Discover more about the 15 best places to eat in Cadillac, Michigan, which are listed alphabetically.

Annie’s Baked Goods

If you’re staying in a vacation rental and don’t feel like cooking, yet after a day at the lake, getting the whole gang presentable for a restaurant is overwhelming, Annie’s Baked Goods has the answer. The baked goods extend beyond cookies, brownies, and pies to include meal options such as quiche, chicken pot pie, stromboli, and sausage-cheese breakfast casserole. These are family-sized portions, making it easy to create a delicious meal with little effort. You can even pick some of them up several days in advance because they’re frozen and ready to bake at home. Check out their daily grab-and-go menu to see what’s on offer.

Another option is the sweet treats. I bought some cookies for my road trip home.

Located away from downtown, on the southeast corner of the Plett Road and 13th Street roundabout in a stand-alone building, parking is easy. They have a walk-up window and no indoor seating. A picnic table out front, weather permitting, allows you to enjoy a pastry and your morning cup of coffee. But, if you don’t feel like getting out of the car, you can use the drive-through on the east side of the building.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Annie makes her cinnamon rolls fresh every Thursday. If you want a dozen or more, you can order them for pick up any business day with a three-business-day lead time.

If you need lodging to stay and enjoy all of Cadillac’s restaurants, check out this link.

After 26 Depot Café

At After 26 Depot Café, individuals with special needs find purpose and a sense of belonging in the community. The restaurant’s mission extends beyond the typical restaurant’s objective of feeding people. The After 26 Depot café provides employment opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities and cognitive impairments.

The phrase “After 26” refers to the age at which individuals with developmental disabilities and cognitive impairment can no longer attend public school in Michigan. Once those with special needs can no longer attend school, they’re often left with nothing to do.

My pick on the menu was the seasonal crepes. The light, golden-brown crepes were filled with cubed apples sautéed in butter and lightly spiced with warm fall spices, such as cinnamon. The apples were mixed with a cider reduction, then rolled up in the crepes, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and topped with whipped cream for an Instagrammable presentation.

The lunch menu offers a diverse selection of soups, salads, and sandwiches. It also provides heartier options, such as burgers, fish and chips, chicken tenders, and fries. A Michigan favorite is the Cherry Grove salad, which starts with a bed of greens topped with dried cherries, Mandarin oranges, red onions, feta, and pecans. The chef dresses it with a cherry vinaigrette. Add grilled or crispy chicken or smoked salmon to make the salad an entrée.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Weather permitting, sit on the patio for a stunning view of Lake Cadillac. I had a chance to enjoy the fall color with their outdoor seating. The hardwood color change included bright reds, golden yellows, and orange.

Blue Heron Café

The Blue Heron Café is where the bakery meets the café. Like other historic buildings on the street, they have decorative tin ceilings and old-fashioned light fixtures. They lean into their name with heron-themed artwork adorning beige walls.

I had the breakfast sandwich, which included scrambled eggs, cherry jam for sweetness, crispy bacon, ham, jalapeno honey mustard for a touch of savory to balance the sweetness, and white cheddar, all piled on grilled sourdough. My daughter and I shared this sandwich, as I wanted to try some of their bakery items, and the fact that I preferred no scrambled eggs wasn’t a problem. They cut the sandwich in half and put the eggs in only half. My daughter kept going back to the breakfast potatoes that accompanied the sandwich. They’re baked first, thinly sliced, and then fried on the grill. We couldn’t stop eating them.

Their house-made everything bagels are another treat. But all the baked goods we tried were good. And I found they had great prices, too.

Piper’s Pro Planning: While they’re only open until 2:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday, you can pick up one of their family-size frozen dinners to eat at your vacation rental or home.

Burke’s Waterfront

Located on Cadillac’s west side as you’re passing through M-115, Burke’s Waterfront sits on beautiful Lake Cadillac. If the weather cooperates, request a table on the deck to take in the beautiful lake views while dining. There’s nothing like having your cup of morning coffee while looking at the water.

We had breakfast at Burke’s, but they’re also open for lunch and dinner. Mr. Follow the Piper enjoyed the Country Skillet, a large breakfast that included an egg dish with ham, scrambled eggs, green peppers, onions, and cheddar cheese. You can opt for bacon or sausage instead of ham. It also includes hash browns and your choice of toast. I had a simple stack of golden-brown buttermilk pancakes with sausage and maple syrup.

Piper’s Pro Planning: They’re closed on Thursdays. On other days, they open at 7 a.m. for breakfast.

Cadillac Grill

You don’t have to have just finished a round of golf to dine at Cadillac Grill; this restaurant is perfect for lunch or dinner anytime. Ask for a seat near the window or on the deck for amazing views of the greens on the Eldorado golf course. While this is a favorite spot for local golfers, anyone will enjoy the food and views. Even if you’re not hungry but want to enjoy a cocktail in a fantastic setting, this would be the perfect place.

For lunch, I had the classic French onion soup, the BBQ Sammich, and fries. The sandwich was made with slow-roasted pork shoulder and a sweet barbecue sauce, loaded onto an artisan bun, and then topped with smoked onion coleslaw.

