If you’re planning a trip to the picturesque coastal town of Homer, Alaska, you’ll definitely want to know where to eat. From casual seafood shacks to fine dining by the waterfront, Homer’s food scene pleasantly surprised us with its variety and quality. To make things easy, we’ve rounded up our favorite spots we tried firsthand, along with a few of the town’s most highly rated restaurants you won’t want to miss.
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🍽️ Homer, Alaska Restaurants: Our Top 5 Picks
Below, we’ve listed the top 5 restaurants we recommend that you visit during your trip to Homer, Alaska, if you’re on a time crunch. If you have even more time in town, the remaining four on this list are worth a visit too!
🏆 Our Favorite Overall – Swell Style Carnitas Taco at Swell Taco
2️⃣ Close Second – “The Adak,” Hazelnut-Crusted Halibut Bowl at Johnny’s Corner
🍷 For Fine Dining – Halibut Plate with Wine at Fresh Catch Cafe
🍦 Best Ice Cream – Affogatos at Carmela’s Gelato
🧁 Best Bakery – Sweet Sticky Roll at Two Sisters Bakery
1. Swell Taco
Swell Taco was hands-down our favorite meal in Homer, Alaska. This taco stand on Homer Spit often has a line out the door, but we went just after opening and didn’t wait at all. We ordered a side of homemade chips and guac, plus four tacos.
Honestly, they were some of the best we’ve had anywhere. While the meat tacos were our personal favorites, you can’t skip the halibut taco (this is the Halibut Capital of the World, after all). Here’s how we ranked them, starting with our top pick:
- Carnitas Taco “Swell Style”
- Birria Taco
- Cheeky Halibut Taco
- Fried Rockfish Taco
The housemade tortillas were soft and flavorful, flecked with bits of cilantro, and the chips were perfectly seasoned and freshly fried. The tacos themselves had no business being this good. They were even better than the ones we’ve had in New Mexico and Texas!
Keep in mind that there’s only outdoor seating, but it’s covered and heated when the temperatures are cooler. Even on a chilly, rainy day, we’d say it’s 100% worth it—these tacos are that good.
Location: 4025 Homer Spit Rd #4, Homer, AK 99603, United States
Price: $15-25 per person
What to Order: Swell Style Taco, Halibut Taco, and Guacamole and Chips are musts
2. Johnny’s Corner
Located at the very end of the Homer Spit, Johnny’s Corner is a casual bowl-style restaurant serving up creative, globally inspired dishes. This spot easily comes in just a few points behind Swell Taco for us. We loved our meal here!
We ordered “The Adak,” a hazelnut-crusted halibut bowl with mango relish, honey red curry, asparagus, kimchi, and mushrooms over rice, and it was incredibly flavorful! The portions are generous, too; one bowl was plenty to share between the two of us. If you’re feeling really hungry, one portion will fill you to your heart’s content.
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While it’s not a formal sit-down spot, there are a few covered picnic tables where you can enjoy your meal right by the water. Between the fresh local halibut, bold flavors, and relaxed vibe, this easily came in as our second favorite restaurant in Homer!
Location: 4501 Ice Dock Rd, Homer, AK 99603, United States
Price: $20-30 per person (unless you split a bowl)
What to Order: All of their bowls look amazing! We can recommend “The Adak” personally.
3. Carmen’s Gelato
Located toward the end of the Homer Spit, Carmen’s Gelato quickly became our favorite spot for a sweet treat in Homer. We ordered the chocolate-covered black cherry gelato and loved every bite.
Everything here is made in-house, and they’re known for their espresso and affogatos, which we definitely would’ve tried if we’d stopped by earlier in the day. They stay open late (often until 11 p.m.), making it the perfect last stop after a long summer evening on the Spit.
If you’re looking for a non-gelato ice cream spot, you also have Spit Licks. This was our second-favorite ice cream we had, and coincidentally, the longest-running ice cream chain on the spit! We ordered their black cherry ice cream. Although they order their ice cream from a chain, it still hits the spot!
🍦Fun Fact! Did you know that Alaskans eat more ice cream per capita than any other state?
Location: 4241 Homer Spit Rd STE 6, Homer, AK 99603, United States
Price: $5-8 per person
What to Order: Affogato or 1-2 scoops of your favorite flavor
4. Salty Dawg Saloon
The Salty Dawg Saloon is a Homer classic and, notably, the only establishment on the Spit that survived the 1964 earthquake, which dropped the land by nearly four feet.
From the outside, it looks just like a quirky little shack, but inside, you’ll find walls plastered in signed dollar bills, lively music playing, and a mix of locals and travelers swapping stories over Alaskan brews.
