Must-see restaurants in Alaska

  • Ludvig's Bistro

    Sitka

    Sophistication in the wilderness! Sitka’s boldest restaurant has only seven tables, and a few stools at its brass-and-blue-tile bar. Described as ‘rustic…

  • Pel'Meni

    Juneau

    Juneau was never part of Russia's Alaskan empire, but that hasn't stopped the city succumbing to a silent invasion of pelmeni (homemade Russian dumplings)…

  • Rookery

    Juneau

    A brilliant combo of laid-back coffee shop by day and hip bistro by night, the Rookery serves Portland, OR's Stumptown coffee and original breakfasts,…

  • Roma Italian Kitchen

    Valdez

    Cross Italian cooking techniques with fresh Alaskan fish and you have a marriage made in heaven, if the scallop risotto at this harborside restaurant is…

  • 229 Parks

    Denali National Park & Preserve

    South of McKinley Village, this stylish timber-frame hideaway is quintessentially modern Alaskan: locally owned, organic and fervently committed to both…

  • Baja Taco

    Prince William Sound

    Alaska has a remarkably healthy quota of scruffy-in-a-good-way food trucks, some of which have sprung more permanent foundations. A case in point is Baja…

  • Fireweed Restaurant

    Haines

    This clean, bright and laid-back bistro is in an old Fort Seward building and its copious salads are an ideal antidote to the Southeast's penchant for…

  • La Baleine

    Homer

    Hands down some of the best food in Homer, if not the entire Kenai Peninsula. As much of it as possible is organic or made in-house, the seafood is…

  • Pilot Light

    Haines

    Johnny come lately, the new kid in town. Recently opened Pilot Light occupies an unpretentious multilevel house on the cusp of Fort Seward. The food is…

  • Roadside Potatohead

    The Interior

    Don't leave without popping into this food shack, where the signature burritos share a menu with overstuffed cheese steaks and delicious hummus wraps. The…

  • Bar Harbor Restaurant

    Ketchikan

    This slightly pricey seafood restaurant, usually touted among locals as the best in town, recently reopened in a new cruise-dock location on Berth 4…

  • Roadside Potatohead

    Valdez

    A new offshoot of a legendary wilderness food cart in McCarthy, this Valdez incarnation sits on foundations rather than wheels in a fine harborside…

  • Saffron

    Juneau

    Juneau flirts with nuevo Indian food at Saffron and the results are commendable. There are plenty of delicate breads to go with the aromatic curries with…

  • Jack Sprat

    Anchorage Region

    Creative fresh cuisine at the base of the ski hill. Many dishes are vegetarian friendly and made from organically grown ingredients. Homemade almond-milk…

  • Flying Squirrel Bakery Café

    Talkeetna

    Located a little ways outside of town, this Flying Squirrel soars above the competition (see what we did there?). There's no official menu, just a…

  • Prospectors Pizzeria & Ale House

    Denali National Park & Preserve

    Perennially busy and with good reason! Set in the Old Northern Lights Theater building, this cavernous alehouse-cum-pizza-parlor has quickly become one of…

  • Talkeetna Roadhouse

    Talkeetna

    The oldest of old-school Talkeetna establishments, the Roadhouse is decked out in frontier-era kitsch and dishes out the best breakfast in town. The…

  • Stikine Inn Restaurant

    Southeast Alaska

    It's not hard being the best restaurant in Wrangell, but the Stikine goes above and beyond the call of duty with dishes like rockfish tacos, and a lobster…

  • Salty Pantry

    Southeast Alaska

    Looking like it was flown in ready-made from Seattle’s trendy Capitol Hill neighborhood, this wonderful new cafe/deli opened in April 2017 to much local…

  • Grandma Tillie's Bakery

    Sitka

    Pink drive-through bakery located 1 mile east of the town center that is – frankly – worth the walk, let alone the drive, courtesy of its sponge-y fresh…

