Some help for Bayfield Wisconsin

I'll be leaving on a weekend getaway to Bayfield in a couple of weeks. All information on dining and food purchasing is appreciated. So far, I've had recommendation for the restaurant Wild Rice. Also, any dining recommendations for lunch, halfway there, would be nice.

Thanks,
Jonah

Bayfield is as beautiful as it gets in the Midwest. I was there 4 maybe 5 years ago and since it is such a small town I remember knowing about pretty much every restaurant before I went from just surfing around. Gruneke's Inn has all the feel of a Northwoods bar/restaurant and they off a traditional Wisconsin fish boil along with the Bayfield specialty, whitefish livers.

If I remember right half of the restaurants were owned by the same group including the egg toss and Maggies up-north. Madeleine island and the casino both had alright food because I don't remember much about it.

Hi Jonah,

My parents live in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and vacation in Bayfield frequently - they absolutely love it. So when I saw this I gave Mom a quick call. She agreed with all the recs so far. She thought this time of year you may actually need a reservation at Wild Rice as it's really popular. They often do lunch at Gruneke's and highly recommend their salads - Mom says "huge & very fresh - your Dad loves the Turkey one." She also highly recommends a spot that opened in 2006 - Ethel's. They visited last year for lunch and this year for dinner. Mom says "they make wonderful pizzas from scratch, have a large, nice bar area, and the hospitality is over-the-top - very nice people."

Post the route you plan to take and we may be able to help you with that "half-way there" stop. If you're going to be on Interstate 78/Hwy 51 - I've recommended this spot on the forum in the Point Brewery tour thread. They are open for lunch and quite good for the area. Christian's Bistro - http://www.christiansbistro.com/

Have a great trip! -Lynn

Ethel's
http://www.ethelsat250.com/

P.S. - Mom says "I'm sorry to say, but I think Whitefish liver season may be over."

It's been a few years, but some while back I hopped in the car and drove up to Bayfield, using it as a base for exploring the hiking and scenery in the region. I was richly rewarded. And I still vividly recall one of the single best fish dinners I ever had in my life. I was staying at the Old Rittenhouse B&B and after a few nights, had settled on a particular steak entree or some such for the coming evening. Of course, as I was perusing the menu, the server told me about the fish that had been caught an hour or two before and was being featured that evening. I have never regretted opting for the special (involving both whitefish and lake trout) that evening. It was out of this world. And I believe that for dinner, at least, the dining room is open to the public. Their website features the dining "experience" there; it may be worth checking out.

Good luck!

Old Rittenhouse Inn
301 Rittenhouse Avenue
715-779-5111

Thanks for all the suggestions. I was in Bayfield many years ago with the kids and we camped on Stockton Island (stunning campsites on Lake Superior for those so inclined). My wife and I are looking forward to an adult only return.

Jonah

For those that may be interested, here's our trip report. Bayfield is a gem on Lake Superior, which I think the great underappreciated (thankfully) natural wonder of the Midwest. I'll stick mainly to dining:

Mid-way lunch: Wausau is a perfect halfway point on the drive and we tried the Back When Cafe in downtown. Nice setting, very average food. Friends later told us Wausau has no really good place. However, a branch of Madison's Great Dane (upscale beer and food) just opened, right near the highway, which would make an excellent lunch stop. Earlier in this thread is a recommendation for a place in Stevens Point; shoulda taken that advice.

Wild Rice: This is one of Bayfield's two upscale places (Rittenhouse Inn is the other) and it delivered a very nice meal. The location is stunning. You drive to the end of a private road and the place itself is located on a wooded bluff right on the lake. My wife was very fond of the restaurant's design. The food included grilled quail, foie gras stuffed ravioli, grilled shrimp and profiteroles. The food probably wouldn't quite make it in Chicago, but everything was well prepared and quite enjoyable. They had two pre-fixe options (appetizer, main and dessert) for $30 and $45, both of which are great value. Service was very friendly, but then everyone in Bayfield is very friendly.

