New Jersey has 24-hour diners. Wisconsin has supper clubs.
I’ve been curious about these restaurants — not private clubs — ever since I heard about them several years ago. So I certainly wasn’t going to miss my chance while on a 6-day bike adventure from Milwaukee to and around Door County.
Old-school supper clubs, like 24-hour diners, are a vanishing breed. Wisconsin has somewhere around 250 supper clubs, but some, let’s say, appear to have gotten a modern make-over. And how am I supposed to know it’s a supper club if that’s not part of its name?
The Nightingale Supper Club in Sturgeon Bay, our reward for a hot 60+ miles of biking on day 3, was appropriately old-school.
True, it doesn’t offer you a “relish tray” at the bar. But the bar has that pleather cushion where you can rest your arms. Behind it is a chandelier made of rope — hardly high fashion. Dark wood everywhere.
And the entrance to the restaurant (not the bar): No awning, no glass to peer inside. Honestly, I’d call it unmarked.
Yes, dinner only.
We arrived just in time for our reservation, so we didn’t do the traditional thing of going to the bar first. No worries, you can still get your Brandy Old Fashioned (sweet or sour, with olives or pickled Brussel sprouts or something else) at the table. I don’t like soft drinks (one of the ingredients, I know, I’m weird) so it’s black cherry cider for me.
It’s mostly a fish and steak place, though there’s burgers (half-pounder!), pasta and more on the menu. But no fancy anything.
My friends wanted traditional Wisconsin fish — perch or walleye — while I went for the Tuesday night special (salmon with asparagus). The 16-ounce prime rib called to me but I was trying to be healthy. You can see the perch in the top photo.
Then there’s soup plus a side or salad, even free bread. More than enough to eat, even after 60 miles on a bike. And a fair price.
Or course we had to get cheese curds — we’re in Wisconsin after all. Plus these came from Renard’s, an artisan cheesemaker several miles outside of town. Fresh, even if fried.
I know, I know, a lot of food. But we didn’t have a real lunch.
And somehow there was still dessert.
On the bike
So that’s the food report. How about the biking?
We left Michicot and used small roads to get us to Kewaunee, on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Also home of the world’s largest grandfather clock, built for the Bicentennial. Because why not?
Then we picked up the Ahnapee State Trail, part of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (that would be where glaciers once were) and an old railroad line. It’s mostly flat, not paved and — at one point — too many gnats. So we rerouted, through Casco (gas station stop for liquids because since when is it 90 degrees in Wisconsin at the start of September?) and picked up the trail again west of Forestville. That took us almost to Sturgeon Bay.
To be honest, this trail needs some TLC and more users. It’s just a little too rough, a little too in need of maintenance. I was on a beefy bike but for those with even 28 mm tires, it was a bit slippery. Maybe it’s no surprise that we only met one person on the trail.
Here’s our original plan, before the big re-route. If I could redo our actual ride, I’d stay by Lake Michigan from Kewaunee to Algoma and then decide whether to experience the trail. As always, we are doing our best to stay off state highways (42 in this case).
Did you miss the start of the ride in Milwaukee? Here’s the trip report. Day 2 is here.
Exploring by bicycle 