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fried lake superior herring fish sandwich

north shore restaurants & dining

Here are the North Shore restaurants and dining establishments. Coffee shops, cafés, historic dining rooms, handcrafted menus, fresh Lake Superior fish, smokehouses, donuts, ribs, pies, taprooms, and pizza.  The shore has it all, especially from Memorial Day through late-October. After that some places, close and most reduce their hours, so call ahead first.

So where should you eat? That depends on what you like. To make it easier, I’ve listed every place you can eat or buy food to go. Or choose the “by type” option to select the best choice for you. The “near me” feature allows to you narrow down your search; handy!

Following the ‘when in Rome’ theorem, try some smoked or fresh fish. The two main fish caught and served on the North Shore are herring and trout. Herring is very mild and optimally eaten fresh either broiled or fried, and is also smoked. Trout is a bigger fish and has a bit more fat, so you want to grill or bake it. That bit of fat is also what makes it so delicious when smoked; the fat is smoked out, but keeps the fish moist and delicious. Tip: pop your smoked fish in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes, just to warm it through. It tastes like it just came out of the smoker. During a very short window in early May, look for a smelt fry / special. Light and delicate, barely dropped in the oil, these 4″ beauties are tasty.

New to the area?

Check out this handy map of North Shore communities, State Parks, Lake Superior Access, Waysides and more!

sparkling wintry lake superior and ice sheets stacked on north shore

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