TheTravelin'Joe

Anchorage seems to have it all – the majestic Chugach Mountains, Sleeping Lady overlooking Cook Inlet, trendy metropolitan appeal, and easy access to some of the best Alaskan adventure you can endure. The city also hosts some of the best restaurants I’ve experienced as well. From Marx Bros. Cafe and Ginger to Orso and La Cabana, Anchorage’s food game is definitely on point. Grab a meal at any one of these places and you’ll be satisfied. But if you’re just looking for a beer, maybe some wings, or even a heaping pile of tasty nachos at the end of the day, these three places will take good care of you.

The Rustic Goat

The Rustic Goat, located on the corner of West Northern Lights Boulevard and Turnagain Street, is a self-described “warm, industrial-chic spot offering an elevated take on American comfort food & craft brews.” They offer everything from Reindeer Skewers and Vegan Stir Fry to Thai Chicken Pizza and a mouth-watering 14 oz. Kaladi Brothers coffee crusted ribeye. Those Rustic Goat Nachos, though. Wow! From the Cuban pulled pork, candied jalapeños, mozzarella, onions, tomatoes and cilantro right down to the unbelievably tasty green chili sour cream, they are by far the best nachos I’ve ever eaten.

Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria

When I lived in Anchorage, eating at Moose’s Tooth was a bi-weekly ritual. So, yes, I may be a little biased but whether veggie pizzas, chicken pizzas or meat pizzas are what you’re looking for, this bustling joint serves up the best slices in town – hands down. What I didn’t realize, simply because I was usually too busy devouring the likes of an Avalanche or Santa’s Little Helper along with one of their 20 different beers, is that their chicken wings are worth an order as well. They offer two choices, hot and spicy habanero and sweet and spicy Korean sauce. I love spicy wings just as much as the next wing enthusiast, but on this trip I went with the Korean sauce to change things up. They did not disappoint.

49th State Brewing Company

Remember what I said about Sleeping Lady, Cook Inlet and those Chugach Mountain Peaks? Well, order from a freshly sourced Alaskan product filled menu or do like I did, grab a delicious award winning beer and take in these sights while relaxing on this brewpub’s outstanding rooftop patio. Must tries include the Solstice and Moose Joose IPA, the Prospectors Gold Lager, and the semi-dry, American-style Appalanche Cider.