Beulah — Locals in Northwestern Michigan have always known where to get the best cherry pie, and now the New York Times has confirmed it.
Cherry pie from the Cherry Hut, located in my hometown of Beulah, was on the NYT’s recently released list of the Best Desserts in America, nestled in between fancy fusion joints from some of the biggest cities in America.
The Cherry Hut has the feel of a 1950s diner. When you step inside, you are greeted with a smile and a warm greeting. The food is all traditional American, too. Cherry chicken salad, turkey pot pie, and fresh fried fish are just a few of its most popular options.
It’s the kind of place where families return year after year, creating traditions that are passed down. But the real reason people go there is for the cherries.
Michigan is the top producer of tart cherries in the U.S., and the Cherry Hut takes full advantage. They serve cherry cookies, cherry-ade (cherry-flavored lemonade), cherry ice cream sundaes, cherry lollipops, cherry salsa, and—of course—cherry pie.
The Cherry Hut cherry pie is a 100-year-old recipe, unchanged since the Cherry Hut was a literal hut selling pies on the side of the road. There are no preservatives or artificial ingredients. The cherries come from orchards 10 miles away.
It’s a simple mix of sugar, cherries, and a crispy lard crust (although the exact recipe is a trade secret), topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream upon request.
The Cherry Hut is a Benzie County institution. Following the hut opening in 1922, it expanded and diversified into selling all sorts of cherry products. The Cherry Hut currently operates two locations.
The restaurant is located in Beulah, and they also have a jam kitchen and gift shop in nearby Benzonia. While the restaurant is open during the tourist season, the gift shop is open year round.
“We are so pleased to be the only Michigan restaurant to make this prestigious list,” the owner told Michigan Enjoyer. “We have been making cherry pies at The Cherry Hut for over 100 years, using basically the same recipe. It makes us so happy that our pies have stood the test of time and that our customers keep coming back year in and year out.”
Beulah is not what many would consider to be a “happening” place. It’s a small vacation town. While we certainly have our share of tourists, Beulah has about 300 full-time residents. The fact that the Cherry Hut can compete with nationally recognized restaurants and bakeries is a testimony to Northern Michigan’s cultural heritage.
We may not have the population or capital of downstate Michigan, but nestled in our small towns and villages is a group of creative people capable of incredible things.
Jack Ducote is a writer who loves fishing, hunting, the outdoors, and of course, Michigan. He writes under Hemlock Hobo on Substack.
