Thank you for your interest in The Flying Bowl. It is a small restaurant and teahouse in Traverse City,
Michigan, devoted to providing quick access to homemade food—the kind of food mothers and
grandmothers prepared back in the 50’s and 60’s (when homemakers made everything from scratch.)
Michigan, devoted to providing quick access to homemade food—the kind of food mothers and
grandmothers prepared back in the 50’s and 60’s (when homemakers made everything from scratch.)
My husband Keith and I moved to Traverse City in 1993 with our two children, Kate and Justin, upon
accepting an air traffic control transfer from Beaumont, Texas, to Cherry Capital Airport. After controlling
airplanes for a total of 24 years, Keith retired from his beloved profession in 2007. When I asked him what
he wanted to do for the second half of his life, he revealed for the first time in our 30+ years of marriage
that he had always wanted to own a small restaurant. My entrepreneurial tendencies bubbled up and
spilled over, God blessed our efforts, and Keith’s long-kept secret desire became a reality in November
2008, as we opened The Flying Bowl for business.
In thinking about what the name of our restaurant would be, Keith and I selected the word “bowl” right
away, because everything that is eaten from a bowl is all about comfort food. But how to also denote “quick
access” in the name—that was a little bit more challenging. When Keith jokingly blurted out “flying bowl,”
we laughed and laughed—but there was something very catchy about that name, especially when we
coupled it with the slogan, “Homemade Food on the Fly.” And so it stuck.
Both Keith and I are self-taught cooks, or in my case, home-taught by my parents (in an era when food
preparation was an important skill passed from one generation to the next.) My mom mentored me in
cooking and baking; my father (a butcher/meat merchandiser for A&P) schooled me in cuts of meat and
how to best prepare them. During my early adult years, they opened a small grocery store and restaurant
south of Saginaw—in which they prepared their own baked goods and homemade deli items. So when
Keith and I moved to Traverse City, it was not a stretch for me to follow in their footsteps by establishing a
home bakery of my own—making desserts for Road Runner Deli and Stone Soup Restaurant.
Keith was also exposed to great family cooking as a child being the son of a true southern homemaker. But
it was as an adult that he began experimenting with cooking “manly dishes.” The sirloin chili recipe that
bears his name is a Texas award-winning recipe that Keith has perfected over the years and then recently
adapted to better suit the Midwestern palate.
Our menu includes:
work ethic make him a great asset to us, as well as, a favorite with customers and employees. We also feel
blessed that our daughter, Kate (a freelance artist/illustrator in New York City), designed our logo and sign
lettering. She loves the restaurant as if it were her own and continues to encourage us from afar.
So as you see, The Flying Bowl is all about family and exists to rekindle the love for great, Midwestern
home cooking—especially when you are too busy to make it yourself. The entire Bonner family hopes that
our daily efforts bring pleasure, comradery, and health to you and your family.
With love to you and yours,
Susan Bonner
accepting an air traffic control transfer from Beaumont, Texas, to Cherry Capital Airport. After controlling
airplanes for a total of 24 years, Keith retired from his beloved profession in 2007. When I asked him what
he wanted to do for the second half of his life, he revealed for the first time in our 30+ years of marriage
that he had always wanted to own a small restaurant. My entrepreneurial tendencies bubbled up and
spilled over, God blessed our efforts, and Keith’s long-kept secret desire became a reality in November
2008, as we opened The Flying Bowl for business.
In thinking about what the name of our restaurant would be, Keith and I selected the word “bowl” right
away, because everything that is eaten from a bowl is all about comfort food. But how to also denote “quick
access” in the name—that was a little bit more challenging. When Keith jokingly blurted out “flying bowl,”
we laughed and laughed—but there was something very catchy about that name, especially when we
coupled it with the slogan, “Homemade Food on the Fly.” And so it stuck.
Both Keith and I are self-taught cooks, or in my case, home-taught by my parents (in an era when food
preparation was an important skill passed from one generation to the next.) My mom mentored me in
cooking and baking; my father (a butcher/meat merchandiser for A&P) schooled me in cuts of meat and
how to best prepare them. During my early adult years, they opened a small grocery store and restaurant
south of Saginaw—in which they prepared their own baked goods and homemade deli items. So when
Keith and I moved to Traverse City, it was not a stretch for me to follow in their footsteps by establishing a
home bakery of my own—making desserts for Road Runner Deli and Stone Soup Restaurant.
Keith was also exposed to great family cooking as a child being the son of a true southern homemaker. But
it was as an adult that he began experimenting with cooking “manly dishes.” The sirloin chili recipe that
bears his name is a Texas award-winning recipe that Keith has perfected over the years and then recently
adapted to better suit the Midwestern palate.
Our menu includes:
- • An outstanding roster of grilled sandwiches for which we have selected the best bread, meat, and
cheeses from the area. Our most popular sandwich, the oil rubbed turkey, features a delectable
homemade cranberry relish recipe passed down to us from Keith’s paternal grandmother.
• Soups made from scratch—featuring full-bodied layers of flavor that come from slowly simmered
stocks—are prepared on a daily basis. Our Mason Dixon Soup is a southern bean soup made with
northern beans (thus the name). It begins with the pureed stock of our leftover Hearty Ham Soup.
• Daily suppers made just like our mothers used to make when we were growing up. Thursday night
features pot roast & gravy with carrots and real mashed potatoes. We make the pot roast and
carrots in the pressure cooker, because it doesn’t get any better than that!
• Freshly made salads—with the “crisp” still in the lettuce. A popular salad features blanched
asparagus, artichoke hearts, red sweet pepper, and Gouda cheese on a bed of fresh greens served
with Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette.
• Melt-in-your-mouth desserts—handmade with love—such as apple pie, double chocolate
brownies, almond lime cheesecake, and Granola chocolate chip cookies.
• A large number of premium loose leaf teas—from a variety of tea companies across the country—
giving us the ability to select the best of the best. Two of our most popular teas are Earl Grey Cream
and Georgia Peach (which makes a fabulous iced tea also).
work ethic make him a great asset to us, as well as, a favorite with customers and employees. We also feel
blessed that our daughter, Kate (a freelance artist/illustrator in New York City), designed our logo and sign
lettering. She loves the restaurant as if it were her own and continues to encourage us from afar.
So as you see, The Flying Bowl is all about family and exists to rekindle the love for great, Midwestern
home cooking—especially when you are too busy to make it yourself. The entire Bonner family hopes that
our daily efforts bring pleasure, comradery, and health to you and your family.
With love to you and yours,
Susan Bonner
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| 2000 Chartwell Dr. Suite 1, Traverse City, Michigan 49686 |
| Phone (231)935-4045 |
| Mon-Fri 8am-8pm Sat 11am-4pm |
| Fax (231)935-4090 |