Canoe Bay

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Restaurant Shaped by the Land Around It

Perched above Lake Wahdoon on 300 acres of mature hardwood forest in northwestern Wisconsin, Canoe Bay's restaurant earns its reputation the quiet way — through exceptional ingredients, a nightly-changing menu, and a setting that guests consistently describe as among the finest dining experiences of their lives. Wine Spectator recognized the program with its Award of Excellence in 2023, a fitting acknowledgment of a kitchen and cellar that take both food and wine seriously.

From the Garden to the Table

At the heart of the kitchen is a three-acre organic garden, tended by a full-time master gardener. Raised beds, fruit trees, and pollinator-attracting flowers supply a rotating cast of seasonal produce that drives the menu. Alongside the garden, the chefs work with local farmers to source ingredients that reflect the region's bounty — a genuine farm-to-table philosophy rooted in the specific character of the Wisconsin landscape rather than borrowed as a marketing phrase.

The result is a nightly three-course dinner that changes with the seasons and the harvest. Guests repeatedly single out the salads and fresh herbs as dishes they find themselves missing long after they leave.

The Dining Room and Beyond

The restaurant overlooks Lake Wahdoon, and the architecture — inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's organic principles — keeps the surrounding forest and water in constant view. The atmosphere is posh without being stuffy, as one guest put it, and the service is gracious throughout.

Dining at Canoe Bay extends well beyond the evening table. Each morning, a custom wooden basket arrives at the door with freshly baked muffins, coffee, Greek yogurt, and granola. Lunch is delivered picnic-style anywhere on the property — a detail that makes the farm-to-table experience feel genuinely personal rather than ceremonial.

Worth the Drive

Canoe Bay sits just two hours from the Twin Cities and 45 minutes from Eau Claire — remote in feel, straightforward to reach. Guests who come for the landscape often find that the restaurant alone justifies the trip.