HOW TO STAY

AL JOHNSON’S, SISTER BAY

Here’s the place that put Sister Bay on the map. It has all kinds of (heavily merchandised) character and hearty food on the menu, but the Swedish pancakes with meatballs and lingonberries constitute the breakfast order that has people lining up for hours. Well, that and the goats on the roof. Don’t eat the goats.

ZERO SUM, SISTER BAY

To counterbalance all the Wisconsiny gluttony, head here for healthier fare made from greens, seeds, and berries. We’re partial to their Green Vitality juice and Açaí Bowl; the latter includes the gluten-free granola they make in-house.

GRASSE’S, SISTER BAY

We almost gave Grasse’s the nod for best healthy breakfast, but chose them instead for this artery filler. We’re pretty sure we’ve sampled them all, and the Grasse’s version is the most consistently well-executed. While you’re at it, get the meatloaf sandwich too. Or for that matter, everything else on the menu.

DOOR COUNTY CREAMERY, SISTER BAY

Their sandwich alchemy is scary good. At least one person in your party needs to order “The” BLT (the quotes are theirs), a gourmet interpretation of this American classic that will change your relationship with bread, meat, and vegetables.

BOATHOUSE ON THE BAY, SISTER BAY

As a teen, the patriarch of Goathaus worked the concessions at an international aviation event in Oshkosh. It became clear that the Wisconsin shorthand for Brätwurst was a regional thing when anyone with a non-Sconnie accent—Italian, Australian, Texan—mispronounced “brat” like it was a kid who deserves a spanking. Thank you for indulging this anecdote. The brat here is good. Eat it.

CHIVES, BAILEY HARBOR

Ground short rib. Bacon jam. Fried egg. This burger is all kinds of gourmet, and it will shorten your life.Enjoy this moment while it lasts.

INLAND PIZZA, BAILEYS HARBOR

Our favorite Door County restaurant, the New York Times-featured Wickman House, no longer exists. But those who came through its kitchen are keeping its legacy alive, including at this hip yet humble establishment that features artisanal pizzas with organic ingredients on delicious sourdough crusts. The place and its people remind us a bit of Brooklyn, where we used to live.

BARRINGER’S, FISH CREEK

This is a finer restaurant that knows where it is—stylish, but not snooty. With the closure of our old favorite, Wickman House in Ellison Bay, Barringer’s now takes this position on the strength of its modern steakhouse fare and artisanal cocktails. But keep the aforementioned Chives (Baileys Harbor) on your radar too.

CHARLIE’S SMOKEHOUSE, GILLS ROCK

This was never a “favorites” category for us until we came here. The eponymous Charlie smokes his fish the day it arrives, and unless you possess deep reserves of restraint, you’ll eat it that day too. Whitefish is the local catch, but we have a weakness for the Atlantic salmon.

DOOR COUNTY ICE CREAM FACTORY, SISTER BAY

They make all their decadent ice cream on site, and you can’t go wrong with any of the flavors. Wilson’s in Ephraim is also a cult favorite, but based on our objective analysis of flavor and general happiness, we scream for our friends just down the road. Pro tip: walk there and back to burn off the calories.

NOT LICKED YET, FISH CREEK

If you’re not from Wisconsin, the frozen custard capital, you might not be familiar with this smoother, denser version of ice cream. In that case, ignore the other dessert concoctions on the menu and order this stuff in its unadulterated form. It will change you—and not just in the waistline.

EPHRAIM COFFEE LAB, EPHRAIM

We’re not necessarily coffee snobs, but you could say we’re purists. We drink it black, sans embellishments. And the robust, flavorful cups we’ve indulged here, roasted on site, are up there with the best we’ve had in Seattle.

TAPUAT BREWING COMPANY, SISTER BAY

You’ll find it on tap at Grasse’s, and in the aisles of Piggly Wiggly. Like the Coffee Lab, Tapuat delivers a piquant product that competes with what we’ve tasted in America’s capitals of cool. We aging hipster wannabes are partial to the Blueberry and Grape Memory flavors.

HATCH DISTILLING COMPANY, EGG HARBOR

This rustic modern joint will make you appreciate the agricultural side of fine spirits, with gins, vodkas, and brandies distilled from local honey, grains, and botanicals. Their creative cocktails change daily, and we’d recommend a concoction with Harbor Dog—their version of rum—for at least one of your rounds. And we drink the apple brandy straight; it’s drier and more nuanced than the swigs you stole from your parents’ liquor cabinet.