Door County: A Kingdom So Delicious

Door County has drawn visitors since the 1800s, but in 1969 the Midwest’s secret getaway earned a worldwide reputation.

In March of that year, National Geographic Magazine published a 30-page article and pictorial on the county, titled “Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula: A Kingdom So Delicious.” Written by William S. Ellis with photos by Ted Rozumalski and Don Emmerich, the spread was not a glossy vacation brochure, but an honest look at the tradesmen and artists that called this place home and the rare landscape that drew them here.

The article and photos may have focused on natural beauty, but they also provided a context for something else that makes Door County a sought-out destination: its people. People like Abe Cohn, the revered potter who inspired a generation of artists who followed him to the Door.

Forty-eight years after the article transformed Door County forever, its title has come to mean something different as well. The peninsula and Washington Island are now a destination for foodies hunting for authentic local flavor. And they find it in the work of chefs breaking new ground, sourcing locally, and reinventing traditional dishes for a new audience.

Farmers markets thrive, introducing diners to the growers and farmers who work the soil throughout the year to bring the harvest to their tables.

Check out culinary tours and tastings, food and beverage festivals, cooking classes, or just pull to the side of the road at season markets full of pumpkins, apples, and cider. Better yet, put your own skills to work with the help of our new Savor Door County Video Series, showcasing fresh, local ingredients with recipes from local foodies and chefs.

You’ll find an exciting, rapidly evolving scene of restaurants combining historical food traditions with the latest culinary trends and styles in settings you’ll be clamoring to share with your friends.