Lutheran Church: Probably shouldn't mention their fish fry, as it's only a couple of times a year, but the lightly battered and deep fried whitefish was some of the best I've ever had.

I trield Whitefish livers, a local speciality. They were deep fried, and tasted almost eactly like chicken livers. I didn't care much for the deep fried verision, but if prepared well, they would be as good as, not surprisingly, chicken livers.

Ethel's at 250. This is a pizza place with other food as well. Sadly, the pizza was no better that a typcial frozen pie.

All breakfasts were at our B&B, the Thimbleberry Inn, which is one of the best B&Bs in the world, no kidding.

Our activities included kayaking the sea caves, biking on Madeline Island, and hearing a fantastic concert at the Big Top Chautauqua. I may have to move there.

Jonah

Jonah wrote:Bayfield is a gem on Lake Superior,

I trield Whitefish livers, a local speciality. They were deep fried, and tasted almost eactly like chicken livers. I didn't care much for the deep fried verision, but if prepared well, they would be as good as, not surprisingly, chicken livers.

Totally agree about Bayfield. We were there in 2004 with our kids, and it's a beautiful place. We were especially thrilled by the lack of chain stores of virtually any kind. I wish we were going up there again this year. Yes, whitefish livers were ubiquitous up there. We liked the rendition at Greunke's Restaurant quite a bit. Even my son, then 11 years old, liked them. I believe we ate at the Rittenhaus Inn as well--it doesn't leave much of an impression after 5 years.

We went back to Bayfield this summer, so here are some eating notes:

Wild Rice: This restaurant remains a terrific fine dining place, particularly for northern Wisconsin. Cooking is done with care, the wine list is good, service is great and the location spectacular. This shouldn't be missed by anyone in the area.

PortSide: a restaurant in a marina just a couple of miles south of Bayfield. Very popular and very forgettable. It's very near the Big Top Chautauqua, so it is a convenient dinner before a show.

Village Inn, in Cornucopia, a small town about 20 minutes north of Bayfield. We were told to get the fish chowder and it didn't disappoint. They use Lake Superior Whitefish and Trout and make a terrific soup. The fish sandwiches, made with the same fish, are very large and reasonable good, as well, but the chowder was the highlight. If you are there during the day, go across the road to Halvorson Fisheries, a small, family run fishing business. The building is right on the dock where they bring the fish in, and you can get smoked or fresh whitefish or trout. We got some pickled whitefish, and, while the pickles were well made, we learned why herring, not whitefish, is the pickle of choice.

Jonah wrote:We went back to Bayfield this summer, so here are some eating notes:

Village Inn, in Cornucopia, a small town about 20 minutes north of Bayfield. We were told to get the fish chowder and it didn't disappoint. They use Lake Superior Whitefish and Trout and make a terrific soup. The fish sandwiches, made with the same fish, are very large and reasonable good, as well, but the chowder was the highlight. If you are there during the day, go across the road to Halvorson Fisheries, a small, family run fishing business. The building is right on the dock where they bring the fish in, and you can get smoked or fresh whitefish or trout. We got some pickled whitefish, and, while the pickles were well made, we learned why herring, not whitefish, is the pickle of choice.

Funny, we are going to Bayfield this fall for DH's birthday celebration & trout fishing, maybe even a bit of a fresh chrome/steelhead run if my memory is correct. Last year we stayed in Cornucopia and ate his birthday meal there. I also spent many early evenings in the adjoining bar next door because they have wi-fi and I had a deadline for federal court.

This thread is a great find for our upcoming trip. We are staying at the Seagull after the Bayfield Apple Festival

This was my 2nd trip to the Apostle Islands and Bayfield and everything was as I remembered-pristine beauty is abundant. We went to a few beaches that we drove off to and they were great. Lake Superior never really gets warm but the sun was bright and shining the days we were at the beach, it was hot and being able to take a dip in the cold fresh water and come out feeling alive and not salty is a great thing and the reason I prefer the Great Lakes to the ocean when it comes swimming.That and there's no sharks in the lakes.


