There are several well-known dishes and delicacies in Alaska that locals love and tourists search for. From our famously fresh salmon and king crab legs to our ripe, wild berries that we brag about all summer long, you can never run out of amazing dishes to try in our state. Here are some of the most mouth-watering, iconic foods in Alaska that you absolutely must try.
- Reindeer Dogs
Travis | Flickr Reindeer Dogs are truly the most famous Alaskan street food, minus the fact that you can buy reindeer sausage in many states. We suggest trying the “sled dogs” the next time you’re in Carcoss, just stop in at the Authentic Sourdough Bakery! You’ll be handed a delicious reindeer sausage baked and wrapped in sourdough, yum.
- Smoked Salmon Anything
jpellgen | Flickr We all know salmon in Alaska is fresh, mouthwatering, and very popular. In fact, it’s probably one of the foods Alaska is most known for. But let’s face it, you can get salmon anywhere, so we suggest spicing it up a bit and trying a smoked salmon chowder bowl at Gwin’s in Cooper Landing, one of the oldest restaurants in Alaska. You’ll be extremely pleased with your order.
- Black Cod
Mike McCune | Flickr You haven’t lived if you haven’t tried this fish. Fresh Black Cod is more delicious than you can ever imagine, especially if you head down to the J-Dock Seafood Company in Seward. They marinate it in soy sauce and lemon juice and then grill it to perfection.
- Chocolate Bread
Two Sisters Bakery Facebook Page We know this is more specific than most of the iconic dishes, but basically, any baked good at Two Sisters Bakery in Homer (particularly the mouthwatering, dark chocolate chunk filled Chocolate Bread) is an iconic Alaskan food experience. And yes, your mouth WILL water.
- Gumbo
Quinn Dombrowski | Flickr Believe it or not, Alaska has some great gumbo, and we mean that. We suggest stopping in at the infamous Double Muskie in Girdwood and trying their spectacular gumbo dish.
- Any fresh jam or dessert with berries
Eric Danley | Flickr We have a slew of decadent wild berries in Alaska. We have everything from wild blueberries, cranberries, salmonberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and much more. So don’t hesitate to order anything “berry,” and we strongly suggest High Bush Cranberry Jam, or, of course, any wild berry cobbler.
- Crab… duh
Andy Ciordia | Flickr Fresh King and Dungeness Crab is our area of expertise in Alaska. But if you want the best of the best, then there is only one place to go… Tracy’s King Crab Shack on the docks of Juneau. Who doesn’t love waterfront dining and insanely fresh crab legs?
- Eskimo Ice Cream
Andrea Pokrzywinski | Flickr A real Alaskan treat that few get the opportunity to enjoy is called “Eskimo Ice Cream,” or more accurately, “Aqutak” or “Agutuk.” It is about as Alaskan as you can get in the dessert category. To make this iconic Alaskan dish you whip together seal oil, reindeer (and any other animals) fat, snow, and wild Alaskan berries.
- Muktuk
Alan Levine | Flickr Another native favorite is Muktuk, a traditional Alaskan food. It’s the combination of whale blubber and skin frozen together and eaten raw. It’s a pretty dish, but you’d have to be pretty brave to try it!
- Any other wild game!
Laura Avellaneda-Cruz | Flickr There are plenty of wild meats to try when you’re dining at new places in Alaska, like this Indian-Alaskan fusion dish topped with moose meat! From bear and moose to endless Alaskan aquatic delicacies, never stop letting your taste buds explore and try it all. Who knows, you might find your new favorite Alaskan food.
Which of these is your favorite? What other iconic Alaskan foods would you add to this list? If you grew up in Alaska, then you’ll resonate with these 10 strange food combinations only true Alaskans would appreciate.
Travis | Flickr
Reindeer Dogs are truly the most famous Alaskan street food, minus the fact that you can buy reindeer sausage in many states. We suggest trying the “sled dogs” the next time you’re in Carcoss, just stop in at the Authentic Sourdough Bakery! You’ll be handed a delicious reindeer sausage baked and wrapped in sourdough, yum.
jpellgen | Flickr
We all know salmon in Alaska is fresh, mouthwatering, and very popular. In fact, it’s probably one of the foods Alaska is most known for. But let’s face it, you can get salmon anywhere, so we suggest spicing it up a bit and trying a smoked salmon chowder bowl at Gwin’s in Cooper Landing, one of the oldest restaurants in Alaska. You’ll be extremely pleased with your order.
Mike McCune | Flickr
You haven’t lived if you haven’t tried this fish. Fresh Black Cod is more delicious than you can ever imagine, especially if you head down to the J-Dock Seafood Company in Seward. They marinate it in soy sauce and lemon juice and then grill it to perfection.
Two Sisters Bakery Facebook Page
We know this is more specific than most of the iconic dishes, but basically, any baked good at Two Sisters Bakery in Homer (particularly the mouthwatering, dark chocolate chunk filled Chocolate Bread) is an iconic Alaskan food experience. And yes, your mouth WILL water.
Quinn Dombrowski | Flickr
Believe it or not, Alaska has some great gumbo, and we mean that. We suggest stopping in at the infamous Double Muskie in Girdwood and trying their spectacular gumbo dish.
Eric Danley | Flickr
We have a slew of decadent wild berries in Alaska. We have everything from wild blueberries, cranberries, salmonberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and much more. So don’t hesitate to order anything “berry,” and we strongly suggest High Bush Cranberry Jam, or, of course, any wild berry cobbler.
