The Pasty Trail: Best Pasties in the U.P.

Michigan is known for its waterfalls, scenery and beer (check out The Pasty Trail 2 if you like beer), but what about the pasties? Outside of Cornwall, the Upper Peninsula might be the most popular spot in the world for pasties.the pasty trail

It started with the mining community in the 1800s and has since extended to the rest of the U.P. as well as the L.P.

Where else can you find a pasty festival or a town where every restaurant has its own version of the pasty? That’s exactly what the U.P. has, which means it’s time to take a trip.

If you consider yourself a pasty lover, the map below covers every significant pasty shop (with the help of research) in the U.P. as well as the best route to take. Sure, it may be unlikely to hit up all these spots on one trip, but you can try. If you’re looking for other locations, you can find every pasty shop I’ve reviewed and visited here. And for even more options, I created The Pasty Trail 2.

pasty trail, pasty guy, upper peninsula, pasties

pastytrail2

Here are Google Maps for the first and second part.

In addition, there is plenty of scenery to take in along the way from the Mackinac Bridge to an abundance of waterfalls, to shorelines such as Pictured Rocks. And of course, camping.

For a fun, cheap trip, The Pasty Trail might be your new favorite thing.

  1. Mackinaw Pastie and Cookie Co., Mackinaw City and St. Ignace – Review
  2. Bessie’s Original Homemade Pasties, St. Ignace – Review
  3. Bentley’s B-M-L Diner, St. Ignace
  4. Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub, Paradise
tahquamenon falls, pasty trail

The Tahquamenon Falls are a must-visit along the Pasty Trail.

You can take the trail any way you want, but this is The Pasty Guy’s preferred method coming from the Lower Peninsula. Start with the east side and go around to finish at one of the best spots (Lehto’s).

There aren’t many places on the east side, so this also gets you started slowly, building your stomach up for the massive amount of pasty you’re set to engulf. The main reason the Tahquamenon Brewery is on here is because it’s a brewery and there are nearby falls and a State Park. Maybe it’s not the best pasty you’ll ever eat, but the views and adventure will surely override those feelings.

  1. Muldoon’s Pasties, Munising – Review
pictured rocks, pasty trail, munising

Just a little taste of Pictured Rocks.

Kill two birds with one stone, except please don’t kill any birds. You can’t do much better than visiting Pictured Rocks and Muldoon’s on the same day. Well, I can’t do much better.

  1. Jean Kay’s Pasties, Marquette – Review
  2. Crossroads Restaurant & Lounge, Marquette
  3. Lawry’s Pasty Shop, Marquette – Review
  4. Irontown Pasties, Negaunee – Review

Marquette has plenty going for itself: Lake Superior, Northern Michigan and an abundance of pasty shops. Jean Kay’s and Lawry’s are top of the line, while Irontown can be enjoyed on your way out of the city. Irontown is also known as one of the only options in the U.P. to have gluten-free pasties. In fact, they may be the only ones. The Pasty Girl loves them and yes, they have regular ones too. If you’re really taking your time, Cognition is a few minutes to the west.Or if you want to hold off on Lawry’s while in Marquette, there’s another establishment right in Ishpeming.

  1. Roy’s Pasties & Bakery, Houghton – Review
  2. Kaleva Café, Hancock – Review
  3. Pasty Central, Calumet
  4. Connie’s Kitchen, Calumet
  5. Toni’s Country Kitchen, Laurium – Review
isle royale, pasty trail, copper harbor

If you happen to find yourself on Isle Royale it wouldn’t be a bad thing.

And now things get really exciting. Copper Country aka Keweenaw Peninsula – whatever you want to call it – is where you can find the world-known Pasty Fest in Calumet.

Anywhere you go here will have pasties, but the places I’ve found are considered the best, not to mention Pasty Central’s website is actually pasty.com.

If you want a pasty break (what?!), there’s always a few hours you could spend in Copper Harbor in the northernmost point of the peninsula. And if you really want adventure, take the ferry out to Isle Royale. You won’t be disappointed.

