Unique Eats around Flint & Genesee

It doesn’t take a long drive around Flint & Genesee to see all the wonderful restaurants and eateries that are available. The genuinely hard part about finding something to eat is in agreeing on which place to go. With so many options the choice can often be to head somewhere familiar but there are so many possibilities that it’s often best to try someplace new to find your new favorite eatery.  

Sam’s Italian Restaurant located just outside of Swartz Creek may be famous for their Samorito’s, but their whole menu is worth a look. Samorito’s are bites of fried dough sprinkled with garlic salt and offered with meat sauce. Those can become a meal all their own if you aren’t careful. You can also pair them with cheese, ranch dressing, or your favorite dipping sauce. You can even try the dessert version called Sinnorito’s. Further down the menu you’ll find pizza, Italian classics, sandwiches, and more.  

Sagano Japanese Bistro & Steakhouse can be found in either Fenton or Flint Township and offers a very different encounter from what you may expect from a steakhouse. There are two different experiences at Sagano. The first is the dining side of the restaurant where you can order any number of handmade sushi rolls, appetizers, and more traditional Japanese items, or can order something from their steakhouse menu and dine as you would normally. It’s on the hibachi side of the restaurant where your meal really comes to life. Here you will be treated to a show put on by the chef while your meal is cooked on a hibachi grill. Every new item has its own introduction and the diners become part of the performance. This makes going to dinner more than just sitting down for a meal, but part of a night of fun you won’t soon forget. If you are in the mood for a little show with your meal this is the place to go. 

Fans of the Renaissance Festival will need to stop at the Crossbow Inn in Grand Blanc. It’s a cozy restaurant full of laughter and excited diners. You’ll feel immediately welcomed by the fun medieval décor on the walls as you settle in for their comfort food. Coming around the winter holidays adds even another layer to things as they decorate for the season. The great food and very generous servings are enough to warrant a stop for a meal. But it’s the unique atmosphere that demands at least one visit.  

The Huckleberry Junction Playhouse Theater in Genesee is a perfect place to take the family. More than just a dining experience, it offers a full array of fun for everyone. Huckleberry Junction has video games, games of skill, and a playscape. But their claim to fame is the Playhouse Theater. The Theater is where you can see musical performances from the automated riverboat band Daniel & the Dixie Diggers, one of the last remaining bands of its like in the country. This is a perfect destination for the family to have some fun. While you are there you can also see a show while devouring pizza by the slice. Huckleberry Junction is known for its pizza but also offers breadsticks, grinders, stromboli, lasagna, and salad.   

Finally, Flint’s White Horse Tavern feels like the city’s own version of Cheers, as a bar whose patrons have as much character as the space itself. The White Horse has been a favorite in the city for decades and has become a mainstay because of its comfortable atmosphere and delicious food. While they are primarily a bar, they also offer delicious meals with hearty comfort food. Here you’ll find burgers, sandwiches, breakfast, an array of salads, and their beloved pizza. This is bar food done well in a space that will keep you there talking long after your meal is done.  

There are many more exciting and off-the-beaten-path options for dinner in Flint & Genesee. It’s almost as much fun discovering them as it is enjoying them.