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The best way to describe the hospitality industry in Alaska is "informal," and this applies all over the state—even in Anchorage. Don't worry if you still have your hiking clothes on when you go out to eat. Every kind of food is available, especially in larger towns, but options decline considerably from mid-September through April.
The folks at this aroma-filled bakery café serve up fresh and tasty pastries, quiches, wraps, salads, panini and other sandwiches, and espresso drinks. A convivial setting for meetings, board games, and pleasant conversation by day, Vagabond is a popular hangout. There's Wi-Fi, too.
On a hot summer day and even on not-so-hot days, locals yearn for some Varly's ice cream, or if the weather's cold and rainy, for some decent pizza. The owners (who also manage Varly's Swiftwater Seafood Café) take great pride in what they do, and it shows: the homemade pizza here is certainly something to write home about. It might sound odd, but the pizza topped with sauerkraut and pepperoni is the one of the best pies. If you're not sure which way to lean (pizza or ice cream), opt for a little of each.
This cozy café with rustic wooden benches and tables and a patio is only a few years old but is already a favorite summer eatery in town. It's a short walk for cruise ship passengers, and it serves outstanding burgers, plus hefty sandwiches, reindeer chili, seafood chowder, and other hearty dishes.
Located in Old Town next to the Bunnell Street Arts Center, Wild Honey is a terrific place to grab a latte and a crepe. You can choose either sweet or savory crepes along with house-made soups and salads, most of which showcase ingredients the owners have harvested themselves. Everything else is bought from local farmers.