We ordered an Icy Bay IPA from Alaskan Brewing Co. and hung out in this spot’s lively, sailor-style atmosphere for a few. Even if bars aren’t your thing, it’s worth popping in (or at least peeking inside). This spot is as much a part of Homer’s culture as the Spit itself.
🍺 Fun Fact! The Salty Dog Saloon is the only business that stays open year-round on the Homer Spit.
Location: 4380 Homer Spit Rd, Homer, AK 99603, United States
Price: $5-10 per drink
What to Order: An Alaskan IPA
5. The Bagel Shop
If you’re from the East Coast or just a bagel-holic in general, The Bagel Shop in Homer, Alaska, is going to come in clutch. Open Wednesdays through Sundays all the way through lunchtime, this bagel spot is popular among locals and visitors alike.
Enjoy their homemade bagels, schmears, and full breakfast and lunch sandwiches, among other menu items, for takeaway or in-store. There is even a fully vegan bagel and vegan schmear available! We can imagine this place being a great pit-stop before a day of outdoor adventuring.
Location: 3745 East End Rd, Homer, AK 99603, United States
Price: $10-20 per person
What to Order: One of their breakfast or lunch bagel sandwiches
6. Two Sisters Bakery
Two Sisters Bakery is a beloved local spot in downtown Homer, open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Known for its sweet and savory breakfast and lunch options, we went for their savory pork and kimchi bun as well as a sweet sticky roll.
Both were fantastic, although the sticky roll absolutely stole the show! It was like the perfect cross between a cinnamon roll and pecan pie. Come early, since they often sell out before lunch, and expect a line out the door.
Location: 233 E Bunnell Ave, Homer, AK 99603, United States
Price: $5-10 per person
What to Order: Sticky Roll
7. Fat Olives Bistro
Fat Olives Bistro is a lunch and dinner spot and the #1-rated restaurant in Homer on TripAdvisor. Also located in Homer proper, this spot offers a great bang for your buck as it’s not directly located on the Homer Spit. If you’re looking for a spot with a solid Italian food selection, Fat Olives is a go-to among locals!
We ordered a Large Pizza, half meat and half pesto, and it was just what we were craving. That being said, we’d recommend coming here only if you are looking to feed a lot of people, or are just looking for a lot of food at a fair price after a long day. It’s probably one of the best pies you can get in Homer, but not in our top 5 restaurants.
There is also Finn’s Pizza on the Spit if you prefer sticking to the Spit. There will most likely be a long line in the evenings on the weekends, so try and go early or simply expect a wait. The seating at the back of Finn’s is idyllic, with a cute, covered area that looks out over the water.
Location: 276 Ohlson Ln, Homer, AK 99603, United States
Price: $30 per pizza, $30-50 per person for a meal
What to Order: Large wood-fired pizza with your favorite toppings!
8. Fresh Catch Cafe
If you’re looking for a sit-down restaurant with great views and fresh seafood, Fresh Catch Café is the place to be. Located near the end of the Homer Spit, it’s the perfect spot to linger over a meal rather than grab something quick. We ordered the halibut fish and chips and the halibut plate. Both were perfectly cooked and generously portioned.
Service was quick, but we recommend slowing down if you come here. Order a bottle of wine, soak in the ocean views, and enjoy one of the more relaxing dining experiences in Homer. We noticed that they also had gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options on their menu, making it a great pick for just about anyone!
Location: 4025 Homer Spit Rd, Homer, AK 99603, United States
Price: $30-50 per person
What to Order: One of their halibut dishes or a vegan option if you don’t eat fish
9. Alice’s Champagne Palace
Alice’s Champagne Palace is a lunch and dinner spot in Homer proper, popular among Homer locals. If you go during the evening, especially on a weekend, you’ll be met with live music or the occasional comedy show to enjoy with your meal or drinks! On weekdays, they host trivia, which is popular amongst locals.
On our recent visit with friends, we ordered the smoked salmon plate, the fried chicken sandwich, and the Homer Brewing Damn IPA and were happily satisfied with our order. We even saw a vegan burger on the menu, which can be a rare find in rural Alaska!
Definitely come here if you’re visiting Homer during the off-season when the Spit is closed, or if there is a live show going on. We like going to “local establishments,” so we’re happy we met up with some friends here. That being said, if you only have a short time in Homer, we recommend our top five favorite restaurants in Homer.
🎵 Fun Fact! There is a song written about this place, Alice’s Champagne Palace by Ellis Paul.
Location: 195 E Pioneer Ave, Homer, AK 99603, United States
Price: $20-30 per person
What to Order: We enjoyed our smoked salmon and fried chicken plates!
🗺️ Map of the Best Restaurants in Homer, Alaska
How to use this map: We have saved the locations from this guide on this map. You can save this map to your Google Maps by pressing the star icon. In your Google Maps, click the menu icon and then Saved Maps, where this map will appear.
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