end of the UP. We consider it to be one of the most beautiful spots in the UP.
This site is interesting http://www.pasty.com/cam/ The Pasty Cam covers alot of the UP but with a focus on the Keweenaw. You also order online Pastys from them. They are quite good and the proceeds go to helping support seniors in nursing homes there.

Fudge is a given, although I have to avoid the dreaded chocolate coma if I want to actually SEE Mackinac Island.

My friend is planning the car trip to/from the Island, and so far she has only mentioned St. Ignace so I'm not sure how much further afield we will be going. There's a rock or something she says I need to see.

I see this thread is going on six years old but I thought I'd try to revive it.

Does anyone have any (current) recommendations for Mackinaw City and/or Mackinac Island? Kid-friendly, vegetarian and/or beer-centric suggestions especially welcome. Activity ideas for the area would be great too.

[Robin Garr]

Eve, it's been even longer now since my last visit to the UP - job-related work with poverty programs, which also might not be relevant.

Between Cornish pasties and smoked whitefish, though, I'm not sure anything consciously directed at vegeterians is going to be likely. Fresh veggies and fruit and bread, sure. But you know the drill.

It's beautiful in a very different way, though, and the fudge at Mackinac is probably meat=free.