29 Best Restaurants in Anchorage, Alaska

An absolute must for epicures and adventurous eaters, Crow's Nest uses inspired combinations to highlight, but never overpower, the freshest ingredients Alaska has to offer. Located on the top floor of the Hotel Captain Cook, this is also the best restaurant view in Anchorage, spanning the Chugach Mountains to the east, the Alaska Range to the north and west, and the city 20 stories below. The dress code, like everything in Alaska, is relaxed: business casual, but no sandals and no shorts.

The combination of shared small plates and an international wine list makes this Anchorage's most conversation-friendly dining venue. Although it's more fun to share, diners who prefer a plate of their own can also opt for inventive entrées ranging from scallop pad thai to shawarma-spiced lamb chops.

The dining room here offers a range of meat and seafood entrées, while the lounge's separate menu feels suitable for a romantic date or a girls' night out. Kinley's also has a special knack for finding wines that taste luxe, but don't break the bank. Pair with an appetizer or one of their exquisite desserts, such as the mocha pecan torte.

This refined yet relaxing mountaintop restaurant is perched 2,300 feet up Mt. Alyeska, accessed by a 60-passenger aerial tram (free with dinner reservations, otherwise $48 round-trip). The forward-thinking prix fixe menu capitalizes on local produce and seafood and rotates seasonally. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook seven glaciers in an unforgettable panoramic mountain view.

On summer days, Snow City attracts some serious crowds—and for good reason. This modern but unassuming café, convenient to many of the Downtown hotels and just a block from the ocean, serves one of Anchorage's best (and yet reasonably priced) breakfasts. If you're not an early riser, join the virtual waitlist on their website before walking over.

Yet another upscale eatery tucked into an Anchorage strip mall, the colorful plating at Altura makes up for its beige location. The clever menu here features its buzzworthy burgers, plus only-in-Alaska items like red king crab mac and cheese.

Order at the counter at this old-time, family-owned Girdwood favorite. Skiers and snowboarders drop by for a quick lunch or garden-fresh pizzas in winter, while summertime early birds enjoy cups of coffee and fluffy omelets on the flower-filled patio.

This tiny seafood joint easily offers the quirkiest dining experience in Downtown: almost the entire room is taken up by a boat-prow bar. At the helm, owner Apollo Naff has created a convivial environment where fellow diners become fast friends over plates of Alaska oysters and other briny bites, such as crab cake po'boys, seafood chowder, and seared scallops in umami sauce.

Alaska's oldest steak house has barely changed since opening in 1957. The restaurant, with its dark wood and old-fashioned feel, serves tender, flavorful steaks of all kinds, along with a large seafood selection. Dinner reservations are advised.

Anchorage residents say eating at this beloved spot is well worth the one-hour drive south to Girdwood and the inevitable wait for dinner. The interior is completely covered with tacky art and Mardi Gras souvenirs, but the windows frame views of huge Sitka spruce trees and the diverse menu mixes hearty Cajun-style meals with such favorites as Creole-style halibut, French pepper steak, and shrimp étouffée.

Just blocks from Downtown hotels, this family-run bakery makes a perfect destination for a leisurely morning muffin run. The bustling Downtown location anchors K Street Market, a sunny emporium shared with a plant store, produce stand, and bottle shop. 

Beautifully crafted Pacific Rim dishes like Panang curry and poke bowls are a mainstay at Ginger, where the menu offers food that will please both adventurous and more traditional diners. Decorated in beautiful woods and warm tones, the interior perfectly complements the menu.

The scent of hops permeates the cavernous, wood-beam BrewHouse, where at least a dozen beers are brewed on the premises. Locals mingle with visitors in this noisy, always-busy heart-of-town restaurant, and dinner selections range from chili-lime shrimp to fettuccine jambalaya. Summer reservations are recommended, even for lunch.

Historic photos, mounted animals, and state memorabilia adorn this old family favorite near the airport. Lunch is available, but the restaurant is best known for its old-fashioned all-day breakfasts, which include menu items like reindeer sausage and crab omelets. Don't expect anything fancy; this is diner food in an Alaskana-filled setting.

Don't let the Midtown strip mall that houses Jens' put you off: this is a true fine-dining establishment. The late chef-owner Jens Haagen Hansen's culinary legacy has led to the frequently changing menu that includes Alaska black cod, halibut, and rockfish. The Danish berry pudding with cream is a delightful way to cap a meal. The light and airy restaurant has a playful, energetic feel.

