If you are like me, eating is a big part of any vacation or get-away. This is especially true in the Bayfield and Apostle Islands area where you spend so much time outdoors enjoying the beautiful lands and the waters Lake Superior and working up an appetite. Whether you’re hiking, kayaking, picking berries, or just walking around town, at the end of the day, you want to relax with a good meal. Here are some great options for dining in the Bayfield area.
If you are in Bayfield and want something casual, good options include:
- The Deck at Bayfield Inn (open-air deck, seasonal) – sit outside overlooking Lake Superior and enjoy a refreshing beverage and maybe a snack or a meal. Most Tuesdays and Thursdays in the summer, enjoy free Concerts by the Lake taking place below the Deck, while you enjoy a meal at the rooftop Deck. It doesn’t get much better than sitting outside enjoying the cool breezes off the lake with your favorite beverage!
- Hoop’s Fish and Chips Dockside – they keep it simple. The owner is a fisherman, and he (and his family) serve up their freshly caught Lake Superior fish (battered and fried–no guilt you are on vacation) with fries and homemade coleslaw. Order your fish and chips and beverage, and when they are ready, find a table and enjoy your meal dockside. Some days / evenings there is live music. This has been an awesome addition to the Bayfield experience!
- Pier Plaza / Pickle Herring Bar – views of Lake Superior with both indoor and outdoor (weather permitting) options. While the menu has typical bar food items (hamburgers and sandwiches), there are good dinner options and wonderful specials. Probably our favorite place to go for a burger and onion rings.
- Manypenny Bistro – has indoor dining and a covered porch. It has a very eclectic menu including hamburgers, gyros, falafels, south-of-the-border options, and pizza, as well as some dinner options including local white fish. We love their pizzas–it is our favorite traditional pizza in the whole area. They even have a cauliflower crust option. Manypenny Bistro offers delivery, a great option if you want to stay in for the night and enjoy our comfortable and relaxing rooms at Pinehurst Inn Bed & Breakfast, perhaps a room with a deck and/or fireplace.
- Starlit Kitchen – great carry-out place to pick up a sandwich, wrap or snack to take with you on your Apostle Islands cruise, sailing trip, or other outdoor adventure. Scratch-made breads and baked goods–oh so good!
- Morty’s Pub – a true local pub with a great atmosphere. Bar food menu, including burgers and sandwiches (we like them with tater tots), soup, a couple of different salads, and fish tacos. Hang out where the locals hang. And they are open late too!
Less casual (although you should know, everything in the area is casual) options in Bayfield include:
- Lakeside Dining at Bayfield Inn – indoor dining overlooking the Lake. Dinner options often include fresh Lake Superior fish, seafood, steak and chop options, salads, and don’t forget the appetizers like their Drunken Mussels. A current favorite is their Seafood Ramen – it’s full of flavor and crave-worthy!
- Portside Restaurant – located on the largest Marina in the area. Dine overlooking the beautiful sailboats and boats. Open only for dinner, Portside has what I would describe as a “supper club” feel. Outdoor dining is available, weather permitting. Reservations encouraged.
- Landmark Restaurant at the Old Rittenhouse Inn – located in a beautiful historic Victorian home, it is known for its 5-course tasting dinner. Reservations are encouraged.
- St. James Social Restaurant – a new restaurant in the area, offering a limited menu that varies often depending on the season. Reservations are encouraged.
Just south of Bayfield is Washburn, Wisconsin, Bayfield County seat. There are several go-to places to each.
- Good Thyme Restaurant – offering an exceptional dining experience from the food to the service. This is our favorite place for celebrations or when our family gets together. While the menu changes seasonally, it has never disappointed. Dinner only. Reservations are strongly recommended.
- Coco’s (Cafe Coco) – offering wonderful freshly baked breads and bakery treats, as well as delicious soups, sandwiches and salads. Coco’s has a number of gluten-free and vegan options that do not disappoint. It’s a very casual place, you order at the counter, and a server will bring your food out to you. One of our favorite lunch places!
- Patsy’s Bar & Grill – a local favorite, with great hamburgers and Friday night fish fry. Great place to watch a baseball or football game.
- Harbor Table – overlooking Washburn’s marina, with both indoor and outdoor dining. Outdoor seating generally has a limited menu. Offering a wide range of cocktails and dinner options. Reservations encouraged.
- Fat Radish Restaurant – menu varies by the season and offers a number of gluten-free and vegetarian options. They pride themselves on the “slow movement” making food to order with a lot of scratch-made items and baked goods. Reservations are encouraged.
- Lyla’s (formerly DaLou’s Bistro) – specializing in wood-fired oven pizzas. Also offering a number of different salads.
Further south is Ashland, the “big city” in our area. It has a number of fast-food options (Culver’s, McDonald’s, Burger King, Litte Caesar’s), a couple of Mexican restaurants, a Chinese Restaurant, several pizza places and bars. If we are in the area (often passing through on our way from Copper Falls State Park in Mellen, our favorite state park in the area), we often will stop at Deep Water Grille in Ashland. It is what we consider high-end bar food. My go-to lunch or dinner there is the Thai Sweet Chili salmon salad. It has the perfect balance of sweet and spicey, full of flavor, and a nice size piece of salmon.
The days and hours vary for all of these restaurants. Some are seasonal or have reduced days and hours in the winter or off-season. It is important to check websites or Facebook for days, hours, and menu options for those places you are interested in.
For breakfast, if you are staying at Pinehurst Inn Bed & Breakfast, you will enjoy a hearty home-made 3-course breakfast each morning to nourish you throughout your day. When you return from your day’s adventure, there are freshly made afternoon treats waiting for you. Make Pinehurst Inn Bed & Breakfast your home away from home while you visit the area and see why it has been named Best of the Best. Check availability.
We hope you enjoy eating your way through the Bayfield and Apostle Islands area!