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From scallops to king salmon, fresh seafood dominates menus in Southeast. Juneau, Sitka, Skagway, and Ketchikan have all variety of ethnic eateries, along with some notable restaurants serving more sophisticated, contemporary fare. Many towns also have good greasy spoons or roadhouses where you can get a serving of local gossip along with your breakfast or slice of pie.
If you're in Ketchikan in the morning (this place closes at noon), don't miss an opportunity to visit this family-owned café and roastery, which serves some of the best espresso you're likely to find in Southeast. The fresh-baked pastries make a delicious accompaniment.
A 10-minute walk from the cruise-ship docks, this friendly eatery is a good stop for a cheese biscuit and coffee in the morning or soup and a sandwich in the afternoon. You'll also find sweet treats such as muffins, tortes, and cakes.
Take a break from salmon saturation at this Old Town Ketchikan spot on historic Stedman Street. The café serves hearty Filipino cuisine beloved both of locals and cruise-ship staffers hungry for a taste of home, and the linoleum-and-tile 1950s interior is a wonderful time warp.
Inside a gallery that features work by local and regional artists, this café at Four Corners offers light fare such as crepes, pastries, and cookies, as well as milkshakes and specialty espresso drinks and teas. The café's drive-up window is groundbreaking for Gustavus (but if you're a visitor, you'll want to go in to see the art and crafts).
A local hangout, this café offers a wide range of breakfast options to accompany your morning joe, and nearly everything on the menu is made on-site. At lunchtime, sample one of the filling hot sandwiches. Fresh fruit smoothies are also available.
Established in 1974, Heritage Coffee serves locally roasted coffees, along with gelato, fresh pastries, and a variety of sandwiches. The flagship store sits on the corner of Front and Seward streets, while other locations include smaller cafés at 230 South Franklin, a branch inside Foodland IGA market, and the Glacier Cafe in the Mendenhall Valley, as well as two drive-throughs.
Down the boardwalk from the port you'll find the Landing Zone. Larger and a bit more upscale than the Cookhouse, the Landing gets its name from its location at the end of the ZipRider zip line; those who remained on the ground can watch their braver friends fly through the air on live-stream video monitors while sipping an Alaskan-brewed beer at the bar. The Landing's half-dozen menu items include salmon prepared at an outdoor grill, beef brisket, and reindeer sausage.
Meet the locals over espresso, brewed from fresh-roasted beans, and a fresh-baked pastry at this busy corner natural-foods store, deli, café, wine-and-spirits shop, de facto meeting hall, and hitching post. Mountain Market is great for lunchtime sandwiches, wraps, soups, pizza, and salads.
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.
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.
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.
A tiny coffee shop and bakery, Sweet Mermaids is a great choice for breakfast. If you're here for lunch, try the salmon chowder—the perfect antidote for a rainy afternoon.
