11 Best Restaurants in The Kenai Peninsula and Southcentral Alaska, Alaska

Just about everything at this restaurant in the small-boat harbor is made on-site, from the salad dressings to the infused liquors in the inventive libations. The award-winning chef prepares only sustainable Alaskan seafood, and information is provided about where it comes from and when it's in season. The wine and beer selections are first-rate. Upstairs window seats have stunning views. The menu changes frequently depending on the freshest catches of the day, so be sure to check out Facebook or Instagram to see what the chef has in store for diners on any given day.

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.

At the top of the dock overlooking Halibut Cove, this is one of Southcentral's most beautiful places to sit and soak up the pleasures of a summer afternoon. Locally caught seafood, the restaurant's specialty, is prepared with finesse, and the dish for vegetarians is always a mouthwatering delight. Before or after dinner you can stroll Halibut Cove's boardwalks and visit the two art galleries, or just relax on the dock. Reservations are essential for the ferry, which requires you return the same way in which you came unless you've secured lodging on the Cove.

A big, boisterous, friendly place near the small-boat harbor, Henry's has a menu that's equally big. There's fresh local seafood, of course, but also everything from barbecue and rack of lamb to gourmet salads, pastas, and even some Cajun dishes. Get started with one of the many appetizers (the smoked salmon is always a good choice), and finish up with one of their tasty desserts.

As its name suggests, Louie's specializes in steak and Alaska seafood, but they have a number of other alternatives on the menu as well. The clam chowder gets quite the rave reviews, and the clam and mussel appetizer is outstanding. On the weekend, the breakfast menu offers a bountiful amount of food. The decor is not for everyone, but for those not bothered by the sight of taxidermied animals, it's a chance to see just about every creature that roams the state.

A warm and inviting wood-paneled restaurant and Victorian lounge inside Hotel Seward, Ms. Gene's is one of the town's only fine dining establishments, serving breakfast and dinner year-round. The dinner menu changes often, but dishes such as seared ahi tuna, filet mignon, and halibut cheeks appear with frequency and are revered. There is limited seating so be sure to book a table in advance.

On clear summer evenings, you can relax on this roadside bar's deck overlooking Eyak Lake and enjoy whatever the cook's in the mood to make. Located inside a former storage shed for railroad explosives, this place serves homemade soups, burgers, and sushi (on Friday); seasonal seafood, including shrimp, scallops, razor clams, and whatever else is fresh, is also available every night.

This restaurant is about the closest thing to fine dining in Cordova, and it's generally packed with tourists, fishermen, and locals who appreciate both the food and the drinks. Each summer, the chef blows the menu up with something new and fabulous, but you're guaranteed to find a number of excellent fish dishes always fresh and right off the fishing boats. During the summer, the restaurant offers breakfast on Wednesday through Sunday until 11 am.

Part of Seward Windsong Lodge, the Roadhouse offers locally sourced food and a deck that overlooks the Resurrection River and the surrounding mountains. Standard Alaska seafood fare fills the menu, along with multiple Alaska-brewed beers on tap. The bar and restaurant have different menus; ask to see both, and then decide where to sit.

With a menu that ebbs and flows with the seasons yet consistently delivers fantastic dishes, try The Grape Tap. This 60-seat restaurant and European wine cellar is set in a 1930s pioneer home that's been renovated with contemporary colors and style. The Grape Tap is hailed by many as the best fine dining in Wasilla.