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

With an unusual setting inside a 1913 railroad car, this superb farm-to-table eatery is the hippest place to eat in the area. It's part of Whistle Hill, a respected local company that also has a railcar coffeehouse, a gift shop, an art gallery, a hydroponic farm, and a Tesla car charging station. The kitchen uses a lot of locally sourced produces and meats in dishes goat cheese balls with blueberry-apricot chutney and hot honey–glazed salmon with rice noodles, veggies, and a sesame-ginger sauce.

This cozy restaurant and inn serves some of the finest crepes in Alaska with options that range from savory, like fresh spinach and cheese, to sweet, like mixed-berry compote with Nutella, ground almonds, and whipped cream. Other options include Belgian-style waffles and rich house-made hot chocolate. The adjacent inn is quite pleasant.

Owned by Chef Kevin Lane and his wife Stacey, who also operate the renowned Cookery restaurant up the street, this festive taqueria offers out-of-this-world taco fillings, such as lightly breaded and fried rockfish and slow-cooked pork carnitas. Other good bets include tortas and burritos, and there's a terrific selection of house-made sauces and salsas.

This airy two-story microbrewery serves eclectic and creative gastropub fare prepared with locally sourced ingredients—think Alaskan salmon poke steam buns with a crunchy wonton and spicy mayo, and exceptional pizzas topped with fried-garlic olive oil, braised oyster mushrooms, sausage, fontina, and burrata. The high-ceilinged restaurant's design blends rustic-chic, modern deco, and industrial elements and is anchored by an enormous copper fish welded by a local artist.

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.

This locally owned spot is one of two situated right on the harbor, with big windows that offer terrific views of marine life, water, and mountains. They have a sleek downstairs bar, and a quiet upstairs dining area with large windows that look out into the bay. Most dishes are Alaska-themed with fish, crustaceans, and reindeer. There's a reliable wine list and a dozen Alaska-brewed beers on tap.

Featuring local oysters harvested daily along with locally sourced meats and vegetables, this convivial bar and grill has a loyal following. In addition to freshly shucked and broiled oysters, chef-owner Kevin Lane is known for his inventive melding of flavors to make scrumptious and dishes like the wild and tame mushroom toast. Be sure to make a reservation in summer.

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. The café offers an array of dishes, but they're particularly known for their excellent variety of burgers. Breakfast is served on weekends, and the country-fried steak is out of this world. On weekends, the venue presents outdoor concerts by bands from all over the country (and in winter, acoustic music is performed indoors). This makes lodging and comping a hot commodity when concerts are scheduled, so make sure you have your lodging and tickets in place before making the long drive.

This restaurant and acoustic music venue (adjacent to Bear Creek Lodge) prides itself on epic meals with a twist, like two-layer crab cakes and deep-fried cheesy rice and Alaska sausage. The food is delicious, but the interior, with its one wall that opens up to let the delightful summer outdoors in, really makes this a terrific place to dine, drink, and enjoy great live music.

This trusty spot for burgers, sandwiches, and seafood specials is known for generous portions and reasonable prices. There's often live music in summer.

This casually stylish restaurant offers excellent views of the flats at the mouth of the Kenai River as well as the surrounding mountains. The menu emphasizes produce and seafood sourced locally as well as house-smoked meats—try the confit and roasted half organic chicken, or grilled rockfish with garlic butter, romesco sauce, and butternut-squash risotto.

This roadhouse was first built in 1952 replete with cut, hauled and split timber. It's a great place to grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner, with specialties ranging from double quarter-pound burgers topped with applewood-smoked bacon and cheddar to halibut fish-and-chips.

With a back side that faces Kenai Lake and offers splendid views, and food equally worth your attention, this unassuming roadhouse is the place to stop in Cooper Landing. The halibut crab cakes with an excellent homemade tartar sauce come highly recommended, and there are always great fish options at the peak of the season. Musicians from all over entertain in the evenings.

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.

This harbor-area hole-in-the-wall is locally renowned for its flavorful burritos, quesadillas, and great halibut and rockfish tacos. Various hot sauces, some contributed by customers who brought them from their travels, and beer complement the fare.

Part of Seward Windsong Lodge, the Roadhouse offers deck seating that overlooks the Resurrection River and the surrounding mountains. Classic Alaskan seafood and American fare fills the menu, along with multiple Alaska-brewed beers on tap.

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

With its rusty roof set against a breathtaking inlet and mountain backdrop, the Seaview is one of the original buildings in Hope at nearly 120 years old. It serves terrific seafood chowder and halibut-and-chips as well as one of the best Reuben sandwiches in Alaska. There's also live music every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Everything at St. Elias is homemade: the beer, the Neapolitan-style stone-fired rustic pizza, the sandwiches, and even the desserts. The calzones are to die for, and the Mt. Redoubt chocolate cake with a molten center is simply divine. This is a good place to check out the locals; the patrons are just as friendly as the staff, and in summer local live music is a big draw.

The owners of this cheerful little year-round restaurant on the shore of Kenai Lake call it a "backwoods bistro." The very reasonably priced menu includes breakfast dishes, homemade soups and chowders, wraps and vegetarian items, and hand-grated french fries. 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 is the only combination kayak rental shop and coffeehouse in Hope—maybe in the whole state. They offer up great coffee, small-batch-roasted coffee beans, fresh fruit smoothies, and house-made pastries.