The Harbor

Bayfield is a small place that's very relaxing. You can walk and see everything in the town in an hour or less but its a great hub for those visiting the Islands. I didn't go to Madeline Island or any of the islands this time b/c the beaches we were at were fine and plenty relaxing. I was here for beaches and maybe some beer and booze and not much more.


Our hotel had a real nice rooftop bar available for all

The restaurants of Bayfield have for the most part been discussed on here or can be found on their website. I do have a couple spots to add to the list.


Morty's Pub

Morty's is a local tavern that wasn't but a 2 minute walk from our hotel just like everything else in Bayfield was. The menu here for drinks was nice and they had a pretty damn good mojito and some nice WI micros on tap. As you can read in the sign in the pic above, Lake Superior whitefish is their specialty and its delivered fresh every morning and they do an excellent fried version of it. Everything was fresh battered by hand including some tasty fried pickles we had as an app. The fish didn't disappoint and it never has when I've been up there. The skin was my favorite part, expertly fried as well.


fresh fried Whitefish

We spent the night drinking away at a bar across the street from our hotel that also happened to be the only place open after 11p. We were the only customers when we went into the Rum Line which features many different rums and also some some good beers on tap and in bottles. The owners of this seasonal operating bar were great people and the wife was relived of bartending us when her husband came with their grandkid and took over from there. You'll also see in the windows that its the home of the $2.50 burger. I could of out this in the Burgers of Wisconsin thread but will post it here instead. It is what it is, frozen patty, cheese and ketchup or mustard and more of a thing to get people in. It wasn't bad at 11:30p but it also wasn't anything great after some of the burgers we had already had. A well sized biker came in around midnight and was a cool dude who we chatted it up with for a bit and he put down four without hesitation. This bar is a great stop for drinks and the owners couldn't be more helpful or friendly. They have a patio outside as well.


Rum Line

This was a great spot to chat up and meet people and I guess according to the biker and bar owner the busiest weekend of the year there is the Apple fest in the Fall. Hotels are booked in the entire county and its the bars biggest source of income. I guess the streets and bars are flooded with people and its a pretty big party. Sounded fun, I'd love to check it out sometime. I imagine this area in the Fall is really stunning.

Morty's Pub
108 Rittenhouse Avenue
Bayfield, WI 54814
(715) 779-3996

Rum Line
31 South 1st Street
Bayfield, WI 54814
(715) 779-3990

Its been years but I remember having a really good Whitefish sandwich at the Beach Club on Madeline Island. The view is great too.

Thanks for the pictures. I just drove to Eau Claire and back today. Still not as far as one to to Bayfield I bet.

Oh where to start and what words to say when trying to describe the place you believe is the best "get away from it all" destination in the Midwest. SERENITY NOW! That's what I get every time I go to Bayfield which sits about 8.5 hours north of Chicago on "the grandaddy of them all" Lake Superior.



Bayfield, WI

If you cant live without your regular morning Vanilla latte than Bayfield isn't for you. But if you like to sip on good beer or top notch bourbon while having to worry about nothing than Bayfield is as peaceful a destination as we have in the Midwest. There's so Subway, no Starbucks, no Holiday Inn and no 7-11. There's no chains whatsoever. Actually there's only a few places to eat and drink. Maybe around 10 total within a few miles, this isn't a place you go for food first or to see what the late night scene there is like. But if you want outdoor fun mixed in with the option of doing nothing, it's a great place. It might be more of tourist town than a fishing village these days but the peaceful charm remains the same.








