Restaurants in Traverse City
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Best Restaurants
“I grew up in this town but left in 1985. I’ve lived in California since and have eaten at a lot of great restaurants including the Laundry, Chez Panisse, Slanted Door and Mr Chows to name a few. This without a doubt rank's right there. I honestly never thought I’d have a decent thing to eat in this town other than bar food but now I know exactly where it is. If you’re hungry for something exceptional look no further. I have never liked mushrooms, but the mushroom toast was my favorite dish. I can’t believe I’m saying it. Thank you Jen and to the staff for a great evening Looking forward to going back.”
“I treated my friends to dinner tonight and the service was just as fabulous as the food. Our server was Kateri (Kat) she took great care of us and also recommended some of the food items on the menu. Everything was delish. We are definitely going back. Thanks Kat for your great hospitality 😁”
“First and foremost, our waitress was April. Y'all, all I can say is, she is one of the most customer minded waitresses I have ever come across. She knew her menu, what was going on in the restaurant as far as customers go, and was very pleasant and not in a fake way. The food was very very good. I had the Chicken Alfredo. Hands down the best I've had. For dessert, it was the Apple Carmel Cheese Cake. OMG sooo good. If you haven't tried the Flying Noodle, I would highly recommend you do.”
Restaurants by Cuisine
“Amazing! Went in to enjoy breakfast with my girls and couldn’t have been more impressed. The food is to die for!! The atmosphere is perfect. The staff is great!. I would highly recommend going in, you WILL NOT be disappointed”
“Red Ginger is the full experience. The staff (Randy is our favorite server), drinks, food and atmosphere are simply put… AMAZING! They keep great records for when we call to make reservations. We always get the table we like. They are on top of allergy sensitive issues and are willing to adjust menu items (when they can) so we have more options. We never feel rushed or like they are trying to push us out for another sitting. This is our favorite restaurant to visit!”
Restaurants with Delivery
“I grew up in this town but left in 1985. I’ve lived in California since and have eaten at a lot of great restaurants including the Laundry, Chez Panisse, Slanted Door and Mr Chows to name a few. This without a doubt rank's right there. I honestly never thought I’d have a decent thing to eat in this town other than bar food but now I know exactly where it is. If you’re hungry for something exceptional look no further. I have never liked mushrooms, but the mushroom toast was my favorite dish. I can’t believe I’m saying it. Thank you Jen and to the staff for a great evening Looking forward to going back.”
“I treated my friends to dinner tonight and the service was just as fabulous as the food. Our server was Kateri (Kat) she took great care of us and also recommended some of the food items on the menu. Everything was delish. We are definitely going back. Thanks Kat for your great hospitality 😁”
“First and foremost, our waitress was April. Y'all, all I can say is, she is one of the most customer minded waitresses I have ever come across. She knew her menu, what was going on in the restaurant as far as customers go, and was very pleasant and not in a fake way. The food was very very good. I had the Chicken Alfredo. Hands down the best I've had. For dessert, it was the Apple Carmel Cheese Cake. OMG sooo good. If you haven't tried the Flying Noodle, I would highly recommend you do.”
“Red Ginger is the full experience. The staff (Randy is our favorite server), drinks, food and atmosphere are simply put… AMAZING! They keep great records for when we call to make reservations. We always get the table we like. They are on top of allergy sensitive issues and are willing to adjust menu items (when they can) so we have more options. We never feel rushed or like they are trying to push us out for another sitting. This is our favorite restaurant to visit!”
