Wildwood Pasties isn’t one of the originals (current owners have been there since 2008), but their sign on US-2 makes it seem that way. It’s a classic wooden piece of architecture found in the Upper Peninsula with the usual brown and orange colors. Less than 30 minutes west of the Mackinac Bridge, it’s a good place to stop if you’re not interested in taking a break near the bridge or in St. Ignace.

Wildwood gets a lot of praise, although some of that may be attributed to some of the long-time fans. The shop is a little bigger than most you’ll find in the U.P. with numerous things for sale ranging from the usual pasty products to an entire section for garments and crafts, as well as seating to enjoy your pasty. According to other reviews, the pies are a good choice (I don’t often mix pies with pasties).

The pasty, not so much. I’ve visited Wildwood before so I was slightly surprised to be disappointed. The crust was thin and flimsy, without a handle and little flavor. By itself, it didn’t taste like much. Maybe the homemade gravy would’ve helped, but I don’t play those games.

It was more of the same for the insides. The pictures tell the story in that the pasty probably doesn’t pass the ratio test (nor did any of the other pasties tried by the Pasty Family). A good portion of it was potato and the ground beef was sparse. Not only that, but I’m not sure if salt was used because the inside, similar to the crust, lacked flavor. It was a normal size, but I didn’t feel entirely full after finishing.

There’s a chance they changed their recipe through the years to make it healthier and I hope that’s not the case. People eat pasties because they enjoy life, not because they want to fulfill their diet. Wildwood gets a lot of love and the shop is cool, but the pasty was a disappointment, especially being in the Upper Peninsula.

*Usually closed from beginning of December to end of April.

Taste: 2.5 (out of 5)
Crust: 2.5 (out of 5)
Pasty Presentation: 2.5 (out of 5)
The Shop: 3 (out of 3)
Would I come back for Pasties?: 0 (out of 2)

Total Pasty Rating: 10.5 (of 20 points)

(Reviewed Summer 2018)