6 Best Restaurants in Homer, The Kenai Peninsula and Southcentral Alaska

Open at 7 am, this place is a perfect stop before a day of fishing, but lunch is an equally fulfilling experience. La Baleine serves fantastic breakfast sandwiches on fresh ciabatta rolls—complimentary cup of locally roasted coffee included. Owner and renowned chef Kirsten Dixon and her daughter Mandy, both of them graduates of Le Cordon Bleu, Paris cooking school, create simple, highly pleasing meals such as the noodle bowl: fresh ramen with homemade broth, local vegetables, and seasonal fish. All the wild seafood dishes here are tremendously flavorful.

This hot spot draws crowds from all over the world, despite the fact it's too small to fit them all (reservations are essential). The emphasis here is on local ingredients, each bite making Homer feel a little more like home. Popular starters include fish tacos, sliders made with Alaska-grown beef, and Halibut Cove blue mussels. The entrées change often but might include fish-and-chips, wild prawns, and beef tenderloin. A surefire bet is the Hot Stone Bowl, made a different way each day with mostly local fish and vegetables.

Pumpkin-color walls, light streaming through tall front windows, and a playful collection of Italian posters add to the appeal of this fine Tuscany-inspired bistro. The menu encompasses enticing appetizers, salads, sandwiches, calzones, and pizzas throughout the day, along with oven-roasted chicken, fresh seafood, pork loin, and other fare in the evening. If you're in a hurry, just get a giant slice of the thin-crust cheese pizza to go for $5. You can order meals at the bar, where you'll find a great wine selection, and there's always something decadent for dessert.

Be sure to check out this old-fashioned country store, gas station, liquor store, post office, video-rental shop, and deli. The latter is the primary reason for stopping at Fritz's: the food is amazingly good—brisket smoked right out back, homemade bread, pastries, and pizza by the slice. Pull up a chair at a table crafted from an old cable spool and join the back-to-the-land patrons as they drink espresso, talk Alaskan politics, and pet the cats.

This very popular café is a short walk from Bishops Beach, Beluga Slough, and the Islands and Ocean Visitors Center. In addition to fresh breads and pastries, Two Sisters specializes in deliciously healthy lunches, such as vegetarian focaccia sandwiches, homemade soups, quiche, and salads. Sit on the wraparound porch on a summer afternoon, or take your espresso and scone down to the beach to watch the waves roll in. Be sure to check their Facebook page for what's available that day.

Located in Old Town next to the Bunnell Street Arts Center, Wild Honey features sweet and savory crepes along with housemade soups and salads, most of which showcase ingredients the owners have harvested themselves. Everything else is bought from local farmers.