Some sights from the town

So this was my third trip up to "paradise" and each time I've always left wondering why I didn't give myself more time to stay. It's a great 3+ day getaway spot for people of all walks of life. I'm not the biggest outdoor guy but I love getting around the Apostle Islands by biking and kayaking. Some say there's much better places to do them. As far as food goes I got back to Morty's (upthread) and it's still fun. This time around I also made it over to the historic Greunke's Inn.


One of the Originals

It was in the 1940's that Victor Greunke decided to put whitefish livers, a local delicacy loved by the fisherman in the port town of Bayfield onto the menu at his place. In the beginning he would hand out the freshly battered and fried livers to customers who were instantly won over. These days it's a specialty of the area and a few places have them. But I had to go try them at the original. If you've been to Bayfield more than once than odds are you've been to Greunke's. It doubles as a lodge and they serve breakfast lunch and dinner inside their very charming digs.


As we enter

They have a diner like set up as you enter and then there's tables with waiter service in a few separate rooms housed in the old building. The central part of town can be walked thru in 10 minutes so most people who have been to Bayfield probably at least smelled their nightly fish boils. It's those and the whitefish livers that they're known for. You can get the livers sauteed or fried and just like they did on day one they come with toast, a lemon wedge and tarter sauce. I got them fried and thought they weren't all that different taste and texture to fried oysters. They were good but I guess as the younger lady working the counter told me "They're better sauteed".


Fried Whitefish Livers

There's some other nice options none of which I went to this time around though, we did go to a couple spots in nearby towns. The truth of the matter is all the places that serve whitefish do it up right but that's because its so fresh and so easy to prepare. So that said the best thing you can do for food on a trip to Bayfield is come prepared. Bring coolers and stock up on your favorite sipping alcohol and some of the great beer only available in state. South Shore Brewery in nearby Ashland is Next. Unless your taking a yacht in you have to drive to get here. Even nearby Duluth airport is a couple hours away. So seek out a great local butcher en route and buy some eating supplies and bring everything you have at home with you. It'll save you money and you'll still eat great. For grub on the way into town or out check out Delta Diner and Doorn's Inn.


Cumberland, WI

We made an impromptu stop at Louie's Finer Meats which we passed going thru the town of Cumberland. A fun part of the drive for those that can stand a roadtrip is the fact that once you get north there is no major highways. You get to go thru these cool little towns and can stop if you want. We did just that when I saw this amazing place that reminded me alot of Ream's.


Small part of their selection

I got $40 worth of sausages and other pork products and loaded them up on ice in a cooler. Here's a big tip for those considering going to Bayfield. Rent a place with a kitchen and even better an outdoor grill too. There's only a few hotels and B&B's but the rest of the towns rentals tend to be condos and houses for groups of 2 to +12 (Mostly owned by same people). Having a kitchen you can store all your goodies bought en route with the supplies brought from home and take full advantage of the 4 local fish purveyors in town. Did I mention there is no Long John Silvers?






Whitefish, Lake Trout and Walleye - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

On our first day of arrival it was already 4p and I decided to go to Meyers Beach for the last of the sun and also a quick dip into Lake Superior. We had perfect weather to where it was pretty damn hot out thus making a swim in the chilly super clear water very refreshing. Meyers Beach is part of the Apostle Islands National Park system. It costs $3 (honor system) to park there. It's about a 15 minute drive from the center of town but is well worth it. It was gorgeous on this day.


Meyers Beach

Before we went over to the beach I convinced her to let me go into "town" to see what was there. Town being the old fishing village of Corncupia which is unincorporated but not totally empty. The public harbor has an Inn, gift shop, bar, restaurant and old time family fishery along with some really old fishing boats on display at their free walk up museum.






Cornucopia, Wisconsin (10 miles west of Bayfield)

The "gateway to the Apostle Islands" as it's called is the home to Halvorson Fisheries. It's run by a family fishing these waters for over 40 years. I ended up coming back here after my 1st trip making sure to stock up on a few things to take back home to Chicago. On the 2nd trip the evening before we left I noticed a truck loading up just caught and cleaned whitefish and lake trout. The driver noticed my Bears hat and told me he was headed that way. Boston Fish Market in Des Plaines.