Another fun fact, ‘Pasty.net’ is the Internet provider in Keweenaw. I don’t know what else you need to know about this place to be sold.

  1. Syl’s Café, Ontonagon – Review
  2. Joe’s Pasty Shop, Ironwood – Review; Rhinelander 

Believe it or not, but you’re almost halfway done with The Pasty Trail. I know, it’s flown by a little too quickly. At least you made it to the western end of the state and found Joe’s. When you make it there, you’ll know one thing: You love pasties (just look at their website). For more excitement, Potawatomi Falls is a little off the trail before getting to downtown Ironwood.

lakeoftheclouds

If you like to hike, the Porcupine Mountains are about an hour north of Ironwood and a great place to take a day or two to enjoy the land. Pictured: Lake of the Clouds

  1. The Pasty Corner, Iron River – Review
  2. Pasty King Prime, Kingsford – Review
  3. The Pasty Oven, Quinnesec – Review
bond falls, ontonagon, pasty trail

Bond Falls is one of the many waterfalls found along the trail.

And the trip east begins as does the journey along Route 2, which I like to call Pasty Road. There isn’t much to see outside of pasties until getting to Escanaba, but Bond Falls is only a short way north of Watersmeet. Pasty King Prime remains a ghost online, but one person on Trip Advisor labeled it the best ever. For those that want to try something different, The Pasty Oven has the rare Vegan Pasty, which I’m not sure exists anywhere else.

  1. Gram’s Pasties, Escanaba – Review
  2. Dobber’s Pasties, Escanaba – Review
kitch-iti-kipi, pasty trail, the big spring, manistique, palms book state park

Kitch-iti-kipi looks even cooler from the surface.

With Escanaba comes Lake Michigan and some great camping destinations, as well as the headquarters of Dobber’s Pasties (other shop found in Iron Mountain). But the main attraction in these parts is no doubt Gram’s, which prides itself on winning the ‘Best Pasty’ for the last however many years in Escanaba. I mean, good job. They don’t advertise being the best in the U.P. because, well, they aren’t. Sorry, Gram!

Just a little ways after Escanaba and north of Manistique (less than an hour out of the way) is the little-known Kitch-iti-kipi. It’s a big spring that goes 40-feet deep and you can see all the way to the bottom. Yeah, go there.

  1. Jack’s Fresh Market, Manistique – Review
  2. Hiawatha Pasties, Naubinway – Review
  3. Wildwood Pasties, Moran – Review
  4. Lehto’s Pasties, St. Ignace – Review
  5. Suzy’s Pasties, St. Ignace – Review
  6. Taste of the U.P., St. Ignace – Review
pasty, pasty review, pasties, pasty guy, lehtos pasties, lehtos

Finish with one of the best, Lehto’s.

You’ve come to the final stretch and it’s purely pasty madness at this point getting closer to the bridge. So you don’t have to eat five pasties in one day, there are a number of camping sites along Route 2 that are on or near Lake Michigan. Either way, visiting Lehto’s is a must and what many (The Pasty Guy included) consider one of the best pasties around.

For more fun in the Lower Peninsula, there are plenty more pasty places to try. A little ways from the bridge, Petoskey and Traverse City are attractions in themselves, but also have a few shops. However, those are part of The Pasty Trail 2 Or if you want to visit the Detroit Pasty Trail…

65 thoughts on “The Pasty Trail: Best Pasties in the U.P.”

  2. Reading this makes me hungry and homesick. Grew up in Niagara, Wi., just across the river from Mi. Thanks for sharing.

  3. What a trail. I live in Cornwall UK, the home of the Cornish pasty but have travelled a lot in the UP, always on the lookout for a good pasty. had one in Joe’s, Ironwood. have visited kitch-iti-kipi. What a fabulous place. Under EU law, Cornish pasties can only be so called if they are made in Cornwall.