“Janelle’s Famous Chili at Folgarelli’s Market & Wine Shop The kidney beans feel like they were raised on a foggy hillside somewhere that requires a ferry and a strong grandmother. The white beans absolutely spent time overseas. They’ve seen markets. They’ve heard arguments in languages we don’t speak. Then the beef shows up like it owns shoreline. This is Old Mission Peninsula cattle energy. These cows had lake views and a seasonal schedule. They were not rushed. They were probably discussed at dinner parties. You can taste a level of calm in this beef that only comes from animals that knew exactly where they stood in the world. Tender, rich, and behaving like they had a wine club membership before becoming chili. The whole pot has depth. There’s balance. There’s confidence. There’s a sense that someone made this and said, “We are not embarrassing ourselves today.” Every bite feels intentional. Nothing in here is freelancing. Nobody showed up unprepared. This is the kind of chili that makes you reconsider other chilis you’ve trusted. You take a bite and suddenly every crockpot at every potluck you’ve ever attended is on notice. It’s hearty without being reckless, bold without yelling, and it fully understands what winter in Northern Michigan does to a human spirit. If this chili were a person, it owns property, has strong boundaries, and brings the good bread without being asked. If it were on the Food Network, one judge would say “layers,” one would say “this has a story,” and another would quietly try to take a container home and deny it later. Final ruling: Janelle didn’t just make chili. These beans didn’t just get invited. They were vetted. Then she introduced them to extremely well-raised local beef and let them form a coalition. The result is comfort with a résumé. If you’re at Folgarelli’s and you see this chili, you get it immediately. Some foods are lunch. Some foods are dinner. This one is infrastructure.”
Online Reservation Available
“Mama Lu's catered our wedding with their starters, sides, and taco bar, and it was a huge success! They were easy to work with from the start, and we were able to customize and choose the taco bar and offerings to fit the needs of our guests! 10 out of 10 stars! ❤️🎉 Thank you!”
“This is our favorite restaurant in Traverse City. I’ve dined here many times times over the past several years and have been impressed each and every time. The food is always above expectations and on every visit there is something new to try. The atmosphere is cozy and never rushed. From the gracious owner, to the exceptional servers and the amazing bartender (she really is the best) they always make you feel like family. If you haven’t been there you are missing out on a wonderful dining experience.”
“We didnt have food there....yet. Beer was minimal BUT every selection was top notch! In my opinion Jollly Pumpkin has the best sour beer until we tried this place! Great people watching spot downtown! Overall great spot and great beer to just relax. 100% recommend this place!!”
“Best hibachi place in tc I always come here on special occasions and the food is always amazing with energetic chefs and attentive wait staff. The soup and salad are always excellent and I had the steak and chicken for main course which was very good. Overall great experience”
“We absolutely loved our tour with Jess yesterday! She is extremely knowledgeable about the history and process at 2 Lads. Her enthusiasm and zest for life show through. We loved learning about wine and it was so fun to hear her process for selecting the yummy cheeses and snacks that highlight the wines. We’ll be looking forward to wine club pickups and future visits to this spectacular location and an operation that is clearly doing things right. Thank you!”
“A MUST stop. We had an absolutely amazing time here with views of both bays! The wine was honestly some of the best wine we tasted on the Leelanau and or Old Mission Peninsula across the board from whites to red. A truly incredible experience and a must stop. Their manager Corbin was experienced, knowledgeable and incredibly helpful.”
“This is our favorite restaurant in Traverse City. I’ve dined here many times times over the past several years and have been impressed each and every time. The food is always above expectations and on every visit there is something new to try. The atmosphere is cozy and never rushed. From the gracious owner, to the exceptional servers and the amazing bartender (she really is the best) they always make you feel like family. If you haven’t been there you are missing out on a wonderful dining experience.”
“Delicious calamari !! The best I have ever had ! Great service provided Comfortable chairs and atmosphere we love the fires burning outside on the patio Nice date night dinner with my husband”
Takeout Restaurants
“I guess I could call this a happy accident, but unfortunately, I can never deliberately try a burger there again. Well I must be gluten-free. I ordered a burger without a bun. I was halfway through it when the server realized that there is wheat in the seasoning used in the burger. Thankfully, I was able to get medication and mitigate the damage. For me it can be quite severe. For someone with celiac disease it could also be severe. So it’s important to know that this restaurant is neither celiac or gluten-free friendly. However, the happy accident is that I discovered the burger taste fantastic. Not sure what to do with that now, lol as I can’t go back and get another one.”