Halvorson Fisheries


What's available then and there...


At work in the back


Smoked Fish at it's finest


Loading up and heading back to Chicagoland

Of the four local family fisheries (all of which are great) I liked this one the most because of their selection. It still wasn't alot but they had a freezer full of trout cheeks and pieces of burbot to take back and their fresh caught whitefish and trout was a couple bucks cheaper than the others. The smoked fish was terrific. The brown sugar trout is the best I've had. I was eating it for dessert each night. Less than $5/lb to eat lake superior whitefish and trout that was unloaded an hour ago and cleaned up less than 30 minutes! Why pay $15+ when its so easy to prepare this fish. Crack open your favorite drink and it's anything but work getting ready to eat this.


Wisconsin Style Surf & Turf

One of the family fisheries sold walleye fished out of Canadian boundaries and I ate that Whitefish and fresh lake trout sided with fresh local produce in abundance. I ate great and it never cost so little. Trout cheeks and bacon with eggs for breakfast, walleye sandwich for lunch and blackened whitefish with pan fried (in butter) award winning brats with green beans and country corn with breakfast sausage mixed in for dinner (pic above). We ate what we wanted when we wanted, often after 9p and that's because theres so much to explore outdoors during the day.


ALL ABOARD! Ferry Boat to Madeline Island

One of the must do trips is taking the ferry out to Madeline Island which is located north of Bayfield. Its the largest of the 22 islands that make up the enclave and has been inhabited for over 400 years and seen the flags of three different nations flying. The Ojibwa made there home here 100's of years before any European settlers came strolling in. You can board the boat by foot or vehicle with the latter being $50 but I think worth it in the end.


Life on the Island

There's not much going on as far as shopping and stuff though they do have places to eat and buy stuff as well as a museum and couple bars, businesses, homes, school etc. Even though it's an island its still big and you'll need to be on a bike (rentals available) or in a vehicle to get around. Our day there brought back alot of memories of a family vacation we went on to Abaco Island in the Bahamas back in my middle school days. Its got that island vibe.


Big Bay State Park on Madeline Island


Hidden behind the sand and water are some beautiful walking trails

If you already brought a bike with you while vacationing than I'd advise bringing that. It'll cost extra to bring it on board but they charge $10/hour for rentals on the island and if you're going to the state park (12 miles each way) and plan to relax at the beach the hours add up. Shuttles go to and from the island every half hour morning to night. It's best to take your car with some bikes in it if you have them. If you're with kids, take a car. The bike ride to the beach at the state park was awesome but it would of been nice to further explore with a car. It also might not be for everyone.








Some sights from the bike ride on the island

After a day of bike riding and sitting in the sun, a refreshing tropical drink goes a long way. You can get a well made one for a nice price at Tom's Burned Down Cafe. This is one of the more unique bars I've been at in a state with many. It's featured in a great new book about the states tavern history and tradition called "Bottom's Up".


Tom's Burned Down Cafe on Madeline Island

There were quite a few people here most of whom seemed like regulars. People do live on the island year round and many spend their summers on it. "Tom's Burn't Down Cafe did not start out as a open air bar with and eclectic verity of chairs and tables. Tom and couple of partners moved an old bar named Leona's into the town of La point. They worked for over a year to renovate Leona's into bar and restaurant, and then unexpected happened!" So today it's a beautiful pile of junk to have a drink at. I felt like I was in the Caribbean as I drank mine.


a view from the bar

Aside from all the island hopping, kayaking and biking as well as boating there's also some fun stuff off shore in Bayfield. Such as the fruit and flower orchards. Bayfield County as some terrific apple farms and the biggest weekend of the year is their annual Applefest in early October. It gets booked up by March. The apples were just harvesting at the end of August when we were there and the first ones of the season from Bayfield Apple Company are still the best I've had all year. I forget the type we had but they rarely make it to the supermarket because they dent so easily. I picked up some great apple butter as well as my favorite aroma scented cinnamon apple candles. My favorite, especially for the Fall.





