A wooden table set with two ceramic plates of fish and waffle fries with coleslaw, and another dish holding a large colorful salad.
Fish and chips (and a big salad) at the Angry Trout.
Justine Jones

A Perfect Day of Eating in Grand Marais, Minnesota

Twenty-four hours of sugar-dusted doughnuts, golden-fried whitefish, and handmade ice cream on the North Shore

by Justine Jones Updated
Justine Jones is the editor of Eater Twin Cities.

Grand Marais, one of the furthest-flung towns on Lake Superior’s glittering North Shore, is also one of its best places to eat and drink. This harbor town is at its most vibrant in the summer, when purple flox blooms all along Highway 61, seasonal shops and restaurants reopen, and the sun warms the lake to (barely) swimmable temperatures. Grand Marais is a popular weekend destination, yes, at a manageable four-hour drive from the Twin Cities, but it never loses its small-town feel, which is rooted in its past as a fur trading station, logging town, and neighbor to a Ojibwe village, and its present as a tight-knit community and art hub. There’s a bounty of great places to eat in Grand Marais, but here’s a guide to cramming six can’t-miss spots into one day.

8 a.m. Doughnuts at World’s Best Donuts

Four donuts on paper on a red tray.
A morning selection from World’s Best Donuts.
Katie Cannon

The maple-glazed Long Johns, cinnamon rolls, and raspberry jelly Bismarcks at World’s Best Donuts, a Grand Marais staple since 1969, are tempting. But the real gems are the simple cake doughnuts, which balance a reliably moist, not-too-sweet inside with coatings of cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, or thick chocolate glaze. The best move is to buy a dozen to share — made fresh every morning, they’re served hot in brown paper bags. Be prepared to wait on weekend mornings, but the line moves fairly fast. 10 Wisconsin Street, Grand Marais

9 a.m. An omelet at at Blue Water Café

A storefront with windows and glass door and a blue awning that says “Blue Water Cafe.”
Blue Water Cafe, a downtown Grand Marais classic.
Blue Water Cafe

Blue Water is a classic small-town diner near the water’s edge. Favorites here include the hefty Wild Country omelet, stuffed with turkey, bacon, and vegetables and drizzled with hollandaise; the near-perfect hash browns; and the homemade pies, which range from tart rhubarb to cinnamon peach. These breakfasts will fuel a day out kayaking or hiking up the nearby Kadunce River. 20 W. Wisconsin Street, Grand Marais

1 p.m. Lunch at the Crooked Spoon

Grand Marais’s beloved Crooked Spoon Cafe, which burned down in 2020, lives on as a food truck on Wisconsin Street. The burgers — served either classic American-style with bacon, cheddar, and the works, or loaded with blue cheese and barbecue sauce — are popular here, but the Crooked Spoon is also a great bet for herring or New York-style pastrami sandwiches; vegan burgers; or breezy summer dishes like cobb salad and chicken salad lettuce wraps. Keep an eye on Facebook for specials. 17 W. Wisconsin Street, Grand Marais

3 p.m. Ice cream at Superior Creamery

Swing by Superior Creamery for a scoop of handmade ice cream, rain or shine. This local creamery typically has a few classics on the menu, like vanilla, dutch chocolate, and maple walnut, but take a chance on one of the specialty flavors — think salted honey bee, matcha, lemon sorbet, or licorice, infused with anise and colored slate-black with squid ink — and you won’t regret it. Superior Creamery also offers a small savory menu, too; be sure to ask about the day’s specials. 7 Broadway Avenue, Grand Marais

5 p.m. Happy hour at the Gunflint Tavern

A rooftop of a restaurant with a few people gathered playing instruments.
The Gunflint’s rooftop.
Gunflint Tavern

Grab a seat on the rooftop of the storied Gunflint Tavern, which overlooks the snug Grand Marais harbor, for a cocktail or a cold pint of beer and a snack, like steamed lemon caper mussels or sesame-crusted tuna sashimi. This is the best spot in town to catch a set of live music on weekend evenings — check out the Gunflint Tavern’s event calendar for details. 1516 W. Highway 61, Grand Marais

7:30 p.m. A fresh fish dinner at the Angry Trout Cafe

A wooden building with a deck stretching across a waterfront against a blue sky.
The Angry Trout’s lakeside deck.
The Angry Trout

Angry Trout Cafe leans into Northwoods flavors — think salads topped with blueberries; tart cranberry horseradish compote spread on smoked whitefish; hand-harvested wild rice; and maple cream sodas made with crystalline syrup and soda water. The fish, of course, is fresh-caught from Superior, and the patio is a lovely place to watch the moon rise over the harbor. Pack a sweater for the chilly evening breeze off the lake. 408 W Hwy 61, Grand Marais

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Angry Trout Cafe

408 West Highway 61, , MN 55604 (218) 387-1265 Visit Website
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The Crooked Spoon

17 Wisconsin Street, , MN 55604
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World's Best Donuts

10 Wisconsin Street, , MN 55604 (218) 387-1345 Visit Website

Blue Water Café

20 West Wisconsin Street, Grand Marais, MN 55604 Visit Website

Superior Creamery

7 Broadway Avenue, , MN 55604 (218) 877-7725 Visit Website

The Gunflint Tavern

1516 W Hwy. 61, Grand Marais, MN 55604 Visit Website
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