Piper’s Pro Planning: They’re open daily, so no matter what day of the week you want to dine out, you’ll find a good meal.

Clam Lake Beer Company

Cadillac was once known as Clam Lake, so the name Clam Lake Beer Company is a nod to the town’s history. The restaurant offers a casual dining experience in a relaxed atmosphere, featuring exposed brick walls. The décor includes a traditional gas pump.

I suggest pairing the brick-fired pizza, some of the best pizza in Cadillac, with one of the 40 draft beers on tap. Try their secret clam chowder recipe, which, according to one source, is known by only two people.

The Cuban features carnitas pulled pork, ham, pickle slices, Swiss cheese, and mustard on ciabatta flatbread. Each menu item in the handhelds section comes with house chips, which can be substituted for an upcharge. I chose the onion rings, but other options included mac and cheese, traditional or sweet potato fries, or truffle tots.

While I didn’t try the smokestack panini, the sandwich sounded delicious. It consisted of turkey, candied pecans, Michigan-dried cherries, hummus, and Provolone on ciabatta flatbread spread with honey mustard. I love any dish featuring Michigan cherries, a regional favorite in the state.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Clam Lake Beer Company is a dog-friendly restaurant where Rover can join you at one of the tables on the seasonal sidewalk patio. Call ahead to confirm that outdoor seating is available. If not, get your order and eat it at the nearby city park.

Cone Lickers

I love the name of the shop and their super cute logo. It’s simply fun! I always enjoy ice cream after a meal at a Mexican restaurant, and Cone Lickers didn’t disappoint. They offer over 40 flavors of ice cream, including Dole Whip, which is one of my favorites. They don’t pull their waffle cones out of a box; instead, they make them fresh in-house daily. If you want a waffle bowl, ask; they’ll whip one up for you. I went for the Dole Whip in a cup, topped with a cone. That’s my favorite way to eat ice cream, as I get the crunch of the cone without the dripping mess of melting ice cream.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Cone Lickers is extremely careful about nut allergies. While they can’t guarantee the ice cream they typically serve is nut-free, they go out of their way to have a solution for their guests. They offer a pint of pre-packaged ice cream to their guests with nut allergies so that the whole family can enjoy a tasty treat.

Lakeside Charlie’s

Plan to have a late dinner at Lakeside Charlie’s so that you can take advantage of the deck seating and watch a stunning sunset over Lake Mitchell. If the weather isn’t cooperating, they also have two dining rooms overlooking the shore of Lake Mitchell. Alternatively, if there’s a big game on at Crabby Charlie’s Lounge for sports entertainment, you can view all the action from every seat. ​

Lakeside Charlie’s serves lunch and dinner with daily specials like Saturday night Surf ‘n Turf and Friday night fish fry. When we came for dinner, I decided to have a lighter meal.  I opted for the Runabout Reuben. The stacked corned beef came on grilled light rye with Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing. I chose to eliminate the sauerkraut, and that wasn’t an issue. They served the sandwich with potato chips and a pickle spear, but I opted for onion rings instead.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Lakeside Charlie’s is closed on Sunday.

Little Mexico 115

First, I must mention that the service at Little Mexico 115 is remarkable. Our friendly server checked back frequently, even when we had finished eating and were chatting. The ceiling and walls are covered in planks of knotty pine, creating a rustic, northern Michigan atmosphere in the Mexican restaurant. No matter whether you enjoy your tacos served American-style with lettuce, tomato, and cheddar cheese or Mexican-style with onions and cilantro, you can have whichever you prefer.

Piper’s Pro Planning: You’ll find them open every day.

Mi Mezcal Mexican Café

Located in downtown Cadillac on North Mitchell Street, the décor at Mi Mezcal Mexican Café seamlessly combines traditional Mexican restaurant elements with an upscale twist. The bar in the back of the restaurant features blue up-lighting, making it more modern than the traditional red, green, and white found in old-style Mexican restaurant décor. Light-colored exposed brick replaces the often dark wood in the traditional Mexican restaurant interior design.

The extensive menu offers a range of traditional dishes. When I visited, they also provided an entirely separate menu of seafood options. The menu features a Veggie Plate section, offering a variety of selections for vegetarians. The veggie fajitas included mushrooms to give them a meaty texture, as well as bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower. They serve the dish with beans, rice, lettuce, sour cream, and guacamole. Like the other versions of fajitas, it comes with flour tortillas to make a delicious wrap.

I had a taco al pastor, which consisted of diced steak cooked with pineapple in red sauce. I enjoyed this dish because the meat included some seared, crispy bits for added flavor, as well as the slight sweetness of the pineapple.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Mi Mezcal Mexican Café is open daily for lunch and dinner.

Mr. Foisie’s Pastie’s

I rarely find traditional Michigan pasty shops in the lower peninsula, so discovering Mr. Foisie’s Pasties in Cadillac was a treat. Mr. Foisie’s is an inviting A-framed restaurant situated at 154 Leisure Street, offering counter service. It specializes in traditional Michigan pasties, providing a unique and flavorful dining experience for both locals and visitors. The menu features a variety of savory pasties filled with meat, vegetables, and spices, all wrapped in a flaky pastry crust.

