19 Best Restaurants in The Kenai Peninsula and Southcentral Alaska, Alaska

Open at 7 am, this place is a perfect stop before a day of fishing, but lunch is an equally fulfilling experience. La Baleine serves fantastic breakfast sandwiches on fresh ciabatta rolls—complimentary cup of locally roasted coffee included. Owner and renowned chef Kirsten Dixon and her daughter Mandy, both of them graduates of Le Cordon Bleu, Paris cooking school, create simple, highly pleasing meals such as the noodle bowl: fresh ramen with homemade broth, local vegetables, and seasonal fish. All the wild seafood dishes here are tremendously flavorful.

This little restaurant and inn serves some of the finest crepes in Alaska with options that range from savory, like creamed beef and spinach, to sweet, like strawberries, Nutella, and whipped cream. The delightful proprietor is known to throw together fantastic French dinners for parties that call ahead, and if you're lucky, you'll also taste his quiche lorraine or chicken cordon bleu. Le Barn Appétit is open daily for breakfast and lunch; dinners can be arranged by phone a day in advance.

A funky bus turned food stand with an attached dining room, Baja Taco serves creative Tex-Mex dishes. Some come with a little added Alaska pizzazz, like the halibut-cheek tacos or the fish of the day. In addition to lunch and dinner, Baja serves breakfast—and possibly the only migas (Spanish scrambled eggs) for many a mile. There's also an espresso bar and plenty of room to eat out of the rain.

This roadhouse diner is a great place to grab a bite and a libation and soak up the sun (when it makes an appearance) on the outside deck; you might even catch a show at the Acres, the adjacent outdoor music and events venue. The café offers an array of dishes, but they're particularly known for their spicy crispy chicken sandwich and their excellent variety of burgers. Breakfast is served on weekends, and the country-fried steak is out of this world. Also on weekends, you'll find the Acres hosting bands from all over the country (in the winter, acoustic music is performed indoors).

This funky waterfront eatery delivers tasty breakfast, lunch, and dinner dining year-round indoors as well as outside on a smoke-free patio on warm summer days. The menu includes gourmet pizzas, Alaskan seafood, burgers, and plenty of vegetarian and healthy options. Be sure to try the halibut tacos or the clam chowder. Reservations are recommended in summer.

This great coffee shop represents the true essence of Kodiak life. Fantastic breakfast burritos, vegetarian sandwiches, and excellent coffee make this the perfect place to stock up on provisions before embarking on exciting bear-watching and salmon-fishing adventures.

As its name suggests, Louie's specializes in steak and Alaska seafood, but they have a number of other alternatives on the menu as well. The clam chowder gets quite the rave reviews, and the clam and mussel appetizer is outstanding. On the weekend, the breakfast menu offers a bountiful amount of food. The decor is not for everyone, but for those not bothered by the sight of taxidermied animals, it's a chance to see just about every creature that roams the state.

A warm and inviting wood-paneled restaurant and Victorian lounge inside Hotel Seward, Ms. Gene's is one of the town's only fine dining establishments, serving breakfast and dinner year-round. The dinner menu changes often, but dishes such as seared ahi tuna, filet mignon, and halibut cheeks appear with frequency and are revered. There is limited seating so be sure to book a table in advance.

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.

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. During the summer, the restaurant offers breakfast on Wednesday through Sunday until 11 am.

Part of Seward Windsong Lodge, the Roadhouse offers locally sourced food and a deck that overlooks the Resurrection River and the surrounding mountains. Standard Alaska seafood fare fills the menu, along with multiple Alaska-brewed beers on tap. The bar and restaurant have different menus; ask to see both, and then decide where to sit.

The owners of this cheerful little restaurant on the shore of Kenai Lake call it a "backwoods bistro." The very reasonably priced menu includes excellent breakfast foods, homemade soups and chowders, wraps and vegetarian items, and hand-grated french fries. Dinners often feature fresh Alaska fish, and they also have a late-night menu for the pub. There's even a spotting scope in the parking lot for spying on the Dall sheep and mountain goats in the surrounding peaks. The bar here hosts live music on most Saturdays in summer, and the deck outside is great when the weather's warm. The Inn also offers 10 rooms to spend the night and an RV site.

This iconic food truck is known for its highly popular cheesy spinach bread and also serves breakfast and rotating daily specials, like Thai curry, Ethiopian beans and rice, and a Hawaiian poke bowl. Just look for the shiny metal trailer with a long line of people waiting for their favorite meal. It's worth the wait, and don't forget to grab some Brazilian limeade to wash it all down.

What started as a food truck with an indoor-order bar is now a full-blown restaurant. This is where locals come for tasty comfort food, live music, and a super laid-back vibe.

This splendid café offers a good selection of teas and organic coffee, as well as soups, wraps, pastries, and smoothies.

This very popular café is a short walk from Bishops Beach, Beluga Slough, and the Islands and Ocean Visitors Center. In addition to fresh breads and pastries, Two Sisters specializes in deliciously healthy lunches, such as vegetarian focaccia sandwiches, homemade soups, quiche, and salads. Sit on the wraparound porch on a summer afternoon, or take your espresso and scone down to the beach to watch the waves roll in. Be sure to check their Facebook page for what's available that day.

The folks at this aroma-filled spot 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 venue for touring musical acts several times a month. There's Wi-Fi here, too.

Located in Old Town next to the Bunnell Street Arts Center, Wild Honey features sweet and savory crepes along with housemade soups and salads, most of which showcase ingredients the owners have harvested themselves. Everything else is bought from local farmers.