Duluth, MN (sort of) – The Wabegon

My family rarely took summer vacations;  it was my dad’s “busy time” for work.  Instead, we skied. A lot.  We’d travel around the Upper Midwest on weekends, throw in an occasional trip out West, but our “go to” local place was/is called “Mont du Lac”, and it was at the other end of town from our house, on Minnesota highway 23, right after you left the city limits.

We were there a lot as a family, but my most vivid memory of the place was it was the scene of the only head-on car collision I have been in, thankfully at low speed, and thankfully with my brother driving, and not me.  Fast forward 5 decades, and at the entrance of the ski hill is a local tavern, which even though the highway in front of the joint is in Minnesota, due to a geographic anomaly, the tavern is on a little spit of land claimed by Wisconsin.

The Wabegon (I have no idea what that means, unless it’s a pun on “Wobegon”) is open 7 days at varying hours, and serves a variety of bar favorites, including burgers and pizza.  It’s been perched there since 1932.

The Minnesota Burger posse has been following around local musician Todd Eckart, as the Posse man in chief, Kawika, is shooting a little documentary on Todd.

The Wabegon had Eckart in for a night.

Wabby Burgers start off with a ½ pound of fresh ground, and combinations of all ilks are available. Kawika went with the basic cheeseburger, and said it was very enjoyable.

If you want to take the “scenic route” to Duluth from Minneapolis, hop off I-35 at Minnesota 23, and amble up this back road, stopping for a cool brew at the Wab.

 The Wabegon Wabby Burger

 

Wabegon on Urbanspoon