Where locals actually eat in the gateway to Sleeping Bear Dunes
Empire is a village of about 400 people, so nobody expects a restaurant row. What surprises first-time visitors is how well you can eat here: a tavern that has anchored the town for generations, a pizza institution with one of the best draft lists in the county, a bean-to-bar chocolate shop, and a handful of cafes that keep beach days fed. This is the guide we give guests at check-in, now in writing.
Breakfast and coffee in Empire
Mornings in Empire start early, especially in summer when everyone is racing the crowds to the Dune Climb. For coffee and something quick, the village has you covered. Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate on M-22 at the south end of town pours espresso alongside its famous handmade truffles, and its gelato and pastry case makes a strong argument for dessert before noon. Shipwreck Cafe and the Little Finger Eatery handle the breakfast sandwich and grab-and-go crowd; both are ideal if you are packing a beach picnic for later.
If you are staying with us, the in-room coffee makers and mini-fridges (full kitchens in the suites) mean you can also do breakfast on your own schedule and save the restaurant stops for lunch and dinner.
Lunch and casual plates
Lunch in Empire skews casual, as it should in a beach town. The two anchors are on Front Street, a block apart. Joe’s Friendly Tavern is exactly what the name promises: burgers, sandwiches, local beers on draft, and a newer open-air beer garden out back that becomes the town’s living room on summer evenings. Across the way, the Empire Village Inn has been turning out its famous pizzas for decades, with around 15 rotating taps including draft root beer for the kids. In peak season both fill up fast, so eat early or be ready to wait with a drink in hand.
Dinner and drinks
Dinner in the village means the same two institutions, and honestly, that is part of Empire’s charm. Joe’s does the tavern classics well and the Village Inn’s pizza travels perfectly back to a room or a beach bonfire (where fires are allowed below the water line). For a quieter evening, grab provisions from the village market and grill on your own patio; our Two-Bedroom Suite has a grill, table, and chairs on a back patio facing the dunes.
Worth the short drive: Glen Arbor and Leland
Ten minutes north, Glen Arbor adds a second tier of options: waterfront patios, a beloved old-school tavern, ice cream lines on a July night, and the Cherry Republic campus, which is equal parts store, cafe, and local phenomenon. Twenty-five minutes up the peninsula, Leland‘s Fishtown district wraps restaurants and fish shanties around the working docks; a smoked whitefish sandwich eaten on the dock is a Leelanau rite of passage. Both towns pair naturally with a park day: Glen Arbor after the Dune Climb, Leland after a Heritage Trail ride.
Rainy-day and off-season options
Empire keeps its own hours in the off-season: some kitchens close midweek or take January off entirely, so call ahead from October through May. The reliable rainy-day move is a tasting room crawl on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail between Empire and Suttons Bay, most of which are open weekends year-round, or a drive into Traverse City (about 40 minutes) where the full restaurant scene never sleeps. We keep an updated list of what is open at the front desk; just ask, or call (231) 631-7875 before you come.
Stay where the good table is walkable
From the Dune Climb Inn, Front Street’s restaurants are a few minutes by car and the Dune Climb is minutes the other way on M-109. After a day in the sand, nobody wants a long drive to dinner, and here you do not need one. See our rooms and suites, check current offers, and read our guide to where to stay near Sleeping Bear Dunes if you are still comparing bases. Planning the rest of the trip? Our Dune Climb guide and local attractions guide will fill the days between meals.
Empire restaurants FAQ
Yes. Empire is small but well served: Joe’s Friendly Tavern and the Empire Village Inn anchor Front Street with tavern fare, pizza, and local drafts, while Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate, Shipwreck Cafe, and the Little Finger Eatery cover coffee, breakfast, and grab-and-go lunches. Glen Arbor, ten minutes north, adds more options.
Some do, with reduced hours. From October through May several kitchens close certain weeknights or take short seasonal breaks, so call ahead. Tasting rooms on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail and Traverse City’s restaurants (about 40 minutes away) are reliable year-round.
Empire and Glen Arbor are the two closest bases to the Dune Climb and Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Empire’s Front Street restaurants are minutes from the park’s main attractions, and Glen Arbor, just north, offers patios, taverns, and the Cherry Republic campus.
Yes. The Shipwreck Cafe and Little Finger Eatery both do grab-and-go sandwiches perfect for the beach, and Empire Village Inn’s pizza is a popular carryout for sunset at Empire Beach.
