I grew up in Stevens Point but haven't lived there since I graduated from high school. Pacelli High - class of '87.
My parents moved to Point from Milwaukee in the mid-1960's and never left. Mom and Dad are both very good cooks, so when we visit we usually eat at home. However, there are a few old gems we frequent while there and a couple of newer spots woth mentioning. Of course, some of the places I remember from my youth are either long gone or shadows of their former selves.
We went up for a visit this past Labor Day weekend. On a recommendation from friends of my parents, we headed to "Anchor Bay" on the Wisconsin River for Saturday night dinner. It's in Biron, (pronounced "Beer-on," of course,) between Point and Wisconsin Rapids. I could see really loving this spot had I pulled up in my boat after a long, hot day on the river. Mom and Dad were under the impression it was in the spirit of the old-time WI supper clubs, but not so much. More of a beer, burger/sandwich bar with a dining room. Dining room had a great view though and service was very friendly and efficient.
Sun setting on the WI River accross from Anchor Bay:
SP Wi River by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
How could we not start with the "Wisconsin Sampler?" FRIED cauliflower, broccoli, onion rings, and mozzarella sticks. Ranch dip. Served in a plastic beer boat. Ah...home.
SP Wi Sampler by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
Entrees paled in comparison. I mean, how do you follow that up? We enjoyed our New Glarus Spotted Cows on top.
My Dad has recently taken up photography as a hobby. Husband, Jonathan, has a degree in it.
I think like an LTH-er, so over dinner conversation came up with a little project for them on Sunday morning. We had been talking about all the restaurants I remembered as a kid in Point, how many were still there, or what was there now if they were gone, so I proposed a photo documentation mission. Off they went on Sunday morn...
Mom and Dad live in Plover now, which is just outside of Point proper. There are two places worth mentioning in Plover, IMHO. The first is the Sky Club. I think the Sky Club was my first salad bar experience. It was a "fancy" night out, with drinks at the bar for my parents and a "kiddie" cocktail for me, followed by booth dining with a trip out of your seat to choose whatever you wanted from a seemingly endless array of salad toppings, macaroni and bean salads, etc.. Steaks or Fried Shrimp dinners were the thing to have. Website only lists their banquet menu, but I'm guessing steak or a fried seafood dinner would still be the way to go. Mom and Dad have moved on and couldn't supply a recent report.
Open, but showing it's age:
SP Sky Club 1 by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
Actually, there's a shiny new boring sign out front. I was glad they kept the original on the side which was quite spiffy in its day. Hope they plan to repair it.
SP Sky Club 2 by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
The Sky Club
2200 Post Road
Plover, WI
715-341-4000
http://skyclubdining.com/index/phpThe other Plover spot I want to include here is Christian's Bistro. Jonathan and I enjoyed our first visit a couple of years ago and were very pleased to see it thriving. The chef's wife hails from the area and they moved here after he had spent time working under Emeril in N.O. You can see the influence in some of the menu items, but he's doing his own thing too:
-Tempura-Fried Crawfish Tails with Baby Mixed Greens, White Cheddar, Dried Tomato and Creamy Garlic-Herb Dressing
-New Orleans Buttermilk-Fried Shrimp Po Boy with Shaved Lettuce, Tomato, Onion and Zapps Potato Chips
-Seared Nantucket Sea Scallops with Grilled Baby Iceberg, Nueskes Bacon, Cherry Tomatoes and Sweet Corn Dressing
SP Cristians by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
They are right off Highway 51, so those of you on your way up North could consider it an easy option for lunch or dinner Tues-Sat (closed Sun/Mon.)
Christian's Bistro
3066 Village Park Drive
Plover, WI
http://www.christiansbistro.com/We'll move from Plover over to Park Ridge, site of the home I grew up in 4th grade thru high school graduation. The Hilltop Bar & Grill has been around since the 1940's. Have to admit, I was only in there a couple of times while I lived there, but it's become a must-stop for Jonathan and I every time we visit now. The food is respectable pub grub, but it's the atmosphere, the friendly bar staff, and the beers on tap that keep bringing us back.
They are located right off Highway 10:
SP Hilltop by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
SP Hilltop Point Sign by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
Hilltop Bar and Grill
4901 Hwy 10 East
Open 7 days for lunch and dinner
http://hilltoppubandgrill.com/hill_080508a_info.htmlAlso in Park Ridge, a spot that is VERY nostalgic for me, however one I don't frequent any more - The Silver Coach. Growing up, we ate here regularly. It's an old rail car brought to Point in the 1930's and converted into a very cool bar. In the mid-50's, owner Pete Redfield added a dining room and started serving Cantonese food. That was the Silver Coach I knew and loved. Pete was a "character" and the consumate host/bartender. He whipped-up the best Kiddie cocktail in town and was quite the charmer, but could be a bit crotchety too. Why Cantonese food? I have no idea. Hard to believe now that simple egg rolls with Chinese mustard and Egg Drop Soup seemed so exotic to me back then.
