Stevens Point, WI - My "Then & Now"

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/php

The 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.html

Also 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.shtml

Honorable 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...

Great post and pics, Lynn. Thanks.

Thanks, Mike! It was a fun little project.

Dad sent in a few more photos:

The newer Sky Club sign:


SP sky club newer sign by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Homemade Soup and Sandwich - just $5.50 at the Cozy:


SP Cozy Kitchen Specials by MsLynnB, on Flickr

You see the new, I see the old orange and black A&W:


SP Cafe 27 full view by MsLynnB, on Flickr

I remember going to the Sky Club a a kid, driving up to our place in Northern WI. IIRC, there was a secondary sign, promoting its "Heavenly Food."

Also, in addition to Point Brewery, Plover is home to Oso Brewing, which, among other things, makes a very good Pils-style lager called The Big O. I don't believe the brewery offers tours.

Over in an industrial park in Amherst is Central Waters Brewing - possibly one of the eco-friendly breweries you'll ever find. They do an especially good job with hoppier beers.

Lynn,

Some of those places look great. One of these days, I've got to get up there and do some exploring. I'll bet some of those places are real good.

WOW, great post, Lynn!

My company is based out of Bancroft, a few miles south of Stevens Point, and I've had a few meals/cocktails at The Sky Club while staying in Plover upon visits to the mothership. Last time through, in fact, I enjoyed absolutely the best broiled walleye pike dinner ever, while feasting on their 'Wisconsin-style-supper-club' salad bar, which contains lettuce & cucumbers, is lean on salad fixins but long on tuna salad, pasta salad & the like. Interesting nonetheless. AND...the triangular bar at The Sky Club pours a mean, mean drink.

The bartender, however, is not triangular...love this place!!

My 1st restaurant meal in Wisc was at the Sky Club--heavenly food served by angels was the sign in 1977 or so. Christians is always good--with great service too. Will have to try the Cozy Kitchen next trip to Point(30miles)--and usually Marc at Oso brewing is more then happy to show you his operation--lots of good beers

Buzz

I don't know when I'll ever get up to Steven's Point, LynnB, but someday when I do, your post will be my guidebook. Lovely photos and commentary.

Thanks, all! nr706 - agreed on Central Waters - parents had a 6 in the fridge for us, wish we'd picked up some for home. Wound up bringing home some Spotted Cow, Capital "Supper Club," and Point Cascade (I know, we can get it here too.) Knew nothing of Oso Brewing - will be scolding the parents and rectifying that next trip home.

Mentioned it on another Wisconsin thread, but the Old Fashioned on Capitol Square in Madison has ALL these beers, about 150 more, and some pretty decent food to boot. Had a great light ale called 'Totally Naked' from New Glarus (home of Spotted Cow) and then 'Rusty Red' from the aforementioned O'so Brewery in Plover.

The Old Fashioned
23 N Pinckney St # 1
Madison, WI 53703-4207
(608) 310-4545

http://www.theoldfashioned.com

Went home for the Holidays this year and enjoyed an excellent meal last Friday evening at Christian's Bistro. The four of us shared three appetizers:


Christian's Bistro Crabcakes/Chips by MsLynnB, on Flickr

The first thing I'd noticed when we walked in was the aroma of white truffle oil, so I knew we had to get the Housemade Chips w/ Parm & Truffle Oil. Jonathan's request was the Crab Cakes.


Christian's Bistro Cheese Service by MsLynnB, on Flickr

There was a list of about 10 different Wisconsin Cheeses w/ the opportunity to choose either 3 or 6. This was Dad's pick, and he chose a White Cheddar, an aged Gouda, and a Brie. In addition to the toasted pecans and fruit preserves, this came with a basked of grilled bread pieces. The White Cheddar was pronounced the group favorite, but all were good.

Entrees:


Christian's Bistro Scallops by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Mom's Choice - BBQ Scallops w/ Corncakes and Yellow Squash


Christian's Bistro Redfish by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Dad's Choice - Pecan-Crusted Texas Redfish w/ Grilled Vegetable Wild Rice & Apple-Rosemary Reduction


Christian's Bistro Beef Tenderloin by MsLynnB, on Flickr

Jonathan's Pick - Grilled Angus Steak Medallions w/ Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Wilted Spinach, & Nueske's Bacon Jus


Christian's Bistro Flounder by MsLynnB, on Flickr

My Choice - Pan-Crispy Rhode Island Flounder w/ Benton's Dry-Cured Ham Mac & Cheese & Grilled Asparagus

We were far too stuffed for dessert! Service was great, per usual. We saw Christian behind the line of the open kitchen working alongside his staff.

