Best Diner / Greasy Spoon: Kriner’s Diner
2409 C St.
929-8257
Kriner’s Diner is iconically Midwestern American with huge portions of staple diner foods, friendly service, and an overtly conservative atmosphere. The establishment is constantly lauded for the environment created from a family owned business but especially comes under high recommendation for their burgers, chiefly their Andy’s Awesome Burger. Don’t forget the Freedom Fries!
2. City Diner
3. Leroy’s Family Restaurant
Best Vietnamese: Ray’s Place
2412 Spenard Rd.
279-2932
The extremely personable owners make Ray’s feel like you’re always dining with friends. Their beef salad is to die for, but most readers go there for their legendary pho and inventive dishes like halibut with tamarind. Anchorage is teeming with Vietnamese restaurants these days, and the packed parking lot at Ray’s is testimony to their loyal clientele. But would it kill them to open on Saturdays?
2. Pho Lena
3. Pho Vietnam
Best Sandwich: Brown Bag Sandwich Co.
400 D St.
277-0202
Brown Bag Sandwich Co. was voted the Best Sandwich in Anchorage for the third year running. We’re not surprised because we’re pretty sure their sandwiches are made from magic. There’s a sandwich for whatever you little heart could desire: spicy, meaty, all-veg, hot, or cold, Brown Bag has you covered. Also, can we talk about how damn delicious their chocolate chip cookies are? We’d recommend buy a sandwich just to get a bite of that. Seriously. Look for them in their new location soon, on 3rd across from the Hilton in the old Woodshed building.
2. Sara’s Sandwich Shop
3. Middleway Cafe
Best First Date Spot: Bear Tooth Bar & Glacier Brewhouse (tie)
1230 W. 27th Ave.
276-4200
737 W. 5th Ave., Ste. 110
274-2739
Anchorage, rarely do we have to call a draw in the realm of Press Picks. For the most part, your decisions are absolute. Anchorage is not in the business of indecision. But in the jousting match for best first date spot between Bear Tooth Bar & Grill and Glacier Brewhouse, the votes are in a deadlock—an honest-to-God tie. First of all, our applause to the eateries for being so good that you’ve split this city 50/50. Secondly, congratulations to all your single 20-somethings (and other-somethings) out there; just in case one first date is shit, you’ve always got a backup for the next one. And both of them are pretty damn good.
2. Spenard Roadhouse
3. Ginger
Best Street Food: M.A.’S Gourmet Hotdogs
605 W. 4th Ave.
We’d like to take a moment to mourn the end of summer designated by M.A.’s closing up shop for winter. Owned and operated by Michael Anderson for over 20 years, everyone in Anchorage knows that summer is officially over when M.A. waves the red flag, and everyone knows that spring is here—30 degree weather be damned—as soon as M.A.’s flicks the grill on in March. All the dogs are six bucks, and they’re all delicious. Feeling spicy? Go for the Louisiana Hot. Want a classic? There’s always the Kosher Polish. Work your way down the list. And while you’re there, make sure to give M.A.’s dog Vivo a pat on the head.
2. International House of Hotdogs
3. The Magpie
Best Brew Pub: Midnight Sun Brewing Company
8111 Dimond Hook Dr.
344-1179
Okay peeps, Midnight Sun is not a brewpub in the strictest definition, but who cares? There’s no argument that it feels like one. The brewery’s upstairs Loft pumps some of Alaska’s zaniest beers from the brewery below, each of which can be paired with the little kitchen’s legendary cheddar-ale soup, field of hops salad and ancho beef dip sandwich from the main menu, or with a pick from the daily menu. Great for lunch or dinner, skipping church for the weekend brunch menu and a plate of biscuits with chorizo gravy is never sacrilegious.
2. Glacier Brewhouse
3. Moose’s Tooth
Best Deck/Patio: Snow Goose Restaurant and Sleeping Lady Brewery
717 W. 3rd Ave.
277-7727
Pretty much everybody in Anchorage knows that after the spring thaw, when we’re just remembering what the warmth of the sun feels like, the deck at Snow Goose will give you a reason to celebrate summer’s arrival on a beautiful day. The view is amazing, looking out over the inlet toward Sleeping Lady, the brewery’s namesake. Speaking of the brewery, the view from the deck is best complemented with one of the beers concocted downstairs, like a Fish On! IPA or cask-conditioned ale hand-pumped from a firkin. It’ll be a while before the deck is open again, but once the midnight sun returns, Snow Goose is the place to enjoy it.
