211 Best Restaurants in Alaska, USA

Not every burger is created equal, and the cooks at Old Town are dead set to prove it with its collection of Hawaiian burgers, mushroom burgers, and cheeseburgers. This restaurant favored by locals also serves up food for those seeking Alaska-specific fare such as halibut sandwiches, halibut and chips, and fried salmon (perhaps the only place in the state where you can find that). Old Town opens at 5 am for breakfast but stops serving at 10 pm.

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.

A favorite meeting place in the old train depot, Palmer City echoes with the sound of local chatter. It has a great ambience, and the standard pub fare—salads, tacos, pizzas baked in a firebrick oven, and handmade burgers—is reliably good. With more than 40 beers on tap and crafty craft cocktails, there's enough libation diversity to suit just about every taste. The Alehouse hosts live music in the summer months.

Situated in a cluster of restaurants and cabins along Carlo Creek, Panorama is one of the more lively and festive options. Hand-tossed pizzas include one with Alaskan craft beer baked into the crust. Lawn games such as cornhole and horseshoes add to the atmosphere.

This oft-crowded restaurant specializes in pizza, Italian sandwiches, tortilla wraps, and ice cream. Traditional pizzas are on the menu but also ones with fanciful add-ons, such as barbecued chicken. To avoid waiting in line for takeout, order online.

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. 

Built on top of an old glacier moraine, the Perch offers dining in a more removed and relaxed setting than elsewhere in the area. Steak and seafood make up the menu—local ingredients are used when possible—although gluten-free and vegetarian options are also available. Home-cooked breads and desserts make this a worthwhile stop as you head to or leave the park. There are also 20 cabins available on the premises starting at $125 per night.

The seats in the dining room of this extended log-cabin building are perfect for cooler weather, but the huge paddle-up deck dotted with firepits in the summer is the real draw here. The menu is mostly salads, sandwiches, and seafood, but the chance to enjoy the views over the Chena River and the landmark "Love Alaska" sign is what keeps diners coming.

Fairbanks locals have been going mad for Nadav Weiss's falafel and hand-baked pitas ever since he started serving them at the farmers' market before he opened this stand on College Road. In summer, enjoy the comfy outdoor seating with quick, casual, and delicious Middle-Eastern fare.

If diner fare with a side of true Nome life is what you're after, this is the spot. Traditional hearty breakfast options are served all day, plus steak, chili, crab legs and other seafood, a modest salad bar, and unexpectedly tasty burgers. It's the type of place where old-timers gather for coffee or lunch at the same time, same table each day. While you eat, get the complete Nome experience: endless views of the vast Bering Sea while local radio plays in the background.

This cozy little converted house overlooks the harbor and is a local go-to place in summer. Whether it's for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this place has mastered the potato—be sure to try the potatohead burrito or the spuds with gravy. They also offer terrific salads, wraps, sandwiches, and pizzas.

On clear summer evenings, you can relax on this roadside bar's deck overlooking Eyak Lake and enjoy whatever the cook's in the mood to make. Located inside a former storage shed for railroad explosives, this place serves homemade soups, burgers, pizza (by the slice), and sushi (on Friday); seasonal seafood, including shrimp, scallops, razor clams, and whatever else is fresh, is also available every night.

Alongside the Chena River, this 1930s mining pump station–turned–restaurant claims to be the northernmost oyster bar in the world. A grizzly bear in a glass case stands sentry here over a room full of Victorian-era antiques, and in summer you can enjoy the evening sun on the deck out back by the river.

This coffee shop doubles as a retail shop, with espresso drinks, smoothies, shakes, and fresh baked goods, along with crafts and souvenirs.

This harbor-area hole-in-the-wall is locally renowned for its flavorful burritos, quesadillas, and great halibut and rockfish tacos. Various hot sauces, some contributed by customers who brought them from their travels, and beer complement the fare.

This crunchy natural foods market offers a small selection of hot entrées, salads, sandwiches, and soup, along with self-serve coffee and freshly baked breads. Check their website for a daily menu, and arrive at 11 am for the best choices; a few tables are available inside. It's also a great place to grab some trail mix and snack bars before a downtown hike.

Located next to the Long House Hotel, Red Basket offers a varied menu with entrees ranging from Mongolian beef, yakisoba, spaghetti and meatballs, and fettuccine Alfredo to king crab, pancakes, omelets, burgers, and club sandwiches.

This restaurant is about the closest thing to fine dining in Cordova, and it's generally packed with tourists, fishermen, and locals who appreciate both the food and the drinks. Each summer, the chef blows the menu up with something new and fabulous, but you're guaranteed to find a number of excellent fish dishes always fresh and right off the fishing boats.

A shanty roadhouse of sorts, Rendezvous serves drinks all night and caters to locals with great grub and live music from artists that hail from all over the country. Every afternoon (except Monday), the locals and tourists show up in droves to fill their bellies with tasty eats. The clam chowder, halibut sandwich, and fish tacos are enough to make anyone fall deeper in love with Alaska—but get there before the 7:30 pm witching hour, when the menu turns back to liquid-only.

Part of Seward Windsong Lodge, the Roadhouse offers deck seating that overlooks the Resurrection River and the surrounding mountains. Classic Alaskan seafood and American fare fills the menu, along with multiple Alaska-brewed beers on tap.

For a quarter century, this downtown natural foods store has been serving Valdez and its visitors espresso and organic coffees, delicious fresh-baked goods, and fruit smoothies. There's also a sandwich bar for paninis and soups made from scratch.

This lively café fills up quickly at noon with locals on lunch break, making it a great place for people-watching while munching on a salad or a fried chicken sandwich. You can also have a delicious breakfast here; if the fresh-baked pastry doesn't tempt you (although it surely will) try the bravas potato bowl or adobo loco moco. Coffee in all its forms is also outstanding.

This spot could get away with a so-so menu in a town with few dining alternatives. Instead, the menu includes gems like the family-recipe herb bread, baked each morning and used in the restaurant's popular breakfast sandwiches that are served until the restaurant closes at 3 pm. Other menu items range from deep-fried halibut to steaks. The decor is classic Alaska, all burled wood and carved bears. The brews, including an excellent Hefeweizen and root beer, are only available here.

Enjoy your morning latte and a cinnamon roll in this cozy, friendly coffeehouse, or stop in for lunch on a rainy day and sample their rotating selection of homemade soup.

Upscale American and Mediterranean fare is served at Salt, one of Juneau's nicest dining options, and though it's a bit pricey, the ambience and interesting menu make it worth the extra expense. It's also a good spot to stop for a cocktail if you can snag a spot at the tiny bar in the back. As with many Juneau restaurants, the service can be outstanding or maddening depending on the night; it's not recommended for those in a hurry.

This cozy little spot on the harbor is a must for breakfast—you can choose from an array of fresh-baked frittatas, quiches, and pastries to accompany your distinctly delicious cup of coffee. No one would blame you if you snuck back in for lunch, when the sandwiches on homemade bread make an appearance. Seating includes outdoor options.

Whether you're up early or late, Sam and Lee's has got you covered. They start with an excellent breakfast menu and stay open late with mostly Chinese fare, such as kung pao beef, almond chicken, and Szechwan chow mein. Locals rave about the kimchee too.