The Scenic Café is located across the highway from Lake Superior along the North Shore Drive 15 miles northeast of Duluth.
We stopped here for lunch one afternoon and were pleasantly surprised with the service, atmosphere and food. The restaurant is housed in a long narrow green building with a metal roof.
There was an assortment of black metal tables and chairs for outside dining on the patio bordered by tree trunks and decorated with brightly painted wooden animals. Inside additional "spirits" hung from the wooden ceiling–yellow striped fish, blue polka dotted fish, red reindeers, green and blue birds–giving the place a funky, zany feel. All "spirits" are for sale. These artsy animals begin at $20.
Our waitress was prompt bringing us water and menus as soon as we were seated. Lunch items included soups, salads and sandwiches. I ordered the pistachio crusted walleye sandwich, which was a meaty piece of fish (delectable!) served between two rather hard toasted pieces of cranberry bread, a thick pickle slice and blue chips. My husband had soup and a chicken breast smothered with melted cheese, baked apples and pecans served on the same bread with a side of fresh pineapple. I'm not sure which was better. Both were unique with unusual flavor pairings, quite yummy and substantial.
The food was wonderfully fresh, and we appreciated the creativity of the menu. Not a huge selection, but then I would rather eat at a restaurant that concentrated on making a few selections fantastic than visit a place that offered pages of mediocrity. Unusual breads with fruits and nuts are used for the sandwiches. Plentiful herbs, spice and nuts add taste and texture. I'd love to return for dinner sometime.
The Scenic Café made a great place to stop for lunch en route to Gooseberry Falls. Our hiking attire–shorts and boots–were not frowned upon in the least. Although I would at least wear jeans in the evening! Most places along the North Shore, fine dining establishments included, seem to expect casual attire. That was our experience during the two weeks we spent here last May. Jeans and sweaters were the most we dressed up for any restaurant, and other patrons were dressed the same.