Alaska has become THE hotspot for cruising in North America. A whopping 1.68 million people visited the 49th state via ship in 2024, and that number’s only going up. People flock to the state for it’s staggering glaciers, quaint towns, and top tier wildlife spotting opportunities. And what do people need to fuel all the adventure? Food and drinks of course!
The steady influx of tourism has lead to a steady influx of hospitality venues. As a foodie who is working on one of said ships in Alaska, I’ve decided to embark on a mission to find some of the top eats, treats, and drinks each port has to offer.
To kick things off, I’m starting with my favorite meal of the day: dessert.
If your cruise is headed north to south, chances are the first stop will be Ketchikan. There aren’t many Alaska cruise port desserts to be had in Ketchikan if you have a taste for something other than fudge and chocolate. But there is one spot that’s a short walk away from downtown: Jellyfish Donuts. This buzzing shop serves up massive mounds of fried dough with plenty of classic and inventive flavor options ranging from glazed to smoked salmon. Plus, they serve dumplings and smoothies. A quirky combination of offerings. But hey, welcome to Alaska!
On my latest visit, I opted for the peanut butter cheesecake doughnut.
It was smothered in a delightful cream cheese icing with a light peanut butter drizzle. A peanut butter cup crumble topping tied it all together. As for the donut itself, it was a bit on the bready side and was missing that “melt in your mouth” sensation. Perhaps it had been out of the fryer for too long? Or perhaps my donut standards have been shaped by the always hot and fresh Duck Donuts.
The kicker about Jellyfish Donuts is the price tag. One specialty doughnut will set you back a whopping $6 pre tax and tip. On the one hand, it’s ginormous and the size of two normal donuts. On the other hand, that’s a lot of money for fried dough.
Price aside, if you’re looking for a sweet treat in Ketchikan, Jellyfish Donuts is the spot!
(Curious as to why doughnuts have holes? Check out my deep dive HERE!)
Juneau, the small but mighty capital of Alaska, has a buzzing hospitality scene with stellar bars and great food to match. (Get the lo-down on my 3 favorite bars HERE!) There are plenty of Alaska cruise port desserts to be had, but there’s one I get every single visit: a cookie from the Alaskan Fudge Company.
There are two locales in Juneau. Both sell their hand-made fudges and chocolates, but the downtown shop also serves up huge, delicious cookies that’ll only set you back $3 a pop. There’s a wide variety of flavors including chocolate chip, lemon, white chocolate macadamia, peanut butter, and my personal favorite, Hopes Royale. It’s chocked full of chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts, giving it a sinful balance of sweet vs salty and gooey vs crunchy.
Klondike Doughboy is the home of arguably the most iconic sweet treat you’ll find in port on your Alaskan cruise: fry bread. The history of fry bread dates back to 1864 when the Navajo people were forced to move from New Mexico to Bosque Redondo. It was a brutal forced march known as the “Long Walk”. People were given minimal rations including flour, sugar, and lard, and they figured out how to make it into a dough that they could fry. The food item became a symbol of perseverance, repression, strength, and hardship. (Get my full deep dive HERE!)
Klondike Doughboy puts it’s own twist on fry bread by coating it in a sinfully delicious cinnamon sugar mixture. If a churro and doughnut had a baby, it wold be one of these “doughboys”. It’s crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and I’d bet $10 you’ll be licking your fingers at the end wishing you had another.
One doughboy will set you back $8 a pop, which feels awfully pricey for fried bread. But that doesn’t seem to deter people. Expect a line no matter what time you go!
Whittier, Alaska usually marks the start or end of a cruise. It’s 60 miles away from Anchorage, and the Alaska Railroad stops right outside the cruise dock, making it a convenient launch point into the greater region. Less than 500 people call Whittier home. So, it should be no surprise that there aren’t too many eats and treats to be had.
But of course I’ve found one for you. A big, beautiful cinnamon roll from Lazy Otter Cafe.
Lazy Otter Cafe is part of Lazy Otter Charters– an eco-tourism business that offers all types of excursions through the Prince William Sound. The cafe is quaint and cozy with a decent selection of coffees, baked treats, and boxed lunches on offer.
We got a coffee, slice of carrot cake, and cinnamon roll to share. And I was pretty darn impressed with the cinnamon roll.
It had a solid “goo-factor” and was totally loaded with cinnamon and sugar. There was a solid dollop of icing on top that melted down beautifully into the layers, and the outer layer wasn’t dry. A predicament most cinnamon rolls I hunt down seem to have.
Stay tuned for more Alaska food adventures! If there’s any type of food you’d like me to get the insider scoop on, be sure to drop it in the comments 🙂
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