Tyra Sampson
I visited Sugar 2 Salt with my cousins, and there were three of us. We called ahead that morning to secure a table since they don’t take online reservations. From the moment we arrived, the experience was wonderful. We were warmly greeted by Vanessa and promptly seated. She was also our waitress and was very attentive.
Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. I had the bánh mì, and it was spectacular — the bread is homemade, which truly makes a difference. One of my cousins ordered the steak and grits. We normally don’t order grits when dining out, but Vanessa recommended them, and she was right. They were incredibly creamy, with Parmesan, and so flavorful. The dish also came with collard greens, which were amazing as well.
My other cousin had the brisket toast and loved every bite. We also enjoyed fresh, great-tasting coffee. My cousins ordered orange juice, which was freshly squeezed — real orange flavor, not the artificial taste you get from commercial juices. It was very sweet and refreshing.
We would highly recommend Sugar 2 Salt and will definitely be back the next time we’re in Traverse City.
… moreJen Doornbos
Unbelievably delicious! Our group of 5 shared 5 different plates and were blown away. The thoughtful and incredible flavors, the generous portions, the excellent service from Vanessa – highly recommend and will be thinking about this food until the next time we return.
… moreEli Z. Titus
Such a great location, very quaint. Great atmosphere and very kind ownership and staff.
Love the unique menu, and the food tasted amazing.
Highly advise when coming, call or show up early as they do seat fast!
… moreDewi Aldrich
We were visiting from Los Angeles and decided to pop in here to have breakfast and what a pleasant hidden gem. It’s a farm-to-table restaurant where all the ingredients are locally sourced and the menus change every so often to reflect seasonal offerings. We met the owner, Stephanie, who is a breath of fresh air — so warm and welcoming, and very accommodating.
We fell in love with the cinnamon rolls at first bite — it just melted in our mouths. They use cream cheese frosting, so much better than the usual white sugar frosting! Stephanie said they do all their baking from scratch in-house. We enjoyed the risotto with beef dish, the potato waffle and beef, as well as the pancakes. Everything was delicious!
Olivia, our server, was superb, attentive, and understanding. She came back for coffee refills without us even asking. Loved her professionalism!
We came back the next day for more cinnamon rolls, 3 plates of risotto and then this this time a beef pasty, and corn bread in a cast iron skillet.
Unfortunately, we found the risotto a little heavy handed on the salt this time (all 3 plates), and the beef pasty very bland. There were too many potatoes in it, which made it heartier than it needed to be, and the gravy that came with it had no flavor whatsoever. This dish was a miss, which is too bad, because Michigan is home to the pasty!
Otherwise, we totally love and support the local, female-owned restaurant, the positive vibes, and the creative menu!
… moreLynn “Pencilmarks”
My favorite breakfast place in Traverse City.
First found it because it was right next door to my favorite Pilates place, but it also probably undid some of the good i did next door as the baked goods are impossible to pass up!
Everything here is home made right down to the ketchup. Can’t say enough good things about this place. It’s also our in The Commons, just a generally great place to go.
Highly recommend everything I’ve ever tried in this restaurant. It’s small in space but huge in quality.
… moreSteffan Kasula
This is my favorite restaurant in Traverse City. Great date spot or place to meet up with friends. I like to sit up at the bar and enjoy a chai with the Duck special. House made sausages and pastries. Make sure to get there early enough as there can be long wait times. All the food is prepared to order and fresh by a creative culinary team. Stephanie and the rest of the staff provide wonderful service. I plan to be a regular for years!
… moreRobert Jones
This establishment gives off a very hipster vibe, they were playing some great R&B tunes which my wife and I appreciated. The waitress was extremely friendly and greeted us right away she helped us with all our questions. The food itself was very good, the pancakes were a bit different so ask about those before you get them as we did not and they are a different take on traditional pancake.hi highly recommend the chicken sandwich with pastrami, it was out of the world. We had an awesome experience here and will be back next time we are in town!
… moreMatthew Deal
The freshest and most unique dishes around. Easily one of our top restaurants we have ever been to. You’re missing out if you don’t stop in. It’ll be busy because it’s so good – so arrive soon after opening or be okay with possibly waiting. It’ll be worth it!
… moreAbigail McClure
Great place. Loved the cinnamon rolls and chai. Food will take awhile for sure but it’s really beautifully plated and tastes fantastic. The BLTE is pretty good and so is the quiche.
Called ahead and placed a reservation. I highly recommend doing so. I agree with others that the restaurant can be a tad loud but it’s never unmanageable. It doesn’t have traditional breakfast offerings
… moreHannah Madaus
Fantastic brunch and service. Went as a group of four on a Saturday and did not have a reservation. However, we only had to wait roughly 5-10 min before we were seated at the bar. The waitstaff were very friendly and helped with menu questions and suggestions. We ordered the Beef and Waffle and The Sandwich. The Beef and Waffle dish included crispy leeks, pea shoots, an egg, hollandaise, and roast brisket served atop an herb potato waffle – incredibly tender with well balanced flavors. Only note is the crispy leeks, although fun to look at and added a level of crunchiness, were difficult to eat due to their size. The Sandwich includes two meats, pastrami and fried chicken, along with an egg, provolone, greens, and scallion aioli all served on fluffy focaccia. I was hesitant with the meat combo at first but it was savory selection, each element blended graciously and not as messy as I imagined. Only note for the sandwich is that I had to rearrange my dish to avoid eating off the bar because it came out on a trendy, but impractical plate – more like a rustic slab. I give this place props for making choices that showcase their creativity, in style and ingredients but I’d also caution them to balance with the customer experience. It feels modern but not rigid and welcoming but not desperate. I definitely felt welcome and the crowd was relaxed and excited about eating both their mains and desserts, which were on display when you enter. We ended up getting the lemon bar, which I enjoyed thoroughly. Would definitely try their cinnamon roll next, which I watched several people order while we dined. I’d consider this a good date spot and also reasonable for families and friends. Even single customers can sit at the bar and enjoy their meal or simply a hot drink, I’d suggest the chai – it smells amazing. My only interior note is the walls need some upgrades style-wise to match the overall attitude of the food. The far wall screamed Hobby Lobby country mom decor, which is cute in small doses but not as a theme. Overall, so pleased with our service and brunch, definitely adding to my TC recommendations.
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