  4. The northern most point of the Upper Peninsula is “Copper Harbor”. . . . . not Copper Hopper, (a typo).

  5. This is the greatest thing I have ever seen. Gonna start doing crunches and cardio now in preparation to eat it all away this summer!! (But probably I’ll jusy go take a walk and dream of the perfect pasty…)

  6. Forgot to hit the AuTrain gas station. They are amazing chx and beef pasties! Get there early as they sell out daily. I made pasties at Dobbers in my youth so I know a thing or two. As for Grams pasties, I prefer them over the soupy Lehtos and dry Muldoons.

    1. Will have to put the gas station on the list, haven’t heard much about it. Thanks for the tip. Pasty on.

  7. For the second leg of the Pasty trail, you might want to consider adding Krupp’s Mini Mart, in Twin Lakes. Some of the best pasties in the Keweenaw.

    1. Have you called them? In recent experience, they have them frozen and you have to call ahead if you want them warmed up.

  9. We were just in Munising and stopped by Miner’s Pasty shop. They had two types: traditional and vegan. We had the traditional and it was the BEST pasty I’ve ever eaten. Loved it.

  11. Does anyone know anything about Ruth’s Pasties in Manistique (I think)? There was a man’s name associated with it; maybe his cafe with Ruth’s pasties. Wonderful family memory during camping trip on UP.
    Barb in Milwaukee

  13. Saranac,MI, 25 miles east of Grand Rapids has Viki’s Pasty shop which is run by two guys from Iron River,MI. As shop pasties go, they are pretty good and always fresh and hot. The best pasties are made in the home by Finnish women who know what they are doing. Lard in the crust is a must! I grew up in the Keewenaw in a Finn community where we used equal parts of pork and beef(or venison),rutabagas which were home grown,onions, and a few potatoes. These were eaten with butter and sometimes catsup. In the UK I had plans to eat a Cornish Pasty, but when I actually saw them in the shops, I passed. Didn’t look anything like ours! Maybe next time. My son who lives there says they are nothing to write home about. I believe him.

  14. Years ago, there was a restaurant on US2 just past the bridge called Paul Bunyan Pasties, they were fantastic! I was sad when I made a hometown trip and it was shut down.

  15. Pasty corner in iron river makes vegetable pasties, pizza pasties and a breakfast pasty, not all on the same day. Their pasties are the best.

  16. A few years ago we made the pastie run from Hancock Kaleva- Houghton Suomi – Krupps – Randalls (Wakefied) to Iron River and then home to MN. Had a cooler full of pasties when we get home. And enjoyed every one even if they were all a little different.
    Living in CA now and can’t find anything that even resembles a pastie.

    1. That trip sounds awesome and a cooler is a great idea. The only pasty place I know of in CA is the Pasty Shack in Sacramento. Though I just searched and there’s one in south LA too.

    2. JoAnn, I know this is a comment that you made over a year ago, but if you make it to Grass Valley California there’s a pasty shop with delicious pasty’s named Marshal’s. They are worth trying, I always find their Pasties delicious and worked in the same neighborhood in Grass Valley for 20 years. They also have something interesting which is appetizer pasties, miniature. I cut them in half when I serve them and everyone always loves them. You have to order the miniatures.
      Bon Appetite’ Nancy

  17. Found the Lawry’s in Ishpeming – asked the local gas’s station where to go & they said up the road to Lawrys. The building may scare you away but the aroma won’t. Pasties were wonderful by thenselves! Building looks like a strong wind would blow it away, but several people came in while we were eating for the pasty carryouts. Would have taken more with us but were leaving for Mackinaw City. REally glad we stopped for gas & went there!

  18. Never had a better pasty in my life than at Miner’s Pasty and Ice Cream in Munising. They are what my pasty dreams are made of. Please check them out!

