By Shayna Mace
BARRIQUE WINE & BREW BAR
“Barrique” means “wine barrel or cask” so diners should know what to expect here—the restaurant and lounge always has 55 to 60 wines by the glass available for only $6 to $12 each, and they have upwards of 50 craft brews on hand to sip. Sounds pretty good, no? This cute spot has sidewalk and patio seating for excellent views of Geneva Lake’s waters. Menus change seasonally, so expect to see crisp salads, fresh seafood (crab cakes, Maine lobster tacos, New England oysters), flatbreads (BBQ chicken, spinach, artichoke) and sandwiches. barriquewinebar.com
BOAT HOUSE BAR & GRILL
Enjoy views of Buttons Bay from the Boat House’s deck at this great lunch and happy hour spot. The casual food menu features finger foods (cheese curds, calamari, fried pickles), salads and sandwiches, like their Juicy Lucy, a half-pound Angus burger stuffed with grilled pineapple and pepperjack cheese. House-crafted cocktails like their Sconnie is the eatery’s take on the Old Fashioned. Their Pick Your Mule drink lets you customize your liquor for the libation for a Kentuckystyle (Jim Beam), Irish-style (Jameson) or Mexican-style (Jose Cuervo Silver) sipper. Fun! theboathouselakegeneva.com
CAFÉ CALAMARI
This Italian haunt tucked in Williams Bay offers fabulous Italian food with a view to boot. Can’t decide what pasta to order? Create your own from seven noodle types, six sauces and five topping types (including meatballs, scallops and shrimp). Almost every dish on the menu of seafood, chicken, veal and steak dishes can be customized—steaks have four different ways they can be prepared (Sicilian encrusted, Bordelaise and more) and seafood, veal and chicken options have interchangeable meat and pasta choices. If you’re in the mood for some elevated cuisine while dining on the lake, this place hits the spot. cafecalamari.com
FRONTIER RESTAURANT AND LOOKOUT BAR & EATERY
When a property is nestled on two miles of Delavan Lake’s shoreline, it’s bound to have some stellar lakeside views. Lake Lawn Resort’s upscale Frontier Restaurant and the casual pub Lookout Bar & Eatery both offer blue vistas as far as the eye can see. Frontier’s American Heartland cuisine features ingredients plucked from local farmers and producers, like Sartori cheeses, Nueske’s bacon and Wisconsin maple syrup. Entrees range from house-smoked ribs to a vegan cauliflower “steak.” The Lookout’s tropical vibe urges diners to relax and crack open a local brew, like a Door County Cherry Wheat, and feast on beer boiled iced shrimp, a strawberry spinach salad or even build your own burger from their expansive list of toppings. The Lookout also has outdoor seating overlooking their pool and the lake. lakelawnresort.com
GENEVA INN
Strolling the Shore Path or hanging out at Big Foot Beach? Take a break and head over to the Geneva Inn’s waterfront patio. The spacious spot is relaxed and offers a casual, curated menu of salads and sandwiches perfect for enjoying while watching the waves. The very large wine list with 20-plus wines by the glass (and many more by the bottle) offers any oenophile a chance to try a new varietal. When the weather is inclement the indoor restaurant isn’t a bad place to be either with large windows that overlook the lake. genevainn.com
MARS RESORT
This old-school supper club on Lake Como, founded in 1923, is the perfect place to go to unwind and even experience a little nostalgia. The interior is simply furnished with wood-paneled walls and an expansive light-up (!) bar. Outside guests can sit on the wood deck or step down to a table on the sandy shore and feel the sand between their toes as they order up a classic cocktail. (They even have a separate Beach Menu!). Every day of the week (except Saturdays) find a dinner special, too—like barbecue ribs on Mondays, fried chicken on Tuesdays and the ubiquitous fish fry on Fridays. mars-resort.com
OAKFIRE
Reopened in June 2017, this sleek pizzeria specializing in Neapolitan pies defies the stereotype of old-school pizza parlor in a good way. Polished concrete floors, a penny-covered pizza oven (seriously, it looks like a piece of art) and hanging Edison bulb pendant lamps marry this universally-loved food with chic design. This family-friendly spot has plenty of room for the whole crew, with two floors plus an enviably large outdoor patio that overlooks Geneva Lake. The second floor has cool garage-style doors that open to the patio so even indoor diners can still experience the outdoors. With salads, pizzas, pastas, paninis and a great local wine and beer list, it’s the perfect spot to kick back and relax at. oakfirelakegeneva.com
PIER 290
Warm weather practically begs for a seat on Pier 290’s deck overlooking Geneva Lake. Drive right up and dock your boat and take a seat to enjoy a Watermelon Stack appetizer with chunks of watermelon and goat cheese drizzled with a balsamic glaze and pinch of black pepper washed down with a Grapefruit Paloma. The contemporary American menu boasts delicious dishes like the Chilean sea bass with tomato succotash, asparagus and zucchini dressed with sweet Thai chili sauce; an arugula beet salad; and fall-off-the-bone short ribs served with potato mash. The vintage nautical décor inside the restaurant adds to the vacation feel. pier290.com
THE WATERFRONT
There’s no guessing where this laid-back eatery is located when the name says it all. Situated on the shores of Geneva Lake at The Abbey Resort, the vibe is vacation-ready. Grab lunch, dinner or drinks and while the day away with fun specials virtually every day of the week, like margaritas and pulled-pork tacos on Tuesdays, Wisconsin tap beer and a trio of apps on Wednesdays and Friday’s Spotted Cow fish fry. Listen to live music by Lake Geneva, Milwaukee and Chicago bands on Friday and Saturday nights, too. Sunday’s Burnin’ Down the Docks party features live music and barbecue from The Abbey’s award-winning pit masters. theabbeyresort.com