Stone Turtle Day Lodge & Cafe
We think the best memories are made with three main ingredients: the outdoors, food, and good company.
And sometimes, the best story is the oldest story. Our classic spicy chili recipe hasn’t changed in 30 years (for good reason), and for half of a century, kids have skied great distances on the HQ trails in order to earn their own mug of hot cocoa at the end of a ski outing. Young or old, many of us treasure that quintessential winter moment, when we’ve exerted ourselves outdoors and then return, rosy-cheeked and glowing, ready to celebrate life with the satiating food and drink we’ve enjoyed for ages.
We love food, and fortunately, skiing ignites a fierce hunger!
But not all food is created equal. Over the years, we’ve refined our menu to include items that are better for humans and better for the planet. Our veggie grain bowl, veggie pita wrap, and veggie chili are not just tasty, but nourishing and low-impact on the environment.
Our menu also tells a new story of collaboration and regeneration. We are proud to partner with Anavery Fine Foods and Weinrich Farm in Traverse City, Michigan, for our turkey, chicken and lamb. The Weinrich family practices humane and ethical animal husbandry and regenerative agriculture without the use antibiotics and hormones. By eating this food, you are not only directly supporting a small northern Michigan family farm with holistic practices, but you are also supporting the bigger picture of soil health, which is at the foundation of human and planetary health.
Our delicious bread comes from Michigan Bread, another family owned company which uses high-quality, non-GMO ingredients, including a blend of select grains for bread that is as nourishing as it is scrumptious.
Good food should be tasty, yes, but it should also connect us to something greater than ourselves: to the land, the hands that grew, harvested, and prepared it, and ultimately, to each other. That’s our mission at the Stone Turtle Cafe. We hope you’ll come break bread with us!
Open daily from the first weekend of December to the second weekend of March (or longer, snow depending). Day lodge is open 7 days a week during store hours.
We also serve craft beer, wine and hot cocktails! Join us for several foodie events and live music throughout the winter.