“Janelle’s Famous Chili at Folgarelli’s Market & Wine Shop The kidney beans feel like they were raised on a foggy hillside somewhere that requires a ferry and a strong grandmother. The white beans absolutely spent time overseas. They’ve seen markets. They’ve heard arguments in languages we don’t speak. Then the beef shows up like it owns shoreline. This is Old Mission Peninsula cattle energy. These cows had lake views and a seasonal schedule. They were not rushed. They were probably discussed at dinner parties. You can taste a level of calm in this beef that only comes from animals that knew exactly where they stood in the world. Tender, rich, and behaving like they had a wine club membership before becoming chili. The whole pot has depth. There’s balance. There’s confidence. There’s a sense that someone made this and said, “We are not embarrassing ourselves today.” Every bite feels intentional. Nothing in here is freelancing. Nobody showed up unprepared. This is the kind of chili that makes you reconsider other chilis you’ve trusted. You take a bite and suddenly every crockpot at every potluck you’ve ever attended is on notice. It’s hearty without being reckless, bold without yelling, and it fully understands what winter in Northern Michigan does to a human spirit. If this chili were a person, it owns property, has strong boundaries, and brings the good bread without being asked. If it were on the Food Network, one judge would say “layers,” one would say “this has a story,” and another would quietly try to take a container home and deny it later. Final ruling: Janelle didn’t just make chili. These beans didn’t just get invited. They were vetted. Then she introduced them to extremely well-raised local beef and let them form a coalition. The result is comfort with a résumé. If you’re at Folgarelli’s and you see this chili, you get it immediately. Some foods are lunch. Some foods are dinner. This one is infrastructure.”
“This place was great! The bloody mary was delicious. We had the spinach dip with pita chips and tortilla chips. Tasted great. The wedge salad was so good. My husband had the chicken tenders and waffle fries which he thought were delicious. The wait staff were so friendly too. We will definitely be back!”
“OMG… SOOOOO GOOD! We called ahead to see how busy it was and Stephanie was delightful on the phone. When we came in Stephanie’s warmth, charm and friendliness met us at the door! She chatted with us about the restaurant and how it’s a product of her and her husband’s love for food. Everything is sourced from specific farmers so they know where all their ingredients are coming from! 💗 Our sever Vynessa 😊 was AMAZING, took great care of us, gave recommendations, chatted with us and poured love into her service! The food…. Holy smokes, it was so effing good! We had risotto, the flavors and textures just complemented each other perfectly, the best risotto I’ve ever had. The quiche was just as good and had great ingredients of rapini, sweet potato, broccoli, carmalized onions and more! We also had roasted potatoes and bacon sausage. We grabbed a scone and cinnamon roll to go, haven’t tried them at the time of posting this review. Please go here, support small, support local and have some of the best food of your life! P.S. it was so good, we went back the next day and it was just as wonderful! 💗”
“This place was great! The bloody mary was delicious. We had the spinach dip with pita chips and tortilla chips. Tasted great. The wedge salad was so good. My husband had the chicken tenders and waffle fries which he thought were delicious. The wait staff were so friendly too. We will definitely be back!”
“Loved this tour! Highly recommend doing this with your friends!”
“OMG… SOOOOO GOOD! We called ahead to see how busy it was and Stephanie was delightful on the phone. When we came in Stephanie’s warmth, charm and friendliness met us at the door! She chatted with us about the restaurant and how it’s a product of her and her husband’s love for food. Everything is sourced from specific farmers so they know where all their ingredients are coming from! 💗 Our sever Vynessa 😊 was AMAZING, took great care of us, gave recommendations, chatted with us and poured love into her service! The food…. Holy smokes, it was so effing good! We had risotto, the flavors and textures just complemented each other perfectly, the best risotto I’ve ever had. The quiche was just as good and had great ingredients of rapini, sweet potato, broccoli, carmalized onions and more! We also had roasted potatoes and bacon sausage. We grabbed a scone and cinnamon roll to go, haven’t tried them at the time of posting this review. Please go here, support small, support local and have some of the best food of your life! P.S. it was so good, we went back the next day and it was just as wonderful! 💗”
Drive-Thru Restaurants
“My new favorite go-to for a healthy yet flavorful meal! I’ve gotten three generations of my family craving this works of delicious art. I even tell strangers about this establishment. The Target courier told me I should become a spokesperson for Playa in TC as I was stressing to him that he needed to take his mom there when she came to town for a visit. Huge selection, great staff, friendly service and the order ahead option is very convenient.”
“Visiting from out of state and loved it! We went for the atmosphere, but the food ended up being really tasty. Sometimes “diner” food can be a bit bland when restaurants cut corners, but Randy’s was flavorful with big portions. The bacon wasn’t too thin, the potatoes were fried just right, and the eggs were golden yellow.”
