Mat-Su Valley Dining and Nightlife

Very good Greek and Italian food, including pizzas, salads, dolmas, and lasagnas. Coming here with little ones? They'll love the kids' pizza, and you'll love the price.

Average Chinese served in a dreary setting. But the lunch buffet is a bargain for the price, although get there early if you want it hot and fresh. It gets picked over pretty quickly.

With Alaskan beers on tap, 50 bottles of wine, and a full bar (including spirits from the Alaska Distillery), the Base Camp Bar, is a great place to grab a drink before having dinner in the adjacent North Fork Restaurant. Try a margarita made with wild Alaska blueberry vodka, a perfect drink for a sunny afternoon on the big deck, which features great views of the Alaska Range. You can order appetizers, or select from the lunch and dinner menus with their pub-style food and lots of fresh seafood. 

Coffee and ice cream made with milk from Alaska cows; that's why to come to this caf? with picnic tables. Then there's the scenery: ring side seats to Main Street. Turning the ice cream is a 1927 John engine, an experience that will take you back to your childhood (at least, if you were raised in the Midest). The shop is always making new flavors, but the most popular ones are vanilla,  More...

A bona fide small-town coffee shop on Main Street. They serve good coffee and espresso drinks and have ample seating. The atmosphere is great, with lots of locals, Alaska-made art on the walls, open mic nights and art for sale. The food is standard coffee shop stuff—soups, sandwiches, baked goods. It's healthy and tasty, but nothing special.

Named for the elevation of nearby Denali, this casual restaurant serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner across from the Mt. McKinley Princess Lodge. The restaurant was designed to feed lodge guests, and most enjoy at least one meal inside this large, standalone structure of steel and wood. The food is vintage Princess, including fresh seafood and pub fare with house-made sauces and fresh sides.

Lasagna and pizza are the specialties at this locally owned restaurant, known for its big portions. The interior is big as well, but the setting is surprisingly intimate. The other big thing here? The price tag. But come at lunch for a more affordable alternative.

A brewpub with a climbing wall? Only in Talkeetna. The walls are covered with handwritten signatures, sayings, and boo-yah's of climbing teams and anyone else who cares to put pen to wall. You'll also find climbing pictures, news pieces, mementos current and historical, and TVs (it's the best place in town to watch sports on the tube). The food is just as fun—the restaurant was  More...

It's hard to miss this pizza shop—it's painted purple on the outside, with a bright-colored abstract paint job inside. But make no mistake: the focus for owner Todd Basilone, an Italian who's family has been in the restaurant business for multiple generations, is on the pizza. The crust isn't too thin or too thick, and the sauce has a nice spice. And if you like buffalo wings,  More...

This dining room has stunning views of Denali on clear days. Huge windows open onto the Alaska Range and the mountain, and a vaulted ceiling of timber-framed spruce creates a light, airy feel, almost like you’re eating outside. Accompanying the view and atmosphere, is the finest food at the lodge. Specializing in fresh Alaska seafood entrees, it’s reservation only for dinner, but breakfast can be as quick or casual as you’d like

Opened in 1923 to accommodate travelers on the new Alaska Railroad, the small inn found fame (or notoriety) quickly: President Warren G. Harding came for lunch, and died just a few days later. Today, the hotel is comprised of six recently renovated rooms as well as a bar and live music venue. You'll hear everything from jazz and folk to open mic nights and serious rock-n-roll. At the  More...

The first thing you'll notice here is the unique décor: downstairs is a European-style wine cellar with stone walls and stucco ceilings, while upstairs is a contemporary take on a 1930's-era pioneer home. That same care extends to the food. Salads, entrees, and desserts are made with fine ingredients and creativity, and wines can be ordered by the flight. It's best to make  More...

Authentic Mexican food comes out fast and hot and this sit-down restaurant. The fresh chips are great, as are the chipotle and adobo sauces. And the plates are always filled to the rim.

Sit outside on the small deck and load up on authentic Thai food

Pub: Great beer, an energetic atmosphere, and a fun outdoor deck are the highlights of this microbrewery. It's just a couple years old, but already the great- tasting beer—with fun names like Cleopatra's Kiss, Old Mad Dog, Hibernale, and Single Engine Red—is being served throughout the state. Look for the owners, Bo and Sasson: Bo is the brewmeister while Sasson was a  More...

Arkose Brewery is named after Arkose Ridge and Arkose Peak in the Talkeetna Mountain Range of Palmer, Alaska. You can enjoy a pint of artisan ales, take a brewery tour (every Tuesday at 6 p.m.) or attend one of our fun events such as Beer Meets Canvas and Beer Meets Chocolate. Find Arkose beer at many locations throughout the state. See our website and facebook page for more information. Cheers!

History, fun, and massive portions of food come together at this institution, which was built over 3 years starting in 1914. Aside from stopping by for a bite to eat, you can book accommodations at the Talkeetna Roadhouse. Choose from a variety of cozy rooms in the main roadhouse and wake up the smell of fresh baked goods from the Kitchen in the morning. Or, for a more private experience, book one of the cabins out back or the Museum Apartment at the end of the block.