Correction: This story has been edited to omit a sentence that there will soon be a change in ownership of Boss Hoggz restaurant. The owners of Boss Hoggz are James and Amy Lower, who opened the restaurant in 2011.

With an impressive diversity of options in relation to the size of Homer, tourists and residents alike will have a hard time getting bored with the dining scene this summer. From ethnic delicacies to classic fish and chips, the new and veteran restaurants on the Homer Spit have the food genre bases covered. After the melting of snow and the budding of spring, Homer often gets to boast about a few new eateries. Most are seeing a jump-start on the season credited to the sunny weather and are expecting a busy summer ahead. Here is a look at the new eateries and an overview of the already established restaurants on the Homer Spit.

 

NEXT WEEK:

A look at restaurants off the Spit.

 

Big Dipper Chipper

Owners: Harrison and Heather McHenry

Phone: 907-235-2289 

Location: Primarily parked beside Coal Point Trading Co.

Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. daily 

Menu: All to go, fish and chips, salads, chowder

The Big Dipper Chipper double decker bus is ready for its debut this weekend after a remodeling, including a renovated kitchen and paint job. Owned by Harrison and Heather McHenry, who also own Fresh Catch Cafe, the mobile unit will focus on quick to-go orders with a varied menu but a highlight on chowder and fish and chips.

“The cool thing about the bus is it is all to go, and really fast. We will be preparing the fresh fish and fresh vegetables that are delivered in the morning,” said Harrison. “It is a really quick type of transaction.” 

Harrison said the bus will follow the example of Fresh Catch Cafe, using local and Alaska ingredients, from the lettuce to the honey, whenever possible. Menu items include Japanese bento boxes, whole grain and fresh salads, chowder and, of course, fish and chips which are known  as “chippers” in the United Kingdom.

“We’re combining the UK and AK,” said Harrison, referring to the name. 

The bus was originally used in Homer in the 1980s, and was later moved to Seattle. The McHenrys tracked down and ferried the impressive rig from Seattle with the help of Colin and Pamela Lott.

“Without them the bus wouldn’t be here,” said Harrison.

Throughout the summer the mobile unit will cater to fast-paced fishermen as well as meandering shoppers, who can perch with their food atop the roof in the upstairs seating area. 

The Big Dipper Chipper will be parked by Coal Point and will be open daily from 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. The goal is to be open this weekend.

 

Le Truck

Owner: Adam Green

Contact: 907-399-2364 

Location: Primarily parked beside Mako’s Water Taxi 

Menu: All to go, tacos, mini burgers, crepes

Hours: Open daily; hours vary

Foodies can easily grab their treats to go at the new Le Truck owned by longtime chef Adam Green. Originally from Soldotna, Green has called Homer home for the last six years.

“I’ve cooked all my life,” said Green, who attended culinary school at the Art Institute of Seattle for a short time. 

“I sort of go through phases … but I always seem to revert back to cooking,” he said.

He had the inspiration to offer mobile food three months ago. 

“I was wondering how I could offer good food to the community without being tied down and then the idea of a food truck popped into my head,” he said. “It’s perfect.” 

Green’s aim is to provide food flavors and combinations never before experienced by the community. 

“We’re offering high-end fusion food, blurring the lines between genres while keeping it affordable,” said Green. “We’ll be offering rotating specials, and when possible, our food is organic and sourced locally. Everything is fresh and made in house.” 

Le Truck’s menu cultivates global flavor collaboration, true to the owner’s vision. Menu items include elaborate Indian food, mini burgers, a variety of taco choices and savory and sweet crepes.

Green hopes to open for Memorial Day weekend and will be parked by Mako’s Water Taxi. Customers will be able to track down the mobile food truck  at local events throughout the summer, including the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the extended Spit Trail.

 

The Last Frontier Donut Shop and Cafe

Owners: Shawn and Helga McDonough

Contact: 907-299-1829 

Location: Homer Spit Road

Hours: 5 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

Menu: Breakfast, sandwiches, pastries 

From the aerospace industry to cooking and baking, Shawn McDonough and his wife, Helga, have certainly made a career shift. Shawn said the inspiration to open a cafe on the Homer Spit came from several factors.

