Eating & Dining in Anchorage
Eating and dining in Anchorage is similar to any city in America. The following is a selection of food establishments according to price.
Budget
Arctic Roadrunner, two locations, 5300 Old Seward Hwy, (907) 561-1245, and 2477 Arctic Blvd, (907) 279-7311. An Alaskan institution and consistently voted Anchorage's best burger. Kitschy Alaskana on the walls, including plaques and portraits of longtime Alaskans and longtime Arctic Roadrunner customers. Also try the halibut burger and homemade onion ring pieces. Cash only; "no checks since 1972."
City Diner Run by local celebrity "Chef Al" Levinsohn, famous for his other restaurant in town (Kincaid Grill). City Diner has some of the best sandwiches in town; the monte cristo is to die for and the sliders are amazing.
Gwennie's An Alaskan institution; must be seen to be understood. Down home Americana meets Alaska (think sourdough pancakes and reindeer sausage). Extremely touristy but also popular with the locals for good prices and big portions. Old-time Alaskan rusty things hanging on the walls.
Taco King/Burrito King, four locations: 113 W Northern Lights Blvd # D, (907) 276-7387; 3561 E Tudor Rd, (907) 868-761; 1330 Huffman Rd # C, (907) 336-5601; and 111 W 38th Ave, (907) 569-2900. 10a-10p. Possibly the best (and fastest) Mexican food in Anchorage (not saying a whole lot, but it holds its own against places closer to the border) and with insanely great (for Alaska) prices if you get the right thing. $6-8. edit
The Lucky Wishbone An Anchorage standard famous for their pan-friend chicken but also serving one of the better burgers in town.
Tommy's Burger Stop 29th Ave & Spenard. Routinely voted the best burgers and philly sandwiches in Anchorage.
White Spot Cafe, 109 W 4th Ave (4th and A), (907) 279-3954. The place is not much more than a small kitchen and a counter with room for 10 patrons. Arguably better burgers and definitely better halibut sandwiches than Arctic Roadrunner. Study the menu carefully before daring to order, or Sheri will put you in your place. The food is way worth the attitude, though.
Big Al's Wings and Wings, 3807 Spenard Road (at intersection with Minnesota Drive), ? (907) 522-3388. 10a-10p. WIngs and Things downtown, serving unique "Anchorage-style" wings, was a local institution for more than 20 years. Its sudden closure in 2006 left a void in the hearts of tens of thousands of loyal customers. Big Al's, started by a former frequent Wings and Things customer and employing former Wings and Things employees, does a darn good job at attempting to fill the void. The chili powder-based dry rub and succulent, juicy wings are addicting. The other items on the menu don't disappoint, either--like the wings, the Philly cheesesteak is a unique and delicious twist on an otherwise familiar American staple. $9-12. (+ 61.186188,-149.915732) edit
Mid Range
Bear Tooth Theatrepub, 1230 W 27th Avenue, (907) 276-4200. A wonderful pizza location, similar to the Moose's Tooth described below (although the menu differs a bit). It also features a movie theater in which you can eat dinner (they deliver it right to your seat) and imbibe from the wide selection of microbrews and wines. It mainly plays arthouse films and those that have been released for some time. The attached Bear Tooth Grill offers very different but equally delicious choices in a more traditional bar/grill restaurant setting.
Cafe Savannah, 508 W 5th Avenue (6th and E), (907) 646-9121. This is a small Spanish tapas restaurant downtown with a very good and reasonably-priced wine list. There are hot and cold tapas dishes as well as typical entrees. It's close to the Performing Arts Center.
Glacier BrewHouse, 5th Ave between H and G St, (907) 274-BREW. A very popular place to eat in downtown Anchorage. Wide selection of food, impressive selection of beers from their brewery. Hard to go wrong with this one if you're looking for a place to eat downtown.
Moose's Tooth Pub and Pizzeria, 3300 Old Seward Hwy near New Seward and 36th, (907) 258-2537. Brews their own beer and makes some fantastic pizza (all-ages welcome). Good atmosphere and walls covered with memorabelia about Alaska and beer. Can be busy. Frequently has outdoor concerts during the summer on the first Thursday of every month ("first tap" is age 21+). Must-go if you like beer. Has vegetarian selections. Medium prices; it's possible to save by splitting a large pizza. Menu and beer list online.
Simon and Seafort's, 420 L Street (end of downtown near the coastal trail), (907) 274-3502. Semi-fancy seafood restaurant and bar. On the expensive side, but it's worth it to get some of the best seafood in Alaska (and being Anchorage, there's no dress code). They also have excellent non-seafood selections and a great lunch menu. You can also see the sunset over the water by the window. Menus online.
