Falling Rock Cafe: Fuel for the Upper Peninsula

I was badly in need of caffeine. The day before, I'd flown to Detroit and driven six and a half hours to Munising, Michigan. This town is the southern gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior, and summer is their high season for tourism. I needed some fuel before my morning tour boat ride, and had already Googled local coffee shops, so I knew exactly where to find the Falling Rock Cafe and Bookstore.

On the main street of Munising, you can find a spot to park right next to the cafe, underneath its mural of outdoor adventures particular to the U.P. Inside, you'll find a refrigerator case of soda, baked goods and sandwiches, across from the main counter for ordering coffee, food, or ice cream. In the back of this room is a display of local writing and Michigan-themed children's books, as well as the typical souvenirs.

I ordered a breakfast sandwich and a coffee and found a table in the large room adjacent. An assortment of tables make up the center of the room, while walls of books surround them. You can browse everything from vintage titles to maritime history, and the children's section has its own books and toys. At the far end of the room, you can find a small gift shop with pottery, wood crafts and greeting cards.

I wasn't extremely impressed by the drip coffee, which was neither as strong nor as flavorful as I am spoiled to expect in a place like northern Virginia. But it had caffeine, and you get free refills as long as you are staying on the premises. The breakfast sandwich was hot and fresh, not microwaved as you'd find in some coffee shops.

The following morning, I came back for a bagel and cream cheese, and this time, I selected the Michigan Cherry coffee. That one was a winner, and definitely merited a refill. In addition, a young woman at the counter recommended their very rich brownie as one you would need to cover in stages. She was right. It was like eating a fresh no-bake cookie cranked to 11. I took two-thirds of it in the car with me for my drive back, and it lasted another full day.

Coffee: ★★ It's not amazing coffee. But you are in the Upper Peninsula. Suck it up and go out on the lake.

Food: ★★★ A surprisingly large selection and quick table service.

Ambience: ★★★ It's fairly busy, but there are plenty of tables, and you have so many books to look at.

Service: ★★★ The counter staff were as friendly as you could possibly expect in August from people ground down by the seasonal influx of tourists.