The Good Cold — Michigan Winter
Southeast Michigan — Oakland County · Town edition

Clarkston

A village of old churches, excellent comfort food, and woods that look better under snow.

Overheard in Clarkston
Historic village streets remain central to Clarkston's identity.
Why winter

Clarkston's compact historic downtown has the right winter ingredients: old brick, warm windows, serious restaurants, and very little need to rush. Just outside town, Independence Oaks offers groomed winter trails, while the December light parade gives Main Street a brief, cheerful identity crisis.

A random Saturday

An empty Saturday, filled.

A random Saturday · 01

The Buildings That Changed Careers

Visit Clarkston Union, Honcho, The Fed, and Rudy's Prime. Find out how a church, garage, bank, and market became four different places to eat. Finish by voting for the building with the most improbable second life.

Or try · 02

Twelve Miles, or Sensible Portions Thereof

Visit Independence Oaks and select a winter trail based on snow conditions. Recover afterward with something substantial at Union Woodshop.

Field note

The Union Joints restaurant group has turned unusual old buildings into destinations.

Michigan winter
One good day

Start with coffee at Honcho. Spend late morning on the trails at Independence Oaks, then return for lunch at Clarkston Union. Wander Main Street before a barbecue dinner at Union Woodshop. Finish with a drink at The Fed.

Make it a weekend

Saturday: Explore the village, eat barbecue, and take an afternoon walk through Independence Oaks. Sunday: Visit Wint Nature Center during published hours, enjoy brunch at The Fed, and make the final meal a steak dinner at Rudy's Prime.

  1. 01

    Clarkston Union

    American comfort food · $$

    A former church serving comfort food, including its celebrated macaroni and cheese. The architecture gives dinner a little ceremony without requiring anybody to behave.

    54 S Main St, Clarkston, MI 48346 · 248-620-6100 · Website ↗

  2. 02

    Union Woodshop

    Barbecue and wood-fired pizza · $$

    Hickory-smoked barbecue and wood-fired pizza. Come in smelling like winter; leave smelling considerably better.

    18 S Main St, Clarkston, MI 48346 · 248-625-5660 · Website ↗

  3. 03

    Honcho

    Latin-Asian fusion · $$

    An old garage turned into a cheerful mash-up of tacos, arepas, coffee, and margaritas. An appealingly unreasonable combination.

    3 E Church St, Clarkston, MI 48346 · 248-707-3793 · Website ↗

Eat · good tables

Dinner, the warm part of the day.

Eat it at Union Woodshop

Hickory-style smoked brisket

Rub brisket with coarse black pepper, salt, and garlic. Smoke slowly over hardwood, rest thoroughly, and serve with pickles and bread.

Eat it at Clarkston Union

Macaroni and cheese

Make a thick cheese sauce with sharp cheddar and a nutty Michigan cheese such as Pinconning. Fold through pasta, top with breadcrumbs, and bake until the edges turn golden.

The winter table

The local plate.

Michigan winter
Field note

Former religious, financial, and commercial buildings remain in active culinary use.

A winter tall tale · as told in Clarkston

The Church That Became Famous for Cheese

Clarkston Union operates inside a former church on Main Street. The building's second life began as a restaurant in 1995, when the Union Joints story started. Its macaroni and cheese became part of the group's identity. It is a remarkably Michigan kind of transformation: preserve the building, keep the gathering place, and replace the sermon with supper.

Tall tales grow in the telling. Take this one with road salt.

Photo hunt

Three things most people walk past.

Historic Downtown Clarkston

  1. The architectural traces of Clarkston Union's earlier life as a church
  2. The garage origins still legible at Honcho
  3. Warm restaurant windows against the old Main Street masonry
Michigan winter
Michigan winter
  1. 01

    Woodshop Shop

    bar

    The Woodshop's bar operation, with later evening hours than the kitchen. Seasonal Halloween programming also appears on its current website.

