Restaurants in Marion

Successful cooking is largely a matter of knowing when to stick with tradition and when to innovate. At Taste of Sensu, tomato salsa adds a kiss of acidity to unorthodox lobster-tail taco. Crisp toast supports pulverized shrimp and ruby-red spicy tuna jam, time-tested sushi ingredients configured in an adventurous fashion. Chefs lace sushi rolls with attention-grabbing ingredients and textures; the Cabo Roll, for instance, combines shrimp tempura and tuna with seared beef, pickled jalapeño, and chipotle mayonnaise, and the spicy tuna roll gets its crunch from hearts of romaine lettuce. Toasting glasses in the dining room brim with sparkling sake, wines fermented on the West coast, and fruity cocktails like the air tanks of an amateur scuba diver.

The decision between eating out and purchasing culinary goods for home cooking may waver in the face of available time and piercing hunger. Shopping for culinary products at The Cider Mill is like a get-out-of-cooking-free card, offering fast and affordable delicacies that trump quick-fix burgers and fries. The quaint dining area is nestled among the shop's gourmet fare, and features a menu highlighted by the fresh herbs and tomatoes grown on site. House-made sandwich selections include the warm Cider Mill dip (roast beef, melted provolone, and horseradish served with dipping jus, Brit's brie, and a dill pickle, $5.95), as well as a build-your-own option ($5.95) to tempt control freaks with their own choice of meat, cheese, bread, and toppings. Popeye aspirants will savor the spinach salad with grilled prosciutto, walnuts, dried cherries, hardboiled egg, and balsamic ($5.95), and fickle foodies will delight in a classic caprese with fresh mozzarella and house-grown tomato and basil ($6.95). A customizable chili menu ($4.95), allows you to order the meaty classic with any combination of noodles, cheese, onions, and beans; and seasonal, homemade soups ($3.95) rotated daily. A homemade brownie ($3.95), cookie ($3.95), or slice of the pie du jour ($3.95) is an ideal way to finish a meal or punctuate a day of reading The Autobiography of Alice B. Tolkas.

Installed above its first-floor sister eatery, The Dam Deli, The Mill surrounds diners with airy, barn-like architecture flooded with natural light and updated with hardwood floors and crisp white décor. The all-American menu also features contemporary twists and runs the gamut from juicy half-pound burgers to Asian-inspired tuna. Large windows invite the sun inside to illuminate hearty lunches, as well as to reveal stunning views of the Marion waterfront's whale population. Come evening, the bar's martinis and cosmopolitans wash down entrees and lubricate intimate conversations. The Mill's abundant floor space lends itself to frequent dancing during special gatherings, such as wedding receptions and monthly union meetings for soul-train conductors.

The ornate Asian tapestries that line the walls and tables of Thai Kitchen Restaurant reflect the authenticity and precision with which the eatery’s chefs craft signature curries and noodle dishes. The family recipes were tested and perfected over multiple generations, notable as much for their colorful presentation as they are for their piquant spices—though some entrees arrive on hot plates, others rest on beds of noodles and vegetables in the same clay pots used for baking. Though the house specials tend to evoke an air of the exotic, they share a menu with the dishes familiar to the first-time Thai-food eater, including the pad thai and pad kee mao dishes that have made Thai cuisine famous around the world. The soft glow of hanging lamps illuminates steam rising from the fragrant noodles and lends drama to chopstick duels over coveted spring rolls.

In 1960, brothers Tom and James Monaghan decided to get $500 together and buy local pizzeria Domi-Nick's in Ypsilanti, Michigan. More than 50 years later, the Monaghans had sold their creation, with more than 9,000 Domino's Pizzas peppering the globe from New Delhi to New York. The pizza chain's menu ranges from pizzas to pastas and boneless chicken wings, side-kicked by their bread sticks and bites, which simmer in garlic before being baked to golden crispiness. Since the reboot of their traditional recipe in 2009, Domino's now offers more than 37 toppings to craft a build-your-own pizza or decorate your neighbor's car.

Inside Pam's Tea Shoppe, a glass case brims with jars of more than 60 kinds of tea. New tea accessories, including handcrafted mugs and mesh infusers, fill shelves next to a table set with vintage teapots, cups, and saucers. The shop's knowledgeable owner is often on hand to help clients pick leaves or to plan onsite tea parties complete with tiny barbells for strengthening lifted pinkies.