Traverse City, Michigan: Best Summer Treats

In recent years, Traverse City has exploded onto the culinary scene and has built itself a reputation as a vibrant Foodie destination. Named as one of the Top Five Foodie Towns in the country by Bon Appetite magazine, this northern Michigan gem boasts upscale restaurants, tavern-style eateries, and pop-up food trucks. Trendy bars and restaurants showcase everything from Latin food to Asian fare. But not every food related experience needs to be upscale: check out these top Traverse City treats!

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Traverse City’s Best Summer Treats

Labor of Love from Townline Ciderworks

My go-to adult beverage of the summer? Labor of Love from Townline Ciderworks. Think hard cider without the apples. Instead, Labor of Love is created with fermented Montmorency cherries and has just enough sparkle to it to create the perfect refreshment on a warm summer evening. The health benefits of tart cherries are well-known, so I like to think that drinking Labor of Love is actually good for me! This amazing cherry concoction is only available during July and August, so I make sure I always have a growler in my refrigerator.

The Altonen family has been farming just south of Elk Rapids for over 60 years. The family decided to open Townline Ciderworks to make cider and wine on-site using fruits they grow themselves. Ciders are created from a variety of different apples, and some ciders have strawberries, blueberries and raspberries blended in. Wine lovers can find a Cabernet Franc, a Riesling, a Pino Grigio, a cherry wine and a pear wine. Be sure to check out the Townline Ciderwork web site to see all that they have to offer.

Townline Ciderworks is located at 11595 US 31, about ten miles north of Traverse City. While a bit of a drive, this gem is definitely worth the excursion. Sipping a glass of the unique Labor of Love while enjoying the view of the orchards that produced it is sure to inspire joy.

Brooklyn’s Pepperoni Rolls

In search of the perfect grab and go appetizer? Look no further than Brooklyn’s Pepperoni Rolls. They’re delicious, delightfully simple and are a hand held treat that doesn’t even require a fork. I picked mine up still warm from the oven late on a Monday afternoon. The smell was so tantalizing I didn’t even consider trying to make it home, opting instead to search for nearest picnic table.

It’s the dough that makes the rolls so special: airy, and ever-so-slightly soft. The ingredients are simple: flour, yeast, spring water, olive oil, sea salt and a bit of cane sugar. Eight slices of pepperoni and spices are rolled up inside. Two rolls make the perfect snack or appetizer, and with a salad and dessert could easily become a meal. The next time I order, I will try to make it all of the way home so I can do a little dipping in marina sauce.

What began as a senior high school project for Brooklyn morphed into a home-based business. It wasn’t long before business began to take off and required more space. The family moved their operation moved into the incubator kitchen that formerly housed a Subway sandwich shop. Other businesses share the location, which means there is not a great deal of signage.

Brooklyn’s Pepperoni Rolls can be found in the Oleson’s Food Stores plaza at the corner of Hammond and Three Mile. You can order the rolls hot from the oven or frozen to take home and enjoy at your convenience. The cost is a 2 pack for $5 or a 6 pack for $10. Pick-up orders are available beginning at 110:00 am on Mondays and Tuesdays. Closing time varies depending on pre-orders, so be sure to let Brooklyn’s know your time frame. I found it easy to send them a message on Brooklyns Pepperoni Roll Facebook page, or you can email them at brooklynspr@gmail.com

Pizza Bread From Gallagher’s Farm Market

Another scrumptious treat that only locals know about? Pizza bread from Gallagher’s Farm Market. This incredible, pull-apart bread is brushed with olive oil, kosher salt, poppy seeds, oregano, basil, and garlic. It comes straight out of the oven around noon and just the smell of it gets my mouth watering.

I’ve heard rumors that people use it for sandwich bread, toast it to make bruschetta, dip it in marinara sauce or use it for grilled cheese and BLT’s. I really can’t imagine doing any of these things. My best advice: find the nearest picnic table and eat it warm just as fast as you can. Be sure to have some napkins on hand, as you will definitely encounter that wonderful olive oil. Second best option: carry it home and warm it up in the oven when you are ready to enjoy it. But this bread definitely is best when eaten on the day it is made.

The pizza bread is baked fresh Thursday- Sunday. It’s a hugely popular item, so it’s best to call ahead at 231-947-1689 and reserve a loaf if you know that you want one.

Gallagher’s sells all kinds of fresh produce, including some of the sweetest cherries around and the elusive, hard-to-find saskatoon berry. Their bakery offers pies and pastries, breads in addition to the pizza bread, and delicious fried donuts. There are also home made jams and jellies, local honey and maple syrup, and cherry candies. Kids enjoy looking at the farm animals and running through the corn maze in the fall.

Gallagher’s Farm Market is about 3 miles west of Traverse City, located at 7237 E. Traverse Highway. It’s an easy stop right on the way to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Find more information and check out what produce is available by going to the Gallagher’s Farm Market website.

Roll Model Spring Rolls

New this summer? Roll Model Spring Pop Up from noon until seven on Wednesdays at Left Foot Charley Winery and Tasting Room. Each week features wine or cider pairings from Left foot Charley along with fresh, hand-rolled spring rolls provided by Roll Model.

Roll Model is a husband and wife team based in Benzie County who run a spring roll and rice bowl business. While there is no brick and mortar building at this time, Roll model is expanding to offer their products at farm markets and wineries. They even have a high Rollers Club for those aficionados who want to order spring rolls on a regular basis.

