Farm-to-table eateries are among the newest offshoots of Michigan’s agritourism scene. Aligning with the long-growing focus on fresh, local products in home as well as restaurant kitchens, they embody the best of what’s avail- able in the Great Lakes State, says Dave Lorenz, vice president of Travel Michigan. “With the abundance of produce Michigan has to offer, farm-to-table restaurants, markets, and cafes continue to see an increase in customers, leading to a significant boost to the state’s agribusiness ecosystem,” he says.
That’s also the case when it comes to experi- ences for groups. From being able to harvest your own honey to petting the goats that provide the chevre on your plate, such opportunities are popping up all across the state, from Dearborn to Mackinac Island.
ZINGERMAN’S CORNMAN FARMS // Ann Arbor
Since 2014, Chef Kieron Hales and Man- aging Partner Tabitha Mason have hosted events for as few as four and as many as 200 at their 27-acre working farm, event space, and culinary destination just minutes outside of Ann Arbor.
Zingerman’s Cornman Farms’ 1830s- era barn and farmhouse were completely renovated with modern touches when Hales and Mason bought the property 10 years ago. Their intent was to help people understand and experience where food comes from, says Mason.
“Our gardens aren’t hands-off,” she adds. “We encourage guests to walk through the garden, touch things, smell things, pick things.”
Standout experiences for visitors include lawn games, sipping a glass of red wine by a fire pit as the sun sets, and even a meet and greet with goats during a cocktail hour or break.
The farm’s menus are custom-built for each event using seasonal produce, which also finds its way into beverages like lavender lemonade or basil gimlets. For more adventurous groups, there’s a trout farm nearby where guests can catch their own fish for dinner. “It doesn’t get any more local than that,” Mason says.
SYLVAN TABLE // Sylvan Lake Sylvan
Table is housed in a 300-year-old barn that was moved from Maine to its current location. Owners Tim and Nicole Ryan serve rustic, elevated, multicultural cuisine made from seasonal ingredients sourced from the backyard farm as well as local partners.
The 7,800-square-foot, open-air cathedral barn offers two dining levels. Opening to the kitchen, it features several wood-fired elements: an 8-foot grill, a pizza oven, and two fireplaces—one of which is used for cooking. A glass-roofed solarium yields additional dining/ seating where guests can enjoy the skies and weather visually, shielded from the elements. And there’s more seating on an outdoor patio for weddings, meetings, and events.
In addition to partial rentals of the res- taurant space, Sylvan Table offers wine dinners and recently opened for brunch. The Ryans farm the 3 acres behind the restaurant and have also teamed up with 30-plus other farms to ensure the highest sustainability ethos possible, says General Manager Sadie Simon. In addition to educating guests on the environmental impact of food consumption, Sylvan Table’s team has poured heart, soul, and elbow grease into the property’s ambiance. “I still get goose bumps when I come to work,” Simon says.
OF THE LAND // Battle Creek
Farmer/chef duo Trent Thompson and Bridgett Blough have built something remarkable on the 20-acre organic veg- etable, fruit, and flower farm called Of the Land.
In addition to a 4,300-square-foot greenhouse that seats up to 150 people, there’s Dotty, the couple’s whimsical, refurbished beverage trailer, and The Garden, an additional 4,500 square feet of edible plantings, native flowers, fire pits, and conversation nooks.
The greenhouse’s sides retract upward for open-air seating, and for chillier evenings, the walls go down and propane heaters light up.
Guests are treated to an atmosphere that is not only serene, but also makes for an incredible photo backdrop.
“The uniqueness of what we have is what our clients love,” says Blough, whose team this past spring planted 85,000 zinnias in a circular pattern outside the greenhouse where guests could stand in the middle for selfies.
The spaces were thoughtfully laid out not only for weddings, but also for meetings, where attendees can enjoy Of the Land’s all-inclusive venue services: catering, vintage bar and bartending service, and optional floral packages.
“Here, it’s, ‘What do I have in season; what can we make with what I have?’” says Blough, who prepares everything from scratch in her on-site commercial kitchen. “What we do here is beautiful, tastes really good, and plays on multiple senses.”
MISSION POINT RESORT // Mackinac Island
For the past several years, the Ware family has invested heavily in talent, training, equipment, and local sourcing at Mackinac Island’s Mission Point Resort, a 241-room hotel with six dining venues.
While the 18-acre property has long been a favorite meeting and event space, these latest efforts are designed to take what guests experience to the next level, says Liz Ware, Mission Point’s vice president of sales and marketing—only on Mackinac Island, it’s “farm-to-ferry,” she notes.
“Mackinac Island has long been known as a fudge destination, but not necessarily a food destination,” Ware adds. “The team at Mission Point saw this as an opportunity and, as such, has made delicious dining a core value.”
In addition to Mission Point’s regional, house-made cuisine, Ware directs visitors to Lily’s Lemonade, the island’s only specialty lemonade stand with a variety of lemonade blends. Mission Point also serves Frosé, a frozen rose wine drink from Brys Estate Vine- yard and Winery in Traverse City.
OTHER FARM-TO-TABLE SPOTS
Armada // Based on a 150-acre farm about an hour northeast of Detroit, the family-owned Blake’s Orchard offers multiple venues including its Apple Barn, seating up to 120 guests; Orchard Square Tent, accommodating 225 seats;
a 120-person-capacity greenhouse; and a more intimate Orchard Square Tap with space for 50.
Dearborn // Eagle Tavern at historic Greenfield Village car- ries on a tradition of serving what Michigan grows, with recipes handed down from the cooks who ruled the kitchen 175 years ago. The menu reflects both the seasonal nature and availability of foods in mid-19th-century Michigan, also offering a selection of alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks of the period. Fresh ingredients are sourced from local and regional farmers or raised on-site.
Grand Rapids // The Sovengard, with its slogan of “Eat Local, Save the World,” features a beer garden with a living wall, bocce court, and plenty of space for events.
Midland // Aster is a farm-to-table restaurant owned by Evan Sumrell and Lisa Kuznicki, who met and bonded over their shared passions of design, hospitality, and quality, flavorful cuisine. Sumrell, a chef with years of kitchen expe- rience, and Kuznicki, a beauty- industry veteran, dreamed of one day opening their own restaurant and creating a community around a culture of sustainable cooking.
Traverse City // Mission Table, overlooking West Bay on the
Old Mission Peninsula, is exclusively for events and weddings. Formerly known as Bowers Harbor Inn, Mission Table show- cases local ingredients and a wine list with producers who respect artisanal techniques.