2. Williwaw
3. Peanut Farm
Best Mexican Food: Taco King
Tacokingak.com
771-6000
Yeah, y’all ain’t lookin’ to get fancy when it comes to Mexican food; you don’t even require a place that serves margaritas. Taco King is not quite fast food, but it’s close, and their mascot Pedro delivers all over town. When it comes to what’s known as street tacos elsewhere—two corn tortillas with meat, onions, cilantro, and salsa—Taco King can’t be beat (here they’re called “Special Tacos”). When it comes to authenticity, well, lengua, or beef tongue is an option, along with the excellent carne asada, adobada, and chile verde. And yeah, they’ve got “Gringo Tacos” for those who like a hard shell and spicy ground beef. Feeling a bit hung over? Their pork pozole will quickly bring you back to life, and it tastes great washed down with jamaica or horchata. Taco King is reasonably priced and quick, and the food is damned good.
2. Gallo’s
3. La Cabana
Best Local Chef: Rob Kinneen
Rob Kinneen is the closest thing Alaska’s got to a celebrity chef. Hell, he just cooked for President Obama at the private dinner Alaska Dispatch News owner Alice Rogoff threw. Rob’s known for his passion for local food, and he’s currently partnered with “Delicious” Dave Thorne to bring locally sourced provisions to the diners at the TapRoot. But even if you haven’t checked out TapRoot’s new menu, you’ve probably had his food, as he’s been the chef at Alyeska’s Seven Glaciers, the Crow’s Nest, Orso, and Crush. All of those places can be a hit to the wallet, so if you haven’t had Kinneen’s food, run to TapRoot now for an affordable plate of his fixins.
2. Adam Marcum
3. Tie: Al Levinsohn/Delicious Dave Thorne
Best Italian: Sorrentos
610 E. Fireweed Ln.
278-3439
For 40 years Sorrento’s has been serving up Italian classics (we’re hoping the surprising number of readers who voted them Best Mexican take note, there’s nothing south of the border about this place) including pasta, steak, seafood, veal and pizzas. The service is friendly and they have added gluten free pasta as an option. Readers love their chicken portobello, primavera pizza, and scampi. Don’t let the glum exterior keep you away.
2. Little Italy
3. Romano’s
Best New Restaurant: South Restaurant and Coffeehouse
11124 Old Seward Hwy.
770-9200
southak.com
With a slogan of “casual, highbrow dining,” South offers something for everyone and won this category handily. The latest project from the team of owners who brought us Snow City Cafe, Spenard Roadhouse and Sacks, the place has been packed to the gills since opening in May. With a gorgeous and inventive bar, onsite bakery, coffeehouse, an industrial-meets-homey dining room, patio space and a private chef’s kitchen, South has become the place to see and be seen for the past six months.
2. Rustic Goat
3. Texas Roadhouse
Best Cheap Eats Under $15: Taco King
tacokingak.com
Not only is this local chain considered Anchorage’s best Mexican food, it is also the best bargain when you’re hungry, readers say. maybe they are thinking about the delicious and huge torta de carne asada, a Mexican sandwich served on an eight-inch toasted baguette with grilled beef, avocado, lettuce, cotija cheese, sour cream and salsa for $9.25. What they are not thinking about is Taco Bell, or any other national chain in this category, which makes us proud!
2. Tie: Arctic Roadrunner/Lucky Wishbone
3. Bear Tooth
Best BBQ Restaurant: Turnagain Arm Pit
103.5 Seward Hwy. (Indian)
202-8393
3637 Old Seward Hwy.
202-8010
The original Turnagain Arm Pit location in Indian is simply awesome, roadside dining with sweeping vistas of Turnagain Arm. But it’s a drive, so barbecue lovers rejoiced when they opened a Pit location in town. This is real southern barbecue, slow Alaskan alder smoked pork, brisket, and chicken with traditional sides like cornbread, collard greens, hush puppies, and fried okra. We’re big fans of the Boar Tide sandwich, one-third of a pound of pulled pork with bacon. Of course, barbecue is about the meat, but the meat doesn’t count without the sauce, and the Arm Pit has that covered with four of its own: the original, spicy, mustard and Carolina.
2. AJ’s Rib A Go Go
3. Roscoe’s Catfish and Barbecue
Best Bakery: Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop
1343 G St.
569-0001
2530 E. 16th Avenue
274-0022
There was no ambiguity in this category—Anchoragites love Fire Island. And for good reason. This small, homey bake shop uses high quality ingredients like organic flour from an artisanal mill in Utah (that makes its own electricity with a water turbine) and its own starters to make fresh baked loaves of bread daily, along with a variety of treats like dried cherry and almond scones, dairy-free lemon poppy seed muffins, and monkey bread—don’t get us started on the freakin’ monkey bread. It’s croissant dough rolled in brown sugar and cinnamon, absolutely amazing. With a second location in Airport Heights complementing the downtown location, this family-run bakery has become an Anchorage institution since opening in 2009.
