A new crop of restaurants, lunch hangouts and breakfast spots are popping up around town, just in time for the busy season. Today The Ticker shares what’s new – and what’s coming – when it comes to local eats.

Thunderbird In Lake Leelanau
The Thunderbird Café has opened in the former Trish’s Dishes in Lake Leelanau, between Pedaling Beans and Northern Latitudes Distillery.

The new lunch spot is owned by Rachel and John Smith. Rachel tells The Ticker she learned the ropes while working at Trish’s Dishes for a couple of years. When Trish’s Dishes relocated to Leland earlier this spring, Smith decided to do her own thing in the spot. The cafe offers soups, salads, wraps, sandwiches and desserts. Open Monday-Saturday, 11am-6pm.

Redheads Hit Leland
The ‘lil Leland Café is opening soon inside Leelanau Books in Leland. Bookstore owners Jon and Diana Sebaly have expanded their café offerings through a partnership with Sarah Landry Ryder, owner of The Redheads Café and Tasting Room in Lake Leelanau. The expanded café will feature The Redheads specialty edibles and includes a 25-seat patio area in the rear garden with flexible space for events.

Tucker’s of Northport
Tucker’s of Northport is up and running and serving lunch, dinner and fun. In addition to dining options, it offers boutique bowling and an arcade. View the menu here. Open Monday-Sunday, 11am to 10pm (pizza and appetizers available later) and bar open until 2am. 

Pressed Juices Coming Up
The Raw Juice Company will be the first-ever pressed juicery in TC when it opens later this month. The difference, the owners say, is 400-500 percent more vitamins and minerals than regular juicers.

The company has teamed up with The Parlor cocktail bar (which has recently expanded) and is sharing space in the former Loading Dock building at 205 Lake Avenue. The Raw Juice Company will operate from 7am to 3pm, and then The Parlor takes over from 3pm on; it will also utilize the juices as mixers for its cocktails and sell the juice alone. The company is targeting a grand opening celebration on Fri., Jun. 27. Follow Facebook for details.

Harvest is Here
Harvest is now open at 131 E. State Street (alley between Front & State) in downtown TC. The restaurant is owned by Simon Joseph, who first launched his Roaming Harvest food truck in TC in 2012 and helped pave the way for mobile vendors in the city. Harvest opens at 11am, serving lunch, dinner and (soon) late night. Check out the menu here.

Goodwill Food Truck
Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan has launched its Mi Fresh Start food truck as a way to “take change to the streets, where trainees will whip up locally sourced street food and learn the ins and outs of a roving food business model.” 

The truck can be found at the corner of 8th and Barlow in TC with coffee, muffin and fruit service Mon.-Fri., 8-11am and lunch (Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays) 11:30am-3pm.

Suttons Bay Food Truck
Desmond Berry and his family have launched Berry Family Enterprises at 1375 S. West Bayshore Drive in Suttons Bay (in the Barrels & Barrels convenience store parking lot). The truck specializes in sandwiches and tacos made with freshly caught whitefish and is open seven days a week. 

Gelato is Back
Ambrosia Gelato at 124 W. State Street is open for the season and celebrating summer in style: free gelato all day today! 

Coming soon:

Edany B.L.T. (breakfast, lunch and takout) is slated to open this month at 720 W. Front in TC, next to Ace Hardware. It last was the location of Lehto’s Pasties, which closed earlier this year after opening in Feb. 2013. The restaurant is co-owned by Dani and Ed Walker.

Latin-Asian fusion taquiera Georgina’s will move west and into the former location of Phil’s On Front in either July or August, depending on construction and permitting. Owner Anthony Craig has operated the restaurant at 439 East Front Street since early 2013.

The Streetside Grille is opening in the former Stony Point Pub in downtown Suttons Bay.