The history of the North Shore is full of resilience. Long, harsh winters were endured first by Native Americans, then Voyageurs, and eventually Scandinavian loggers and fisherman. These stories of resilience, of forging a life out of unforgiving terrain in order to seek the bounty of the land are beautiful, and sometimes heartbreaking. The North Shore really has something to offer in its grand landscape, and exploring our own resiliency on the shore of one of the largest lakes in the world is a gift.
While you’re out exploring the land, the water, or your own mind and heart, it helps to have a place to stay. Naniboujou Lodge & Restaurant and Cove Point Lodge have embraced their idyllic shoreline locations and provided a place to both lay your head and fill your belly. Their fine dining and immersive landscape are sure to help you find whatever it is you’re looking for.
Naniboujou Lodge & Restaurant, Grand Marais
Begun in 1927 as an exclusive club, Naniboujou Lodge has a storied history of survival. Charter memberships were sold to the likes of Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey for this private getaway in the Minnesota wilderness, but the stock market crashed, the economy took a dive, and despite efforts to maintain the initial vision, Naniboujou was sold to a hotel chain in 1939, and has operated as a hotel and lodge ever since. Inside, you cannot help but notice the beauty and extravagance that was intended all those years ago. Notably, the largest stone fireplace in Minnesota warms patrons on one end of the dining room, built from 200 tons of native rock. The giant stone fireplace is not even the most striking part of the large, 20-foot domed-ceiling dining room. At center stage are the vibrant Cree-styled paintings that cover the brightly painted walls and ceiling. Dining at Naniboujou Lodge & Restaurant is a grand experience for both the ambiance and the food.
When it comes to fine dining, Naniboujou has been honing their menu for decades, and when you stay with them or are lucky enough to snag a public reservation, you are in for a treat. For breakfast, try their raspberry cream cheese stuffed French toast, served with thick slices of sugar-cured bacon, or order the caramelized onion and Swiss cheese quiche, served with white chocolate chip scones. Or maybe just try a simple order of buttermilk pancakes, served with maple syrup and thick-sliced bacon. A Naniboujou lunch may consist of their famous wild rice burger topped with sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes, lettuce, red onion, Swiss cheese, and herbed mayonnaise, or maybe a simple favorite: their homemade French onion soup topped with croutons and Swiss cheese. On your way out, don’t forget one of Nancy’s homemade cinnamon rolls. Dinner in the vibrant dining hall may be a perfectly seasoned cranberry pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes, and Danish cream with raspberry sauce for dessert. Or maybe a spinach lasagna with garlic toast, topped off with a hot fudge sundae.
Naniboujou operates on a seasonal calendar, opening for reservations the third week of May, and remaining open until the third week of October, with a few weekends in February and March available for a winter getaway. May marks the release of Naniboujou’s brand new cookbook, Coming Home to Naniboujou, where you can find many of your favorite recipes to make at home. The wild rice burger and French onion soup are in there, as well as Susie Wallace’s four-layer chocolate pie and their smoked trout pasta. The cookbook is laced with stunning photography and bits of Naniboujou history. You won’t want to miss it.
Cove Point Lodge, Beaver Bay
Situated on more than 3,000 feet of Lake Superior shoreline, Cove Point has been a gathering place since the beginning of time. When Cove Point Lodge was built in 1995, it sought to embrace the history and spirit of the northwoods and Scandinavian loggers and fisherman who were reminded of home. Cove Point Lodge has become a memorable dining destination, filled with natural light and views of Lake Superior. The Great Hall boasts a large stone fireplace, and the entire lodge is warmly decorated with rustic wood and Scandinavian touches.
Guests will enjoy a complementary Scandinavian continental breakfast when they lodge at Cove Point, consisting of yogurt, granola, and fresh berries, as well as cheese and salami, hard boiled eggs, and pickled beets. They also serve pickled herring, smoked salmon spread, lingonberries, and more. The Lodge Dining Room is open to the public for reservations during the summer and fall, and has a wide variety of foods to choose from. Lighter options include fish and chips, or a chicken sandwich topped with char-grilled applewood smoked bacon, artisan greens, tomatoes, white cheddar cheese, and garlic aioli, and served on a brioche bun. You can also try their pan-roasted salmon, North Shore stuffed walleye, or Swedish meatballs. For vegetarian options, Cove Point has a grilled tempeh bowl with wild rice, garbanzo beans, avocado, red onions, carrots, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes, topped with lemon tahini dressing, or try their Lucca pasta with bell peppers, red onions, and creole cream sauce.
All rooms at Cove Point are lakeside, and the grounds provide an idyllic landscape, perfect for a relaxing stay and a memorable dining experience. There are many opportunities to enjoy the lakeshore while you are at Cove Point Lodge. Mickey’s Fish House is a building original to the property—a fish house—that has been converted to a multi-use space. Mickey fished the cove, and now his fish house is a place to watch the sun rise, read a book, or just stop by on your way out to the rocky outcrop that forms the cove.
Naniboujou Lodge & Restaurant and Cove Point Lodge are two favorite North Shore locations, both for their beauty and for the food they serve.