Pete is long gone, but the Silver Coach has been well-preserved. It's Cajun-style food now and I thought it was pretty good upon my one visit. Life moves on, but the Silver Coach is frozen in time in my memories and just isn't the same without Pete and Cantonese food.
SP Silver Coach 1 by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
SP Silver Coach 2 by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
Silver Coach
38 Park Ridge Drive
Stevens Point, WI
Let's move on to the one place you HAVE to get off the highway to stop at - Belt's. Just don't bother in winter because it's a seasonal joint. Belt's Soft Serve is sort of Point's Mario's Italian Ice. People anticipate opening day and the lines go on and on until the season is over. All walks of life patronize Belt's.
SP Belts 1 by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
SP Belts 2 by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
SP Belts 3 by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
Belt's
2140 Division Street
Stevens Point, WI
715-344-0049
Heading Downtown, the Cozy Kitchen has been around forever. In fact, it is the town's oldest established restauant. Solid, from-scratch cooking, known for homemade soups and pies. My Dad's office used to be near here and it was a favorite of his for lunch.
SP Cozy Kitchen 1 by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
Cozy Kitchen
1338 Third St
Note: they close by 7pm during the week, 2pm on Saturday, and are closed Sundays.
Just down the street from Cozy is the Water Street Grille.
SP Water Street Grille by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
This place was not around when I lived there, but is a nice addition to the scene. Food is more upscale than Cozy, but atmosphere is comfortable and warm. Owners and staff are extremely welcoming. Their Friday Night Fish Fry is quite respectable. Menu is "something for everyone" - steaks, sandwiches, stir-frys, salads, etc...
Water Street Grille
1410 Third Street
Lunch and dinner Mon-Sat, closed on Sunday
Here's one that bummed me out. My old Downtown A&W Root Beer stand - gone.
SP Old A&W by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
New place is Cafe 27. I'm told they are attempting sustainable cuisine in a bistro-ish setting. Might be good, parents haven't checked it out yet.
Cafe 27
945 Clark Street
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but closed Sunday and Monday
A short hop from Downtown is the Stevens Point Area Co-op. I became a pesco-vegetarian in 1986 and spent quite a bit of time perusing the shelves, weighing out spices and bulk grains from their hand-labeled glass bottles here. It may have been the late 80's, but the co-op definitely still had that late 60's-mid-70's vibe going. Have to admit, at the time I thought I was pretty cool shopping here on my own and hoped the staff thought I was a college student, not a mere high school kid. Between the cookbooks I poured over at the library and shopping at the co-op, I built a solid foundation of how to eat healthy as a vegetarian.
Mom recommended a visit back on Sunday as it had undergone some renovations. Wow - it sure has.
SP Coop 1 by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
SP Coop 2 by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
Bright, airy, and spotless with a wonderful on-site bakery. Nice to see it thriving.
Stevens Point Area Cooperative
633 2nd Street
Open every day
Nice web site:
http://www.spacoop.com/OK, a couple of "quickies:"
Swung by the brewery, but it is closed on Sundays. We did the tour a couple of years ago and it's a good one.
SP Brewery by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
Bernard's German restaurant.
SP Bernards by
MsLynnB, on Flickr
Been around since 1973 and is a classic relic. We had a lovely holiday meal there a few years ago. About the portions - huge.
Bernard's Country Inn
701 2nd Street North
Dinner only, Tuesday-Saturday
http://www.bernardscountryinn.com/index.shtmlHonorable mention and a quick jaunt from Point in Amherst, WI - Morningstar Coffee and Bistro. While the boys were out taking photos, Mom brought me here for a latte and a stroll through historic Amherst (took about 3 min.) Morningstar is adorable and cozy. Open daily, except Tuesdays, and serving beer & wine, Mom and Dad had recently attended one of their monthly "lamp-lit" dinners and loved it. 5 courses - reservations required. Worth a visit, my latte was memorable.
Morningstar Coffee and Bistro
102 South Main Street
Amherst
Certainly Point now has all the usual chain suspects from Applebee's to Mickey D's, but if you venture in a bit, you will find some unique places. It's not like you'll ever be that far off from the highway, so go on in and explore. (No $ has been received from the Point Chamber of Commerce or Tourism Board - promise.
)
Edited once for spelling and typos - needed more coffee...
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