  19. I’m a HUGE pasty aficionado and completely agree with your review of Roys in Houghton and Barb’s in Clawson. Apparently you’ve missed the best pasty in the Houghton/Hancock area. Ask any of the locals and they most likely will tell you that it can be found at Amy J’s Pasty & Bake Shop in Hancock and I completely agree. Don’t miss it the next time you’re in the Houghton/Hancock area.

    1. Thanks for reading Tom. I tried to visit Amy J’s last month but wasn’t there for one of the three days it’s open. One of these days… It’s next on the list.

  20. Bessemer. Bread of Life bakery. Best pasty ever. Cant believe no one mentioned it. Really they have it perfected. Flakey rich crust packed with potatoes, rutabaga, onion, beef and black pepper spiked flavor. Come on man! Each one must wiegh at least a pound.

  21. Hi TPG. My mother in law grew up in Iron River and lives in Virginia and we recently moved to Williamston, MI. On our last trip to visit her she said she would love us to bring/send her some pasties. Any recommendations on who has the best ones that will ship? Thanks! KD

    1. Hi Kerri, there are a few options for shipping in the winter… I believe Pasty Central, Dobber’s, Lehto’s, Lawry’s and Pasty Oven all ship pretty much everywhere. Hope that helps. TPG

  23. Just took home 30 of Bessie’s finest beef/chicken pasties on a recent camping trip from Maryland to the Upper Falls. Stock up once per year. This is a legit list.

  24. You’ve missed the greatest pasties of all time…those recipes passed down from the original Cornwall miners through their families that now only live on in the churches of the UP and where the displaced Yoopers re-established themselves. Very few left…Republic, MI and over here in Minnesota where I re-established the tradition from my wife’s grandmother in the Alston area.

  25. I would have to put in a vote for Krupp’s Mini Mart just south of Twin Lakes State Park. Happened to get there just as a batch came out of the oven. Make them with lard in the crust. Really makes a more flavorful pastie. Found them by accident on our way south out of Hancock.

  26. Thanks for sharing these great places. My family have been driving on our summer trips via Hwy 2 for years, and love the pasties. Almost as good as my Mum made.

    Funny story, my wife and I have been going to Mexico City the past few years also, and guess what Cornish miners took to Mexico? Football and pasties (or pastes). Very tasty, although a bit different.

    1. Awesome. Thanks for reading. And yes, I’ve heard about pasties in Mexico, around Hidalgo and Pachuca and a town called Real de Monte. I need to visit.

  28. Thanks for the awesome tips! We were making our way to Crystal Falls and pulled up your site. Pulled over in Manistique at Jack’s Fresh Mart and got ourselves a Rutabaga, Potato, and Beef Pastie! We have been coming to the UP all our lives (50+) and we both agreed they were the best pasties we have had! Full of everything good, crust was light, and it didn’t feel like a brick after it ended it’s journey into our stomachs!

  29. Lehto’s is still there?! I love you, I love you! Back in the day there were a hundred little pasty shacks along highway 2, and I think most of them were plowed under to widen the road. But Lehto’s was the one!

  30. Thank you for an awesome Pasty website! U rock! We Soooo miss the pasties! But the shipping makes the cost a bit rediculous! Your site is very informative & entertaining, thanks for all your efforts to keep pasties in their rightful place,lol. Diane

  31. There is a fabulous pasty shop in Edmore MI. Sisters Toni and Frankie own and operate it and they are the best. I’m originally from the UP and will forever be proud to be a Yooper. Legacy Hearth is the American of their shop.

  32. You have to go to Real del Monte and Pachuca in Hidalgo, Mexico, to taste another good pasties or pastes as we call them here, I went to Pachuca yesterday and came to Mexico City with pastes for a meeting with my boss, who is from the UP and he told me about the Pasties in that region, I´ll heve to go there and try another kind of this great food!!!

  33. I WAS SO GLAD TO SEE LEHTO’S STAYED IN THE FAMILY AND HAS A SHOP IN ST.IGNACE SURLEY THE BEST PASTY IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

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