FLAIR & FLAVOR

cuisine, spirits, markets & more

Breweries, distilleries, corner coffee huts, specialty food trucks and loads of dine-in, drivethru and take-out eateries and restaurants assure no one goes hungry in Fairbanks. When available, restaurants often utilize local produce, meat and seafood in their recipes. Savor Alaskan comfort foods like grilled salmon, king crab and reindeer sausage alongside local-grown Yukon gold potatoes and sweet garden-fresh baby carrots. Fairbanks’ eclectic palate has also given rise to cosmopolitan cafés including sushi, Vietnamese, Indian, vegan, award winning BBQ and Thai food, just to name a few.

With beers named after quintessential Alaskan items like ptarmigan, the northern lights and brown bears, the brewery scene in Fairbanks is hopping. The small-batch, small town focused HooDoo Brewing Company, named after the Alaskan Mountains bearing the same name, takes the phrase “the ART of brewing” totally seriously. Latitude 65 Brewing Company converted an old athletic club into an inviting space serving up delicious beers and tasty ciders. Housed in an attractive, renovated historic roadhouse, Silver Gulch Brewing & Bottling Company is home to original, great tasting brews. In Fairbanks, you’ll also find Midnight Mine Brewing Company and Black Spruce Brewing Company. While traveling the highways to and from Fairbanks, check out 49th State Brewery in Healy along the Parks or Big Delta Brewing Company along the Richardson. You can also sample creations from many of these local breweries at restaurants, bars and tap houses in the area.

Summon the spirits with a visit to one (or more) of four amazing distilleries in the Fairbanks area. Ursa Major, whose name means “great bear,” uses barley from Delta Junction to craft exceptionally smooth spirits including Fairbanks

Sourdough Rum (Alaska’s first rum), Summer Harvest Gin and their flagship Long Winter Vodka. Historic Fairbanks City Hall has never looked so good with Fairbanks Distilling Company setting up shop to serve delicious high-latitude, ultra-premium spirits made from Alaskan-sourced grains, berries, potatoes and more. Hoarfrost Distilling features hand crafted alcohol infused with local berries and produce and offers its flagship Crystal Vodka by the bottle. Arctic Harvest truly embraces the phrase “farm to table” as they grow all the grains used to make their high-end spirits on a beautiful family farm.

Fairbanks is also home to four coffee roasters including the artsy and welcoming McCafferty’s, award-winning Alaska Coffee Roasting Co., North Pole Coffee Roasting Company and Lifeline Coffee Roasters. Enjoy a cup at their flagship cafes or served at local drive-thru coffee huts.

Summer’s everlasting sunshine creates amazing growth and northern farmers attest that produce tastes better because of the climate—cool nights make the vegetables sweeter and more delicious than those grown in warmer climates. Find tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce and more at seasonal farmers markets and brighten your day with a beautiful locally grown bouquet. Homegrown small businesses turn Alaska produce into for-sale items such as Alaskan jam, honey, seasonings, mustards, vinegars, baked goods and sweet treats. Find them at local shops around town, seasonal markets and holiday bazaars. Artwork, jewelry and other gifts adorn the market stalls and you’re sure to find the perfect keepsake to remind you of your visit to the Last Frontier. Other Made in Alaska items sold in the Fairbanks area include Alaska Native arts and crafts as well as creations by local small businesses and artisans. Unique wood bowls, gold nugget jewelry, hand-sewn textiles, knives embellished with wood, antler and more. Whether you’re looking for the perfect souvenir to remember your journey or gifts for friends and family back home, you’ll find authentic, eye-catching wares here in the heart of Alaska.