Eating your way around Alaska

Alaska has more than its share of great destinations. Look around: mountains, valleys, wildlife, glaciers -- the works. But exploring the state also yields some incredible dining dividends.

Here in Anchorage, we enjoy great eateries on several levels. First, there is God's own pizza house and brewpub at Moose's Tooth. And down the street in a strip mall is Jens' Restaurant, which I love for the "Nearly World Famous Pepper Steak," as well as fresh Alaska seafood dishes.

It really gets interesting outside of Anchorage, though. Several communities have go-to restaurants that you're silly to pass up.

In Sitka, I time my appointments to include lunch and dinner at Ludvig's Bistro. It's just open between May and September -- but it's worth the wait. My friend Sandy Lorrigan at Sitka's visitors bureau took me to lunch here. Ludvig's is just across the street from one of the harbors in downtown Sitka, not far from St. Michael's Cathedral -- the incredible Russian Orthodox Church. The restaurant serves Alaska seafood with a Mediterranean twist. Look for scallops, prawns and salmon on the menu. One of their signature dishes is "Wild Alaskan Paella," combining the aforementioned delights, plus Spanish rice, rockfish, Spanish chorizo sausage and other goodies.

 

In Juneau, two of my favorite restaurants are open year-round. The first is a breakfast place: the Sandpiper Cafe. Oh, it's also open for lunch -- but I love the breakfasts. The restaurant is attached to one of my favorite motels in Juneau, the Driftwood Lodge, at 429 W. Willoughby Ave. The coffee is delicious and there's always a daily special. I'm always on the lookout for one of their custom scrambles, featuring sun-dried tomatoes or a special sausage-and-cheese combination. If you're a real adventurer, they'll make your omelet with duck eggs or other exotic ingredients.

 

For lunch in Juneau, drive across the bridge to Douglas and dine at The Island Pub. Owner Rick Kasnick picked a prime water-view location for his pizza joint. I love the "woodstone" pizza oven. The pizza dough and foccacia breads are made by hand each day. The pies are consistently delicious, accompanied by local beers, including Alaskan Amber. Choose one of the menu pizzas -- or build your own.

Down in Homer, there are plenty of delicious restaurants from which to choose. If it's early in the morning, you're crazy not to stop in at Two Sisters Bakery. Although they have a great selection of healthy wraps, the big draw is the incredible cinnamon rolls! You need a double espresso just to wash it down!

My favorite lunch and dinner spot is nearby: Fat Olive's restaurant. Everything on the menu is delicious -- including the pizza. Now, I don't live exclusively on pizza -- but it's silly not to sample it when they have the oven going all night dishing out deliciousness! Another great feature at Fat Olive's is the wine selection: choose any glass for less than

$7. They're tasty vintages -- and they go well with the pizza. Also, there is a big selection of local craft beers and ales on tap.