“I really like baking and cooking. And we wanted to open up a doughnut shop when we realized the community needed something like this.”

Shawn said that he and his wife first saw Homer in the summer of 2009.

“We fell in love with the Homer and Anchor Point area, and knew this is where we wanted to raise our kids,” he said.

A few years later they are fulfilling that dream with Helga due with their first child in a month. Meanwhile, she is still managing the shop while Shawn does most of the cooking and baking. He said he is looking forward to this summer.

“It’s going to be a wonderful summer, with lots of tourists and interstate travel. Certainly a great year to be on the Homer Spit.”

The menu at the cafe will include breakfasts, boxed lunches and, of course, donuts. 

“We have a really neat new feature that’s going to be a hit this summer,” said Shawn, who went on to describe two piping hot doughnuts glued together by ice cream. 

“It’s called the Glacier Melt,” he said.

The Last Frontier Donut Shop and Bakery is open daily from 5 a.m.-5 p.m.

 

Happy Face Restaraunt 

Owners: Lee and Annie Kim

Phone: 907-235-0148 

Location: Homer Spit Road

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily

Menu: Chinese food, burgers, sandwiches, soups, sushi

Lee and Annie Kim, the new owners of Happy Face Restaurant, fell in love with Homer upon first moving from Texas to the end of the road three months ago. 

Lee said the restaurant name will stay the same as will most of the menu items.  One big change, however, will be the addition of sushi. Stevan Yu, also from Texas, has 35 years of sushi-making experience and will pepper the menu with his creations. 

Happy Face Restaurant is open from 11a.m.-10 p.m. daily. 

 

Spit Sisters Cafe

Owners: Wendy and Josie Whitby

Phone: 907-235-4921

Location: Harbor View Boardwalk, Homer Spit

Hours: 5 a.m.-4 p.m. daily

Menu: Bagels, breakfast burritos, sweet treats, biscuits and gravy

Sister team Wendy and Josie Whitby are kicking off their third season at Spit Sisters Cafe with a new partnership. Originally from Utah the Whitby sisters are now carrying daily delivered fresh bagels from The Bagel Shop on East End Road. Besides that, Josie said that everything else is made at the cafe by herself and her sister.

“We both take great pride in what we do,” she said. Their homemade biscuits and homemade gravy combo is her favorite dish off the menu. 

“If you’re a biscuits and gravy fan, these are as good as it gets.”

The cafe will be opened from 5 a.m.- 4 p.m. daily and is expecting a busy summer due to the Spit Trial that has been extended to run beside the cafe.

 

Finn’s Pizza

Owners: Sasha Raupp and Bjorn Larson

Phone: 907-235-2878 

Location: Harbor View Boardwalk, Homer Spit

Hours: Noon-9 p.m. daily

Menu: Pizza, salad

Co-owner Sasha Raupp credits Homer locals for Finn’s Pizza’s growing popularity since opening in 2011. The building is tucked between a few shops and can be easy to miss on a quick pass-by.

“Honestly this business has built up slowly over time by word of mouth,” she said. “Tourists don’t come to Alaska for pizza but somehow wind up here because a local has referred them to us and we really appreciate that.”

She is passionate about keeping Finn’s Pizza specials anything but ordinary. 

The restaurant serves local wines as well as beer from the Homer Brewery and uses mostly organic and local ingredients in the pizza. The wood-fired pizza restaurant has a “static menu” with rotating specials to cater to a range of taste buds. It is open noon-9 p.m. daily.

 

Captain Pattie’s Fish House

Owners: Patty and John Hensley

Phone: 907-235-5135 

Location: Harbor View Boardwalk, Homer Spit

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily

Menu: Seafood, steak, pasta, chicken, appetizers, salads

The view of Kachemak Bay from Captain Pattie’s Fish House will be even more accessible thanks to a new deck on the ocean side.  With a variety of surf and turf options  the choices of what to enjoy are endless. 