“Fun, friendly and energetic staff. they make you excited to get your coffee/Energizer. My daughter was struggling to decide what she wanted and the person taking our order asked her probing questions (like what's your favorite candy, lemonade flavor, lollipop flavor) to help her decide what to get! Definitely recommend!”
“I wish I had found this place sooner. The rice and pork dish, (#16) i believe, is unbelievable. I always get the pork eggrolls as a starter. Good portions, always fresh, and very friendly staff. Great atmosphere and one of my new favorites in TC. I need to try more items but the soups are delicious too. Great, now I’m hungry…try it out if you haven’t been!”
“We absolutely loved working with Kim Norton at Water’s Edge Sweet Tooth for our wedding! Our wedding cake was beautiful, delicious, and exactly what we had envisioned.
Kim brought our design to life perfectly, including one of our favorite personal details: our two cats as little statues incorporated into the cake with little “dig out” spots where it looked like they had snuck tiny bites. It was adorable, unique, and made the cake feel so personal to us.
The cake itself was absolutely delicious. We had so many guests compliment it during and after the wedding, and several people even texted us afterward specifically to tell us how good it was!
Everything was also handled so smoothly. The cake was delivered on time, looked gorgeous when we arrived, and matched our vision beautifully.
Kim is incredibly talented, and we are so grateful for the care and attention she put into our wedding cake. It was such a fun and memorable part of our day, and we would absolutely recommend Water’s Edge Sweet Tooth! 🤍”
“I went to Farm Club while on a ski trip with my friends and we just loved this place! It has an amazing atmosphere and wonderful food and drink options.”
“My husband and I both enjoy Indian food. This is hands down the BEST Indian food we’ve ever had! I had Daal Tadka and my husband had Daal Madkani. We also shared garlic naan. The ambience is modern with of course an Indian vibe. The aromas walking in were very enticing yet not over powering. They have a large variety of food. Plenty of vegetarian options which I was pleased with. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Service was timely yet not constantly interrupting. The chef brings the food to your table which was a lovely touch. I’m addition to the food being delicious, it’s very generous portions. We both had plenty left over to take home. Highly recommend this gem when you’re in Traverse City. We will likely visit it again before we head home next week!”
Cheap Eats
“Frequently order for my GF family in Virginia. Shipping is pain free and this last order they are still raving about the best bagels they have ever had and the little snack cakes were a huge hit. Love that I don't have to worry about cross contamination for my celiac family member.”
“Staff is ALWAYS friendly and helpful. Lots of variety in food and drinks, which doesn’t even include that GIGANTIC selection of alcohol and freshly made foods throughout the day. Aways a delight to stop in and just see what’s available and grab a quick slice (or two) of pizza and a pop. Highly recommend!!!”
“Delicious food, meticulously crafted coffee, friendly and accommodating staff. I’m one of those “needy coffee people” and I know I can count on a great cappuccino every time. The space is clean and bright and welcoming. I’ve spent more than one afternoon working with my laptop there and it is a comfortable, welcoming environment.”
“Really loved our visit here - wines were fantastic and we especially loved Block 65 named for their football playing brother who passed away. Such a friendly place especially Ed, one of the family members. Thanks for being so warm and welcoming. We loved the oysters, poke and pizza in addition to the views and solar panels. Well worth a visit. We brought wine home and can’t wait to share it. So class to downtown TC and well worth a relaxing visit.”
“You step foot into Blessed Be Tea and you can feel the love that has went into this cute little shop. Allie’s handcrafted teas are amazing, she has all the herbs for your apothecary needs and sooo many local vendors and artwork. Such a gem and I always enjoy coming here! 100% recommend ❤️”
“We were at the concert at the grounds but, Elvis was canceled due to the smoke. We didn't know, but we came here for drinks and, relax with the dogs. Had a great new water. Thanks!!!”
“The employees were friendly and helpful. Loved the vibe of this place. I didn’t have a beer, but was told it was good. Pizza was ok but pricey. A bit loud but understandable with all the pinball machines.”
