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…
Must-see restaurants in The Interior
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…
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
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…
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…
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…
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…
The Interior
The restaurant at Sheep Mountain Lodge (Mile 113.5) is, to be succinct, fantastic. Creamy chowders, perfectly grilled burgers, creative salads and…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
Fairbanks
There's no more quintessential Fairbanks summer solstice moment than buying a double scoop of this homemade ice-cream – which includes Alaskan-themed…
Fairbanks
Track this excellent food truck down and don't let them leave until you've tried their curries or tandoori platters, served with heaped plates of yellow…
Fairbanks
Ignore the out-of-the-way, strip-mall setting – Lemongrass not only serves good Thai food, but good Northern Thai food. If that doesn't mean anything to…
Fairbanks
Great coffee and an eclectic menu, featuring everything from Korean bibimbap (rice bowls) and falafel croquettes to pita sandwiches and organic salads,…
Denali National Park & Preserve
This eatery was once the family’s gift shop but now offers good beer, burgers and pizza pies, with midsummer salads coming from a Healy-based organic…
The Interior
The meals are the best part of the experience at the Hotel Chitina. You're served a classic, multi-course white-tablecloth meal – salmon, steaks or…
Old Town Copper Center Inn & Restaurant
The Interior
Guns are welcome, but keep them in your holster, explains a sign in the Copper Center Lodge. What might read as facetious anywhere else is par for the…
Chicken Creek Cafe, Saloon & Mercantile Emporium
The Interior
This row of clapboard buildings across from Chicken Gold Camp makes the most of the chicken kitsch. The gift shop is extensive, the saloon has hats from…
Fairbanks
Set in an old timber house that has been spruced up for guests, Wolf Run has long been known for its generous, super-sweet dessert plates, but also excels…
The Interior
One of the more pleasant absurdities of McCarthy is the way you can enjoy expertly prepared gourmet food in what, superficially, looks like Tombstone…
Soapy Smith's Pioneer Restaurant
Fairbanks
It would be easy to dismiss Soapy Smith's as a gold rush-dusted twist on the themed family restaurant. But while there's tons of Alaska kitsch on the…
The Interior
Best burger in Alaska? That's the Monderosa's claim to fame, and while we haven't eaten every burger in the state, this one is a contender. Other winners…
The Interior
As is so often the case at Alaskan roadhouses, the rough-and-ready Gakona Lodge has a surprisingly good restaurant on site. Down some beer-battered cheese…
Fairbanks
This spot is fun. Its young workers blast Eastern European and Middle Eastern music out of their sound systems while they prep some pretty fine falafel,…
Fairbanks
In a city founded by an Italian, one would expect a decent ristorante and Gambardella's does the trick. The stick-to-your-ribs pizza and pasta are a…
Big Daddy's BBQ & Banquet Hall
Fairbanks
This must be, as the owners claim, the northernmost Southern barbecue in the USA, and if you like slow-smoked ribs, juicy brisket, bowls of baked beans…
Tonsina River Lodge Restaurant
The Interior
Let's hear it for variety! While you can get ribeye steaks and halibut at the Tonsina's restaurant, it also has a Russian menu, which includes shashlyk …
Fairbanks
Drive about 10 miles out of town to the Turtle Club, which does not serve turtle and is not a club, but does boast a packed parking lot. Folks roll up for…
The Interior
Connected to McCarthy Lodge, this is the area’s only true bar, with a good beer selection, pool, frequent live music and an always-intriguing cast of…
Fairbanks
For fine dining riverfront style, head to this restaurant, which has a cozy-cabin main dining room, a huge deck that looks out over the water and solid…
The Interior
You’ll need a reservation for the lodge's well-regarded family-style dinners, which are set three-course meals of the halibut and steak school of dining…
Fairbanks
Though bizarrely situated behind a pair of car dealerships off Danby St, Cookie Jar lives up to its name as a great spot to indulge a sweet tooth. It's…
Fairbanks
This tiny spot, little more than an ordering window and some basic tables, was opened by a Texan who missed the beautiful tacos of his homeland. Here you…
Fairbanks
If it's a cold night in Fairbanks, or you're hungover – actually, if you're just hungry – head to this family-friendly spot, which represents the flavors…
Fairbanks
This cavernous, slightly overdone brewpub – the northernmost microbrewery in the US – makes jolly good beer, and plenty of people come just for the pub…
Denali National Park & Preserve
The better-on-the-inside 'Bake' offers some quirky starters, such as Yak-a-dilla (locally raised yak quesadilla), and a well-regarded halibut and chips…