Patty, co-owner with her husband, John, recommends the freshly made clam chowder. The couple takes seriously the job of keeping their customers happy, with John working in the culinary industry since he was 15 and and Patty working in retail sales and customer service for more than 30 years.  

The 15-year-old restaurant is gearing up for another summer and is open daily from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

 

Boardwalk Bakery

Owners: Kathy Hamrick and Jackie Johnson

Phone: 907-235-2131 

Location: Harbor View Boardwalk, Homer Spit

Hours: 5 a.m.-3 p.m. daily

Menu: Breakfast, sandwiches, burritos, bakery goodies

Boardwalk Bakery owners and sisters Kathy Hamrick and Jackie Johnson are adamant about making all of their breakfasts and baked goodies from scratch. They always seem to be trying new things.

“We don’t use cans or mixes and we don’t make anything we don’t like. It’s all really good, our breakfast burritos are really popular and people tell us our cinnamon buns are legendary,” said Hamrick.

This spring Boardwalk Bakery was featured on “Roadtrippin to Homer” on Channel 2 News.

The bakery caters to those needing a quick bite and sells boxed lunches. The cafe is open 5 a.m.-3 p.m. daily.

 

The Harbor Grill

Owners: Jose and Carmen Ramos

Phone: 907-235-9333 

Location: Homer Spit Road

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m Monday-Thursday; and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday; after Memorial Day 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. daily

Menu: Seafood, steaks, hamburgers, pasta, salads, appetizers

With a new chef specializing in barbecue steak, seafood and Asian-style cooking, Harbor Grill will have a variety of flavors to offer. Owners Jose and Carmen Ramos noticed a slower start than usual this year, but are expecting another busy summer.

The Ramoses also own Don Jose’s Mexican Restaurant located on Pioneer Avenue.

The Harbor Grill is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday. After Memorial Day it will be open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. 

 

Fresh Catch Cafe

Owners: Harrison and Heather McHenry

Phone: 907-235-2289 

Location: Homer Spit Road

Hours: 11a.m.- 6 p.m. daily; after Memorial Day 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily

Menu: Seafood, soups, salads, appetizers

Fresh Catch Cafe stays true to its name thanks to the management of Harrison and Heather McHenry. The couple, their son Liam, and crew worked nine seasons to stay Alaskan grown, having received an award the past two years from the Alaskan Grown Foundation for promoting and using local products.  

“We are getting what Alaskans are growing or fishing, bringing it to our place, and putting it on the plate,” said Harrison. “In July the lettuce we serve is usually cut the same morning. We’ve been ordering from these farmers for 13 or 14 years, so we’ve developed good relationships with each other. I like the symbiotic relationship in this small community, because we do need each other.” 

A fresh bite can be eaten at 11:30 a.m.- 9:30 p.m. daily.

 

Boardwalk Fish & Chips

Phone: 907-235-7749 

Owners: Darren and Holly McVeigh

Location: Homer Spit Road

Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; after Memorial Day 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily

Menu: Fish, hamburgers, shakes, salads

Darren and Holly McVeigh, owners of Boardwalk Fish and Chips, are committed to serving fresh fish that has never been frozen.

“No one does fish better than us. If our fish were any fresher, they would still be swimming,” said Darren with a chuckle. Previously a beer distributor, he also takes pride in the beer collection available, offering not only Homer brews but also statewide brews.

All the meats are delivered from local McNeil Canyon Meat Co. and much of the produce is sourced from the in-town Farmers Market.

Boardwalk Fish and Chips currently is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; after Memorial Day hours will  be 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

 

La Baleine Cafe

Owners: Mandy Dixon and Kirsten Dixon

Phone: 907-299-6672 

Location: Homer Spit Road

Hours: 5 a.m.-4 p.m. daily

Menu: Breakfast, soups, salads, baked goods

La Baleine Cafe is fairly new to the Homer Spit scene, but has been able to hold a steady following, according to co-owner, Mandy Dixon, who says there are regulars sure to come every morning for breakfast. New staff members in the cafe have added new flair to the kitchen.