Solstice Bar & Grill, 720 West 5th Avenue (between H and G Streets), (907) 276-7676. While not as popular as Glacier BrewHouse, Solstice Bar & Grill offers meals of a similar quality for a slightly cheaper price. Located in the lobby level of the Westmark Hotel (almost directly across from the BrewHouse), this restaurant can get quite busy during the summer breakfast and dinner times, as Westmark plays host to a number of cruise line guests (its parent company is Holland America Line).
Southside Bistro, 1320 Huffman Park Drive (in the far south end of town), (907) 348-0088. Fresh seafood and innovative preparations of meats and lighter fare make this a great stop for those heading south or those wanting to get away from the hustle of the touristy areas. Bar with microbrews and a good wine list.
Snow City Cafe, 1034 W 4th Avenue (907) 272-2489. Open for breakfast and lunch only, except on Wednesdays when there is an excellent Irish jam (and sometimes dance!) from 7-11pm. There is often a long wait for a table and for good reason, food is fresh and affordable, breakfast is available all day and there are plenty of hearty fares for the health-conscious. If you're not health-conscious, the macaroni and cheese is to die for!
Upmarket
Crow's Nest, 4th and K (top floor of Hotel Captain Cook), (907) 276-6000. AAA four-diamond rating and Wine Spectator awards. Seafood, "French and American" cuisine. View of entire city and Chugach Mountains. Definitely a splurge. Wine sommelier on staff; 10,000 bottle cellar. Dress code: Business casual. Good place to impress a date.
Jens', 701 W 36th Ave (in a strip mall at 36th and Arctic next to a Scandinavian furniture store), (907) 561-5367. A superb menu of Alaskan seafood with a twist, Danish specialties, and French classics that changes daily. Bar and good wine selection.
ORSO Ristorante, 5th Ave between H and G Streets, (907) 222-3232. Located right next to and owned by the same company as Glacier BrewHouse, this restaurant offers higher-priced meals inspired by traditional Italian fare. Located in the same block as a number of art galleries and smaller boutique shops, one can keep occupied while waiting (which in the summer season, is typical).
Ginger, 425 W 5th Ave, (907) 929-3680. New restaurant. Trendy, modern, upscale dining. Sort of an Asian-Alaskan fusion, with things like wasabi mashed potatoes. Extensive saki list. Try the fries for an appetizer; they're freshly made and delicious.
Eating places in Girdwood, 45 minutes south
Double Musky Inn, Mile .3 Crow Creek Road. (907) 783-2822. The Double Musky has Alaska's best cajun cuisine with a local seafood slant. They have a "rustic yet formal" (but still no dress code) atmosphere. It is a great place to take a date, not just for the great food but also for the beautiful drive south along the coast. Also very warming after a day at the local Alyeska Ski Area.
Drinking
Anchorage has many, many bars. Bars must close by 2:30 AM Monday-Friday and 3:00 AM Saturday and Sunday under municipal law. Bars can stay open until 5:00 AM in the cities of Palmer and Wasilla, about 45 minutes north. Anchorage also probably has more micro-breweries per capita than anywhere else (except maybe Portland, OR).
Beginning July 1, 2007, all bars and restaurants in Anchorage are non-smoking.
Bernie's Bungalow Lounge, 626 D Street (between 6th and 7th; across the street from Nordstrom's entrance), (907) 276-8808. This is a fashionable and friendly "martini-and-cigar" type of place. Good place to sit outside on the lawn in the summer, or to go upstairs to the Paradise Room for a fancy place to have a drink (although the upstairs is often booked for private gatherings). It's popular with well-dressed young people and businesspeople (during the daytime). The evening crowd is generally younger and the bar is embracing a larger hip-hop crowd. Usually busiest after midnight.
Chilkoot Charlie's, 1071 W 25th Avenue (in Spenard), (907) 279-1692. This is the largest bar within about 1,400 miles (2200 km). It's a huge spot that is always busy on weekends. The outside facade is deceptively small - there is a map on their website to navigate through all 10+ bars. There is usually at least one band playing every night (and usually a cover charge). Popular place to pick up dates, if you can hear above the noise.
Darwin's Theory, 426 G St, (907) 277-5322. A quintessential "dive bar," Darwin's is popular with the locals. If you're interested in avoiding the generic tourist watering holes, Darwin's will wet your whistle. It's just a basic corner bar.
Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse, 610 West 6th Avenue, (907) 276-BEER. Humpy's has dozens of beers on tap and a great pub food selection (esp. seafood) until midnight. It's popular with just about everyone. Beer-battered halibut -- yum!
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