Dining in Denali-Alaska

Posted on by obligatorytraveler@gmail.com

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Being a major tourist spot, I didn’t have high expectations for eating in Denali. I figured that they have a large, captive, audience, which often leads to menu complacency, but we ended up being pleasantly surprised dining in Denali.

Moose-aka’s

Give a restaurant a fun name and I’m there. How could you not eat at a restaurant in Alaska called Moose-aka’s?

Moose-aka’s is a warm, cozy, Serbian, restaurant. Like our need for Mexican food in Sitka, Alaska, on our first night in Denali, we crave something different.

We start off with a light, refreshing, salad.

Shannon gets the Moussaka. I go with the stuffed pepper. Both of our dishes are delicious. They are like snugly hugs in our bellies.

On the fence about dessert, our sever convinces us we have to get their special dessert.

“It’s nice and light. You can share. You will be happy,” she encourages.

Dessert = Happy

The servers at Moose-aka’s are lovely. As we sit at the bar, many of the servers strike up a conversation. They are genuinely interested in where we are from, how we like Alaska, and what wildlife we’ve seen so far.

Go for the fun name. Stay for the flavorful food and friendly servers.

Prospectors Pizza and Alehouse

I wanted to eat elk. I don’t have an actual meat bucketlist, but when I see something that I haven’t tried, I’m in pursuit.

Prospectors is a bustling alehouse that serves up creative pizzas.

Rugged wilderness lends itself to beer and cider. Wine at Alaskan restaurants is pricey, so when in Rome…

Though we usually keep our pizzas simple, I am on a quest to eat elk meatballs. We go full out and get the toppings galore, AK Apollo pizza.

Several wood oven pizzas are consumed while we visit Alaska. The pizza at Prospectors is our favorite of the trip. The light, thin, crispy crust, allows one to have more space for the tasty elk meatballs and other toppings.

If you’re craving pizza and beer, Prospectors is the place to be.

49th State Brewing

Figuring that we had to visit at least one brewery while in Alaska, we make our way to Healy and 49th State Brewing.

Eight hours on a bus, plus hiking in the fresh, tundra air, works up an appetite.

We want to eat and drink all the things.

Feeling carby, the Bavarian pretzel with beer cheese, sounds like a dream.

Warm, soft, saltiness, embraces us like a friend.

Picking an entree is no easy task. There are so many choices. Everything from burgers, to fish and chips, to a vegan “chicken” cheesesteak.

Still in the mood for comfort food, I order the buffalo meatloaf because… garlic mashed potatoes. The mushroom, bourbon sauce didn’t hurt either.

It was less of an entree, and more of a skyscraper of gluttony.

Shannon opts for the much lighter fish tacos.

The atmosphere at 49th State Brewing is casual and laid back.

Gaston would fit right in in Alaska.

Alaskan businesses also use antlers in all of their decorating.

Only basic cowgirls ride horses. 49th State Brewing is far from basic.

Even if you aren’t up for a big meal, 49th State Brewing is the perfect spot to nurse a beer or two with friends, while sharing stories about your day in Denali.

Miller’s Gourmet Popcorn

Once you depart from The Wilderness Access Center in Denali, there is nowhere to purchase food. If you plan on taking the green shuttle bus to Wonder Lake, it could be a very long, hungry, foodless day. Most people pack plenty of snacks to munch on during the ride.

Our favorite Denali snack is a bag of cheddar popcorn we pick up at Miller’s Gourmet Popcorn. A lot of flavored popcorn is popcorn with just a dusting of flavor. This popcorn has cheesy wonderfulness on every kernel and crevice. Pick some up on the night before you board your bus.

I didn’t expect Denali to be a dining destination. Knowing that there was even more fantastic food waiting to be eaten, made me wish we had a few more days for dining in Denali.

dining in denali-alaska-obligatory traveler

alaska food travel

obligatorytraveler@gmail.com

Heather
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They all look delicious! Looks like Alaska might not be the place to go to watch one’s figure, but I’m here for it!
1. obligatorytraveler@gmail.com
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  I would say Denali is a place for hearty grub. Anchorage had a lot of organic, healthy options.
Tiffany
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I didn’t remember all these fantastic dining options! The food you ordered looks amazing! Yes, definitely eat a large meal before doing the bus tour to Wonder Lake.
Karthika
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Thank you this great list of choices. Seems like there is so much to choose from – never a boring meal again 🙂
1. obligatorytraveler@gmail.com
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  I was surprised by how much variety there was.
JM de Guzman
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All restaurants’ meals look very delicious but I specially love the AK Apollo pizza. It looks flavorful and appetizing. Though 49th State Brewing is a great place to chill i guess.
1. obligatorytraveler@gmail.com
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  If I was someone who spent their summers in Denali, I’d definitely try more of the pizzas at Prospectors. They had so many different ones.
Amanda
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This post is right up my alley!! Great scenery, good food, and great service=the best kind’ve travel I know! When we finally check Denali off the bucket list I’ll be pulling this one back out!
1. obligatorytraveler@gmail.com
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  It really is place that has everything.
Christina Daggett
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Hi Sarah, Alaska sounds wonderful! My husband and I are perpetual travelers, currently traveling in Europe. Our latest destination , since August has been The Republic of Georgia. If and when we return to the States I’d love to visit Alaska. The food especially looks delicious! I really enjoyed your post and will continue to follow. Also I will share on fb. I’ll also have to look into setting up a Twitter account. The Weekend Wanderlust Travel Community sounds interesting, too. Do they have link-ups? Thanks for visiting my blog and sharing on Twitter.
1. obligatorytraveler@gmail.com
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  I think Alaska is a must due at least once. Weekend Wanderlust is such a great community. They have a weekly Twitter chat on Thursday and they host a Blog Party where you can share your post from the week
Susan
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“Skyscraper of gluttony” This description alone would make me order this. Love it!!
1. obligatorytraveler@gmail.com
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  If there is meatloaf and mashed potatoes, there is a good chance I’m ordering it.
Rhonda Albom
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Wow. It looks like there are a lot more restaurants in Denali than I thought. I was there several years back and ate at completely different restaurants. I won’t ever forget the salmon bake restaurant.
1. obligatorytraveler@gmail.com
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  I wish we had time to eat at the salmon bake. It was on my short list. There were way more places to choose from than I thought. Having a car also helped.
Brooke of Passport Couture
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Everything looks so delicious! The meatloaf looks incredible. I wish I could head to Denali and taste it right now! #WeekendWanderlust
Nina Out and About
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God I just want to go to Alaska so damn badly! Giant pretzels and popcorn are totally up my alley. Good to know the food is just as awesome as the atmosphere!
Lyn aka The Travelling Lindfields
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Yep – I’m with you on ‘Moose-aka’. I wouldn’t have to think twice with a name like that.
Jill
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Once again I’m saving this for my son and his fiance for their trip to Denali in June. It really helps to have some good suggestions instead of blindly choosing somewhere – that doesn’t always work out.