Andy Ciordia | Flickr
Fresh King and Dungeness Crab is our area of expertise in Alaska. But if you want the best of the best, then there is only one place to go… Tracy’s King Crab Shack on the docks of Juneau. Who doesn’t love waterfront dining and insanely fresh crab legs?
Andrea Pokrzywinski | Flickr
A real Alaskan treat that few get the opportunity to enjoy is called “Eskimo Ice Cream,” or more accurately, “Aqutak” or “Agutuk.” It is about as Alaskan as you can get in the dessert category. To make this iconic Alaskan dish you whip together seal oil, reindeer (and any other animals) fat, snow, and wild Alaskan berries.
Alan Levine | Flickr
Another native favorite is Muktuk, a traditional Alaskan food. It’s the combination of whale blubber and skin frozen together and eaten raw. It’s a pretty dish, but you’d have to be pretty brave to try it!
Laura Avellaneda-Cruz | Flickr
There are plenty of wild meats to try when you’re dining at new places in Alaska, like this Indian-Alaskan fusion dish topped with moose meat! From bear and moose to endless Alaskan aquatic delicacies, never stop letting your taste buds explore and try it all. Who knows, you might find your new favorite Alaskan food.
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Address: Alaska, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
food in Alaska September 23, 2022 Jackie Ann What are the most popular foods in Alaska? Salmon is one of the most popular foods in Alaska and it’s probably the food Alaska is most known for. You’ll find it on just about every menu you come across, prepared in several different ways. Of course, if you’re just looking for something simple that you can grab and go, you don’t have to travel very far to find a reindeer dog, a classic Alaskan street food. Keep your traditional with ketchup, mustard, and onions or go bold and put anything you want on it, even macaroni and cheese! Which town in Alaska has the best restaurants? While major cities like Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks are all home runs when it comes to finding a decent restaurant in Alaska, we often find that some of the most authentic meals will come from Alaska’s small towns, like Skagway, a beautiful town in Alaska with several local restaurants. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, Talkeetna is home to some of the best bakeries in Alaska. Here, you can pick up some delicious sweet treats to snack on while you sightsee around this picturesque little mountain town in Alaska. What are the most unique things to do in Alaska? Salmon may be a popular food in Alaska, but watching salmon is almost as popular as eating it! During the summer, the salmon run attracts people from all over the globe hoping to catch a glimpse of this incredible migration. While seeing the salmon is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it’s the chance to see Alaska’s bears come out to feed on them that’s really the star of the show. There are several places to watch the salmon run in Alaska, but the Russian River Falls Trail on the Kenai Peninsula is one of the most popular.
The OIYS Visitor Center
food in Alaska
September 23, 2022
Jackie Ann
What are the most popular foods in Alaska? Salmon is one of the most popular foods in Alaska and it’s probably the food Alaska is most known for. You’ll find it on just about every menu you come across, prepared in several different ways. Of course, if you’re just looking for something simple that you can grab and go, you don’t have to travel very far to find a reindeer dog, a classic Alaskan street food. Keep your traditional with ketchup, mustard, and onions or go bold and put anything you want on it, even macaroni and cheese! Which town in Alaska has the best restaurants? While major cities like Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks are all home runs when it comes to finding a decent restaurant in Alaska, we often find that some of the most authentic meals will come from Alaska’s small towns, like Skagway, a beautiful town in Alaska with several local restaurants. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, Talkeetna is home to some of the best bakeries in Alaska. Here, you can pick up some delicious sweet treats to snack on while you sightsee around this picturesque little mountain town in Alaska. What are the most unique things to do in Alaska? Salmon may be a popular food in Alaska, but watching salmon is almost as popular as eating it! During the summer, the salmon run attracts people from all over the globe hoping to catch a glimpse of this incredible migration. While seeing the salmon is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it’s the chance to see Alaska’s bears come out to feed on them that’s really the star of the show. There are several places to watch the salmon run in Alaska, but the Russian River Falls Trail on the Kenai Peninsula is one of the most popular.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Salmon is one of the most popular foods in Alaska and it’s probably the food Alaska is most known for. You’ll find it on just about every menu you come across, prepared in several different ways. Of course, if you’re just looking for something simple that you can grab and go, you don’t have to travel very far to find a reindeer dog, a classic Alaskan street food. Keep your traditional with ketchup, mustard, and onions or go bold and put anything you want on it, even macaroni and cheese!
Which town in Alaska has the best restaurants?
While major cities like Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks are all home runs when it comes to finding a decent restaurant in Alaska, we often find that some of the most authentic meals will come from Alaska’s small towns, like Skagway, a beautiful town in Alaska with several local restaurants. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, Talkeetna is home to some of the best bakeries in Alaska. Here, you can pick up some delicious sweet treats to snack on while you sightsee around this picturesque little mountain town in Alaska.
What are the most unique things to do in Alaska?
Salmon may be a popular food in Alaska, but watching salmon is almost as popular as eating it! During the summer, the salmon run attracts people from all over the globe hoping to catch a glimpse of this incredible migration. While seeing the salmon is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it’s the chance to see Alaska’s bears come out to feed on them that’s really the star of the show. There are several places to watch the salmon run in Alaska, but the Russian River Falls Trail on the Kenai Peninsula is one of the most popular.