If you prefer gravy over ketchup, no problem. You can order that on the side. You can also choose from a variety of sides, salads, and desserts to complement your meal. I had a traditional ground beef pastie and topped it with a side of beef gravy. I enjoyed the pasty, but I love the house-made pie even more. You can buy a pie by the slice or get a whole pie to go. Not exactly a road-tripping snack, but great if you’re spending the week at the cottage.

Its cozy ambiance and friendly staff make it an ideal place to enjoy a taste of Michigan’s culinary tradition.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Mr. Foisie’s closes relatively early for dinner, 5:00 p.m. on the weekends and 7:00 p.m. during the week. If you’d like to eat later, take some home frozen, and you can enjoy their pasties anytime.

Raven Social, One of the Best Places to Eat in Cadillac, Michigan

Raven Social offers creative, seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine and house-made desserts crafted by Chef Connie Freiberg. Chef Connie’s thoughtful creations of tasty dishes, sourced from regional ingredients, will have you returning again and again.

I ordered the fresh Atlantic salmon fillet, seasoned and chargrilled to temperature. The dish had a dill aioli, a summer squash medley, and Parmesan risotto. While the chef suggested medium-rare, I requested medium-well, and it came out just as I had asked. I enjoyed the flavorful chargrill markings on the outside, yet it was moist on the inside. Rice is a traditional dish served alongside fish, but the Parmesan risotto elevated the side to a new level.

This was one of my favorite places in Cadillac. As a local culinary expert, Chef Freiberg uses local ingredients to create great food and one of the area’s best dining experiences.

Piper’s Pro Planning: This is one of the best restaurants in Cadillac; I suggest making reservations on weekend evenings.

The Sweet Shop

While The Sweet Shop isn’t a restaurant, it’s the perfect spot to pick up dessert. If you’re road-tripping from downstate to Traverse City, you can pick up some sweet treats for snacks to carry you through. They’ve made handmade candies for over 50 years, one piece at a time. They have over 100 handmade white, milk, and dark chocolate candies. Their signature candy is the Snow Bird, a white chocolate confection named for those who flee Cadillac in the winter for warmer temperatures.

The perfect dessert in the summertime is one of their 12 gourmet hand-scooped ice cream flavors in house-made waffle cones.

In the fall, try one of their ten unique combinations of specialty caramel apples. These Honeycrisp apples are so large that you can easily have one for dessert for two or three days. I had the Death by Chocolate caramel apple, which included milk, dark, and white chocolate.

With more than 15 flavors of fudge that rotate through the seasons, the biggest issue is deciding what to order. They also offer wrapped candy, reminiscent of old-fashioned candy stores, as well as various gourmet popcorn options.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Once you’ve been to Cadillac and you’re hooked on these sweets, don’t worry; you can order online to feed the addiction. They ship worldwide.

The Timbers

The Timbers is known for making all its meals from scratch, a classic American restaurant tradition. They’ve won the local People’s Choice award for the best fine dining. Yet don’t think of a white tablecloth fine dining restaurant; you’ll be comfortable with the rustic Northern Michigan décor. The quality of the food is upscale, including hand-cut steaks, prime rib, pasta, and fish. But if you’re in the mood for a great pizza or a burger, The Timbers also works. They offer signature pizzas, burgers, and a variety of jam-packed sandwiches. Their chef crafts daily specials, so you’ll always find something new and exciting. Their beer selection is primarily Michigan craft brews, complemented by a full bar.

I’ve had both the Oak Barrel Pork Tenderloin and the salmon. Both were interesting takes on these proteins—the seared pork tenderloin came smothered in Timber’s bourbon sauce and caramelized onions. At the same time, the bacon-wrapped salmon filet offered a choice of house bourbon or hot honey glaze.

Piper’s Pro Planning: The Timbers is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Wild Flour Bakery

I loved everything about Wild Flour Bakery. Their décor could easily be award-winning; it’s that cute. Reminiscent of a grandmother’s house in England, the design features antique buffets, a Wild Flour logo trimmed with antique rolling pins, and a case of English bone China cups and saucers, all set against a light, bright, and fun backdrop. The giant wall clock features cups and saucers in place of numbers.

I love the calendar wall titled with a William Wordsworth quote: “Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” Enjoy coffee while writing an encouraging letter to your future self. Put the letter, ready to mail, in a slot on the calendar when you want it mailed, and the staff will send it to you.    

You order at the counter with friendly service. The cashier patiently explained boba tea options to my five-year-old granddaughter, a first-time customer.

While they offer bakery items, coffee, and tea, this is also one of Cadillac’s great places for lunch. Their offerings include a selection of house-made soups, fresh salads, and sandwiches. Top that off with a classic brownie in a great atmosphere, and you’ll be happy you came here for lunch.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Allow time to write a letter to your future self.

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