12 Best Restaurants in Northwest and the Arctic, The Bush

This little coffee shop, in a repurposed old A-frame house, is an adorable place and the perfect spot for a breakfast sandwich or midday coffee. Tasty beverages and delicious homemade scones, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, and muffins are a welcome respite from Nome's wind and the industrial surroundings. The homey atmosphere is helped along by soft benches, stained glass lamps, local art, original wood floors, and bookshelves full of magazines, books, and games.

Go to Arctic for good pies and huge calzones, plus Mexican and Italian entrées. Everything is made to order, and the wait is worth it. While you wait, enjoy great people watching and the view.

This old bar with a good selection of beers serves up seafood, steak, noodles, rolls, and sides ranging from onion rings to kimchi. It’s a great place to sip wine or beer while enjoying fantastic views of the Bering Sea.

Try the tamales and flan at this eatery specializing in authentic Mexican fare. The owners were born in Cuba and Mexico, met in Utqiaġvik, and teamed up to make the food they grew up eating. The menu includes an array of dishes like camarones rancheros, enchiladas verdes, tacos, and choices for vegetarians as well as meat and seafood lovers. They've got great fresh baked goods and desserts, too.

Look for mostly Thai, Chinese, and American dishes at this spot along the shore. It offers a simple but filling selection of tempura, rolls, burgers, and more, along with fast and friendly service.

This basic but cozy eatery offers a range of food from morning to night. The menu includes pizza, burgers, omelets, wraps, nacho burritos, milkshakes, barbeque, Asian fusion dishes, and even packaged candy to go.

This popular Front Street restaurant has a casual atmosphere and offers dine-in service as well as takeout from midmorning to late. They serve pizzas with a wide assortment of toppings, along with steak dinners and Japanese (including sushi), Korean, and Italian food. One side of the restaurant has an Italian theme and the other a Japanese style.

This restaurant within the Top of the World Hotel offers a range of American food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including reindeer sausage scrambles, chicken fajita salads, Philly cheesesteaks, and various burgers, along with entrées like steak and halibut. For a good start to the day, try the well-prepared egg dishes for breakfast, with diner-style hash browns. Be sure to get a window seat.

Open early for breakfast and into the afternoon, Pingo serves up freshly made bread and fresh seafood meals Wednesday through Sunday. The menu changes daily, with items like seafood omelets, waffles, breakfast sandwiches, and burritos often making an appearance, along with sandwiches, soups, noodles, and pizza, plus an assortment of fresh pastries. They have gluten-free items on the menu, and can also cater to special diets.

If diner fare with a side of true Nome life is what you're after, this is the spot. Traditional hearty breakfast options are served all day, plus steak, chili, a modest salad bar, and unexpectedly delicious burgers, with everything clearly made to order. A fairly economical soup-and-sandwich special is also offered daily. It's the type of place where old-timers gather for coffee or lunch at the same time, same table each day. While you eat, get the complete Nome experience: endless views of the vast Bering Sea while local radio plays in the background.

Whether you're up early or late, Sam and Lee's has got you covered. They start with an excellent breakfast menu and stay open late with mostly Chinese fare, such as kung pao beef, almond chicken, and Szechwan chow mein. Locals rave about the kimchee too.

This restaurant within the Nullagvik Hotel serves classic American food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Choose from a decent selection of pizzas, sandwiches, burgers, and appetizers, along with dishes like caribou stew and goulash. There are great views of the sound and Wi-Fi, too.