27 BEST Pasty Shops in Michigan to Conquer Your Cravings
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New York has pizza. Philadelphia has cheesesteaks. Even Detroit and surrounding areas have coney dogs. Around here, it’s all about the best pasty shops in Michigan.
If you’re looking for a true taste of Upper Peninsula cuisine, the pasty (pronounced like PAST-EE) is a delicacy you absolutely must try. A traditional pasty consists of beef, potatoes, and rutabagas — all mixed together and wrapped in a flaky, golden crust.
You can almost think of pasties as handheld potpies. Their roots go back to earlier days when the Upper Peninsula was a mining hot spot.
Cornish miners took pasties in their lunch pails for hot lunches and filling meals. Locals will tell you that nothing goes with a pasty quite like ketchup, but in many places, you can also get gravy with your pasty.
You can search for “best pasties near me”… or you can browse this list to find a Michigan pasty shop near you!
Best Pasty Shops in the Western Upper Peninsula
The Hut Inn
58540 US Highway 41 Calumet, MI 49913
For many residents and visitors of Copper Country, this is one of the absolute best pasty shops in Michigan. The place traces its roots back to 1952 and is open seven days a week. It’s now owned by Pasty Central – Kearsarge, and The Hut Inn kitchen is the headquarters for the company’s online sales of pasties.
The business ships more than 50,000 pasties a year. Also, the Hut Inn offers a sit-down dining experience with a full menu, as well as a drive-up window where you can get a fresh pasty as you travel.
Jen’s Kitchen [formerly Connie’s Kitchen]
56901 6th St., Calumet, MI 49913
This bakery is open five days a week, and it’s worth the trip. You can warm up with a tasty cup of soup of the day and pair it with a traditional pasty. Jen’s Kitchen also offers delicious baked goods including donuts, cookies, and more!
Toni’s Country Kitchen
79 3rd St, Laurium, MI 49913
In the heart of Copper Country, Toni’s Country Kitchen gets a lot of hype, and for good reason. In a traditional diner setting, you’ll find large pasties with extra flaky crust and a good ratio of vegetables to meat.
If you’ve never had a pasty before but are dying to try one, Toni’s is a place where you can get a true taste of the Upper Peninsula. It’s open six days a week.
Suomi Home Bakery & Restaurant
54 Huron St, Houghton, MI 49931
If you’re around Hancock, head over to Houghton and this tasty Finnish-style pasty bakery and restaurant. Not only can you find all the trappings for a delicious Finnish breakfast, but you can also grab a tasty pasty for lunch.
The large traditional pasties are a great deal if you’re looking for a quick, filling meal on your travels. You can buy mini pasties as well. Suomi is open most days, and we recommend that you get there early.
Syl’s Cafe
713 River St, Ontonagon, MI 49953
Open all day, every day, Syl’s offers traditional Cornish pasties. You can get them with and without coleslaw, and mini pasties are on the menu too.
Pasty Corner
825 W Adams St, Iron River, MI 49935
This stop in Iron River is open every day except Sunday. It’s worth visiting if you’re on the far end of US-2. Pasty Corner offers some specialty pasties and mini pasties (known as nuggets), but the original is big and packed with flavor.
Rigoni’s Bakery
110 S Suffolk St, Ironwood, MI 49938
Fans of baked goods and pasties are in luck because Rigoni’s has been serving both since 1972! Customers on the hunt for a pasty can choose from traditional, Cornish, breakfast, red devil “spicy,” and veggie options. They can be ordered frozen for eating at home or fresh and hot and enjoyed right on the spot.
Best Central Upper Peninsula Pasty Shops
The Pasty Oven
W7279 Highway, US-2, Quinnesec, MI 49876
Located near Iron Mountain, The Pasty Oven is shipping pasties just once a week. But the wait is worth it. You can order traditional pasties or one of several specialty flavors — pepperoni pizza, spinach and cheese, chicken and cheese, and breakfast pasties.
Or, you could stop by the restaurant, which is one of the best pasty shops in Michigan. It serves award-winning pasties every day. The menu is limited, but it also serves a large fish fry on Fridays all year.
Gram’s Pasties
2418 Ludington St, Escanaba, MI 49829
You’ll find scrumptious pasties daily at this Escanaba eatery, which has been awarded the “Reader’s Choice” for best pasty from the Escanaba Daily Press several times over. The awards have been given for good reason because Gram’s offers pasty options that you’re not likely to find anywhere else.
