Blu in Glen Arbor gets praise
Blu in Glen Arbor was called ‘bucket‑list material’ for its European techniques and lake views in posts shared April 14, highlighting a Great Lakes lakeside dining draw. (Multiple posts emphasized the combination of technique and setting.) (x.com) (x.com)
A travel post on April 14 pushed Blu, a fine-dining restaurant in Glen Arbor, back into the national spotlight for pairing European-style cooking with Lake Michigan views. (islands.com) Blu sits at 5705 South Lake Street on the shore of Lake Michigan, with panoramic views of Sleeping Bear Bay and the Manitou Islands, according to the restaurant and its reservation page. (glenarborblu.com) (exploretock.com) The restaurant says it reopens April 16 after a break, and Tock lists dining room reservations for parties of 1 to 8, with patio seating released day-by-day when weather allows. (glenarborblu.com) (exploretock.com) Blu’s dining pitch is a daily-changing menu built around European techniques, local ingredients, and a wine list that includes both international bottles and Michigan producers. (exploretock.com) (sleepingbeardunes.com) That formula has helped make the restaurant part of Glen Arbor’s visitor economy, a small Lake Michigan town near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore that the Glen Lake Chamber promotes as a year-round destination. (visitglenarbor.com) (sleepingbeardunes.com) Blu opened in 2008, and its Tock page says it has since received a James Beard nomination for Best Chef: Great Lakes and praise from Wine Spectator and Travel + Leisure. (exploretock.com) (sleepingbeardunes.com) The restaurant also changed hands within the family in 2024, when Brandon Chamberlain took over from Randy and Mari Chamberlain after 16 years running the business, according to the Glen Arbor Sun. (glenarborsun.com) Islands said April 14 that Blu’s appeal is not just the setting but the mix of formal technique, a menu that changes daily, and a resort-casual dinner experience in a town better known for beaches and dunes. (islands.com) For travelers heading into northwest Michigan’s spring and summer season, Blu is being sold as a dinner reservation with a sunset attached. (islands.com) (exploretock.com)
