Southside Bistro

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Serving South Anchorage Since 1995

Southside Bistro opened its doors in 1995 and has spent three decades earning its place among Anchorage's top restaurants. Located about 15 minutes south of downtown, it is locally owned and operated by Chef Travis Haugen, Wine Director Amanda Haugen, and Jens Nannestad — a trio whose combined commitment to community and craft has shaped every corner of the room.

The dining room carries a warm, lived-in character: classic vintage posters, a fireplace, and an open kitchen anchored by a hardwood oven. The energy is lively without being loud, and a long-tenured serving staff — many of whom have been with the restaurant for years — keeps the atmosphere genuinely welcoming rather than performatively so.

The Food and the Cellar

The kitchen leans into fresh, locally sourced ingredients, and the menu reflects Alaska's larder with confidence. Specials regularly feature troll-caught white king salmon — grilled and paired with blackberry beurre rouge and morel mushrooms — alongside dishes like AK Pasta Co. tagliatelle in white wine cream and a filet mignon finished with porcini-truffle mustard. The range is broad enough to feel festive, precise enough to feel considered.

The wine program is no afterthought. Wine Director Amanda Haugen oversees a cellar serious enough to have earned Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence, a recognition the restaurant has held since 1997. Featured cellar selections — sometimes reaching back decades — appear alongside nightly specials, making the pairing element a genuine part of the experience.

A Neighborhood Institution

Southside Bistro describes itself as throwing "a party every night," and that spirit runs through the whole operation — from the open bar area to the private event space and outdoor seating. For American fine dining in Anchorage that feels rooted rather than transient, this is a reliable and rewarding address.