Goats on a hot sod roof – Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant, Door County, WI
// July 17th, 2012 // Food, Places
[Sister Bay, WI] — Could this be what they mean by a “green” building?
Arguably one of Door County, Wisconsin’s most distinctive dining establishments, Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant features live goats grazing on its sod roof.
The family-owned eatery has been around for more than 60 years, but the grass roof and its bovid caretakers were added as part of a 1973 remodeling.
The animals get to take winters off (good thing; it gets cold in this part of Wisconsin), and every night they come down via a “goat ramp” around back and are shuttled to a nearby pasture.
Although I didn’t dine there, the restaurant’s menu features Swedish recipes and servers dressed in Scandinavian garb, and seems quite popular.
To see just what the goats are up to right this minute, the restaurant’s website has a “goat cam” (actually 2 cameras): http://www.aljohnsons.com/goat-cam/
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik
10698 N. Bay Shore Dr.
Sister Bay, WI 54234
(920) 854-2626
Door County tourism information:
(800) 52-RELAX
Do you know if there was another place with goats on roof in WI near IL border? I recall going with my aunt but not driving that far from Chicago for it
I don’t know about that – perhaps someone else reading this from Wisconsin knows?
This is absolutely amazing! I must eat here.
Scott – Quirky Travel Guy recently posted..The unforgettable experience of flightseeing and landing on a glacier
Scott, it’s definitely your kind of place!
Hey, I was just directly across Green Bay from Door County at the in-laws. Haven’t been to Door County in a while, but would love to go back. I had forgotten about Al Johnson’s — fun place!
Seriously? What a hoot this would be to see in person! Do the goats ever jump off the roof?
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista recently posted..Eye Catching Porrentruy Switzerland
Debbie, according to the restaurant’s website, the goats have fallen off the roof before, but “no one was hurt.” I don’t know if the uninjured included the goat, or not.