Copper Harbor

MARINER NORTH (906) 289-4637 Mariner North is a Copper Harbor institution run by members of the Kauppi family, perhaps the Harbor's "first family." It's a newish, very large log building with a high cathedral ceeiling, rebuilt after a fire. It combines a bar/eating area with a casual family steakhouse-type restaurant (dinner only). The bar is loudly convivial in the evening, when the action spills back and forth across the street to Zick's at The Pines. The Mariner is known for hearty sandwiches and soups (including whitefish chowder), a Friday fish buffet, and most always fresh-caught local whitefish and trout. sandwiches. There's pizza, a big salad bar at dinner, and Friday fish buffet and Saturday prime rib. Occasional live music on weekends. On M-26/U.S, 41 in the heart of Copper Harbor. In-season hours (from Mem. Day thru color season, also in snowmobile season): open daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m. in the lounge, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the dining room. Off-season: open Friday thru Sunday only. Full bar. Family-friendly. Wheelchair-accessible.

PINES RESTAURANT & ZICK'S BAR (906) 289-4222. The Pines opens in time for breakfast for visitors catching the Isle Royale ferry. It is now more of a grill, with a big variety of sandwiches ($7 and under), popular chili, and homemade soups, but owners Vicki and Ken Staiger continue to use the recipes of longtime owner-cook Red Twardzik in their cinnamon rolls (weekends in winter, more often in season) and pies. The Sunday roast turkey dinner remains a tradition. The stone fireplace, copper accents, and interesting old photos of shipwrecks and snowstorms in the back hall set just the right tone. After the restaurant has closed, burgers are available in the adjacent bar. On U.S. 41 at the east end of town. In season open 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Otherwise opens at 7:30, closes at 2, closed W. Full bar. Wheelchair-accessible.

HARBOR HAUS (906) 289-4502; www.harborhaus.com Good service, outstanding and imaginative food, and a fabulous view of the harbor from all tables make Harbor Haus one of Michigan's most memorable restaurants - "in a class by itself," as one fan says. Owner-chef Ron Waara, a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, started out as a cook under the meticulous supervision of Harbor Haus founders Fritz and Maiken Ehlers. The German atmosphere goes way beyond beer steins and the waitresses' dirndls to include terrific coffee and rich tortes from the pastry chef. The changing daily menu includes the ever-popular fresh planked whitefish (highly recommended) and trout ($15), venison or duck with lingonberry sauce (around $17), uncommon meats like elk and lamb ($17-$18), specials like grilled rabbit with whiskey butter sauce, and typical German specialties like knockwurst, sauerbraten, and wienerschnitzel with spätzle ($10 to $14). Vegetarian and other special diets are gladly accommodated with creative, off-the-menu dishes. The authentic charcoal grill uses varying woods (apple, hickory) for different flavors. Dinner portions are large, so leftovers can even provide breakfast and/or part of a picnic lunch the following day. There's a large selection of beers and a wide-ranging wine list. Dinner reservations are recommended in busy seasons. They are taken by phone or e-mail. Vacationers could eat happily here every day and never be bored. A new plus: wi-fi Internet connections for guests' laptops. Fresh vegetables, local berries, and homegrown herbs are used when possible. An ample vegetable side of perfectly steamed broccoli, carrots, and green beans turns entrées into nutritionally balanced meals. Breakfast, an overlooked pleasure, brings pancakes with berries and simple surprises like perfectly cooked scrambled eggs with smoked lake trout and green onions ($8). Lunch entrées are about $6 to $10 with potato; sandwiches and salads are from $5 to $8. The entire restaurant and deck have the same wonderful view. The Isle Royale boat always toots when it passes. By the entrance there's the huge piece of float copper, 1,720 pounds, whose discovery caused a sensation a few years back. The public is welcome to sit on the rear deck and enjoy the harbor view. The many-windowed hexagonal studio perched next door is now the Harbor Haus bed-and-breakfast rented for $125/night. - 4 blocks east from the junction of U.S. 41 and M-26 at the harbor. Dockage for boats. Open from Mem. Day to mid-Oct, daily 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Full bar. Wheelchair-accessible.

KEWEENAW MOUNTAIN LODGE (9066) 289-4403 This has been a dinner destination for generations. Its log lodge architecture, wooded setting, and rustic ambiance is as much an attraction as the food. WPA funds to create jobs during the Depression enabled Keweenaw County to build the lodge in 1933-37. The county had an extraordinarily high percentage of jobless male residents. A county road commissioner conceived the idea, and the commission still operates the resort. The pleasant grounds include a 9-hole public golf course (which bears sometimes visit) and handsome stone walls like those in the county's smaller parks.. Trees block any vistas. Today the restaurant and lounge occupy nearly all the lodge's main floor, so it no longer has a central gathering area. Food quality depends on who's cooking each year. The prime rib buffet ($19.95) is a Saturday night specialty. The prime rib is also offered as a lunch sandwich (around $12.50). Dinner entrées ($12 to $25) include potato, soup and salad bar. The full menu also includes fresh fish and daily lunch and dinner specials. For lunch there's homemade soup, hamburgers and other sandwiches, salads, and entrées ($7 to $10).- Off U.S. 41 one mile south of Copper Harbor. Look for sign. Open mid-May to mid-Oct., 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.