  • Buffalo Center Drive-In

    The Interior

    At this novel Alaskan drive-in they bring heaped burger baskets out to your car, or you can enjoy them on an adjacent patio. The patties and relishes are…

  • Monk’s Rock Coffeehouse & Bookstore

    Kodiak Island

    Part cafe, part library of Russian Orthodox books and icons, Monk's is an out-of-the-ordinary eating place thanks to its on-site bookshop that might have…

  • Mountain High Pizza Pie

    Talkeetna

    Cold beers, outdoor patio, excellent pizzas and live music all come together in a pretty purple building that houses one of Talkeetna's better chill-out…

  • Snow City Café

    Anchorage

    Consistently voted best breakfast by Anchorage Press readers, this busy cafe serves healthy grub to a clientele that ranges from the tattooed to the up…

  • Wildflower Café

    Talkeetna

    This is one of the better dining options on the Talkeetna main drag. Indulge with delicious burgers, fantastic fish and chips, daily specials that utilize…

  • Sheep Mountain Lodge

    The Interior

    The restaurant at Sheep Mountain Lodge (Mile 113.5) is, to be succinct, fantastic. Creamy chowders, perfectly grilled burgers, creative salads and…

  • LuLu's Bread and Bagels

    Fairbanks

    The coffee is carefully brewed and delicious; the baked goods, from rosemary bread to quiche, are gorgeous; and the bagels just get the day started right…

  • Turkey Red

    Anchorage Region

    A bright and colorful cafe serving fresh dishes made from scratch including wonderful fresh-baked breads and desserts. Vegetarians won’t go hungry here,…

  • Meatza Wagon

    The Interior

    Who'd a thunk there'd be a food truck in Kennecott? And not just a food truck, but a pretty damn delicious one that slings meatball subs, pork sandwiches,…

  • The Cookery

    Seward

    Seward's best restaurant serves excellent land-based cuisine, but local seafood is where it really shines. Start off with local oysters and bubbly, and…

  • Java Flats

    Kodiak Island

    Saying you have the best baking within a 100-mile radius doesn’t always mean much in Alaska where 100 miles is often the distance to the nearest gas…

  • Moose-AKa's

    Denali National Park & Preserve

    There are lots of young Eastern Europeans working the tourism season in Alaska, and this restaurant is testimony to the fact. Started by a Serbian former…

  • Amelia’s

    Aleutian Islands

    This Dutch Harbor restaurant does a little of everything, from breakfast and burgers to seafood and pasta, but the majority of its menu is Mexican,…

  • Black Bear Coffee House

    Denali National Park & Preserve

    Serving coffee worthy of a hip Seattle-based barista, along with jolly decent coconut cake and strong wi-fi, this place is a knee-weakening apparition to…

  • Island Pub

    Juneau

    This local fave about which they rave is across the channel from Juneau proper. It's a relaxing, unhurried place with a wooden Wild West facade that…

  • Perch Restaurant & Cabins

    The Interior

    It’s called the Perch for a reason, as the restaurant sits high on a moraine above Carlo Creek, with an almost-eye-level view of the surrounding peaks. It…

  • Inga’s Galley

    Southeast Alaska

    From this (surprisingly charming) parking-lot shack comes Petersburg's most creative food. Inga’s Mitkof sandwich is seasoned and seared halibut topped…

  • Sitka Hotel Bar & Restaurant

    Sitka

    Wood decor covers the interior of this recently remodeled gathering spot, although, with its open kitchen and charismatic bar, the atmosphere's far from…

  • In Bocca Al Lupo

    Juneau

    Another step on Juneau's stairway to culinary heaven is this hip new Italian place whose dark (surely temporary) facade hides a beautiful streamlined…

  • Seven Glaciers Restaurant

    Anchorage Region

    Sitting 2300ft above sea level is the best of Alyeska Resort’s six restaurants and bars. The hotel tram will take you to an evening of gourmet dining and…