You can order traditional pasties like beef and chicken, but daily specials are also offered. On Tuesdays, you can order a taco pasty with meat, nacho cheese, and salsa. On Wednesdays, you can order a ham and cheese pasty with ham, potatoes, and cheese.
Muldoons Pasties & Gifts
1246 M-28, Munising, MI 49862
This seasonal eatery, open only from spring to Halloween, is well known for its award-winning pasties. In 2001, Muldoons was awarded the Upper Peninsula People’s Choice Award for best pasty at a tourism conference, and it has been cranking out the delicious staples since 1989.
As one of the best pasty shops in Michigan, Muldoons serves original beef pasties. But, you can also buy a chicken or veggie pasty. The restaurant even makes dessert pasties in several tasty flavors.
“Our tip: order your meal hot and eat those pasties right on site! We are gravy people, so we ordered a side of gravy with each of our pasties and slathered them up. My favorite is always veggie because I enjoy the broccoli and cauliflower in mine, but the meat ones were so delicious too! “
Awesome Mitten writer Heather Stern in Try Every Delicious Flavor at Muldoons Pasties in Downtown Munising
Lawry’s Pasty Shop
2381 US-41, Ishpeming, MI 49849
Lawry’s has been a Central UP pasty institution and has routinely been voted as one of the area’s best pasty shops. The pasty filling here includes beef, rutabaga, potato, onion, and spices wrapped in a signature crust. Hungry customers can have as much or as little pasty as they want because Lawry’s offers large and classic sizes, minis and family packs.
Au Train Grocery & Motel
N7590 Arbutus St, Au Train, MI 49806
Some of the best UP pasty shops are found off the beaten path. Au Train Grocery & Motel off of M-28 is one such place, and locals will tell you it’s one of (if not the best) pasty they’ve ever had. The pasties here are baked seven days a week and come fresh out of the oven every morning. A set amount of pasties are made every day, so it’s best to call ahead and place an order.
Mohawk Superette
158 Stanton Ave, Mohawk, MI 49950
This hidden gem in the Keweenaw Peninsula is worth a trip for its delicious pasties. The Superette serves traditional Finnish pasties, stuffed with beef, onion, rutabaga, and carrots and they’re offered in 4, 6, and 12-ounce varieties. Mohawk’s menu includes monster sub sandwiches, Finnish specialties, and more, but the pasties are worth the trip!
Antonio’s Pizza and Pasties
400 S Stephenson Ave, Iron Mountain, MI 49801
This family-owned takeout restaurant specializes in the three P’s: Pizza, pasta, and pasties. The pasties come in just two options — regular (beef, potatoes, onions) and rutabaga (rutabaga + the regular filling) — but they’re made fresh every day and can also be ordered frozen to be eaten at home.
Best Pasty Shops in the Eastern Upper Peninsula
Cut River Inn
W 5966 US-2, Epoufette, MI 49762
Located along Lake Michigan in Mackinac County, this eatery offers all the standard fare — sandwiches, fish dinners, and burgers. But it’s also purported to have a heck of a pasty.
Its pasty recipe includes carrots, onions, ground beef, rutabaga, and potatoes. Cut River Inn is open every day, and it’s worth stopping if you’re headed north.
Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub
24019 Upper Falls Drive, Paradise, MI 49768
Tahquamenon Falls on the eastern side of the Upper Peninsula is worth checking out any time of year. It’s also a place where you can find some great food.
At the Brewery & Pub, which is open seven days a week during the winter season, you can pair a delicious pasty with a refreshing microbrew. The pub’s Blueberry Ale is reported to pair well with a pasty, which you can get with sides of gravy and coleslaw.
Lehto’s Pasties
1983 US-2, St Ignace, MI 49781
Pasty shops can be found all over the Upper Peninsula, but you don’t have to travel too far over the Mackinac Bridge to find this seasonal spot. It started in 1947 and is still family-owned and operated.
Lehto’s Pasties promises to be one of the best pasty shops in Michigan. You can take your pick of beef, chicken, or veggie pasties.
Yooper Pasty Company
951 E Portage Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
Yooper Pasty Company offers visitors a true Upper Peninsula experience that includes pasties. Hungry customers should watch the company’s Facebook Page for up-to-date information on pasty specials, which include breakfast, veggie, pizza, and beef, and specials on other tasty baked goods.
Lower Peninsula Pasty Shops in Michigan
The Upper Peninsula is home to dozens of pasty shops, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find them south of Mackinac Bridge. Here are some spots worth checking out in the Michigan Mitten.