Their colorful spring rolls feature delicate raw veggies wrapped up in a thin rice noodle. The ingredients change each week depending upon the fresh produce that is available from local farms. Ours were filled with golden beets, baby arugula and roasted peanuts: almost too pretty to eat! I thought the accompanying peanut sauce added the perfect touch, while David loved the sweet chili sauce. Everything from Roll Model is vegan and gluten-free.

Check out Left Foot Charley’s website or call 231-995-0500 to make a table reservation for the Wednesday pop-up, or to order spring rolls and a bottled beverage to go.

It’s also possible to pick up orders at the Monday farm market at Grow Benzie. Head to the Roll Model web site no later than Saturday to order your spring rolls, available the following Monday from 2:00 -6:00. Do check the website for more details, as Roll Model adds additional locations where you can acquire these heavenly treats.

Moomers Ice Cream

For local residents of northern Michigan, Moomers Homemade Ice Cream needs no introduction. For over 20 years, Moomers has been dishing up homemade ice cream right from the family dairy farm where the cows provide the milk. There are 20 flavors to choose from each day, rotating between 160 varieties throughout the year. The homemade waffle cones are to die for, but you need to have an appetite built up as the portions are huge. They also offer a flight of 5 different flavors just in case you can’t make up your mind. Moomers also makes ice cream pies and cakes, shakes, malts, sundaes, and a good old-fashioned root beer float.

The day I visited was a sweltering 90 degrees, so I skipped the cone in favor of a chocolate mint shake. I was happy with my choice: it was perfectly refreshing. Full disclosure: I wanted to show a photo of Moomer’s signature cone, so I got this photo from their Facebook page.

While it can’t be counted as a summer treat, locals eagerly anticipate a visit to Moomers in November for the ice cream parlor’s New Flavor Contest. The staff creates 20 new flavors of ice cream for customers to sample and vote on their favorites. Nothing like a flight of fresh ice cream!

Located just five miles from downtown Traverse City the jaunt into the countryside is well worth the trip. While Moomers ice cream can be found in local grocery stores, nothing beats enjoying fresh ice cream while gazing at the cows who made it possible. Check out the Moomers web site for current hours.

Slabtown Cookie Company

Slabtown Cookie Co. continues to create t a variety of scrumptious cookies on a daily basis. Their slogan says it all: “Boring Cookies Are Mean.” The cookies I’ve sampled so far are simply amazing, and just about as far from boring as you can get.

New this year: the renovated Slabtown Cookie Cottage has replaced the former simple cooler under a tent. This charming shed is loaded with delightful treats and able to brave our northern Michigan weather. The Cottage is self-serve and contact-free.

I first set out to find these home baked cookies on a friend’s recommendation. Naturally, I wanted to try every single variety available. The brownies looked incredible and they called to a chocolate lover like me. But there were small samples available of a cookie called Summer Solstice, and after that single taste all thoughts of brownie flew out of my head. Summer Solstice is a key lime shortbread dipped in white chocolate, garnished with pistachios and a dusting of strawberry powder. David and I are both key lime lovers, and we have difficulty finding anything key lime in our area that appeals to us. The key lime products around here are too sweet for our liking. Not so when it comes to Summer Solstice cookies. There is just the right amount of tartness in the divine flavor of key lime. I also bought a few chocolate chip cookies labeled The Chunk, because who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies? These were perfection: a little crispy on the outside, slightly soft on the inside, and a dusting of sea salt to finish it off.

In search of treats for the youngsters in your life? Look no farther than the Poindexter: A Rice Krispie cereal treat dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with Fruity Pebbles. For the more mature family member, indulge in The Kegger: an oversized beer brownie made with Right Brain Brewery’s CEO Stout. It’s slathered in chocolate and topped with fresh peanut butter cups!

Also for sale on my most recent visit were The Sleeping Bear, a mocha cookie with espresso chips, a honey lavender shortbread  known as The OMP (named for Traverse City’s Old Mission Peninsula where the lavender is grown), and Tourist Season Bags: pieces of broken cookies advertised as being the perfect ice cream topping.

Cookies range in price from $3.00 – $6.00. Located at 228 Monroe Street in Traverse City, cookie flavors rotate daily and are available until they sell out. Head to Slabtown Cookie Co’s Facebook page to find the flavors of the day.  Or head to the Slabtown Cookie Co. website to place an order for pick up Tuesday – Saturday. Because boring cookies are mean.

S’More Caboose Pizza from the Filling Station Microbrewery

S’mores and summer naturally go together. I was delighted to discover this summertime treat: a s’more pizza! Made on a thin pizza crust topped with Nutella and graham crumbs, with a generous drizzling of chocolate and caramel, this gooey masterpiece will call to the inner camper in all of us. The S’more Caboose is created by the Filling Station Microbrewery.

A family owned and operated business, The Filling Station is popular for its flatbread pizzas, salads and handcrafted microbrews. The full menu can be viewed at The Filling Station’s web site.

The Filling Station Microbrewery is located just off of the TART Trail in Traverse City’s historic railroad district. The TART Trail, or Traverse Area Recreation & Transportation Trail, is a paved cross-town bike path, and The Filling Station’s convenient location makes it a breeze to stop in for lunch or dinner while out on a bike ride. The pleasant outdoor patio makes it possible to order a meal without ever having to set foot inside, and the kid-friendly atmosphere makes this a popular eatery for families.

Still have a yearning for more delectable desserts around the area? Check out our Day Trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes post to discover where to find the ultimate peanut butter cookie, and a creamy, lemon basil fudgesicle.

Traverse City is the summer is a small piece of paradise. There is an abundance of outdoor activities and cultural event that make this area a highly desirable place to live and to spend a vacation. Whether you are a local or one of our valued visitors, be sure to enjoy some of Traverse’s summertime treats!