Nome, Alaska, sits next to the frigid Bering Sea. Its a town characterized by its gold, grit, and barren landscape. Windswept terrain, rolling red hills, and a coastline that freezes in the winter highlight the towns Arctic setting. Despite its hostile remoteness, Nome still holds a unique allure to those seeking a slice of the raw American wild West. And adventurer seekers and masochist all still need to eat. With less than a dozen restaurants, Nome is hardly a culinary haven. It’s a gold mining town first and foremost, so food is often thought of more like fuel. But if you dig around long enough, you’ll find enough dining options to fill your belly.
In this article we’ll guide you through all the restaurants in Nome, Alaska.
Quick Guide to Nome Restaurants
My Experience with Nome Restaurants
I first traveled to Nome in August of 2020, to work on a Bering Sea Gold for the Discovery channel. It was six months into the covid pandemic, and a weird time everywhere. While Alaska certainly approached the pandemic with a, shall we say, laissez-faire attitude, the production companies I work for DID NOT. Upon arrival I had to quarantine for a week at the Nugget Inn, which sits right next door to the now defunct Nome restaurant, Bering Sea Bar & Grill. (It burnt down in 2022 during a September storm)
While I was locked up in my little room by the sea I definitely didn’t go to the bar next-door…. cough cough. However I did end up ordering most of my meals from the Nome Restaurant. Convenience conquers all. Suffice it to say, I got to know the menu pretty well, and it became one of my favorite places to hang out, drink, and eat at while I was working in Nome, Alaska. They did fun things like Ramen and sushi, the bartenders were good, and it had a porch overlooking the Bering sea.
So while my favorite Nome restaurants is dead and gone, the city has carried on. I spent 12 weeks in total in Nome, Alaska so I managed to eat at every restaurant more than a handful of times, so lets go through them!
Pingo Bakery
A pingo is a geographical feature that is found on the tundra formed when the permafrost creates a hill. Not sure what this has to do with food, but this place is hands down the best restaurant in Nome, Alaska. The space is super tiny and only has a couple tables, but there are a lot of windows that bring in the sunlight and brighten the space up.
This Nome restaurant has a great breakfast menu that features things like a halibut and king crab omelets, house made yogurt and granola, Belgian waffles, and all kinds of great baked goods like cinnamon rolls, croissants, and danish pastries. Drooling yet? Yeah me too, when I swiped right on Pingo Bakery, I stopped answering txts from all the other Nome restaurants. #takenB*tch
Their lunch menu is really great as well. They serve soups, sandwiches, burritos, and they wouldn’t be a legitimate Nome restaurant if they didn’t have pizza. Pingo Bakery definitely raises the bar by doing stuff like cauliflower crust, salmon baked mac n’ cheese, and their famous Roasted Halibut Pizza To Die For!
There is a catch, one that almost disqualified them from even being considered a Nome restaurant. Pingo Bakery doesn’t serve alcohol. I know, but they do have homemade ice cream. Regardless, it is a special spot and while not ideal for a boat load of crusty gold miners on their lunch break, it is an absolute must stop for anyone visiting Nome in search of a good restaurant.
📍 308 Bering St | (907) 387-0654 | Wed–Sun 6:30am–3pm
Bering Sea Tea Company
Okay so it’s definitely more of a coffee house than a Nome restaurant, but we’re in the Arctic alright! Our options are limited, plus it’s really good! And if you have a problem with a tea shop making it on a list of Nome Restaurants, then move to Nome and open up a French bistro.
So yeah, Bering Sea Tea Company’s menu is certainly drink heavy with tea’s and coffee. The little Nome restaurant I mean tea company, serves fun drinks like their “Peanut Butter & Honey Lattes” or their “Hibiscus Tea Coolers“. They also do your cold brews, frappes, and smoothies.
It may be mostly a drinkery but they do serve some food, usually breakfast sandwiches that sell out by 9:00am, as well as a variety of homemade baked goods. So yes, it officially qualifies as a Nome restaurant. And a great one to start your day at!
📍 310 Bering St | (907) 443-2924 | Mon–Fri 7am–1pm
Aurora Kuupiaq Corner
The newest coffee shop in Nome, opened March 2025 inside the Aurora Inn and already drawing lines out the door. This one’s a genuine local success story — run by sisters Rayne and Kastyn Lie, both Nome natives. Rayne handles the coffee and runs the counter; Kastyn teaches school during the day and bakes before heading to work. The result is a rotating baked goods menu that changes daily — macarons on Mondays, cinnamon rolls on Tuesdays, fruit bars and cakes on Fridays. The white chocolate mocha and caramel frappe are the crowd favorites. Walk-in only, no seating, but worth the stop before heading out for the day. Native-owned and operated through Bering Straits Native Corporation.
📍 302 E Front St (inside Aurora Inn & Suites) | Mon–Fri 8am–4pm, Sat–Sun 12–4pm
Airport Pizza
The story with this Nome restaurant, is that they would fly pizza’s out to remote villages, spreading the good word of marina, mozzarella, and a pepperoni to all. With no additional delivery costs! To pull this off they would delivery the pizza’s on the a regional airline that was already servicing the villages. Pretty badass if you ask me. Read about it more here in this NPR article.
You don’t have wait for your pizza to arrive via plane though, just walk into the Nome restaurant to get served up some pretty solid pies. They also serve nachos, burgers, and beer battered halibut fish and chips. They have a full bar. It costs alot of money to get to yourself to Nome, Alaska. The same concept holds true for Nome restaurants trying to get their groceries sent up. So this nome restaurant IS a bit pricey.
