This Iconic Michigan Restaurant Serves Thanksgiving Dinner Every Day
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Thanksgiving dinner serves up some of the best comfort food around. If you appreciate a traditional turkey and dressing dinner any time of year, you need to check out this iconic Michigan restaurant.
In Kawkawlin, Michigan, the Turkey Roost makes Thanksgiving meals almost every day, making this stop a must-add to your Michigan travel list!
An Iconic Michigan Restaurant Since 1955
The Turkey Roost has been doing its own thing since 1955, when it first opened in a former hamburger stand. Founder Clayton Kitchen got the idea after visiting a family member’s full-service restaurant in New York and decided to take a different approach – focusing on turkey and keeping the menu simple so meals could be served fast and done well.
Ownership has changed a couple of times over the years and the building has expanded, but that original mission has stuck. Even the restaurant’s signature pink exterior was chosen with intention, giving the Turkey Roost a look that’s hard to forget.
Cozy, Casual Vibes Inside the Turkey Roost
The Turkey Roost has a cozy, casual vibe – where you seat yourself and bring up your bill to pay at the register when you’re done. It’s the kind of place where you can comfortably enjoy a meal with the whole family. Nothing fancy, just good, hearty food with quick service.
What’s On the Menu at the Turkey Roost
The turkey plates include turkey, dressing, and mashed potatoes (all covered in a generous portion of gravy), coleslaw, vegetables, cranberry sauce, and buttermilk biscuits. You can even order turkey in the form of a hot or cold sandwich. Additionally, the Turkey Roost serves beef plates and sandwiches.
Daily specials include turkey noodle soup, beef stew, turkey pot pie, and sausage and biscuits with gravy. On Fridays, a variety of seafood dishes are available. For dessert, you can order old-fashioned strawberry shortcake or a slice of a la mode pie.
If you’re in Kawkawlin in the morning, you can even catch breakfast at the Turkey Roost. It serves all of the classics — pancakes, French toast with homemade or regular bread, eggs, toast, ham, bacon, sausage, and American fries.
Places to Explore Near the Turkey Roost
Bay County has a lot of things to do and attractions that can help you work up an appetite for Thanksgiving dinner at the Turkey Roost.
Home to more than 2,000 acres of wetland meadows, woods, and cattail marshlands, Bay City State Park offers many recreational activities. You can go swimming on the beach, fishing, and biking and hiking on several miles of trails.
At the Bay City Riverwalk, you can bike, rollerblade, or walk a paved scenic path through several parks and along the Saginaw River.
Spring Valley Golf Course is a great spot for golfers of all skill levels. The nine-hole course was built in the early 1960s and has a beautiful landscape.
If you prefer mini golf, Buoy 18 Miniature Golf and Ice Cream has an 18-hole course with a view of the Saginaw River. There’s also a video game arcade with Nintendo, Xbox, PlayStation, Dance Dance Revolution, and other games. While you’re there, grab some Ashby’s Ice Cream. There are more than 42 flavors and a self-serve bar with toppings. Buoy 18 has other snacks too — hot dogs, mini corn dogs, onion rings, root beer floats, shakes, and malts.
Coffee, Ice Cream, and Candy in Bay County
To keep your energy up as you explore Bay County, stop at Live Oak Coffeehouse for specialty coffee and handcrafted beverages. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, Cream & Sugar dips single, double, and triple scoops of unique flavors. The shop has freshly baked cookies as well.
Is candy more your style? You’ll find a variety of homemade treats, candies, and cotton candy at Tummy Ache Candy Store. The shop even has ice cream, slushies, and hand-shaved snow cones with 21 flavor options.
Campground & Lodging Near the Turkey Roost in Bay County
There are a couple of really good campgrounds in Bay County near the Turkey Roost. East of the restaurant, Bay City Park has electrical service, modern restrooms, and mini cabins. North of the restaurant, Bay County Pinconning Park has a combination of semi-modern and modern campsites with electrical service, a well-maintained bathhouse, log cabin rentals, and more.
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