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Dining options are few when traveling around Alaska's Bush; smaller communities may have one or two eateries, if any at all. On the bright side, you won't need to worry about reservations. If they're open, they'll let you in, and you'll likely be surprised at the variety available: in addition to Alaskan seafood, game, and locally grown vegetables, Mexican and Asian fare are standard, even in the state's remotest corners. Usually Bush restaurants will feature two or three different cuisines. All food prices, including at grocery shops, reflect large transportation charges, so be prepared to pay more than you would back home or even in Anchorage.
Don't let the name fool you: Airport Pizza bakes pies, for sure, but also serves an impressive variety of dishes, including Korean specialties, burgers, sandwiches, ramen, beer-battered halibut, nachos, and even sushi. A few decades ago, the restaurant used to fly pizzas out to remote villages with the help of a regional airline with no added delivery charge. They don't do that anymore, but they do serve reliably good food, and they serve cold beer and other beverages.
This little coffee shop, in a repurposed old A-frame house, is an adorable place and the perfect spot for a breakfast sandwich or midday coffee. Tasty beverages and delicious homemade scones, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, and muffins are a welcome respite from Nome's wind and the industrial surroundings. The homey atmosphere is helped along by soft benches, stained glass lamps, local art, original wood floors, and bookshelves full of magazines, books, and games.
This cozy, bright Japanese and American eatery offers sushi rolls, fried rice dishes, tempura, udon, bento boxes, burgers, sandwiches, and more, as well as fillings breakfasts. It opens early and closes late.
Open early for breakfast and into the afternoon, Pingo serves up freshly made bread and fresh seafood meals Wednesday through Sunday. The menu changes daily, with items like seafood omelets, waffles, breakfast sandwiches, and burritos often making an appearance, along with sandwiches, soups, noodles, and pizza, plus an assortment of fresh pastries. They have gluten-free items on the menu, and can also cater to special diets.
This brightly colored all-day café next door to Safeway has something for everyone, with enormous portions of breakfast fare, burgers, sandwiches, Asian options, house-made milkshakes, and Mexican dishes. Strands of beads hang from the ceiling, and various other kitschy items cover the walls. You can watch the TVs if you want, or find a window seat for a nice view of the Bering Sea.
In the local debate over who makes the best pizza in town, Baba regularly lands on top. It offers satisfying and filling American food like calzones, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and milkshakes. Delivery service is available.
This casual bar off the main lobby of the Grand Aleutian Hotel is the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat and a cold beer after a long day exploring. The menu features pub grub, like steaks, burgers, salads, and sandwiches, and the bar has a surprisingly good selection of beers. Many of the patrons are locals, mostly deckhands and boat captains, looking for a tasty meal in a quiet, laid-back atmosphere. On Friday night in summer they have cookouts out on the porch.
Try the tamales and flan at this eatery specializing in tasty Mexican fare. The owners were born in Cuba and Mexico, met in Utqiaġvik, and teamed up to make the food they grew up eating. The menu includes an array of dishes like camarones rancheros, enchiladas verdes, tacos, and choices for vegetarians as well as meat and seafood lovers. They've got great fresh baked goods and desserts, too. Seating is limited, and they close early in the evening.
Drop by this casual place for pizza, burgers, pastas, salads, and even fish-and-chips. You can choose from a nice selection of beer and wine along with an ample menu that includes calzones and jumbo wings. It has tables and bar space for dining in, or you can order for pickup, and it's open late.
You'll find Japanese and Korean food, burgers and bento boxes, and seafood baskets and pho along with standard Chinese fare at this casual spot on Front Street. It truly has something for everyone and ample seating, too.
This sushi spot features wild-caught Alaska salmon and the usual selection of rolls and sashimi, with vegetarian choices and the usual sides. They also offer pork, beef, and chicken bowls, tempura, dumplings, and salads with or without ahi tuna or sockeye salmon.
This reliable spot for tasty Hawaiian barbecue also serves plenty of pork and other meaty fare, plus Chinese, Korean, and fusion dishes. Breakfast is served all day, and delivery is available.
This American and Asian spot offers everything from tempura, burgers, steak, and deep-fried halibut and shrimp to fried rice, noodle dishes, and Japanese and Chinese favorites like teriyaki chicken and kung pao beef.
This basic but cozy eatery offers a range of food from morning to night. The menu includes pizza, burgers, omelets, wraps, nacho burritos, milkshakes, barbecue, and even packaged candy to go.
With its lovely waterfront and mountain views, this bright and airy café is a great place to start the day with traditional American breakfast or lunch. The menu includes egg dishes, pancakes, burgers, wraps, and sandwiches and salads, plus smoothies and brunch favorites like mimosas and Irish coffee. There’s also an express lunch buffet during the work week.
This popular Front Street restaurant has a casual atmosphere and offers dine-in service as well as takeout from midmorning to late. They serve pizzas with a wide assortment of toppings, along with steak dinners and Japanese (including sushi), Korean, and Italian food. One side of the restaurant has an Italian theme and the other a Japanese style.
If diner fare with a side of true Nome life is what you're after, this is the spot. Traditional hearty breakfast options are served all day, plus steak, chili, crab legs and other seafood, a modest salad bar, and unexpectedly tasty burgers. It's the type of place where old-timers gather for coffee or lunch at the same time, same table each day. While you eat, get the complete Nome experience: endless views of the vast Bering Sea while local radio plays in the background.
This coffee shop doubles as a retail shop, with espresso drinks, smoothies, shakes, and fresh baked goods, along with crafts and souvenirs.
