Weekend hoursClaimed on Google209 reviews
Tiffanys Cafe is at 10213 W Front St, Empire, MI 49630. Its Google category is "Cafe". After we adjust for review count, its 4.6 stars count as 4.59.
Empire, Leelanau County, Michigan
Cafés and Coffee Shops in Empire, MI (2026)
5 cafés with a Empire address, scored out of 100. Updated October 2026.
Who is the best café in Empire, MI?
As of October 2026, the highest-scoring café in Empire, MI on TownAnswer is Tiffanys Cafe, with a score of 67 out of 100 (4.6 stars from 209 Google reviews). Next are Shipwreck Cafe (66) and Grocer's Daughter Chocolate Gelato and Sweets Shop (61). We scored 5 cafés with a Empire address. If review count matters most, Shipwreck Cafe has the most Google reviews (661).
This page has fewer than three scored businesses, so we keep it out of search results until it has more. The nearest city pages are listed below.
Empire at a glance
Our October 2026 pull of Google Maps found 5 cafés with a Empire mailing address. 5 list a website, 5 have claimed their Google listing and 1 take online bookings.
None belongs to a business with three or more Michigan locations in our data.
Every business is scored by the same rules. A business cannot pay for a higher place.
The most-reviewed café in Empire is Shipwreck Cafe with 661 Google reviews. The median rating among scored listings is 4.7 stars.
What to ask before you hire
- Is there a roast date on the beans?
- Are there seats and Wi-Fi if you plan to work?
- Do the hours fit your morning?
- Is there food, and is any of it made in house?
- Is there parking or a bike rack?
Cafés and Coffee Shops in Empire, ranked
Highest score first. Tap a name for its website, or Score details for the full breakdown.
The 100-point TownAnswer score. Every café here is checked on the same 5 parts: reputation (26 points), review volume (18), focus (14), profile (22) and verified owner (20). Nobody pays to rank. How we rank
Weekend hoursClaimed on Google661 reviews
Shipwreck Cafe is at 11691 S Lacore Rd, Empire, MI 49630. Its Google category is "Sandwich shop", with Fast food restaurant as extra categories. After we adjust for review count, its 4.8 stars count as 4.79.
Weekend hoursBooks onlineClaimed on Google
Grocer's Daughter Chocolate Gelato and Sweets Shop is at 11600 S Lacore Rd, Empire, MI 49630. Its Google category is "Ice cream shop", with Cafe, Cookie shop as extra categories. After we adjust for review count, its 4.5 stars count as 4.48.
Weekend hoursClaimed on Google
You will find Weldon Coffee - Empire at 10233 W Front St, Empire, MI 49630. Google files it under "Coffee shop". Its 5.0 stars rest on 10 reviews, which our method reads as 4.65 after the review-count adjustment.
Claimed on Google
The Dunes Café is at 6311 W Empire Hwy, Empire, MI 49630. That is 3.7 miles east of the Empire city center. Its Google category is "Cafe", with Breakfast restaurant as extra categories. Its 4.7 stars rest on 11 reviews, which our method reads as 4.54 after the review-count adjustment.
Side by side
| # | Business | Score | Grade | Rating | Reviews | Street |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiffanys Cafe | 67 | B- | 4.6 | 209 | 10213 W Front St |
| 2 | Shipwreck Cafe | 66 | B- | 4.8 | 661 | 11691 S Lacore Rd |
| 3 | Grocer's Daughter Chocolate Gelato and Sweets Shop | 61 | C+ | 4.5 | 64 | 11600 S Lacore Rd |
| 4 | Weldon Coffee - Empire | 60 | C+ | 5.0 | 10 | 10233 W Front St |
| 5 | The Dunes Café | 55 | C | 4.7 | 11 | 6311 W Empire Hwy |
About Empire
341residents
$83,929median household income
331residents per square mile
172households
63.6median age
1.0square miles of land
Empire has 341 residents on 1.0 square miles of land, about 331 people per square mile (ACS 2024 5-year estimates, Census Gazetteer).
The median household income is $83,929 and the median age is 63.6. These figures describe the town. They do not show who visits any business on this page.
Our October 2026 data has 5 cafés with a Empire mailing address: 146.6 per 10,000 residents. A mailing city can differ from the city limits, so treat the ratio as a guide.
How to choose a café in Empire
Ask for the roast date on retail beans. Fresh beans taste best within a few weeks of roasting.
If you plan to work, check the seats, the power outlets and the Wi-Fi rules. Some cafés limit laptops at busy times.
Check the hours before you go. Many independent cafés close in the afternoon.
County health departments inspect food service in Michigan. You can ask the county for a café's latest inspection report.
Chains are scored by the same rules as independent shops. Each location is scored on its own reviews.
Cafés and Coffee Shops near Empire
| City | Distance | Cafés and Coffee Shops | Top score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glen Arbor | 6.6 mi northeast | 4 | 68 |
| Glen Arbor Township | 6.7 mi north | 3 | 57 |
| Honor | 10.3 mi south | 1 | 70 |
| Maple City | 10.3 mi east | 2 | 63 |
| Lake Ann | 12.0 mi southeast | 1 | 68 |
| Beulah | 13.0 mi south | 1 | 67 |
| Cedar | 13.2 mi east | 1 | 68 |
| Benzonia | 13.7 mi south | 4 | 72 |
Other local pros in Empire
HVAC Companies 1Electricians 1Dentists 3Photographers 1Coffee Cart Vendors and Mobile Coffee Bars 5Restaurants 6Real Estate Brokerages 2Everything in EmpireCafés and Coffee Shops in Leelanau County
Questions
How many cafés are in Empire, MI?
Our October 2026 data lists 5 cafés with a Empire mailing address. 5 have a Google rating and are scored. A business can be missing, so treat the count as a floor.
Who is the top-rated café in Empire?
Tiffanys Cafe has the highest TownAnswer score in Empire: 67 out of 100, from 4.6 stars and 209 Google reviews. Scores change when listings change.
How is the score worked out?
Reputation (26 points) is the Google rating adjusted for how many reviews it rests on. Review volume adds up to 18, how closely the business matches the trade up to 14, profile facts such as website, phone, hours, photos and a claimed listing up to 22, and a profile the owner verified with TownAnswer adds 20.
Can a business pay to rank higher?
No. Every business is scored by the same rules, and no payment changes a score or a place on a list.
Which cafés near Empire are outside the city?
Nearby city pages: Glen Arbor (6.6 miles), Glen Arbor Township (6.7 miles), Honor (10.3 miles), Maple City (10.3 miles).
What should I ask a café before I hire?
Is there a roast date on the beans? Are there seats and Wi-Fi if you plan to work? Do the hours fit your morning?
Which county is Empire in?
Empire is in Leelanau County. See every café in the county on the Leelanau County page.
How often is this page updated?
We refresh the data from Google Maps and change the date on the page only when the data changes. This version uses data read in October 2026.
Sources
- Google Maps listings (ratings, review counts, categories, hours)
- American Community Survey 2024 5-year, Empire village
- Michigan Department of Agriculture: food safety
TownAnswer ranks local businesses by one published method. Businesses cannot pay to change their rank. Ratings and review counts come from Google Maps, read in October 2026. Details change, so confirm hours, prices and licences with each business. How we rank.