The Chamber team is thrilled to present your ultimate insider’s guide to the must-try menu items that highlight the culinary landscape of our lakeside home with our list of bucket list bites.
Clear Lake, known for its scenic beauty and warm hospitality, is also a wonderland for food enthusiasts seeking memorable dining experiences. Whether you’re a local looking to rediscover your hometown favorites or a visitor eager to savor the unique flavors of Clear Lake, this curated list of Bucket List Bites is your passport to a culinary adventure.
Join us as we chow down on our favorite standouts of Clear Lake’s food scene in 2024. “Bucket List Bites” isn’t just a list; it’s your guide to munchin’ like a local. Grab your sunnies, kick back, and savor the flavors that will undoubtedly earn a spot on your own culinary bucket list!
This series kicked off in our 2024 edition of Destination Clear Lake with our Tourism Director’s list of 24 must-try items for 2024, but we couldn’t stop there! We gathered the rest of the Chamber team’s faves in this exclusive blog.
Click here for the full Clear Lake Dining Guide.
Ashley Weiss, Membership Engagement Director, Foodie, Gen-Y
Sweets:
Cinnamon Roll, Cabin Coffee Company
Dole Whip, Charlie’s Soda Fountain
Monster Cookie OR Monster Cookie Ice Cream, Cookies, etc.
Scoop of chocolate custard with Reese’s peanut butter cups, Culver’s
Dragon Fruit Acai Bowl with peanut butter, coconut, strawberries, blueberries, & banana, Da-Lish Acai Bar
Scoop of The Big Bopper in a homemade waffle cone, The Olde Creamery
Cinna-Roll-Nut, South Shore Donut Co.
White Chip Macadamia Nut Cookie, Subway
Drinks:
Volumetric Lemonade with strawberry puree, 173° Craft Distillery
Margarita Flight, Avion Azul
Peppermint Patty Tea Latte, Holistic Harmony
Raspberry Lemonade, Lake Lemonade
Sandy Bottoms, Lake Time Brewery
Coca-Cola Fountain Pop, McDonald’s (why does their fountain pop always taste so good? Here’s one theory!)
Wild Berry Smoothie, Scooter’s Coffee
Summer Mimosa Flight, TAP’d
Bites:
Everything Omelet with hashbrowns & wheat toast, 7 Stars Family Restaurant
Signature Chicken Tenders with homestyle French fries (and don’t forget the yummy honey Dijon mustard!), Bennigan’s
Guadalajara Special with corn tortillas, Cancun by the Lake
Three Steak Tacos, Gyro Place
Broiled Canadian Walleye with side salad with Ranch dressing and a baked sweet potato, Half Moon Inn
Four Star Pizza, The Other Place
Chicken Philly and sweet potato fries, Sevens Restaurant & Steakhouse
Cornbread Soup, Starboard Market
Bucket Bites Bonus! Food Trucks found at my favorite Clear Lake summer events:
Dirty Pig with a side of potato salad, Big Brad’s BBQ
Chicken Nachos, Mexican Flavor
Mr. Marley Mac Attack with side of baked beans, Smokin’ Manas
Sicily Pizza, Titanium Lunchbox
Jenny Fasbender, Events & Administrative Assistant, Stellar Home Chef, Gen-X
Food:
Flatbread, 173° Distillery
Fresh Guacamole, Avion Azul
Brussels Sprouts, The Boulevard Bar & Grill
Dragonfruit Acai Bowl, Charlie’s Soda Fountain
Cheese Balls, Culver’s
Chicken Sandwich, The Other Place
Half & Half Soup and The Dude Sandwich, Starboard Market
Chicken Sandwich, Chick-Fil-A Tri State Food Truck
Drinks:
Palomino, Cabin Coffee Company
Margarita, Cancun by the Lake
Imagery Wine, Fareway
Sugar Free Skinny Vanilla Latte, Scooter’s Coffee
Bloody Mary, VFW
Treats:
Snickerdoodle, Chris’ Kettle Corn
Big Bopper, The Olde Creamery
Salted Caramel Cookie Bar, Starboard Market
Stacy Doughan, President & CEO, Local Food Champion, Xennial
Food:
Chori Pollo, Avion Azul
Brussels Sprouts, The Boulevard Bar & Grill
Burrito Supreme, Cancun by the Lake
Sausage & Pepperoni Pizza, Ge-Jo’s by the Lake
Lamb Gyro, Gyro Place
Barbeque Ribs, Half Moon Inn
Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Rookie’s Rockin’ Sports Bar
Main Street Eggs Benedict, Seven’s Restaurant & Steakhouse
That’s Peachy Sandwich, Starboard Market
Drinks:
Cherry Fusion, 173° Craft Distillery
Palomino, Cabin Coffee Company
Chocolate Covered Almond Tea Latte, Holistic Harmony
Iowa Nice, Lake Time Brewery
Margarita, Muskie Lounge
Blue Moon on Tap, The Other Place
Margarita, PM Park & Tiki Bar
Raspberry Mule, TAP’d
Sweets:
Dole Whip, Charlie’s Soda Fountain
Monster Cookie, Cookies, etc.
Reese’s Concrete Mixer, Culver’s
Dragonfruit Acai Bowl, Da-Lish Acai Bar
Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie, NIP Fitness & Smoothie Bar
The Big Bopper, The Olde Creamery
Raised & Glazed OG Vanilla, South Shore Donut Co.
