Without a doubt, fall is the most colorful and flavorful season in Michigan. With color tours on the horizon, it’s time to throw on your boots, flannel shirt, and puffy vest, grab your wide-brimmed hat, and head out in search of all things pumpkin and apple spice.
1. Birch Tree Bakery & Café
181 E. Main St., Harbor Springs
Birch Tree Bakery & Cafe is going all out this season when it comes to hot beverages and sweet treats. The kid in you will enjoy the Campfire Smore – a mocha latte with toasted marshmallow. The Maple Miel latte blends honey, maple, and cinnamon flavors. If pumpkin spice is your thing, grab a latte, chai, or protein coffee. Among the rotating bakery specials are apple cake, apple fritter bread, maple pecan or pumpkin ginger scones, pumpkin cheesecake bread, pumpkin chocolate chip bread, fall-inspired macarons, and gluten-free pumpkin baked oatmeal.
Seasonal flavors of macarons are available at Birch Tree Bakery in Downtown Harbor Springs.
2. Iron Goat Coffee
4128 M-75, Walloon Lake
101 Main St, East Jordan
Iron Goat Coffee features an array of warm and chilled autumn drinks at its two regional locations. In downtown Walloon Lake, you’ll find the Scarecrow—pumpkin mocha topped with cocoa powder, Colors of Autumn—iced Japanese matcha with raspberry chai cold foam, Pistachio Praline Latte—pistachio brown sugar latte topped with fall spices, Palm Trees and Fallen Leaves—pumpkin maple cold brew with coconut cold foam, and First Snowfall—marshmallow cold brew with peppermint cold foam. Down in East Jordan, savor Bonfire Brew—caramel latte with chocolate drizzle, S’mores Latte—marshmallow mocha topped with graham cracker crumble, Sweater Weather—maple chai latte, Campfire Cocoa—marshmallow hot cocoa topped with graham cracker crumble, and Waffles & Cream—breve maple vanilla latte, along with Colors of Autumn and First Snowfall. Both locations also offer mouthwatering baked goods like muffins, turnovers, and biscotti.
3. Good Hart General Store
1075 N Lake Shore Dr, Good Hart
Good Hart General Store offers fresh sour cream donut holes made daily along Michigan’s famed Tunnel of Trees. This historic general store has been welcoming guests since 1934, making it one of the oldest continuously operated general stores in the state.
Fresh sour cream donut holes are available at the Good Hart General Store.
4. The Grove Beverage Café
446 E Mitchell St, Suite 2, Petoskey
The Grove Beverage Cafe is famous for their pumpkin spice latte, making all their syrups in-house from scratch by juicing whole pie pumpkins for an extra decadent drink. They also juice their own apples for made-to-order cider, complete with spices (offered cold or warm). A variety of rotating gluten-free donuts—made in-house with a special blend of flour free of gums and additives—are offered in pumpkin or apple spice flavors.
5. JoJo’s Cookie Co.
2611 Charlevoix Ave, Petoskey
JoJo’s Cookie Co. is serving its beloved pumpkin cheesecake cookie, an apple cider cookie, and a couple of other seasonal favorites for October. If you’re looking to send something sweet to someone you love, The Cookie Crew is willing and able to get that order around for you…shipping to anywhere around the country!
6. North Perk Coffee
308 Howard St, Petoskey
North Perk Coffee is leaning heavily into pumpkin EVERYTHING. Stop in for a special cold brew, pumpkin latte or Matcha special. The most popular offering is the Hug in a Mug—made with organic pumpkin purée and cane sugar.
North Perk in Downtown Petoskey features several seasonal drinks to choose from. Photo credit: Dianna Stampfler
7. Pond Hill Farm
5699 S Lake Shore Dr, Harbor Springs
Pond Hill Farm is the epitome of an agritourism destination, with bushels of family fun and delicious treats. They’re hosting their annual Fall Festival Weekends—every Saturday and Sunday through October 26, from 11 am-6 pm—where hot homemade apple cinnamon donuts and fresh-pressed cider are available. There are also seasonal beer, wine, and hard cider options in the Café and Biergarten.
Fresh apple cider donuts can be found in great quantities at Pond Hill Farm.
8. Roast & Toast
309 E Lake St, Petoskey
Roast & Toast is the perfect spot to warm up on a chilly fall day. One of the signature drinks is Chai-der (the deliciousness found when you mix chai with apple cider). “We’ve been making seasonal Chai-der for years at Roast & Toast,” shares General Manager Ben Walker. “As soon as you feel a little chill in the air, requests start to come in.” This blend of a traditional chai with northern Michigan’s favorite fall beverage brings color to the season in style. Additionally, Roast & Toast offers a Chai-der slushy…similar to their summertime Granita…for a perfect autumn refresher!
You have not lived until you try this amazing combo, think your favorite chai tea latte + hot apple cider. Photo credit: Roast & Toast
9. The Rumpus Room
04120 M-75 North, Walloon Lake
The Rumpus Room tucked in behind the Vintage Mercantile in downtown Walloon Lake, will be serving warm spiced apple cider, pumpkin pie cold brew, and old-fashioned donut holes throughout the fall season.
Pumpkin pie cold brew is available at the Rumpus Room in Walloon Lake.
10. Uncle Frank’s Apple Town
4391 U.S. 31 N, Brutus
Uncle Frank’s Apple Town is known far and wide for its donuts—always warm, always fresh. You’ll also find gluten-free peanut butter cookies, and every Saturday in the fall, they’re pressing their homemade cider from apples grown on the farm.
Just north of Alanson, you will find Uncle Frank’s Apple Town of Brutus – near the famous Brutus Camp Deli.
Other stops worth an autumn visit include Beani’s Coffee Lounge and Gildas’ Lake Street Bakery in Boyne City, The Burst and Dutch Oven Bakery – Café & Deli in Alanson, Coveyou Scenic Farm Market in Petoskey, Johan’s Pastry Shop in Petoskey & Harbor Springs, and Wildwood Coffee Co. in Indian River.
About the author: Dianna Stampfler is an avid fan of the autumn season and she can often be found traipsing around the northern Michigan countryside—dressed in plaid—drinking cider and eating donuts.