Everyone loves to taste the local culture when traveling, and in this article, AlaskaExplored will explore the restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska. We will find the best places for a cold beer, a crafty cocktail, and a wood-fired pizza. We will also find the best dining options for our gluten-free, vegan, and food-allergy friends. Talkeetna is the ultimate small town in Alaska, and we will give you all the restaurant knowledge you need to plan your trip!
Article Overview: Best Restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska.
Why Trust Us On Restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska
AlaskaExplored is THE DESTINATION for all things Alaska. Whether you’re planning your next grand Alaska adventure or you just need some helping finding a restaurant in Talkeetna, we got you covered. Here you’ll find expert tips, detailed guides, stunning photographs, and more.
Together AlaskaExplored has more than twenty-five years of experience traveling, working, and exploring this beautiful, rugged land. Working in television has taken us around the world, and no place more than the 49th state.
During our time here, we’ve documented countless stories from every corner and crevasse of Alaska. We’ve helped showcase the grandeur of this wild place for National Geographic, Discovery, Disney, and Animal Planet and many more. Now we want to share our secrets with you!
My Experience with Restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska
When you first arrive in Talkeetna, Alaska, and walk down its tiny main street, you quickly realize you have entered the quintessential mountain village with a surprising number of restaurants. This small town in Alaska at the base of Denali, famous for being the jumping-off point for so many adventures, is also an incredible destination in its own right, with an eclectic offering of restaurants.
I first came across Talkeetna when traveling north from Anchorage over a decade ago. We needed a place to stop for a good meal, and The Denali Brewpub fit the bill. I have since been back multiple times for work and to explore all the restaurants Talkeetna, Alaska, has to offer.
Most notably in 2013 while shooting a show for The Discovery Channel. I spent over a week in this idyllic Alaska village, working, playing, and eating at all the restaurants in Talkeetna.
We were shooting aerial scenes on top of the nearby glaciers during the day. Thanks to the awesome pilots at Talkeetna Air Taxi, we had access to some of the most incredible scenery in Alaska.
The whole crew worked long days in freezing temperatures. Every night we would fly onboard a De Havilland Otter back to Talkeetna airport and hike downtown for dinner at one of Talkeetna’s many restaurants.
While flying through Alaska’s crisp air, the topic of conversation was frequently: “which Talkeetna restaurant are we eating at tonight?” After landing, everyone would be hungry, thirsty, and itching to spend their Alaska per diem at the local restaurants and pubs! Talkeetna joyfully abided on all fronts serving great food and plenty of booze.
Whether you’re looking for a local microbrew beer at Denali BrewPub or a Hawaiian Poke Bowl at The Alaskan Spinach Bread, when it comes to Restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska, we have you covered! Here are a few of the best places in town.
Best Restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska
Table of Contents: Restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska
Table of contents
- Why Trust Us On Restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska
- Best Restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska
- Denali BrewPub
- Latitude 62
- Talkeetna Roadhouse
- Mountain High Pizza
- Talkeetna Spinach Bread
- Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe
- Conscious Coffee
- Shirley’s Burger Barn
- The Salmon Spot
- Talkeetna Tako
- Restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska (Post Summary)
- Talkeetna, Alaska, has a Restaurant for Everyone!
- Talkeetna, Alaska Restaurants Map
Denali BrewPub
When I first visited the Denali BrewPub well over a decade ago, it was a small village brewery. Exactly the kind of Alaska restaurant you dream of finding in a small town like Talkeetna. The beer was great. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, and conveniently located on the main street amongst the other Talkeetna restaurants.
Fast forward to today, and the name Denali Brewing Company is much bigger than just Talkeetna. You can find Denali Brewing’s Twister Creek IPA and Single Engine Red in every liquor store in Alaska and a few down south. The restaurant and brewpub are still located on Main Street in downtown Talkeetna. However, the tasting room and brewery are at a much larger on the drive into Talkeetna. The Tasting Room is worth stopping at if you want to see their brewing operations and taste one of their 20+ beers on tap. They also serve pizza.
The BrewPub, located on Main Street, offers beer, cider, and cocktails they produce in their brewery and distillery. The food is excellent, with the standard pub fare of burgers, fish n’ chips, pesto chicken sandwiches, and meatloaf. They offer a selection of veg options and a kid’s menu, making this an excellent place for everyone to visit. I have three kids of my own, and nothing makes going out with the kids better than having cocktails and beer nearby.