Trish Fundermann, Events Director, Spicy Food Lover, Gen-X
Vodka Lemonade, Pretzel Bites, and Flatbread Pizza, 173° Craft Distillery
Casa Azul Margarita and Avion Fajita with fried jalapenos on the side, Avion Azul
Chicken Strips with fries, Bennigan’s
BLT and Palomino, Cabin Coffee Company
Jumbo Margarita and Jalisco Special, Cancun by the Lake
Monster Cookie, Cookies, etc.
Butter Burger Deluxe with cheese curds, Culver’s
Margarita and Lasagna, Ge-Jo’s by the Lake
Chicken Gyro, Gyro Place
Prime Rib, Half Moon Inn
Hot Honey Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza, The Other Place
Breakfast Buffet, PM Park
Vodka Lemonade, Rookie’s, Sevens, and TAP’d
Steak Salad with feta cheese, Ragin’ Cajun Burger, and Sweet Chili Chicken Wrap, Seven’s Restaurant & Steakhouse
Chicken Enchilada Soup, North Shore Chicken Salad and Pesto Turkey Ciabatta Melt, Starboard Market
Chopped Salad with Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki, Subway
Maddie Anderly, Marketing & Communications Specialist, Brew Crew Captain, Gen-Z
Drinks:
Bloody Mary or Breakfast Shot (sometimes both) ;), Rookie’s Rockin’ Sports Bar
Vanilla Espresso Martini, TAP’d
Tumbleweed, Cabin Coffee Company
Blueberry Refresh, Lakeside Landing
Press Seltzer (Blackberry Hibiscus), 173° Craft Distillery
Espresso Martini, Elly’s Lounge
Blueberry Burst Tea Latte, Holistic Harmony
Mango Margarita, Avion Azul
Sweets:
Snickerdoodle Cookie, Cookies, etc.
Cookies ‘n’ Cream Ice Cream Cake, The Olde Creamery
Rootbeer Float, Charlie’s Soda Fountain
Strawberry Shortcake Donut, South Shore Donut Co.
Raspberry Cheesecake Cookie, Subway
Cinnamon Roll, Cabin Coffee Company
Birthday Cake Bite, Scooter’s Coffee
Blackberry Cobbler Concrete Mixer, Culver’s
Bites:
Bone-In Wings (Sweet Chili), Rookie’s Rockin’ Sports Bar
Lamb Gyro Supreme, Gyro Place
Crab Rangoon Nachos, Lakeside Landing
Burrito Supreme, Cancun by the Lake
Hawaiian Pizza, The Other Place
Everything Hashbrowns, Sevens Steakhouse
Housemade Guacamole, Avion Azul
Sweet Corn Nuggets, Muskie Lounge
Avah Hogg, Summer Intern, Hometown Flavor Expert, Gen-Z
Food:
Mini Hot Ham & Cheesy, Cabin Coffee Company
Chicken Finger Wrap, The Other Place
Cheese Balls, Gyro Place
#3 Breakfast Sandwich, Cabin Coffee Company
Mango Chicken Sandwich, Seven’s Restaurant & Steakhouse
Onion Rings, PM Park & Tiki Bar
Chips and Queso, Cancun by the Lake
French Fries, McDonald’s Restaurant
Homemade Fried Chips, Rookies
Cheesy Bread Stix, The Other Place
Brussel Sprouts, The Boulevard Bar & Grill
Double Decker Pepperoni Pizza, The Other Place
Sweet Chili Chicken Wrap, Seven’s Restaurant & Steakhouse
Drinks:
Chai Latte, Cabin Coffee Company
Peanut Butter Power Smoothie, Scooter’s Coffee
Iced Palomino, Cabin Coffee Company
Sprite, McDonald’s Restaurant
Sweets:
Blueberry Scone, Cabin Coffee Company
Lemon Bar Ice Cream, Cookies, etc.
Cinnamon Roll, Cabin Coffee Company
Grasshopper Bar, Starboard Market
Brown Eyed Girl Donut, South Shore Donut Co
Cookie Dough Concrete Mixer, Culver’s
Big Bopper, The Olde Creamery
Original Story from Destination Clear Lake 2024:
Libbey Hohn, Director of Tourism, Local Food Guide, Xennial
Indulge with me in the best of Clear Lake with this exclusive list of 24 Bucket List Bites! As Clear Lake Tourism Director and local food aficionado, these are 24 of my favorite menu items that I love to recommend to visitors and friends. Enjoy these tasty bites that take you on a scrumptious journey through the Clear Lake dining scene! – Libbey
Moscovian Mule, 173° Craft Distillery
Hot Beef Sandwich, 7 Stars Family Restaurant
Housemade Guacamole, Avion Azul
Turkey O’Toole, Bennigan’s
Brussels Sprouts, The Boulevard Bar & Grill
Palomino, Cabin Coffee Company
Queso Fundido with Mushrooms, Cancun by the Lake
Acai Bowl, Charlie’s Soda Fountain
Chocolate-Chocolate Chip, Cookies, etc.
Mushroom & Swiss, Culver’s
Hot Oil Natomeli Pizza, Ge-Jo’s by the Lake
Chicken Gyro (extra tzaziki), Gyro Place
Filet with Hash Browns, Half Moon Inn
Raspberry Main Squeeze, Lake Time Brewery
Summer Sangria, Lakeside Landing
Fish Dinner, Muskie Lounge
The Big Bopper, The Olde Creamery
Hot Tuna Hero, The Other Place
Broasted Chicken, PM Park
Spinach Artichoke Dip, Rookie’s Rockin’ Sports Bar
Eggs Florentine, Sevens Steakhouse
Raspberry Bismark, South Shore Donut Co.
Turkey Pesto Ciabatta Melt, Starboard Market
Paloma, TAP’d
We hope this list of must-try menu items gives you some inspiration to try something new!