Roots Kitchen in Sister Bay is all about the brat
When Sara and Collin Doherty searched for a bed and breakfast to purchase two years ago in Door County, they had one prerequisite: The property had to have a commercial kitchen.
“We wanted to have a small restaurant that we could work ourselves,” Sara Doherty said.
And for the menu? This young couple had only two things on their mind.
“When we thought of summers in Wisconsin, we thought about brats and beer.”
Although neither had professional kitchen experience, the restaurant business was in Collin Doherty’s DNA. For just under 50 years, his grandfather owned the restaurant Johnny’s Cottage, serving up homespun food in Sister Bay until it was sold in 1994.
The Dohertys found the perfect property in the historic Inn on Maple property, less than a half mile from Collin’s grandfather’s former restaurant. While keeping the charm of the original property, the couple redecorated the inn to give it a contemporary rustic theme.
And they took full advantage of that kitchen. The menu for their restaurant, Roots Kitchen, focuses on perfectly grilled brats and an eclectic and ever-changing mix of ice cold beers.
Offering a locally made bratwurst was a priority, and they didn’t have to look far.
“Waseda Farms was in our own backyard and offered a high-quality organic brat,” Collin Doherty said. “Their bratwurst line fits perfectly with our menu concept and our goal of focusing on purchasing locally produced products.”
Waseda’s classic organic pork brat is offered with a changing variety of toppings, including a coconut curry slaw, a Greek-style preparation and French onion topped with warm Swiss cheese. A specialty Waseda flavored brat or two also finds its way on the restaurant’s rotating brat menu.
Roots Kitchen serves only lunch, though guests at Roots Inn enjoy a homemade breakfast every morning. Root’s Kitchen is open to the public year-round. It’s located at 2378 Maple Drive in Sister Bay; (920) 843-5107.