Spider Lake Cafe

The interior of this roadside cafe takes a different approach than similar eateries in this North Woods area. More Western (think cowboy ephemera and vintage cowgirl calendars) than pine-paneled, Spider Lake Cafe is a bit of a surprise when you walk in from the gravel parking lot just off County Road A northeast of Hayward. And the restaurant's menu shows the same desire to offer something a little out of the ordinary--although still well within the local vernacular. Plate-size blueberry-pecan pancakes are a favorite. Grilled Poundcake Romanoff ($6) or Fat Elvis pancakes (banana cake drizzled with warm peanut butter, $5) are the kinds of dishes that make tourists smile and locals' mouths water. And there are plenty of other egg, meat and Benedict items on the 4-page breakfast menu. A smaller lunch and dinner menu offers standard grill fare plus ribs, barbecue chicken and a couple kinds of burritos--plus nightly specials.