“We offer new menu items such as our ‘fisherman’s special,’” she said, “and we expanded the cafe offering more seating both indoors and outside. While most of our crew are returning from last year, we do have a few new employees who are contributing their talents in offering new soups and daily specials.” 

The cafe is open from 5 a.m.-4 p.m. daily through the summer. 

 

Chart Room

Owners: Jon Faulkner

Phone: 907-235-0406

Location: Homer Spit Road

Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily

Menu: Seafood, steak, appetizers, pasta, salads

The Chart Room at Land’s End Resort has officially launched its summer menu. Executive Chef Billy Brownlee is going into his third season optimistically.

“We are closer to achieving 100 percent all Alaskan seafood than we ever have been before,” he said. He also said he is excited about the Chart Room’s new wine list.

“It’s food friendly but not necessarily expensive,” he said.

The Chart Room will rotate specials throughout the summer, and is open from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily , serving the breakfast menu from 7 a.m.-11 a.m, the lunch menu from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., the bar menu from 2 p.m.-5 p.m., and the dinner menu from 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

 

Sterling Silvers Seafood Galley

Owners: Nancy Hilstrand 

Phone: 907-235-3877

Location: Inside the Coal Point Trading Co. building, Homer Spit Road 

Hours: 8 a.m- 8 p.m. daily

Menu: Seafood, chowder, salad, baked goods

Sterling Silvers Seafood Galley, inside of Coal Point Trading Co., has been on the Homer Spit since 1956, and owner, Nancy Hilstrand is gearing up for another summer. 

The galley uses locally caught seafood like fish, clams, oysters, and mussels, as well as organically grown local lettuce. Hilstrand says that the new cook has brought new items to the menu. 

“Our seafood chowder filled with salmon and halibut is the best kept secret in Homer. And, of course, the locally grown oysters, too,” she said.

The galley is open from 8 a.m-8 p.m. daily.

 

Glacier D

Owners: Lee and Jill Pedersen

Phone: 907-235-7148

Location: Homer Spit Road

Hours: Sunday noon-4 p.m., Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Menu: Hamburgers, fish, tacos, burritos, salads, nachos, shakes

Back for round two, Lee and Jill Pederson have buckled down for their second summer season at Glacier D on the Homer Spit. New halibut items are available as well as a large variety of new shake flavors, with endless combination options.

“The new halibut wraps are flying out of here,” said Jill.

Taco Tuesdays are back from last year, where customers can get a taco for $1.75. For a little bit extra guests can order it “princess style.” Ideally easier to eat, the stuffed taco shell is wrapped in a flour tortilla. 

The Glacier D, which has inhabited the spit since 1979, also boasts a new self serve soda machine, new condiments bar, and a new order and pick-up window, offering a more fluid dining experience. 

“We want to thank the Homer community for supporting us through the transition of ownership,” said Jill about their purchase of Glacier D last spring. She said they are looking forward to a busy summer season ahead. 

The Glacier D is open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m., 

 

Little Mermaid 

Owners: Evan and Kathy Vogl

Phone: 907-399-9900

Location: Harbor View Boardwalk, Homer Spit

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., starting June 1 Wednesday-Monday 11 a.m-9 p.m.

Menu: Seafood, burgers, sandwiches

Owners Evan and Kathy Vogl, no longer operating out of their location in town as of January of this year, have now focused all of their creativity and investment in the Little Mermaid Cafe. They say they love the new location on the Homer Spit, now having an expanded dining room that seats more than 30 guests. The restaurant also has a beer and wine license.

“Entrees and starters change daily, which is exciting for a lot of folks,” said Kathy. “New to the menu and amazing sellers are the Halibut Cove mussels, and Kachemak Bay oysters.”

Kathy said the most popular items are the Alaska beef sliders and the ahi poki.

“Our staff is comprised of a small local team who work really well together, and are really excited about the Homer Spit location, and the local products we are using to produce our ever-changing menu,” Kathy said.

The Little Mermaid currently is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Starting in June, the restaurant will be open Wednesday-Monday from 11 a.m-9 p.m. 

 

Shannon Reid is freelance writer who lives in Homer.