Make Java Joe's Your First Stop in Saint Ignace, Michigan

Fifteen years ago, retiring from the Air Force, I was dismayed to discover our hometown of Saint Ignace in Upper Michigan offered little in the way of designer coffee. I remember traveling all the way down to Petoskey, a 45 minute drive south, over the Mackinac Bridge, for a decent cappuccino. Imagine my excitement when I noticed Java Joe's Cafe' emerging from a renovated house on the North end of the Business Loop, lodged between two huge hotels, less than three miles from my home! I was enthusiastically greeted by Sandy Durm, who told me the shop had just opened, and I was one of the first customers. This encounter was the beginning of a long-lasting friendship, countless meals described in their ever-expanding menu, and relief to find a genuine Italian espresso machine almost at my doorstep.

Java Joe's is a virtual "Mecca" for travelers visiting Northern Michigan. While Saint Ignace heralds itself as a tourist town, visitors are often stymied for ideas of what to do during their vacation, especially during our slower months in the spring and fall. Joe Durm himself is an ambassador of good will. He offers great suggestions for travel in our area, along with maps, details and often adds a plethora of spontaneous "hidden gems." He knows more about Saint Ignace, Mackinac County, and the eastern Upper Peninsula than some people who've lived here for generations. Countless families schedule their entire vacations around breakfast at Java Joe's, and it's well worth the effort to visit. Joe and Sandy Durm are a synergistic couple: thank Sandy for the great food, and rest assured that you'll never run out of things to do listening to Joe's suggestions for tourists and locals.

Why does Java Joe's flourish when so many of our area businesses closed or face bankruptcy in Michigan? Just take a look at the menu at Java Joe's. Each year, it's expanded and improved. The old standby breakfast specials remain solid draws, but I was tipped off by a visiting slot machine technician to try the breakfast crepes--a favorite selection for locals and visitors. There's an amazing array of omelets and pancakes. Luncheon sandwiches called "wraps" debuted not too long ago; however, the soup in a bread bowl remains quite popular. Java Joe's pizza menu is popular with the nearby hotel customers. Their flavorful crust baked on the premises is much better than most chain pizzerias.

Java Joe's desert menu stands tall, too. Whether you enjoy hot fudge sundaes, strawberry shortcake deluxe, or some banana concoction, there's something to satisfy the sweet tooth. Look for the super-sized items to share and you and your seat-mates will end up immortalized -- photographed and laminated into the walls, table tops, and who knows where else. We recently unearthed an old photo of our recent celebrity wrestler in town, John Evashevski. John's a senior, one of my son's classmates and recently made top billing as "Mr. Wrestler," best in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In this photo, John's only 7 or 8 years old, eyes wide with anticipation of a huge dessert! See friends, neighbors, relatives, tourists, and even some famous political figures and movie-makers amongst the photos. There's even a picture of my old friend, the elusive Kim Swanson with her daughter Haley that I search out each visit, this family having relocated south down to the big city of DeWitt, Michigan, near Michigan State University in East Lansing. Regular return visitors to the Straits Area, the Swanson children all demand Java Joe's during their visits.

Another thing you'll notice is the huge variety of tea pots decorating the bright, tropical looking walls around the coffee shop. There's new styles every year and even my cheap Norwegian husband allows me to buy one now and again! You'll see animals, lighthouses, flowers, "Red Hats," and even old, traditional style teapots. Speaking of tea, there's quite a variety at Java Joe's, and he serves your "Dish of Tea" in beautiful, antique tea cups with a saucer. Java Joe's Cafe also offers their own logo on caps, shirts, and coffee cups.

Our favorite is the signature teapot with Java Joe's face shaped into it and the menu itself, which sports "The Legend of Java Joe." Check out the photo of my husband paying his bill for a look at that one! Be sure to find the cartoon while you're searching for the perfect beverage, snack or meal on the menu at Java Joe's Cafe, somewhere near the North End of the Mighty Mackinac Bridge.