Eat & Drink

If you’re heading out to enjoy the beach, trails or Ludington State Park and want to grab a “to-go” picnic or pizza:

Cluck Bucket—Check out one of Ludington’s new favorites!  This food stand (located next to Dairy Queen on Pere Marquette Highway) offers chicken and Pit-Tatoes(R) barbecued on their Port-A-Pit(TM) using a secret sauce that packs a delicious flavor profile!  Visit their site for a detailed menu. (Open May - October)

Chuck Wagon—for a delicious specialty pizza, breadsticks, and sandwiches that are a favorite among all the locals and return visitors, right along the lakeshore!

Keeper's Fish Shack—Located in Legacy Park in downtown Ludington, this walk-up restaurant provides a variety of fresh fish and seafood options from both fresh and salty waters! (Open May - September)

Q Smoke House—if you're looking for "top-notch BBQ and southern-style home cooking", this is a destination stop while in Ludington!

The Blu Moon—A bistro, sushi and cocktail lounge that specializes in using fresh, sustainable ingredients from the farm or boat, featuring French and Japanese fusion.

Café 106—(lunch only) serves specialty, “made from scratch” lunches.

Chef John’s European Bakery & Café—(lunch only) Great place for homemade bread, soups, and sandwiches. They also offer a wide assortment of desserts!

Crown & Cork—New to the restaurant scene in Ludington, this "trendy restaurant with a relaxed vibe" overlooks the municipal marina.

House of Flavors—For classic American Diner food and ice cream (made right here in Ludington), check out the House of Flavors in Ludington or Manistee.

Luciano's Ristoranti—Enjoy all your Italian favorites in a relaxed, family-style setting.

Stix Restaurant—Newly renovated restaurant and entertainment venue offers a menu that features a menu curated by world-class chefs, craft cocktails, a beer garden patio & pier, and state-of-the-art bowling lanes.

Table 14—A mix of southern and seafood, this local chef provides an eclectic and seasonal menu with a southern twist.

If you're up for a drive (45-60 minutes), may we recommend:

The Glenwood—(open May-September) Located in Onekama, the Glenwood offers a distinctive dining experience where everything is "prepared to your liking".  A delicious, lakeside dining experience in a historic building.

876 Baldwin—Enjoy from-scratch menu offerings and handmade, top-shelf cocktails in a space with a casual, comfortable vibe.  Executive Chef Glenn Forgie expertly sources Michigan's finest produce and meats, and complements menu items with a surprisingly deep cellar of fine wines and spirits from the USA and abroad.

Breweries & Pubs with great menus:

Barley & Rye—laid-back pub offering bar food with a Mexican twist featuring ample whiskey options & Michigan beers.

Jamesport Brewing Company —Serves a wide range of beers and filling food in a Victorian storefront with warm, rustic surroundings.

Ludington Bay Brewery—A brewing company whose mission is to consistently provide their patrons with an exceptional beer drinking experience.

Sportsmans Irish Pub—An Irish-style bar with a long-running reputation in the community offering thin-crust pies & other grub in a friendly atmosphere.

The Ludington Pub—American cuisine pub menu sure to satisfy your cravings, and live music on Sundays!

The Mitten Bar—This funky pub takes its name from the state's shape and offers local beer, wine & spirits, plus food & live music.

A visit to these vineyards and tasting rooms is a day well spent along the Michigan West Coast – Cheers!

The Fox Barn Marketplace & Winery—located in Shelby, Michigan, Fox Barn winery produces a variety of traditional grape wines as well as fruit wines made from apples, cherries, peaches, pears, plums, and raspberries.

Love Wines—located on Washington Avenue in Ludington, Love Wines is a boutique winery that includes a tasting room as well as a gift shop on-site.  Specializing in country style wines with a "bold fruit flare", they also offer a nice selection of traditional wines.

Oceana Winery & Vineyard—a family operated vineyard and estate winery located 30 miles south of Ludington in New Era, Michigan, Oceana Winery offers a range from dry reds and whites to sweet and late harvest styles.

Pere Marquette Winery—the beautiful Huggard Estate at the head of the Buttersville Peninsula, just minutes from the inn, has been farmed by the Morton family for many generations.  Their grapes are 100% estate grown from meticulously tended old root stock, providing high quality, distinctive wines, produced in small quantities.

Home to several breweries and craft beer festivals, Ludington is no stranger to the craft brew scene. We’ve highlighted a few local breweries, plus a couple others that are nearby. And yeah, we added a distillery to the list, too…

Ludington Bay Brewing Company—A brewing company whose mission is to consistently provide their patrons with an exceptional beer drinking experience.

Jamesport Brewing Company—Serves a wide range of beers and filling food in a Victorian storefront with warm, rustic surroundings.

Starving Artist Beer—This small artisan brewery is a production-only brewery, brewing a majority of traditional style beers with a few of their own speciality beers. Book your tour.

Big Hart Brewing Co—located in Hart, Michigan 22 miles south of Ludington

Fetch Brewing Co—located in Whitehall, Michigan 43 miles south of Ludington

North Channel Brewery—located in Manistee, Michigan 29 miles North of Ludington

Iron Fish Distillery—If you’re headed North, add Thompsonville, MI to your itinerary and book your tour here!

House of Flavors—This Guinness World Record Holder for Longest Ice Cream Dessert serves homemade ice cream and other American classics, in a retro, 1950s-style diner.

Krave Frozen Yogurt & Candy Shoppe—Offers 12 flavors of Palazollos frozen yogurt and sorbetto with over 50 toppings! Coffee, Bubble Tea, Smoothies, gourmet treats, popcorn & bulk candy are also available.

Kilwins—This chain features old-fashioned confectionery and sells chocolates, ice cream, handmade sweets & gift baskets.

HumaniTea—Located at the corner of Loomis and James Street in downtown Ludington, this cozy tea shop exists to confront the tragedy of modern-day slavery.  All their teas are responsibly sourced, and the hand-crafted gifts available for sale in the shop are either made by survivors or are from collaboratives that are a part of trafficking prevention. 

Red Rooster Coffee—A coffee shop serving organic, fair trade coffee with a place to gather.

The Book Mark—Serving coffee varieties including lattes, cappuccinos, coffee and frappe as well as tea.  Located in a book store, browse and purchase your favorite books, magazines and newspapers, and then relax in the coffee lounge.