CHEF PROFILE
A Fresh Chapter for Shoreline
Betting on himself, Chef Bob Novitski makes a splash with unique personal twists on seasonal menu favorites at a Door County mainstay.
MOST OF US have meandered through Door County roads, hitting cherry orchards, cafes, beaches, wineries and the other notable treasures that this area offers. If we keep wandering north and move beyond the popular Baileys Harbor, through quaint Sister Bay, and then tiny Ellison Bay, we eventually arrive at the very tip of the Door County peninsula where the road finally yields to the waters of Gill’s Rock, a place defined by its stunning geography. Named for Elias Gill, who owned approximately 1,300 acres of the area in the 1870s, the small fishing village is where both locals and visitors go to explore art and various gift shops, rent a kayak and enjoy the water, or catch a ferry to scenic Washington Island. Here, also, right at the blue water’s edge, sits Shoreline. The northernmost restaurant on the mainland peninsula, Shoreline boasts a patio where guests can look out upon pink sunsets as they relax and enjoy the creations of Chef Bob Novitski. It was this view that attracted Bob and his wife, Mekaila. In September of 2024, Bob and Mekaila made the trip up to Gill’s Rock and immediately felt a connection. “It was a gorgeous day. I can remember vividly — I mean, bluebird skies. We walked around the back of the property to see the patio and the view. And I thought, ‘Yeah, I need to work here.’ To have this as my office view, so to speak, is just unreal,” Bob shared of his first experience with Shoreline, a local restaurant that had recently gone up for sale.
The decision to buy came easily. “It’s a special place, you know. I tried to kind of shoot holes in the plan and figure out where the weak spots were. I couldn’t find any. What it came down to was, ‘Do I feel comfortable betting on myself?’” Bob continued to bet on himself when he decided to scrap most of the Shoreline menu during the first season. Bob knew he’d likely bring back some of the previous owners’ menu items eventually, but he wanted to feature his own dishes for that first season. After hearing from local diners, he reintroduced some dishes with his own touches. “I just needed to make a splash for myself,” Bob shared, “I don’t ever want to do something exactly like somebody else. I need to put my own little spin on it and be individual and creative.” Customers wanted Mike’s [previous owner] smoked whitefish dip, and so I tweaked the recipe a little bit. I have done that with a few things. Longtime visitors do look forward to certain recipes, and they appreciate seeing some familiarity on the menu.”
Bob continues to navigate in his own way. For example, instead of crab cakes, visitors will find a whitefish cake, and instead of crab rangoons, he offers salmon rangoons; both will remain on his menu this season, but other items will be replaced with new ideas.
Bob’s personal palate leans toward the bold and the soulful. With sisters living in Nashville and Missouri, and family trips to Gatlinburg and other southern areas, Bob has enjoyed some fabulous southern dishes. He brings a bit of heat to the peninsula, often infusing his menu with a Southern touch that sets Shoreline apart from its neighbors. One of his favorite dishes to serve? A new dish he is most excited about is the Southern-inspired Chicken and Grits. But in true Bob fashion, it’s not a standard rendition of southern grits. “We went with the chicken and grits on the menu this year to replace the risotto. It’s pimento cheese grits, then some buttermilk-fried chicken thighs and andouille sausage, and some sauce piquante, which is like Creole sauce. It’s got a little heat to it, but it’s not obnoxious. Then it’s going to get a nice little fresh arugula salad and some barista onions on top. Customers will get a risotto-esque, creamy dish, but they’re going to have all these different textures and flavors that are going on throughout like you might associate with southern grits that have some heat.”
Shoreline highlights bold flavors and trendy spins on comfort food and local classics. Guests can also enjoy items like the Brazilian Steakhouse Bowl, Tomato Radiatori Pasta, and Cherry Port Duck, along with the ever-popular whitefish, presented four different ways.
