The words my sister used to describe the Falling Rock Café and Bookstore in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are that it’s rustic, remote, and right off Lake Superior. The more a place is seen as homey, vintage, and off the beaten path, the more I want to go! It also helps that my sister Nancy and her husband Jeff Dwyer own the place.
I was excited to hear and dream about my sister’s quaint little coffee shop described by my family members as “out in the boondocks”.
I was running, not walking, there as soon as chance arose. Could. Not. Wait. Even though I live in South Florida, a margarita and a lounge chair is not my thing.
I planned an August vacation for the 3 Boyz and off we went. The hiking at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and the Munising area waterfalls in the U.P. are lovely. The National Park draws thousands of visitors every year. Fantastic for photography, hiking or forest bathing!
Munising has the pioneer spirit of a small mining town—with downtown storefronts that call back to another era. The air is fresh with low humidity. The roads are long and empty. There are no billboards either.
The Falling Rock Café and Bookstore with its endless-filled bookshelves, local art and gifts, delicious coffee, and gluten free menu hit the spot.
Their breakfast sandwich on a gluten-free English Muffin is one of the most popular things they serve. They also have a designated gluten free toaster. The GF whitefish dip rocked. The grilled pesto and provolone sandwich on marble rye can also be put on gluten-free bread and gets rave reviews. Some of the soups are gluten-free too. And who doesn’t love hot soup on a cold U.P. winter’s day?
My sister Nancy spent years as a PICU nurse and has been thoughtful and deliberate in everything she does. She did a careful and courteous choosing when adding items to the Cafés gluten free menu. Partly because of her family—many of whom have celiac disease—and also due to her knowledge and understanding of the medical side of gluten sensitivity.
Anyone with Celiac or gluten intolerance knows that the last thing you want is to be hungry and in the middle of nowhere with nothing safe to eat.
The Falling Rock Café is a godsend to the remote U.P., where the Pasty exists in abundance and good restaurants with gluten-free options are relatively few and far between.
Thanks sis! I’m super proud of you and Jeff and the warm, welcoming feeling I experienced from your cozy cafe nestled within Michigan’s wild and scenic Upper Peninsula.