10 Best Restaurants in The Kenai Peninsula and Southcentral Alaska, 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.

Set amid a strip of colorful old wood-frame buildings on Homer Spit, this casually upscale seafood bistro with large windows overlooking the water turns out consistently fantastic, artfully presented contemporary seafood dishes, often with Asian or Mediterranean influences. Start with the Alaskan crab sushi bake or spot prawn toast on house-baked focaccia, before tucking into a plate of tempura-halibut bibimbap or Kodiak scallops in a sweet-corn soubise. Save room for the out-of-this-world carrot cake. Reservations are a good idea at this popular spot. 

At the top of the dock overlooking Halibut Cove, this is one of Southcentral's most beautiful places to sit and soak up the pleasures of a summer afternoon. Locally caught seafood, the restaurant's specialty, is prepared with finesse, and there's always a mouthwatering vegetarian option. Before or after dinner you can stroll Halibut Cove's boardwalks and visit the Experience Gallery, which features works by 18 local artists, or just relax on the dock. Reservations are essential for the ferry, which requires that you return the same way in which you came unless you've secured lodging on the Cove.

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 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.

With a menu that ebbs and flows with the seasons yet consistently delivers fantastic dishes, The Grape Tap is lauded by most as the top upscale dining experience in town. This 60-seat restaurant and European wine cellar is set in a 1930s pioneer home that's been renovated with contemporary colors and style. Reservations are highly recommended.

A big, boisterous, friendly place near the small-boat harbor, Henry's has a menu that's equally big. There's fresh local seafood, of course, but also everything from barbecue to gourmet salads, pastas, and even some Cajun dishes. Get started with one of the many appetizers, and finish up with one of their tasty desserts.

Talented and friendly Chef Chad Miller, who regularly makes his way around the cheerful dining room, presents a dazzling menu of fusion cuisine that incorporates locally harvested produce and seafood. Start with an order of Alaskan shrimp dumplings or crispy mushroom bao, and then consider the complexly flavored smoked black cod risotto or tallow-infused local tenderloin with compound butters and caramelized-onion mashed potatoes. In addition to great food, The Kannery serves inventive and delightful cocktails and mocktails.

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.