2. Great Harvest Bread Company
3. Charlie’s Bakery
Best Burger: Tommy’s Burger Stop
1106 W. 29th Pl.
561-5696
Tommy’s wins this category year after year because, well, the burgers are ridiculously good. There are 11 options on the menu and the 5.5-ounce patties are dusted with a Cajun seasoning. The specialty burgers are where it’s at, served on fresh baked sesame Kaiser rolls from French Oven Bakery. Order the R.L.E. Hello Burger (we have no idea where the name comes from) and you’ll get the ultimate Tommy’s has to offer: two of those patties with bacon, grilled mushrooms, onions, jalapenos, American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. Coming in a close second this year is the Arctic Roadrunner, which has a burger fit for a king as well. The Kodiak Islander is a quarter-pound burger with mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, a green chile, bologna, salami, ham, American and mozzarella cheeses, with one of their amazing onion rings as a crown.
2. Arctic Roadrunner
3. Long Branch Saloon
Best Fine Dining: Simon and Seafort’s
420 L St.
274-3502
We don’t hurt for fine dining in Anchorage. Votes came in for favorites like the Crow’s Nest, Orso, the Marx Brothers Café, Club Paris, the Double Musky, and many more. But once again, readers chose Simon and Seafort’s overlooking Cook Inlet and Sleeping Lady as their favorite. Simon’s has been there for years, consistently serving incredible steaks and seafood—it’s likely your parents’ favorite fine dining destination as well. Here’s a secret: duck into the bar area between 3 and 6 p.m. or after 9 p.m. for great appetizer specials, like bacon-wrapped meatloaf sliders, grilled teriyaki tenderloins, warm brie with a macadamia nut crust, and the warm crab and artichoke dip, each for under 10 bucks. Or for a grand night out, splurge on the filet mignon with truffle oil enhanced smoked mushrooms. It’s just under $45, but you deserve it.
2. Crow’s Nest
3. Orso
Best Vegetarian Restaurant: Middle Way Café
1200 W. Northern Lights Blvd.
272-6433
Middle Way Café turned 21 this year, and for those two-plus decades it’s been a destination for vegetarians and vegans to grab a bite from an extensive menu, along with great coffees and free Wi-Fi. You could eat every meal here and still have multiple meat-free options. Huevos rancheros for breakfast, with blackened tofu and vegan sour cream. A massive Greek salad for lunch. And Middle Way’s house-made black bean/kale nature burger at dinner time. There are also plenty of choices featuring vegetarian favorites like quinoa, hummus, and tabouleh. Plus vegetarians can bring their carnivorous friends—though there’s no beef to be found at Middle Way, there’s organic chicken, roasted turkey, albacore tuna, and wild Alaska salmon scattered through the menu.
2. Organic Oasis
3. Yak and Yeti
Best Pizza Joint: Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria
3300 Old Seward Hwy.
258-2537
Raise your hand if you’re surprised … Of course you’re not. Moose’s Tooth is a slam-dunk in this category year after year, and regularly shows up on best pizza rankings for the nation. TripAdvisor.com ranked it number three in the country this summer, and we all know why. We’re willing to endure the long wait for a table to get one of their many innovative pies; and if you’ve tried them all, well, you deserve some kind of prize. We love the Santa’s little helper, with pepperoni, blackened chicken, grilled steak, bacon, red peppers, cilantro, mozzarella, provolone and red sauce. But we’ll also get a bit crazy and order the spicy Thai chicken, with blackened chicken, red onions, green peppers, pepperoncini, Alaska-grown bean sprouts, carrot threads, cilantro, mozzarella, provolone, and peanut sauce.
2. Uncle Joe’s
3. Fat Ptarmigan
Best Seafood Restaurant: Simon and Seafort’s
420 L St.
274-3502
Have you had the crab and macadamia nut stuffed halibut at Simon and Seafort’s? If so, you know why they won in this category once again. But Simon’s has great seafood across the board, from crab cocktail to oysters on the half-shell to gin-cured wild Alaska salmon carpaccio. The asiago-almond crusted scallops are out of this world, and you can order red crab legs from Alaska’s Norton Sound or the Barents Sea north of Russia. They even serve an etouffee with prawns, jumbo sea scallops, clams, and (of course) reindeer sausage. No wonder Simon’s got nearly five times the votes of the closest contender.
2. Sea Galley
3. Glacier Brewhouse
Best Late Night Dining: Leroy’s Family Restaurant
2420 C St.
279-6162
So Leroy’s didn’t win in the People Watching category, but checking out your fellow 3 a.m. patrons at this 24/7 no-frills diner is always interesting. Plus when it comes to late night munchies, your options are pretty limited—we’d much rather hit up Leroy’s than any of the chains like Denny’s, Village Inn, or Taco Bell. Leroy’s is like a time machine, which isn’t surprising, since it’s nearing a half-century of serving up black coffee, omelets, burgers, and all the fare you’d expect. It’s the kind of joint that could have been the set for Jim Jarmusch’s Coffee and Cigarettes, were smoking not banned in the Municipality of Anchorage.
