South Coffeehouse - Anchorage

During my visit to friends in Alaska, they introduced me to this hidden gem of a restaurant. People can't stop talking about their sticky buns, and I have to say, this place might just have the best ones in the world! I'm not exaggerating at all. The staff was incredibly warm and welcoming, and the portion sizes were generous and bursting with flavor. Everything was cooked to perfection. There's also a fantastic coffee shop connected to the restaurant. If you're a breakfast fan, this is definitely the place to be!

I really enjoy cozy, homey places like this one. The staff is incredibly friendly and accommodating. The food is absolutely delicious. However, I found there weren't many choices available when we arrived at 9:30, as they had sold out of several items. I ended up ordering a sandwich and some oatmeal, and I was lucky to get the last sandwich! The coffee is also quite good.

I really enjoyed the layout of this building, which includes a coffee shop, lounge seating, and a restaurant. I would love to try the chef's seating area next time. Our server was laid-back and provided excellent suggestions. We appreciated the fresh vegetables and the perfectly cooked local red salmon. There was no judgement when we chose to order two desserts! Thank you, Devin!

Without a reservation, we had to wait about 15-20 minutes for a table, which was quite reasonable for a Saturday night. I ordered a curried lentil spread with pita and a Mediterranean bowl with tofu, while my husband opted for the filet mignon with a side of French onion soup. Both the lentil spread and the French onion soup were fantastic! The lentil spread came with plenty of pita, making sure we didn’t waste a drop. However, we did have a long wait for our main courses. My Mediterranean bowl was delicious, but my husband’s filet mignon was not cooked as he requested; he asked for it to be rare, but it arrived medium. Nevertheless, he enjoyed the garnishes that came with the filet, which added to its flavor. Overall, we had a good experience, and the service was satisfactory. The ambiance was lovely—not too crowded, which allowed for easy conversation without the need to raise our voices.

The cioppino soup was our least favorite dish. While it had a good amount of seafood, the fish was overcooked for my taste, although my daughter liked it. The shrimp in the soup was well-prepared, but the broth was oddly sweet. Our waiter was very attentive and offered something else, but we opted to finish the seafood despite its hefty $30 price tag. On a positive note, the gin and tonic with sourdough was outstanding. Made with Alaskan gin from Ursula Distillery, it was incredibly smooth, citrusy, and delicious—one of the best gin and tonics I’ve ever had, and I’ve just moved from South Africa. They offer a wide selection of gins and wines from around the world, though we didn't sample any desserts.