One of the many orchards located in the county

When you have lots of fresh fruit and specifically apples that means that the baked goods arent far away. In fact you might just come across the best damn pie you ever ate. That's what happened to me. I knew when the day came it would be in Wisconsin.


Pie's all over the place

I usually find the food publications and their "best of" lists readable at best. But not necessarily trustworthy. However I just knew Judy's Gourmet Garage would be as good as Travel & Leisure Magazine said it would be when they named it as having the best pie's in the country. It's got that vibe going for it before you go and those at the magazine arent the only ones making that claim.


Judy's Gourmet Garage

Judy Faragher and her sister sold their first apple pies at a hometown fest. They became such a hit that eventually she went big, turning the garage of her home into a bakery. When fruits are fresh and in season you'll find them in her pies. Her turnovers arent to be missed and neither is she. When I asked about her "paste-e's" she gave me a mean look and said "I dont make those and I'm too damn old to wear them" LOL. I forgot that they're called "pass-ty's" and got a huge crack out of that. What a sweet lady and she makes some amazing pies. No sugar whatsoever is used and she will never use canned fruit. In the winter she settles for frozen. Amazing crust. WOW.


Inside the garage turned bakery

I also got an amazing hot out of the oven apple pie from a lady selling them from her farm as we headed back to Chicago. They know how to bake up there so dont miss out on those. In fact I would advise you not to miss out on this precious little town that while it is not unknown remains a gem. You have to plan a vacation here for over summer during the Spring. It gets booked quick and most of those there are repeat visitors for a reason. I cant wait to get back.


See ya next time...

Greunke's Inn
17 Rittenhouse Avenue
Bayfield, WI 54814
(715) 779-5480

Louie's Finer Meats
2025 Superior Avenue
Cumberland, WI 54829
(715) 822-4728

Halvorson Fisheries, LLC
22690 Siskiwit Parkway
Cornucopia, WI 54827
(715) 742-3402

Tom's Burned Down Cafe
234 Middle Road
La Pointe, WI 54850
(715) 747-6100

Bayfield Apple Company
87540 County Highway J
Bayfield, WI 54814
(715) 779-5700

Judy's Gourmet Garage
PO Box 1226
Bayfield, WI 54814
(715) 779-5365

I spent a summer on Madeline Island about 16 years ago. I've never been back to that corner of the world, your pics, Da Beef, are making me seriously wonder why it's been so long...

Great post, Da Beef. As I noted upthread, we were there 8 years ago, and it looks as if nothing has changed. A beautiful place, and the food can be very good. We liked the whitefish livers!

I've had Bayfield and the Apostle Islands on my radar for years. Your photos and write-up, Da Beef, may finally get me up there. Thanks for sharing.

Just got back from a trip up to Lake Superior/Bayfield, where we stayed for a few days. It was extremely quiet during our stay there, which was a bit of a surprise considering we were there during peak vacation season, but I'll take it.

I have to second the recommendations for Morty's Pub in Bayfield and their whitefish basket -- v. tasty and nicely breaded.

One afternoon we took the ferry to Madeline Island and did some walking around to the Objiwa cemetery with its odd tiny house-type structures marking certain graves, and offerings of change on top of many of the graves.



There weren't a ton of dining options on the island without a car or bike, but pretty much right off the ferry are a couple of restaurants, so we opted to eat at the Beach Club, which is right on the water and a stone's throw from the ferry dock. My wife had the fish tacos and hot wings, both of which were solid. I opted for a cheeseburger, and of the 4 burgers I had on the trip up from Chicago I'd have to rank this one a close second to the Anchor Bar's in Superior. Perfectly cooked to medium rare with a soft, pillowy bun and just the right amount of toppings...and the fries were also fried to a nice crispness. Drinks were inexpensive, too -- $8 for a Bell's Two Hearted Ale and a vodka tonic.