Lunch on Christmas Eve was at Water Street Grill. Solid versions of the following were enjoyed: Patty Melt, BLT, Corned Beef Sandwich, Southwestern Black Bean Burger. Served-up with super-friendly and attentive service.

Thankfully, no reason to hit a chain restaurant when visiting Mom & Dad!

Contact info for both spots can be found above.

Christians is a great spot--try get there every month or so---even easier to get there now since Oso Brewery opened there tap room just down the sidewalk with more then 40 Wisc beers on tap(and no food)
Nice report thanks

Many, many years ago my husband and his entourage would make a "Point Run" up from the south side of Chicago to Stevens Point to buy large quantities of Point Beer.

News from Point:

Christian and Leah Czerwonka, of Christian's Bistro, have purchased Cafe 27 and plan to re-open it in May as Father Fat's Public House. The concept is small plates inspired by Spanish tapas with Asian, Southwest, and Creole flavors. They have been developing the idea for a few years and were waiting for the right downtown location to become available.

Current Exec Sous Chef of Christian's Bistro, Michael Rettinger, will transition to Chef de Cuisine at Father Fat's.

Hours:
4-10 Tues-Thurs
4-midnight Fri-Sat
Closed Sunday/Monday

945 Clark Street
Stevens Point

(Info per my parents via an article in the Stevens Point Journal.)

There's a great Vietnamese restaurant/grocery in Point these days, Lor's. Really good Pho. http://vietnameserestaurantwi.com/

On Post Road at Minnesota Avenue, on the far south side of town. Almost in Whiting.

Interesting. Will be in Point in early September and will make an effort to check it out. Thanks for posting.

adipocere wrote:There's a great Vietnamese restaurant/grocery in Point these days, Lor's. Really good Pho. http://vietnameserestaurantwi.com/

On Post Road at Minnesota Avenue, on the far south side of town. Almost in Whiting.

We get off/on at the 10/39 interchange, so this place is somewhat close to that. Vietnamese sandwiches for our trip south back home would be quite welcome. Seems they are open 9am-9pm everyday, so that fits our schedule. cool.

Oh yeah, their Banh Mi's are tasty.

There's also a Korean place on Division at Maria on the north side. Pretty fair but $$. Called Korean Lunch Box. And I wasn't able to get to it, but there is a Campuchean/Laotian place in town as well. Not sure where that is, or the name of it.

Sweet Willie wrote:

adipocere wrote:There's a great Vietnamese restaurant/grocery in Point these days, Lor's. Really good Pho. http://vietnameserestaurantwi.com/

On Post Road at Minnesota Avenue, on the far south side of town. Almost in Whiting.

We get off/on at the 10/39 interchange, so this place is somewhat close to that. Vietnamese sandwiches for our trip south back home would be quite welcome. Seems they are open 9am-9pm everyday, so that fits our schedule. cool.

Thanks again adipocere for mentioning Lor's. Mrs Sweet Willie & I stopped in for lunch last Friday, got a couple of banh mi sandwiches to go.

I'm just guessing Lor's is the best stocked Asian market at or north of this latitude in Wisconsin. Not huge but many items were well represented.

At 1pm on Friday, there were two tables of two being occupied w/some Vietnamese couples enjoying pho. Another person along with us were there for to-go orders. Articles on the wall state the couple is originally from Seattle. I asked the wife upon checkout how was business, she replied that they've been around for 3.5 years and that summer was very slow due to U Wisconsin Stevens Point summer break.

As for the food, the ground pork on skewers was nicely marinated & char grilled. Quite delicious.

We had two banh mi (traditional & chicken lemongrass), chicken lemongrass the clear winner as the traditional did not have the variety of meats I've seen here in Chicago, nor the veggies.

We will for sure stop by for other items.

I stopped by Lor's late yesterday afternoon on my way back home to Chicago, ordered the beef banh mi, best sandwich I've had from Lor's. The beef really picks up the marinade flavor more than the other meats, then when grilled is just delicious.

Willie,

What are you doing roaming free at that latitude on this date??

Me, I live up here...but you?
Geo

Geo wrote:Willie,

What are you doing roaming free at that latitude on this date??

Me, I live up here...but you?
Geo

ha! Whether busy summer months, dead of winter or the "off" seasons, I LOVE northern Wisconsin at all times of the year.

Bien fait Willie, bien fait!

Geo