An Afternoon Jaunt to Frankenmuth, Michigan

 There's nothing like sharing a family dinner with Denise and John, especially at Zehnder's in Frankenmuth.

Known for its Bavarian influence and famous family-style chicken dinners, Frankenmuth provides a destination city environment that makes Christmas a year-round occupation. Although we didn't go to Bronners' World's Largest Christmas Store, we treated ourselves to dinner at Zehnder's.

 Jon, our waiter, was an attentive server. He even dressed in short German pants! The waitresses dressed Bavarian-style, too.


 

Zehnders has many offerings on its menu but the All-You-Can-Eat Family-Style-Chicken-Dinner is the most popular. For $23.95 you get soup, appetizers, an entree with fixings, and an ice cream dessert. Although the meal tends to be heavy on the starches, it is tasty and well-prepared for those with hearty and small appetites alike.

 

Chicken soup with homemade noodles

Appetizers include garlic toasts with soft cheddar cheese and chicken liver paté, cole slaw, cottage cheese, fruity salad, plain bread and stollen with cranberry sauce.
 
















  
The entrée includes broasted chicken with a light coating, mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered Dutch noodles, bread stuffing, and a vegetable, which was cauliflower. Not exactly colorful, but tasty.





 


Everything on the table felt like a "voilà" moment.













There are many other kinds of desserts available, but ice cream comes with the meal. Other choices besides the chocolate-vanilla twirl included dishes of all-vanilla, all-chocolate or orange sherbert. 





  


What you can't finish, you get to take home with you. Of course, we had a few leftovers.

 





 



Zehnder's started out as a restaurant in 1845. The reception area included a real crackling fire in the fireplace.











 Each year a different business decorates the restaurant. This year's decorations were exquisite.

Booths in the dining room. So beautiful!!

There are other things to do in Frankenmuth. We started out our afternoon with coffee at the Harvest Coffee House.

We also stopped at the Frankenmuth Brewery. John had beer; Denise had tea; and I had water. We shared a side of French fries. This place has a full menu along with a variety of craft beers. It's worth a visit on its own.

The brewery's backyard sported a scenic beer garden on the river. A good place to visit in summer, but pretty to look at now.

Cheese is another specialty of Frankenmuth.

giant cheese board

beer to go with your cheese

 
I liked these cheesy pants and shorts. They would go well if you put on a theme party on cheese. All that's missing is a Wisconsin cheesehead for a hat.








 

Willi's Sausage Company offered many delicious sausages and things to go with it. Just looking--and taking a sample or two--was a fun experience.

 

industrial-strength sausage machine

Frankenmuth felt like Up North to me. It is located near Saginaw, near the "V" of the Mitten. The fudge shop reminded me of Mackinaw Island, which specializes in fudge. 

 

Frankenmuth has become a popular vacation spot. As a result, more chain hotels have moved in. They try to blend in with the Bavarian theme, but they are a bit stilted in design.

This 1906 house is a little more "authentic" than the chain hotels as are the various street scenes.

It was a great day to be in Frankenmuth and to share it with Denise and John. Denise couldn't contain herself either, so she did a Mary Tyler Moore hats-off cheer.