This out-of-the-way restaurant provides a respite after a summertime hike or wintertime ski in nearby Kincaid Park. Meals are artistically presented, and the diverse and creative menu, with a focus on Alaska regional cuisine, seafood, and game meats, changes seasonally.

One of the state's most beloved pizzerias, Moose's Tooth is packed all week, despite the ample seating (it can hold up to 300 guests). The reason for the popularity is obvious: exclusive handcrafted beers, and a seemingly endless roster of pizzas topped with inventive options like jalapeños, cream cheese, reindeer, and even macaroni.

Stop at either the Downtown or Midtown New Sagaya grocery stores for quick lunches, healthy to-go food (perfect for hiking or camping), and Kaladi Brothers coffee. The in-house bakery and deli, L'Aroma, makes specialty breads, sandwiches, California-style pizzas, and a wide range of snack-worthy pastries.

Part eatery and part community center and event space, this café offers plenty of healthy (or, at least, healthy-sounding) fare, including fresh-squeezed juices, smoothies, organic sandwiches, fresh soups, and tempeh wraps. While vegans and vegetarian visitors to Anchorage should definitely make a beeline to Organic, omnivores are not left out in the cold: the menu also includes Thai chicken salads, grass-fed burgers, and lamb.

The menu at Orso ("bear" in Italian) has gradually shifted from its Mediterranean roots, adding Alaska touches like prosciutto-wrapped halibut to the selection of traditional pastas, fresh seafood, and locally famous desserts. Be sure to ask about the daily specials. If you can't get a table at dinner, you can select from the same menu at the large bar.

This luminous lunch spot supplies an instant burst of sunshine no matter the month, with vibrant ingredients, tropical drinks, and a dining area filled with lush, greenery. The out-of-the-way cafe specializes in dishes from lower latitudes, like tortas, tostadas, and chilaquiles.

What started as a creekside log cabin is now a 70-screen sports bar with room for athletic fans of every stripe, from hockey (of course) to mushing and beyond. There's also an outdoor deck, pool tables, and a large and varied menu of tasty bar favorites. 

Windows overlooking Cook Inlet vistas, along with the high ceilings and a classic brass-and-wood interior, have long made this an Anchorage favorite. The menu includes prime rib and other steak-house classics, but the main attraction is fresh Alaska seafood. The best tables are adjacent to the tall windows facing the water, and reservations are recommended.

Perched on the edge of the city, South's expansive menu and bright airy space make it a destination brunch spot in Anchorage. The menu offers fresh Alaska spins on brunch classics like sourdough pancakes, cod tacos, and reindeer sausage as well as a wide range of salads, sandwiches, and tapas. If you need a caffeine jolt or grab-and-go dish as you drive south out of town, the attached coffeeshop is open all day long.

The amusing assortment of wall art here pays homage to the roadhouses that dot the state, but Spenard Roadhouse is by no means just a place to grab a quick meal while traveling. The warm and inviting restaurant offers creative comfort food, plus a daily brunch menu; the cocktails alone are worth the journey.

Whether you're at the cozy cocktail bar or on the wraparound lounge couches, this atmospheric fusion restaurant brings upscale Mexican flavors to the far north (the "61" in the name references the city's latitude). Though known for its tacos—including a duck confit option—the restaurant also prepares rib eyes, shrimp ceviche, and chipotle-glazed king crab.

Every winter city needs a ramen shop, but the menu and the mood at this upscale eatery make it a must-visit. The restaurant's basic name belies the creativity at work, with Japanese small plates, a long roster of ramen dishes, and eye-catching cocktails in the cozy back-room bar.

On sunny summer nights, the line at this popular microcreamy snakes down the block. The walk-up window serves Alaska-inspired ice cream flavors like almond birch brittle and rhubarb crumble, but the options rotate constantly. There's a second seasonal location in the 49th State Brewing Company biergarten off 3rd Avenue and a year-round scoop shop in Midtown at 530 East Benson Boulevard.

Savor the flavors of India, Nepal, and Tibet in this quick, cozy restaurant owned by Lobsang Dorjee, a Tibetan who grew up in India, and his wife, lifelong Alaskan Suzanne Hull. The trim menu spotlights rice bowls and soups, balancing the familiar—pork vindaloo, palak paneer, samosas—with the unexpected, such as lhasa momos, a type of Tibetan dumpling.