📍 406 Bering St | (907) 443-7992 | Mon–Sat 11am–10pm
Polar Cafe
Polar Cafe isn’t gonna win any awards for being the hippest or the most innovative Nome restaurant, but thats almost the reason you come to a place like Polar Cafe. You know pretty much exactly what to expect when you walk in, it’s comfortable and familiar, even in far off Nome.
The decor is outdated and the folding chairs and paneled ceiling makes you feel like you’re in a retirement home bingo hall, but the view out the windows is undeniable. This Nome restaurant sits on the edge of the Bering sea and you can sip your coffee and enjoy your meal while watching seals, beluga whales, and of course the never satiated gold dredges.
They do a serviceable breakfast ALL DAY, that includes things like reindeer sausage, corned beef hash, chicken fried steak, western omelets, and Homemade biscuits and gravy. Their lunch and dinner menu includes standard Nome restaurant stuff like a Halibut Sandwich, a Prime rib dinner, and crab legs. There’s also a salad bar.
“Not too pretty bad”… as my fellow cameraperson friend would say about most things Nome related.
📍 204 Front St | (907) 443-5191 | Call to verify hours
Milano’s Pizzaria
As most Alaskans tend to do, Milano’s Pizzeria is doing it their way. This Nome restaurant brands itself as a “pizzaria & Italian Food” Nome restaurant, but they certainly don’t stop there. Just step down into the this tattered and worn basement eatery and you’ll be transported to an other worldly culinary dimension.
They do a little bit of everything and a lot of all of it. And as with so many places in Alaska, that starts with pizza. Which is actually pretty darn good. They also do ramen, lobster, spaghetti, cheeseburgers, tempura vegetables, cheesesteaks, and obviously… sushi. Living in the Arctic, you gotta be a bit of a shape shifter, a one man band, a real Swiss army knife, and this Nome restaurants embodies that sentiment.
📍 92 Old Federal Building | Mon–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 12–9pm
Husky
This “American & Japanese” restaurant in downtown Nome is slinging the standard fish n chips, burgers and steaks alongside some sort of asian fusion cuisine that includes fried rice, teriyaki salmon, and sushi rolls. I think this is the only restaurant in Nome that I didn’t make it to while I was working there. I never had a bad experience or heard of anyone having one, I honestly have no idea why I never made it in. I guess I’ll have to make a trip back to the arctic to finish my tour de Nome restaurants.
📍 235 Front St | (907) 443-1300 | Mon–Fri 11am–11pm, Sat–Sun 12–10pm
Golden China
After a brief closure Golden China is back at it. Every town needs a Chinese restaurant, and Golden China is Nome’s. Located off Front street in a well kept space with ample seating, they serve all the standard Chinese hits like fried rice, chow mein, and lo mein. And it’s Alaska so naturally they also serve burgers, pho, and nachos.
📍 135 Front St | (907) 443-2300 | Mon–Sat 11am–10pm, Sun closed
Subway
What can we say about Subway, it’s something familiar in a super strange land. The Subway restaurant in Nome was basically across the street from our production office, so I ate here more than I’m proud to say. Cold cuts, meatball subs, and Doritos; all in all its a welcomed addition to the short list of Nome restaurant options.
📍 135 Front St | (907) 443-8100 | Daily 9am–10pm
Nome, Alaska Restaurants Map
Nome Alaska FAQs
What is the best restaurant in Nome Alaska?
Pingo Bakery is the consensus best. Halibut and king crab omelets, house-made baked goods, roasted halibut pizza, and a changing menu, all in a tiny gold-rush-era house on Bering Street.
How many restaurants are in Nome Alaska?
Around nine, depending on the season. Nome is a small Arctic town and the restaurant scene reflects that. A few are seasonal or have irregular hours.
Is food expensive in Nome Alaska?
Yes. Everything in Nome costs more than the lower 48 because of the supply chain. There are no roads into Nome, everything arrives by air or barge. Expect to pay accordingly at every restaurant in town.
What kind of food is in Nome Alaska?
Pizza, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, American diner food, Thai, sushi, and surprisingly excellent bakery and seafood at Pingo.
How do you get to Nome Alaska?
By air only, there are no roads connecting Nome to the rest of Alaska or the lower 48. Alaska Airlines flies from Anchorage daily. Nome is roughly 539 miles from Anchorage.
When is the best time to visit Nome Alaska?
Summer (June–August) for midnight sun, wildlife, and gold dredging season. March brings the Iditarod finish line, which is one of the great Alaska experiences. Winter is dark, cold, and not for the faint of heart.
Dear Alaska Explored/honest guide, I speak of Brazil as a very beautiful, welcoming and warm land compared to Alaska. Here in winter it is 7°, very cold and in summer, depending on the region you live in, it can reach 40° and you should put it on your list of countries to visit. Finally, reading your article I felt like I was reading a letter from a traveling friend telling me about his adventures in a new place, it was very interesting, I couldn’t stop reading until I finished it all (laughs) I found the part of what Nome’s culinary slogan should be Very funny, it made me laugh out loud at that moment. Thank you for this “letter” that makes us closer in some way to places we don’t know. Thank you honest guide whatever your name is.
Hey Bruna! Brazil has been on my dream list of places to visit for a long time now. I would trade all the pizza in Nome to be able and witness your beautiful county. Thanks for your message, it made my day. I’m so glad some one out there enjoyed my silly little article. Cheers!