Marquette, MI (Round 2): A Foodie Guide For Your Next U.P. Adventure

I swear, the Upper Peninsula is too beautiful not to go back again. So, that’s exactly what we did. My boyfriend and I were invited to a friend’s 30th birthday party, and what better way to spend a birthday when you’re surrounded by nature. We found a cute Airbnb in the heart of Downtown Marquette, and settled in for the three days ahead of us. If you would like more suggestions, please visit our recent Marquette post, Marquette, MI: A Foodie Guide For Your Next U.P. Adventure.

Once we were settled in, I was so excited to try a brewery that I have been wanting to try for a very long time. Barrel + Beam specializes in unique and funky farmhouse ales. They use Michigan sourced ingredients to create barrel aged distinct ales that are aged for a year in oak, and often paired with a Michigan fruit.

The next day, we needed coffee, and stat. Velodrome Coffee Company sources their coffee from farms in Papua New Guinea, Guatemala, and Costa Rica to provide coffee lovers with the best, freshly roasted cup of Joe. It is rare that I walk into a coffee shop and order a latte. When I try new coffee shops, I like be able to taste the difference in coffee beans. BUT, when I saw that they had a FRUITY PEBBLE Latte on their menu, I had to step out of my comfort zone and try this. Velodrome takes fruity pebbles, soaks them in milk, and blends the espresso with the fruity pebble milk concoction. Let’s just say, that I did not regret this decision. It was everything that I could have imagined. Pure nostalgia.

Best Coffee Stops in Marquette Michigan — Fruity Pebble Latte at Marquette Coffee House.

Fruity Pebble Latte at Marquette Coffee House.

Now, onward to find some substance. BabyCakes Muffin Company had quite the spread of breakfast goodies. Everything from macaroons, a variety of muffins, breakfast sandwiches, coffee drinks, and a various flavors of pastries. I also should mention, that their pastries are HUGE! Pictured is my boyfriend holding their m&m scone. Literally, was the size of his head! My blueberry muffin was very flavorful and filled with blueberries! The fun square size was convenient for those that only like the muffin top.

Coffee? check. Muffin? check. Now, time for some hiking. Our hiking adventures on Sugarloaf Mountain were filled with labored breathing due to the 200 plus steps that you need to climb to reach the top of the mountain. I promise you that the view is so worth it.

After climbing, what felt like 1,000 steps, it was time to grab some lunch. DIGS Gastropub was our next stop. In 2017, Digs opened its doors to serve the city of Marquette with a “big city experience mixed with the small town charm.” Serving a fun spin on American pub food, their rotating menu can be best described as “American-ish fare on vacation.”

In response to COVID-19, DIGS opened their own slice of paradise with a huge outdoor beach oasis. The main entrance to DIGS Beach Bar is located in a side street back alley, which adds a speakeasy vibe to the mix. Tiki bars, beach sand, palm trees, and classic 80’s rock filled the air. Typically, food orders are to made inside, but because they were slow, we had our order taken right away. All cocktail drinks are ordered inside as well. I opted for their Chipotle Chicken Wrap in a toasted wrap, with their seasoned fries. AMAZING. When restaurants say that they serve their wraps on a “toasted wrap”, this is what I want to see. Nothing microwaved here.

The next day, we decided to get a little more adventure in. We decided to jump off the Blackrocks at Presque Isle State Park. In July, Lake Superior is a cool 50-60 degrees in temperature, so when we decided to wake up early and beat the crowds, we didn’t need any coffee after this.

The rocks at the bottoms of Lake Superior look intimidating, but trust me, the rocks are a lot farther down than they look. It’s because of how crystal clear the water is that they look even closer than they really are.