We then killed time with a few drinks at the ramshackle Tom's Burned Down Cafe that Da Beef reviewed above. Not much to add except nice to see a bit of a libertarian (if not Democratic/anti-Scott Walker) bent in a place I might have expected more conservatism. We walked around most of the bar taking in the many, many hand-painted signs with sayings and quotes, and also just sat in the sun taking in the muy mellow atmosphere of the place, which really is like a bar you'd find in Tulum or something.








Tom's Burned Down Cafe
234 Middle Rd
La Pointe, WI 54850

The Beach Club
817 Main St
La Pointe, WI 54850

I visited the ice caves along Lake Superior's frozen lakeshore this past Wed. Fantastic formations, some frozen waterfalls off the cliffs being 25' tall! The formations in the sea caves are stunning. Of course my Malamute was more than happy to go on the 3+ hour outdoor excursion It is well worth one's time to visit this amazing area outside of prime summer months.

The only downside is that many of the smoked fish places (many to choose from along Hwy 13 & one place in Ashland) have very limited hours.

After a long outdoor hike with winds whipping off of nearly completely frozen Lake Superior, it was time for a hearty lunch.

I stopped at Coco Café & Bakery in Washburn (just south of Bayfield).

The warm muffaletta sandwich was terrific, loaded with meats & olive relish/tapenade on an oven crisped ciabatta bun.

I also purchased a frozen beef pasty which I heated up for dinner at the cabin later that night, another great item.

LOTS of baked sweets to be had, many gluten free.

Coco Café & Bakery
Bakery Hours:
Mon - Sat: 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sundays: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cafe Hours:
Breakfast until 11 a.m.
Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

146 West Bayfield Street
(12 Miles South of Bayfield on Hwy. 13)
Washburn, Wisconsin

any recent Bayfield recs?

annak wrote:any recent Bayfield recs?

Not immediately in Bayfield but if you are driving about........

The Twin Gables Cafe in Brule is very solid: https://twingablescafe.com/

And the aforementioned Delta Diner in the bump-in-the-road known as Delta, WI is always a recommendation. I will easily accept a 60 minute detour to make a stop. http://www.deltadiner.com/

JMO,
Dave

Just returned from Bayfield. Enjoyed Maggie's, especially knowing that it's owned by an iconic resident of the islands who donated most of what is in the local history museum. Had sautéed whitefish (a couple of blocks from Lake Superior, figure I had to eat whitefish here if anywhere). They offered a side of creamed cauliflower, which I figured would be heart healthy -- but they cream it with cream cheese and sprinkle it with parmesan -- so very tasty, but not like eating your veg. Bright pink exterior, kind of a Caribbean vibe inside. Very popular.

Hard to say, but the food may have been a bit better at the Copper Trout -- and the ambience is more restful. Handsome wood interior. Had grilled whitefish with house potatoes (chopped and roasted and sprinkled with cheese) and fabulously fresh veg. Started with a nice salad that is normally a meal but you can order 1/2 as an appetizer -- organic greens, pecans, feta cheese, blueberries (they grow a lot of berries up there, so they appear frequently).

Maggie's
257 Manypenny Ave
Bayfield, WI

Copper Trout
250 Rittenhouse Ave
Bayfield, WI

Didn't get to The Candy Shop, a bakery and ice cream store at 2nd St. -- but the owner of the cabin I stayed at said it was amazing. So another possible place to get into trouble.

Oh -- and if you need a place to stay but don't want to pay the prices of the on-the-beach resorts, I definitely enjoyed staying at Ole and Lena's. (Real names, Frank and Julie -- he's Hungarian and likes to cook and she used to work for the U.S. Park Service, so is handy to have around if you need information.) http://www.oleandlenasrentals.com/