Here are some celebrated options for wining and dining groups along the water in the Midwest:
Baxter’s Lakeside Grille, Lake Ozark, Mo.
Set on a bluff overlooking the Lake of the Ozarks, this popular restaurant offers stunning sunset views and a diverse menu highlighted by fresh fish and aged steaks. Fresh fish entree headliners include walnut-encrusted walleye, which is sauteed and topped with apple bourbon butter, and farm-raised Missouri trout, a grilled specialty topped with citrus butter. Carnivores are drawn to Baxter’s steaks, sumptuous cuts of meat that are aged for 30 days with no antibiotics or hormones.
Iven’s on the Bay, Brainerd, Minn.
A traditional favorite in the Brainerd Lakes region since 1984, about a two-hour drive north of Minneapolis, Iven’s on the Bay, located on North Long Lake, grows its own herbs, berries and vegetables on-site. The pan-seared, almond-crusted walleye and grilled salmon top an extensive list of fresh fish and shellfish entrees. For groups, the Lakeview Room can accommodate up to 100 for private events.
The Baker House, Lake Geneva, Wis.
Originally built as a summer home in 1885, the Baker House evolved into a hotel and restaurant in the 1930s. The eclectic menu is dotted with a variety of intriguing selections such fried pickle spears, fried green beans, goat cheese and onion tart, and warm garlic pretzel bites. For fish lovers, there’s a fresh catch of the day and homemade crab cakes. Set on the east shore of Lake Geneva, the views and ambience are superb.
