The reality is that my home state Alaska is a little behind on the trend-setting scene. Only just recently, in 2021, has Guy Fieri taken his 16-year-old Food Network mega-show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives to the Last Frontier’s biggest city, Anchorage (on an episode I was featured on!), and it wasn’t but a few more years prior that we finally discovered Sonic fast food, Cajun cuisine, and food trucks.
It’s true; we have a bit of catching up to do. Still, Alaska is putting in some fantastic work where it counts for our food culture and restaurant industry here, considering the pandemic and the city’s drastic seasonal changes. Our standout diversity is exemplified in our food, and the state’s best chefs are always on the hunt for creating authentic street-style cuisine. So the next time you come up here–take it from the authority on Anchorage cuisine–you’ll want to take a trip to these four Alaskan food trucks.
El Señor Moose
Authentic birria beef dishes with an absurd amount of flair, these guys travel all over the city of Anchorage and up north in Eagle River, and maybe even beyond that. They’re on the move, which is not a bad thing. Not everyone lives and works in Anchorage, so catching these guys on your way to wherever you’re heading is such a fantastic surprise. You honestly cannot go wrong with the Moose!
MELT Food Truck.
I’ve had the honor of knowing Chef Anderson while building my foodie network. He’s a great friend and businessman, but he is a genius in the kitchen beyond that. His gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches will put others to shame in the city. That is no disrespect to everyone else, just pure reverence for the glory that is Anderson’s despicably delicious cuisine. It’s a non-negotiable.
Gaetano’s Brick Oven
What are your first thoughts when you hear “food truck pizza”? What are your first thoughts? Well, let me assure you that if your ideas are leaning more towards questioning the quality of this pizza, you will be delighted to know that this is handmade dough, brick-oven fire-made. This is beyond any initial assumption of what a “food truck pizza” could or should be and ought to encourage all of the established brick-and-mortar pizzerias nearby to stay on their game. This is the next level.
Mr. Darryl’s Southern BBQ
There isn’t much else to say here. Although Big J’s holds all of Wasilla down with his fantastic meat craft, Darryl provides the absolute best barbecue in Anchorage, food truck or otherwise. Alaskans and non-Alaskans alike will be shocked by the quality this man brings to the table. You have to order the rib tips.
About Author
Justin is a hopelessly nerdy, incessantly hungry single father and entrepreneur born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. His affinity for cuisine and the culture established by it lit the fires of what would eventually become Justin's Alaska Eats, a brand recognized locally by politicians, business owners, and of course, restaurants in Alaska and Oregon. He hopes to bring heart and humor to the table while telling the very personal tale of his relationship with his favorite foods, reviewing them, and recommending all others.