This Talkeetna restaurant is worth checking out if you want to taste some of Alaska’s local beers.
Address: BrewPub 13605 E Main St, Talkeetna, Alaska 99676, Brewery and Tasting Room 37083 Talkeetna, Alaska
Latitude 62
Latitude 62 is located on Talkeetna Spur Road near downtown, and it’s both a modest Alaska hotel and a restaurant. When we arrived in Talkeetna in the middle of winter, this was our first stop. We stayed in their rooms for the entire shoot.
It was the perfect spot to have a cozy space to dry off, charge camera batteries, download footage, and prep for the next day’s shoot. It’s conveniently located near the Talkeetna Airport, which we flew out of nearly every day of the production. But we aren’t here to talk about hotel rooms; we’re here to talk about the restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska.
Latitude 62 gives people exactly what they crave in the winter: warm, hardy food. Nothing overly fancy here; we frequently ate breakfast in the rustic restaurant out of convenience and would complete our nights with a drink from the bar before heading to bed.
The breakfasts were the traditional Alaska fare but a solid choice amongst the Talkeetna restaurants, which mainly cater to lunch and dinner. Biscuits and Gravy, plenty of coffee (you’ll rarely see the bottom of your coffee mug in this restaurant), and eggs.
The dinner menu includes all the steaks, sandwiches, and seafood you would expect. Saturday nights are prime rib night and are supposedly not to be missed.
If spending any time in Talkeetna, you will inevitably end up at Latitude 62, whether for lodging or the restaurant. While we love an eclectic menu, sometimes, in the middle of winter, all you want is a warm, reliable rustic restaurant. In Talkeetna, Alaska, Latitude 62 is that restaurant.
Address: 22687 Talkeetna Spur Rd Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Talkeetna Roadhouse
The Roadhouse is similar to Talkeetna’s Latitude 62 with its small-town Alaska vibe, guest rooms, and restaurant. The similarities stop there.
Roadhouse is an artisanal bakery with a funky neighborhood vibe. Seating is family-style, and the baked goods include pies, cookies, bread, and cinnamon rolls, all made fresh on-site.
This historic Talkeetna restaurant was built in 1917; you will feel the Alaska history when entering the property. When I visited the Roadhouse last, you had to share a bathroom when staying at the lodge. Thanks to some upgrades, that is no longer the case.
After ordering at the counter, you’ll make your way to the dining area, which feels more like a relative’s living room than a Talkeetna restaurant. Filled with couches, a piano, and a wood stove, it’s the perfect restaurant to enjoy blueberry pancakes, some eggs, and their hardy biscuits and gravy.
While filming in Talkeetna, Alaska, our crew made stopping at this restaurant a daily ritual.
Address: 13550 East Main St, Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Mountain High Pizza
This pizzeria offers all the staples of a traditional pizza joint with its welcoming menu and digs. The restaurant is located at the end of the main street in downtown Talkeetna.
Mountain High Pizza has a beer garden deck with live music in the summer. They are open year-round for inside dining and take-out. Two highlights on their menu are reindeer sausage and the aptly named “Mountain High Pizza Pie,” which boasts over thirty toppings.
This Talkeetna Restaurant has a distinctly Alaska feel, be sure to check the events section of their site for local bands, themed evenings, and featured microbrews. For take-out orders, call 907-733-1234.
Address: 22165 C St, Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Talkeetna Spinach Bread
Housed in a shiny vintage Airstream trailer, Talkeetna Spinach Bread offers the most exciting menu of any of our featured Talkeetna, Alaska restaurants. They offer daily specials with an international flair.
In Alaska, menus can become repetitive, with simple salmon, burgers, and steaks frequenting most establishments. At Talkeetna Spinach Bread, it’s anything but, with offerings like the Thursday Hawaiian Poke Bowl, Saturday’s Ethiopian Beans and Rice Bowl, or Friday’s Thai Curry.
They also offer a killer breakfast burrito with optional pan-fried pork shoulder, and on Mondays, you can get some Morning Migas. The menu’s specials are broken down by the day of the week, so be sure to check out the menu before going.
When exploring Talkeetna, Alaska, make this restaurant your first stop.
