The Best Restaurants In Saugatuck, Michigan

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Fresh and locally farmed produce, a creative menu complete with suggested wine pairings and a casually upbeat vibe have helped put Everyday People Café, a stylish restaurant in neighboring Douglas, on the map. A winner of Grand Rapids Magazine’s Best Restaurant award, the restaurant has also had several flattering mentions in the New York Times. Small bites can be enjoyed in the restaurants’ charming wine garden in summer months while Everyday People Café’s dinner menu features tempting options like wasabi pea crusted ahi tuna with pickled onions and cucumber and Thai chili and red miso dips or the gorgonzola pork chop with caramelized onion marmalade. Regular live jazz and blues music also keeps guests entertained while they eat.

The café and bakery of Uncommon Coffee Roasters is a stylish and intimate neighborhood joint with friendly, coffee focused staff that are more than happy to advise guests on the perfect caffeine-filled kick start to the day. All of Uncommon Coffee Roasters’ coffee is sourced responsibly from small farms and cooperatives across the globe while its sweet baked treats, which include a range of cakes, muffins, scones and pastries, are crafted from the produce of local fruit and dairy farmers wherever possible. Savory items like sandwiches, soups and burgers are also available and often feature produce from the café’s own herb garden.

Based within the beautiful boutique Belvedere Inn, the seasonal Belvedere Restaurant is Saugatuck’s go to destination for gourmet fine dining with classic American and European flavors. The charming 1913 built former summer home in which the Belvedere Restaurant is located makes for an elegant dining space with a classy and calming ambience. Chef and co-owner Shaun Glynn a native of Galway in Ireland brings a wealth of experience to the table having received his training at some of Europe’s top institutions and restaurants. Butternut squash and crabmeat bisque, pan roasted monkfish with saffron risotto and warm apple tart tatin are just a few of the exquisite dishes waiting to delight diners.

Residing on picturesque Water Street just a stone’s throw from the Kalamazoo River is Wicks Park Bar & Grille, a casual and lively, but elegant neighborhood restaurant specializing in eclectic American fare with a gourmet outlook and local flavors. The downtown Saugatuck venue’s menu features appetizing entrées like fried lake perch with fries, coleslaw and homemade tomatillo tartar sauce and the hearty Western burger made with Angus beef and topped with smoked gouda, tangy sauce, onions and a fried egg. Tempting desserts include key lime pie and chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream. Locally produced drinks like Vander Mill’s Apple Blueberry Cider and the Grand Rapids-based Brewery Vivant’s ales feature in Wick Park’s drink menu.

Established by namesake and owner Phil Sauvé, Phil’s Bar & Grille is a popular local restaurant with a casual atmosphere, lively vibe and a menu full of eclectic American grub complemented by a wide range of imported beers, local microbrews and wines. Popular with locals, the restaurant is often very busy and abuzz with the sounds of sated guests dining on delicious dishes like the sake seasoned sea scallops appetizers with sesame-vegetable slaw and a candied ginger vinaigrette of the lamb lollipops entrée topped with a pomegranate gastrique and served with spinach and shiitake mushroom risotto. The popular broasted chicken is a must try.

A must visit dining destination in the neighboring town of Douglas just across the Kalamazoo River is The Farmhouse Deli & Pantry. This is a full service delicatessen whose dedication to local delicacies makes it the perfect spot for those wanting to sample a bit of Michigan food culture. The Farmhouse Deli & Pantry is a firm favorite, gaining rave reviews for its hearty soups and salads, artisan sandwiches and baked sweet treats. Guests hoping to recreate dishes at home can stock up on the restaurants favorite ingredients like olive oils, in-house smoked meats and Michigan cheese while there.