
If you ask a local for Duluth’s most authentic dining experiences, Northern Waters Smokehaus would undoubtedly make the list.
And, the rest of the world seems to have caught on, too. The venue has been recognized with a giant list of awards and accolades over the years, including:
- 51 Best Delis in the Country (Food Network, 2020)
- The Best Mail-Order Food Gifts from Every State (Food & Wine 2020)
- The 20 Best Duluth Restaurants & Breweries (Start Tribune, 2019)
- The Best Food From Every State That Ships Nationwide (Thrillist, 2018)
- The Ultimate Minnesota Gift Guide for Foodies (City Pages, 2018)
- Best Restaurants Readers’ Poll Winners 2018 (Mpls St. Paul Magazine, 2018)
- Road Trip: 4 Days on Minnesota’s North Shore (Condé Nast Traveler, 2018)
- Northern Waters Going to the Bowl (Duluth News Tribune, 2018)
- Smoke and No Mirrors (Growler Magazine, 2018)
- 6 Stunning Mail Order Food Gifts That Won’t Reveal You Can’t Cook (Bon Appétit, 2016)
- “An Island of Food Weirdos” (City Pages, 2015)
- 11 Great Places to Eat and Drink in Duluth Right Now (Eater Twin Cities, 2015)
Northern Waters also caught the national spotlight with a 2010 appearance on the hit Food Network TV show, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. But to us Duluthians, Northern Waters remains our humble little local deli.
If you enjoy smoked meat or fish, you’d probably love one of their unique sandwiches. Much of what they offer, fish-wise, is caught locally from Lake Superior, and all their proteins are smoked on-site.
Additionally, they offer an extensive deli case for those who want to take something home later. The deli case offers a variety of delicacies, including imported cheese and canned seafood (such as sardines, squid, and mussels), alongside haus-made and haus-smoked sausages, bacon, and unique sides like sauerkraut and kimchi.
Please join us as we Eat & Drink Duluth – Northern Waters style!

History
The establishment was originally started in Superior in 1998 by married-couple, Lynn and Eric Goerdt. The couple began by offering one thing: smoked fish.
Since then, it has undergone numerous iterations, including the addition of other meats and sandwiches to the menu, the establishment of a sit-down restaurant, and a relocation to the DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace in Canal Park, located at 394 Lake Avenue South.
The full history of the business’s evolution is too lengthy to include in its entirety, but they’ve summed it all up very nicely for us here: A Brief History of Northern Waters Smokehaus — Northern Waters Smokehaus
Vibe
The vibe at Northern Waters is trendy and cool, yet understated. For starters, its location in the lower level of the DeWitt-Seitz complex is a great start. DeWitt-Seitz is a fantastic place to eat, shop, and people-watch. It’s a favorite of locals and tourists alike.
Live music is one of the highlights of the venue, and on the evening we dined (a Wednesday evening, around 5:30 pm), the relaxed vibe of Henry Bullard graced the stage. The place was packed, and our fellow patrons included just about every permutation imaginable: families, couples, large groups, small groups, and individuals.
While there is plenty of seating available inside, it was a beautiful day, so we chose to sit on the back patio, overlooking Canal Park. DeWitt-Seitz is a hotspot for people (and dog) watching, especially on a warm, summer evening.
Food
Northern Waters features both a full sandwich menu and a well-stocked deli. Sandwiches are ordered at the front counter, while deli items are available at a separate counter toward the back of the restaurant.
To bring our readers the full experience, we decided to try a bit of both. Mike was craving a simple “slab” of smoked fish. So, he grabbed some smoked salmon from the deli.
I wanted a sandwich, so I ordered from the other counter. I added our sides and beverages (two bags of chips, two cookies, and two glasses of wine) to the “restaurant order.”
The restaurant offers sandwiches with super unique ingredients and fun names (including the Cajun Finn, Fuzzy Bunny, Sunday Sushi, and many more). Plenty of veg options are available, but they are probably most famous for their smoked meats and fish.
Northern Waters sources locally whenever possible and works with a fisherman named Dave Rogotzke for their King and Sockeye Salmon. They also work with Lake Superior Fish Company, located in Knife River, MN, to source their Lake Trout, Whitefish, and Herring. They also occasionally get fish from Bodin’s Fisheries of Bayfield, WI. Everything is smoked on-site.
Mike selected ½ LB of the traditional smoked Atlantic Salmon. Made with simple ingredients, including salt and brown sugar, this is a classic Northern Waters staple. We’ve picked up many pounds of this fish over the years to bring along on various camping trips, and it serves well as a snack or, paired with a couple of simple sides, as a full meal.
This tender fish is salty, smoky, and a little sweet. It pairs well with simple crackers and a side salad, or, as Mike did on this occasion, with a bag of chips and a cookie.


I selected the cold turkey sandwich. From the menu:
Cold Turkey: Smoked maple sage turkey breast, lettuce, Swiss, and craisin-walnut mayo. Served on Stirato.
This was a delicious sandwich, and the portion was generous enough to make two meals for me. The smoked turkey was salty and slightly sweet, stacked high atop Swiss cheese and a tangy-sweet craisin-walnut mayo. The mixed greens gave it a unique, peppery flavor profile.
The bread was unique in that it was thick and crispy on the outside. Stirato is a type of Italian baguette, meaning “stretched” in Italian, and characterized by its long, thin shape and crispy crust. It’s often made using a no-knead method, with simple ingredients such as flour, water, salt, and yeast. The dough is stretched before baking, which develops the gluten and contributes to the bread’s characteristic chewy texture.

We each paired our meal with a bag of chips: “Dirty” brand kettle chips. Mike selected the plain, and I opted for the Maui onion. They were thick, salty, and crisp; everything you want a kettle chip to be.
And we each ordered a chocolate chip cookie, sold through a partnership with Positively 3rd Street Bakery – another Duluth fave. The cookies were soft and chewy, making them the perfect end cap to our meal.


Beverages
Northern Waters offers beer, wine, sparkling water, and a selection of unique imported sodas. We each selected a glass of red wine.
I chose the Moonshot Red – offering rich, plummy flavors and a deep garnet color. Mike chose a Lovely Lilly Pinot Noir – a juicy red with heavy notes of cherries.

Service
Rather than table-side service, at Northern Waters, you place your order at the counter and then receive a number. Staff bring it out to you when it’s ready. This includes patio seating.
We placed our sandwich order with Chloe Benson, a friendly and helpful young lady who had only been on staff for two weeks. Despite her newness, she was incredibly helpful, and it was clear she was well-versed in the menu.

Verdict
Northern Waters Smokehaus offers delicious food – both for consumption on-site, or you can grab a delicacy to enjoy later, like a brat or a slab of smoked fish. With its rich history and locally sourced fish, the restaurant offers a distinctly Duluth flair. And, while they’ve earned some seriously impressive accolades, the place remains humble and low-key.
Take it from these locals: Northern Waters should be added to your “must try” list of Duluth restaurants.
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For more information, please visit Northern Waters Smokehaus – Smoked Fish and Meats – Sandwiches and Salads.