Hunt’s Mackinaw Pasties & Cookie Co.
117 W Jamet St, Mackinaw City, MI 49701
Since 1983, the Hunt family has been dedicated to making pasties in Mackinaw City. Hunt’s Mackinaw Pasties & Cookie Co. continues to use the original “Yooper” beef recipe. However, a variety of pasties have been added to the menu — chicken, vegetable, and cheese pasties.
Old Dog Tavern
402 E Kalamazoo Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
You make not think a great pasty can be found all the way down in Kalamazoo, but Old Dog Tavern is one of the best pasty shops in Michigan. Interestingly, this eatery is known for making great mac and cheese and Bloody Marys too.
Calumet native Jerome Spagnotti is a pasty maker at Old Dog and knows all about how to make the perfect pasty. Old Dog features hand-diced veggies, a coarser grind on the meat, and special seasoning to set it apart. It makes a venison version for those who are craving something different as well.
Shier’s Pasties & More
2218 N Saginaw Rd, Midland, MI 48640
The owners of Shier’s lived in Colorado for over 10 years and discovered other former Michigan residents transplanted to Colorado who all loved pasties. They began to make Michigan pasties while still in Colorado, and when they moved back to Michigan in 2013, they opened their Midland pasty shop.
Now a full-time pasty shop, you can stop by their Midland location for hot or frozen pasties any day of the week! Their menu features four varieties of pasties: beef, chicken, veggie, and “Mexican,” and they have all four varieties available both fresh and frozen.
Shier’s also makes fresh cudighi, a sausage that’s popular in the Upper Peninsula.
Barb’s Pasties & Pizza
610 S Main St, Clawson, MI 48017
As the name implies, you can get some great pizza here, but you can also get some delicious pasties right in Metro Detroit. Barb’s offers beef, chicken, and vegetable pasties. It has been making pasties with fresh ingredients for 45 years, so if you get one here, you know that you’re getting a good meal.
Cousin Jenny’s Cornish Pasties
222 E State St Suite 102, Traverse City, MI 49684
Owner Jerilyn de Boer grew up in Iron Mountain, so she knows exactly what makes a good pasty. She’s been operating her shop in Traverse City for nearly four decades and this family restaurant in Northwest Michigan even ships pasties nationwide. Cousin Jenny’s offers traditional steak and veggie pasties, but their menu includes German and Italian-inspired pasties, chicken pasties, and French potato pasties.
Mr. Foises
154 Leisure St, Cadillac, MI 49601
Founded in 1987, Mr. Foises keeps things simple with three pasty options: Beef, chicken, and veggie. This cozy spot looks like a log cabin from the outside and offers a cozy atmosphere inside to dig into one of these Michigan delights. Hungry customers will find traditional fillings in their pasties, but the biggest selling point here is the delicious, flaky crust.
King Arthur’s
1261 N Ballenger Hwy, Flint, MI 48504
East Michigan residents have been flocking to King Arthur’s since 1968 for some of the area’s best pasties. Customers can choose from beef, chicken, or ham and cheese options. While a pasty is a filling meal by itself, customers should save room for some of King Arthur’s baked goods, which include cupcakes, cream pies, cookies, daily pie specials, and more.
Heart of Michigan
203 W Grand River Ave, Howell, MI 48843
Shoppers who love Michigan-made products can find them in abundance at this downtown Howell shop. While embracing their inner Michigander, customers can also get freshly made pasties in several varieties. In addition to beef, chicken, veggie, and vegan options, customers can get specialties like sausage breakfast, which includes sausage, potatoes, onion, cheese, rutabaga, and onion. Bacon cheeseburger and turkey (stuffed with Thanksgiving flavors) are flavors worth checking out too.
Viki’s Bridge Street Pasty Shop
77 North Bridge St, Saranac, MI 48881
Delicious pasties can even be found in West Michigan where Viki’s claims to serve the “Best Darn Pasty you’ll ever eat”. This hidden gem serves fresh pasties daily and keeps things simple with a classic recipe pasty.
More of the Best Pasty Shops in Michigan
So where can you find the best pasty shops in Michigan? In the Upper Peninsula, you don’t have to go very far. Above are some of the best spots to find this delicacy, but certainly not all of them. In fact, there are tons more places to get pasties in Michigan, such as Lawry’s Pasty Shop.
While many of the best pasty shops in Michigan are in popular tourist spots, you can also find some in small towns and out-of-the-way bakeries.
Where is your favorite place to enjoy a Michigan pasty?