Address: 13487 East Main Street, Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe
Located on Spur Road at mile 11 on the drive into Talkeetna, The Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe prides itself on its local and organic ingredients. Offering over a dozen different breads, ranging from challah and whole wheat sourdough to olive & herb Fougasse.
Bread can be ordered in advance if you’re worried about your favorite loaf selling out. All the bread is baked daily in their wood fire oven fueled by the local birch. The wood-fired oven is also used on weekends when the cafe has pizza nights (be sure to try the Mardi Gras pizza).
Flying Squirrel is a great Talkeetna restaurant option if traveling with a party with food restrictions. They have a range of options for vegan and gluten-free customers. While traveling around Alaska, this Talkeetna restaurant has something for everyone on your crew to enjoy!
Address: 26205 Talkeetna Spur, Mile 11, Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Conscious Coffee
Nearly every small town in Alaska has a tiny coffee shop that is amazing and convenient during the cold winter; this Talkeetna restaurant offers that and much more.
Conscious Coffee is a window-serviced restaurant that has all the small-town feels. Great coffee, a full crepe menu, and bagels to boot.
The frequent long lines may mean a long wait but it also translates to deliciousness. People don’t wait in lines for breakfast unless it’s worth it! If you’re not in a rush, their delicious food, smoothies, and milkshakes are worth the wait.
This Talkeetna, Alaska restaurant offers a friendly covered seating area that welcomes hungry customers out front with complimentary wifi.
Address: 13521 E Main St Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Shirley’s Burger Barn
A traditional no-fuss small-town Alaska burger joint. When making a list of restaurants in Talkeetna, Shirley’s Burger Barn is not to be missed.
Shirley’s grills up beef, veg, and salmon burgers. They also offer hot dogs and Reindeer on a stick. This outdoor burger joint has ice cream and the occasional pie. Their signature dish is the “Shirley’s Famous Big Fat Juicy Cheeseburger,” a rather self-explanatory name but also deliciously true.
Be sure to try the fireweed ice cream at this Talkeetna, Alaska restaurant.
Address: 22336 Talkeetna Spur Road Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
The Salmon Spot
This restaurant originally started in Juneau, Alaska but migrated to Talkeetna. Unfortunately, The Salmon Spot wasn’t open last time I was in Talkeetna, but we will check it out on our next trip.
The husband and wife owners offer all things salmon on their menu, Salmon burgers, salmon cakes, and salmon chowder. Located near the Denali Fairview inn and next door to the Denali BrewPub.
When it comes to Salmon, this is the restaurant to hit up when in Talkeetna, Alaska.
Address: 101 N Main St Talkeetna, AK 99676
Talkeetna Tako
Located in the center of Main street in Talkneeta, Alaska, you’ll surprisingly find a bang’n taco restaurant. Talkeetna Tako offers up a selection of traditional burgers with the exception of the double spicy burger, which has two patties, cheese, green chiles, lettuce, tomato, onion, and salsa. But the real reason to make your way to Talkeetna Tako is the tacos.
Talkeetna Takos is a taco truck with a picnic table out front. The taco menu includes Chicken, Pork, Barbacoa, Carne Asada, Gringo, Veggie, and Halibut. They also offer up a burrito, quesadillas, and a specialty item called the Salmon Cheese Crunch, which is smoked salmon on a bed of fried cheese topped with onions, cilantro, chives, salsa, and lime.
Alaska has a fair amount of taco shops of dismal quality; this Talkeetna restaurant is the exception.
Address: 13606 E Main Street. Talkeetna, Alaska
Restaurants in Talkeetna, Alaska (Post Summary)
- Denali BrewPub
- Latitude 62
- Talkeetna Roadhouse
- Mountain High Pizza
- Talkeetna Spinach Bread
- Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe
- Conscious Coffee
- Shirley’s Burger Barn
- The Salmon Spot
- Talkeetna Tako
Talkeetna, Alaska, has a Restaurant for Everyone!
This small mountain village has so much to offer visitors. Whether you’re just passing through on your way to Anchorage or Fairbanks or if Talkeetna is your destination, there are plenty of delicious options. While Alaska has dozens of quaint towns and villages, not all have the restaurant scene offered by Talkeetna, Alaska. This is a top destination for any traveler heading to Alaska!
Talkeetna, Alaska Restaurants Map
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