While Bob leans toward unique flavors, some items on his menu appeal to those looking for a more familiar, classic option. Shoreline indeed has a burger on the menu and a children’s menu featuring standard kid-friendly options. However, as Bob states, “I didn’t pick up my whole life to move up here to make a burger.” Regardless, this summer’s menu will also feature a hot dog, but it is not just any hot dog. It’s a BLT dog, a bacon-wrapped bacon sausage topped with fresh toma- to, shredded lettuce, cheddar and Jack cheeses, garlic aioli, and served in a toasted baguette.
This BLT dog was something Bob dreamed up this winter while planning his upcoming menu. For him and other business owners in Door County, the “off-season” isn’t a vacation; it’s a period of tactical retreat. After Bob shut down Shoreline for the season in the fall of 2025, he became the chef at Ellison Inn and Lounge for the winter. The slower pace allowed him the flexibility to leave the kitchen sometimes during dinner hours, enjoy the patrons more, and have conversations with neighbors he had yet to meet.
Mekaila is the front-of-the-house person who remembers faces and names. Shoreline is so busy in the summer that Bob rarely leaves the kitchen, making him grateful for a chance to visit with restaurant patrons during the winter. That slower pace also allows him to play with his menu, and each winter, he focuses on a “passion project” that involves re-exploring certain dishes. One of his near-future passions is watching his daughter, Evelyn, born in fall 2025, move from the bottle to solid food; Bob can’t wait to watch her explore.
Operating a restaurant in a premier tourist destination like Door County requires a specialized kind of stamina. It also requires keen observation of what people want. Balancing the desires of local Door County residents with those of tourists requires a thoughtful approach. Not only do Bob and Mekaila note what locals want on the menu, they are also sensitive to their time. “We’re all so busy during the summertime. It’s not just the restaurant or resort industry that is busy. It’s gangbusters up here during the summer for everybody: electricians, plumbers, theaters and park staff. Everything is operating at capacity, you know. So things break faster, things wear faster, all that stuff. So it’s not only the service industry that is propped up by tourism. Locals often don’t have time for a leisurely dinner. This is why we take reservations. I want my neighbors to enjoy Shoreline.”
For Bob, “local” isn’t a marketing buzzword; it’s a community safety net. He maintains a warm, ongoing relationship with Shoreline’s previous owners, Mike and Mary. They stop in now and then for dinner, and Bob still occasionally drops off their stray mail, staying to talk over coffee. This sense of community extends to his sourcing. He relies on Charlie’s Smokehouse, Henriksen Fisheries and Seaquist Orchards. Bob buys as much fresh produce from local farms as possible, often making up 70 percent or more of the produce in the restaurant at peak times. In fact, while the gorgeous “office view” at Shoreline is what initially captivated him, Door County produce was a hidden gem. Most visitors think of cherries and fresh-caught white fish when visiting the Peninsula, but Bob continues to be incredibly impressed with local farms. He can call Sarah at Hidden Acres in Sister Bay and ask for 15 pounds of spring mix for the weekend, and she will have someone deliver it. Cold Climate, south of Sturgeon Bay, is also a supplier. “Obviously I knew the area had a lot of farming, but I didn’t expect it to be so incredibly diverse. It saves me so much time in the kitchen. I don’t have to work to make a vegetable taste good.” By focusing on Door County ingredients, Bob has elevated his menu.
When Bob opens Shoreline at the beginning of May, the frantic summer days depend on hard working, interpersonal staff. Staffing is hard during the busy Door County summer months. Many businesses rely on J1 students. J1 is a type of Visa that allows university students, student interns, secondary school students and summer work-travel participants to live and work in the U.S. for a few months. Bob will employ two students from Bulgaria this summer as well as some family members and a few college students. Having dependable staff that he lines up during the winter months helps ensure that all his guests have a good experience.
When asked how he wants guests to feel during their time at Shoreline, Bob paused briefly before stating, “Engaged.” This was the first word that came to mind. “I want them to feel like I made that dish for them specifically.” Bob wants guests’ experience at Shoreline to grab their full attention. And with the beautiful, endless sky and water around us, and unique flavors on our plates, I cannot imagine we would be anything but immersed in our experience.