2. Village Inn
3. F Street Station
Best Steak House: Club Paris
417 W. 5th Ave.
277-6332
A longtime Alaskan told us the following about electronics sales reps visiting Anchorage. “I’d pick them up at the airport and, almost without exception, they wanted to go to the Bush Company.” “Straight to the Bush Company?” we asked. “No,” he replied. “If they’d been here before, they wanted to go to Club Paris for that amazing four-inch thick steak first. Then the Bush Company.” We think that tells you everything you need to know about Club Paris.
2. Sullivan’s
3. Double Musky
Best Breakfast: Snow City Café
1034 W. 4th Ave.
272-2489
When President Obama visited Anchorage this summer, everyone seemed to know that he’d go to Snow City Café for breakfast. So, congratulations Laile Fairbairn and Co., you’ve created an Anchorage icon. We were happy to see Gwennie’s, the original Press Picks breakfast icon (until Snow City knocked them off their perch in 2003) hanging tough in second place. And, with newcomer South coming in third, Ms. Fairbairn better not rest on her laurels. Oh, wait…
2. Gwennie’s
3. South
Best Chinese: Charlie’s Bakery
2729 C St.
677-7777
Year after year, we’d grit our teeth tabulating this category, knowing that the title of Best Chinese would go to the wrong restaurant. But, this year, finally, Charlie’s rightfully squeaked out a victory. Located in a non-descript midtown strip mall, Charlie’s looks more school cafeteria than Chinese restaurant. And, what’s with the Napoleons, baguettes and cakes? This is a Chinese place, right? The thing is, founder and head chef, Charlie, is a Taiwanese chef who trained in Paris, and his cooking is as authentic as you can get in Alaska, plus it’s the only place in town to get dim sum. Looks like our readers have finally discovered this hidden gem.
2. Panda Restaurant
3. China Lights
Best Thai: Thai Kitchen
3405 E. Tudor Rd
561-0082
Thai Kitchen has had a lock on this category since Press Picks launched in the mid-‘90s. Back then, there were only a couple of choices for Thai and all of just one Vietnamese place—hard for you kids to imagine, eh? Thai Kitchen is a family run joint tucked in the back of a Tudor Rd. strip mall grocery store. Sadly, readers may be voting them best Thai based on fond memories rather than recent experiences. Given the amount of competition in the market, they’d better straighten things up or they’ll lose their Press Picks top spot.
2. Lahn Pad Thai
3. Thai Orchid
Best Japanese: Sushi & Sushi
3337 Fairbanks St.
333-9999
There are a lot of decent Japanese restaurants in Anchorage serving Alaskan style sushi—Denali Rolls, halibut tempura, etc … Sushi & Sushi kicks that style up a notch with elevated ingredients and plating. Combined with their upscale, contemporary Asian decor and knowledgeable, attentive wait staff, the result is Anchorage’s best Japanese restaurant.
2. Ronnie’s
3. Sushi Ya
Best Other Ethnic: Yak & Yeti Himalayan Restaurant
3301 Spenard Rd.
743-8078
This funky little stand-alone Spenard restaurant is the real deal. Owner Lobsang Dorjee, an Indian raised Tibetan, offers a small but very authentic menu of traditional Himalayan cuisine. They have wonderful vegetarian options and, for you meat eaters, offer a succulent goat curry.
2. Bombay Deluxe
3. Namaste Shangrila
Best Korean: VIP Restaurant
555 W. Northern Lights Blvd. # 105
279-8514
VIP is one of the granddaddies of Anchorage Korean restaurants—a category that has seen a surge in popularity over the past several years. Enter their front door and the delicious aroma of Korean BBQ immediately envelops you. Diners are greeted with excellent banchan, a selection of seven shared side dishes designed to complement the meal. The best way to experience VIP is to dine with a group of at least four, order dishes from each corner of the menu, put them in the middle of the table and share. Despite the occasional service lapse, VIP has remained atop Press Picks due to the quality of their cuisine.
2. Tofu House
3. Korean Garden
Best Coffee Shop: Kaladi Brothers Coffee
Multiple locations
kaladi.com
We omitted this category from the printed ballot–so KBC’s win is based on online voting only. Not that there was any question about it. Aside from Moose’s Tooth in pizza, no other company so dominates their category. Why? Multiple convenient locations; a civic-minded approach to business; friendly, well trained baristas and, of course, delicious coffee.
2. Steamdot
3. Black Cup
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