On the Waterfront, Commerce Township

It takes up to one hour to cook the two layers of housemade dough in Cooley Lake Inn’s deep-dish pizza. This cheese-stuffed monstrosity pays homage to the deep-pan style made famous in the Windy City, where pizza has to be thick lest it blow right off the plate. It's one of many regional foods represented at Cooley Lake Inn, whose cooks dabble in cuisines such as St. Louis–style ribs slathered in housemade barbecue sauce.

Inside the wood-paneled restaurant, flat-screen TVs show the latest sports, eight balls tumble into the billiards table's corner pockets, and live musicians' melodic tunes sound from the stage.