15 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.

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.

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.

A great spot to hit after a day of fishing, the Burger Bus is just as it sounds: an old school bus converted into a kitchen, with a shack built around it, and delicious burgers on offer. The portions are big and the flavors are great. The place might look a little sore on the outside, but you can tell by the way the locals hover that it's worth the visit. Try the halibut burger or the local favorite, the Kenai Killer Burger.

Be sure to check out this old-fashioned country store, gas station, liquor store, post office, video-rental shop, and deli. The latter is the primary reason for stopping at Fritz's: the food is amazingly good—brisket smoked right out back, homemade bread, pastries, and pizza by the slice. Pull up a chair at a table crafted from an old cable spool and join the back-to-the-land patrons as they drink espresso, talk Alaskan politics, and pet the cats.

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.

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 is the only combination kayak rental shop and coffeehouse in Hope—maybe anywhere. They offer up great coffee, fresh fruit smoothies, and house-made pastries.

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.

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.

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.