“Best hibachi place in tc I always come here on special occasions and the food is always amazing with energetic chefs and attentive wait staff. The soup and salad are always excellent and I had the steak and chicken for main course which was very good. Overall great experience”
“We absolutely loved our tour with Jess yesterday! She is extremely knowledgeable about the history and process at 2 Lads. Her enthusiasm and zest for life show through. We loved learning about wine and it was so fun to hear her process for selecting the yummy cheeses and snacks that highlight the wines. We’ll be looking forward to wine club pickups and future visits to this spectacular location and an operation that is clearly doing things right. Thank you!”
“A MUST stop. We had an absolutely amazing time here with views of both bays! The wine was honestly some of the best wine we tasted on the Leelanau and or Old Mission Peninsula across the board from whites to red. A truly incredible experience and a must stop. Their manager Corbin was experienced, knowledgeable and incredibly helpful.”
Latest Reviews
“They take pride in their product. Their dough is made fresh daily. Awesome Grinders.and pizza 🍕 can't go wrong with whatever you order.”
“I grew up in this town but left in 1985. I’ve lived in California since and have eaten at a lot of great restaurants including the Laundry, Chez Panisse, Slanted Door and Mr Chows to name a few. This without a doubt rank's right there. I honestly never thought I’d have a decent thing to eat in this town other than bar food but now I know exactly where it is. If you’re hungry for something exceptional look no further. I have never liked mushrooms, but the mushroom toast was my favorite dish. I can’t believe I’m saying it. Thank you Jen and to the staff for a great evening Looking forward to going back.”
“I treated my friends to dinner tonight and the service was just as fabulous as the food. Our server was Kateri (Kat) she took great care of us and also recommended some of the food items on the menu. Everything was delish. We are definitely going back. Thanks Kat for your great hospitality 😁”
“I was disappointed today when dining at Reflect Bistro for our 49th anniversary. We made a reservation and mentioned our anniversary. The person taking the reservation said he would note about the anniversary. We ordered an appetizer, I had a salad & the Pepperdelle, husband had seafood pot pie. The calamari appetizer was totally different than when we ordered it in the past. It had a spicy sauce drizzled all over it and a pile of arugula on top. The salad was good, but probably 1/2 the size it used to be & not enough dressing. Couldn’t get the server’s attention to ask for more dressing. The pot pie was1/2 the size it used to be, had just a small triangular piece of crust on top of a soup of gravy, peas & corn with 2 scallops, 2 shrimp & a small piece of lobster. The price was $5 more than last time. So you get the picture, 1/2 size of previous portion, fillers of greens to make it look larger & Increased prices. My Pepperdelle had fresh spinach leaves piled on one side of the bowl, the bowl was about 1/2 the size it used to be & the seafood in it was much less than before & the price was raised. Unfortunately we will be writing this restaurant off of our list of favorites from now on.”
Most Popular Restaurants
“I guess I could call this a happy accident, but unfortunately, I can never deliberately try a burger there again. Well I must be gluten-free. I ordered a burger without a bun. I was halfway through it when the server realized that there is wheat in the seasoning used in the burger. Thankfully, I was able to get medication and mitigate the damage. For me it can be quite severe. For someone with celiac disease it could also be severe. So it’s important to know that this restaurant is neither celiac or gluten-free friendly. However, the happy accident is that I discovered the burger taste fantastic. Not sure what to do with that now, lol as I can’t go back and get another one.”
“On a stormy Monday afternoon, (May 18th), my wife and I were seeking a trendy lunch spot in Traverse City to celebrate our last full day in town and we discovered FireFly. Although the weather was wet and gloomy, our day was instantly brighter when we entered to encounter Leah, our smiley, welcoming, and cheerful waitress. She seated us next to a window, was eager to serve, made great menu recommendations, and was one of the highlights our last day in Traverse City. We would like to give her a huge shout out for making our visit to FireFly memorable.”