    18 S Main St, Clarkston, MI 48346 · 248-625-5660 · Website ↗

  2. 02

    The Fed Community

    cocktail

    A comfortable setting for cocktails and conversation in a restored bank.

    15 S Main St, Clarkston, MI 48346 · 248-297-5833 · Website ↗

  3. 03

    Honcho

    bar

    Margaritas and a lively dining room in a converted garage.

    3 E Church St, Clarkston, MI 48346 · 248-707-3793 · Website ↗

After dark · places to land

One more round, then home.

The Night Shift jacket
In the pictureThe Night Shift jacketCanvas, a blanket lining and pockets sized for gloves you will lose anyway. Built for the walk between Clarkston bars.From the General Store →
Coffee & breakfast · start here

Hands around a hot cup.

  1. 01

    Honcho Coffeehouse

    Coffee & breakfast

    House-roasted pour-over coffee and pastries. A particularly useful warm-up stop before a winter walk.

    3 E Church St, Clarkston, MI 48346 · 248-707-3793 · Website ↗

Lake Effect mug
In the pictureLake Effect mugThe first cup of the day, and a forecast you can hold. Clarkston mornings run on refills.From the General Store →
  1. 01

    Cross-country skiing

    Outside

    The county identifies groomed trails and restrooms. Ski conditions depend on snowfall.

    Independence Oaks County Park · Website ↗

  2. 02

    Snowshoeing and winter hiking

    Outside

    More than 12 miles of trails across the park. Stay off designated ski tracks where required.

    Independence Oaks County Park · Website ↗

  3. 03

    Winter nature center visit

    Outside

    Indoor exhibits, naturalist programs, and woodland surroundings. Published hours are Thursday through Saturday 10 AM–5 PM and Sunday 1–5 PM.

    Wint Nature Center, Independence Oaks · Website ↗

Outside · ways out the door

Go stand in it.

Quiet Season scarf
In the pictureQuiet Season scarfLong enough to wrap twice and still blow sideways off the Clarkston shore.From the General Store →
Field note

Nearby county parks make Clarkston a practical starting point for winter trail outings.

Michigan winter
Local custom

Winter trail plans work best with a backup when snowfall is inadequate.

Local customs
  • Treat the historic downtown as a place to walk, not merely somewhere to park before eating.
  • The December parade brings illuminated and inventive floats to the streets.
  • Weekend brunch has a strong presence among local restaurants.
  • The Union Joints restaurant group has turned unusual old buildings into destinations.
  • Former religious, financial, and commercial buildings remain in active culinary use.
  • Nearby county parks make Clarkston a practical starting point for winter trail outings.
  • The Holiday Lights Parade is organized by Team RUSH and emphasizes STEM-inspired floats.
On the calendar · 2026–27

Circle these.

Circle it

December 12, 2026, 6:00 PM

Clarkston Holiday Lights Parade

The 2026 theme is Peppermint Powered Parade. Expect illuminated floats and hometown engineering enthusiasm in equal measure.

Add to calendar Organizer ↗

Dates come from organizers and change. Check before you drive.

Field note

The Holiday Lights Parade is organized by Team RUSH and emphasizes STEM-inspired floats.

Michigan winter
Stay · places to wake up

Where to wake up.

  1. 01

    Hampton Inn Detroit/Auburn Hills-North

    hotel

    An out-of-town hotel option with an indoor pool, breakfast, and convenient access to the wider Oakland County area.

    3988 Baldwin Rd, Auburn Hills, MI 48326 · 248-322-1100 · Website ↗

Bring a little Clarkston homeA Little More Winter printFor the wall you look at when it is July and you miss this.Have a look ↗
We checked

5thtavern.com · clarkstonunion.com · eathoncho.com · hilton.com · oaklandcountymi.gov · rudysprimesteakhouse.com · teamrush27.net · thefedcommunity.com · unionwoodshop.com

Reviewed October 2026. Hours, prices and dates move; call ahead in January and February.