A Visit to The Village Cheese Shanty in Fishtown, MI

Every so often there’s a meal that at first bite, you just know you’ll never forget it. That’s exactly what happened the first time my husband and I had sandwiches at The Village Cheese Shanty in Fishtown (Leland, MI) many years ago. We had just returned from a backpacking trip to North Manitou Island and while we tend to eat quite well on those backcountry trips, there’s just nothing like your first meal back on the mainland. Bonus points that we didn’t have to dehydrate it and then carry it on our backs for several days before serving it in a makeshift kitchen off the trail near our campsite for the night. The ferry to and from North and South Manitou Islands runs right from Fishtown in Leland, MI, so if you find yourself in the area, you really need to stop for a sandwich even if you’re not hungry. They’re that good. Side note- if you’re a backpacker and haven’t adventured to North Manitou before, you’re absolutely missing out. I’ve hiked a fair amount of beautiful places in my lifetime and North Manitou is among the top favorites for sure.

This year, backcountry camping was not in our plans. Instead we have dedicated our free time to our new cabin that finally got finished this summer. We’ve spent the summer getting settled in, finishing up projects, and adventuring and exploring our new area which means lots of day trips. One such day trip was to introduce our daughters to our favorite sandwich shop. We had a great day stopping at farm stands and a Farmer's Market for freshly picked cherries, blueberries, tomatoes, and sweet corn on our route from our cabin to Leland, aka Fishtown.

Fishtown itself is a village of historic waterfront fishing shanty buildings that currently feature several shops and outdoor dining options, as well as the Manitou Ferry system. Still part of Leland, and only around the corner from the cute downtown Leland shops, it has its own unique vibe that is reminiscent of our visit to various waterfront towns in Alaska. It’s a very cute area to spend part of a day. There are several locally-owned shops, restaurants, and wineries in the area so you could stretch out your time with a wine tour or a trip to the Sleeping Bear Dunes or just relaxing on a nearby beach. The waterfront views are gorgeous of Lake Michigan. Don’t forget to catch a sunset if you can.

As for eating at The Village Cheese Shanty, here are a few things to know.

1. Sandwiches are served on homemade pretzel bread and once it’s gone for the day, that’s it, so I don’t recommend a late lunch if you’re hoping for their pretzel bread. The baguettes are good too, but if you’re hoping for their signature salty pretzel bread, don’t wait all day.
2. You don't have to order sandwiches, they also have a great selection of cheeses, wines, and other local products that make excellent charcuterie board ingredients.
3. You can order ahead if you’d like to call in an order to avoid waiting in line. Please note, you likely will have minimal (if any) cell service in line, so call before you arrive if you can.
4. The lines can be long but once you put in your order, you’ll get a buzzer to carry around and you can stroll while you wait. Be sure to grab a photo of the iconic Joy boat while you’re there too.
5. NO CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS ACEEPTED. Payment is check or cash only.
6. They always offer a sandwich of the day, so be sure to check out their Instagram to see what the day’s selection is to help you decide. (@villagecheeseshanty)
7. Hours are 8:30-5, so you can grab sandwiches in the morning and pack a picnic for the day.

This time we ordered a “Sand Dune”, “South Shore”, and “North Shore”, pictured from left to right. We were not disappointed. I also got lucky and was the last person to get pretzel bread that day, so it was perfect.

As always, such a great day in stunning Michigan. I’m so glad I get to live here. If you’re anything like me and you like to have a clutter-free souvenir to commemorate your time in Fishtown, there are a lot of cute items in the local shops but my personal favorite is this print of a painting of the Joy boat by Betsy O'Neill that I ordered on Etsy (you can order it in a variety of sizes) and the quality is incredible. She is from my hometown of Grand Rapids, too! I absolutely love seeing it every time I walk up to our cabin’s loft. And of course, “Joy” is near and dear to my heart, it’s the middle name of all the ladies in my house and my blog too!