“Excellent service. I believe our server was named Anthony S(?) according to the receipt. It was obviously very busy and quite possibly understaffed and he was so so pleasant and several times we talked about how incredible his service was with other customers as well. He was really on it with everyone's requests and even anticipating meeds beforehand. Just truly excellent service. This is the main reason for my review!! The food was awesome, we were so full from the blooming onion and bread that we ended up having quite a few leftovers from our main dishes, yum for later lol. My toddler loved her meal which is a huge accomplishment and my partner and I's meals were so so good as well. Steak was cooked BEAUTIFULLY. We really needed a dinner out as a family and I'm so happy we chose Outback ❤️”
New Restaurants
“My husband and I both enjoy Indian food. This is hands down the BEST Indian food we’ve ever had! I had Daal Tadka and my husband had Daal Madkani. We also shared garlic naan. The ambience is modern with of course an Indian vibe. The aromas walking in were very enticing yet not over powering. They have a large variety of food. Plenty of vegetarian options which I was pleased with. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Service was timely yet not constantly interrupting. The chef brings the food to your table which was a lovely touch. I’m addition to the food being delicious, it’s very generous portions. We both had plenty left over to take home. Highly recommend this gem when you’re in Traverse City. We will likely visit it again before we head home next week!”
“We have many excellent places for pastries and treats around Traverse City, but this is by far my favorite. Their unique and delicious spin on classic patisserie means I am always happy to try something new (ube, yuzu, pandan) and delighted by familiar favorites (Chocolate Chip Crookie is my FAVORITE)! Their attention to detail means everything tastes as spectacular as it looks, and I’m am always happy to chat with them. You can tell the love and passion they have for what they do, because it’s so obvious in their products. Highly, highly recommend!!!”
“Lovely experience: Reservation recommended. We arrived & greeted very warmly by Cindy & put ourselves on the wait list estimated 30/40 mins. We did some shopping in the immediate area with intentions on returning during the approximate window. We achieved that goal just as we were closing the car putting in our recent purchases. Our server Rochelle was wonderful! She knew the menu, quick to answer questions, was on top of refills. The atmosphere is excellent & feels modem and high-end. The food which we ordered came out fresh & was all very good as well. Over all excellent experience & congratulations to Chad & Josh for a successful establishment.”
“Fantastic new microbrewery, serving up interesting, well crafted brews, local ciders and wines. Plenty of NA options too. Staff were friendly, knowledgeable, engaging. Beautiful, well thought out space and branding. Overall, excellent experience. Can’t wait to visit again.”
“Well balanced cocktails with excellent complexity and a lot of variation every time we visit. I love the atmosphere. It's cozy, the bartenders are always so nice and relaxed, and I especially love it when they're playing the videos of walking through cities around the world. It's almost never too loud to talk, even when they have local live music. We've brought plenty of bottles home for the home bar, too. Love every aspect of it.”
“As someone who needs to eat gluten and dairy free I am always on the search for GF/DF places in new cities when I travel. Clean Crumbles is FANTASTIC! I spoke with the owner a bit and we swapped GF stories. I particularly loved the mini pancakes, and she also had carrot cake, which I haven't had in YEARS. It's hard to find both GF and DF under the same roof so I was elated! My tummy always felt great afterwards 💜 what a treat. Comfortable atmosphere, great conversation...definitely stop here if you're in Traverse City!”
“Water Bearer Coffee is a great place work remotely or enjoy a cozy beverage with a friend. The atmosphere is absolutely beautiful and inclusive, making it a welcoming place for everyone. I love the fun decor that adds such a unique and vibrant vibe to the space. The coffee is consistently amazing—definitely the best in town! On top of that, the staff is always so cheery and helpful, making each visit an all-around great experience. Highly recommend!”
“Always delicious and a beautiful building inside and out. Highly recommend for alone time, group of friends or would be a great treat for a work group. Now there’s a restaurant and brewery in the same building, excited to try it all! Kudos to the talented and friendly staff at Seismoto.”
“Food was really good, might be a bit too white for the spicy stuff but hey, it was a good combination of American and Korean corn dogs and ramen. I may have been going through a mental crisis but the matcha was something to attach to and enough to keep me alert driving me and company on our way home.”
“In Traverse City for work & wanted some Mexican food - this place popped up on recommendations & it did not disappoint. The service, food & atmosphere was a 5/5. We ordered the Chicken Chimichanga & Quesabirria & they were phenomenal. The waitress was super sweet and friendly as well. We definitely will be coming here again the next time we’re in the area.”
“These food alchemists put their heart into everything that is served! It was both nourishing and good for the soul! Yummy yummy yummy! Inspiration in my belly! Tc is lucky to have them. Warmest of memories made at their table!”