Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop ★ 4.7
Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop opened in 2009 in South Addition and is a 2026 James Beard Award finalist for Outstanding Bakery, with crusty breads and scones.
Worth the queue: Sourdough loaves and laminated croissants
History
Klondike and Nome gold rush prospectors so relied on sourdough starter that old-timers became known as 'Sourdoughs' across Alaska. Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop opened in 2009 and was named a 2026 James Beard Award finalist for Outstanding Bakery. Their crusty levain breads are the Anchorage benchmark.
Common allergens: Gluten
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 100g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
- 375g warm water (around 30C)
- 500g bread flour
- 10g fine sea salt
- Rice flour for dusting the banneton
Method
- Combine starter and water in a large bowl. Add the flour and mix to a shaggy dough. Rest 30 minutes.
- Add salt and a splash more water if needed. Mix until incorporated.
- Bulk-ferment at room temperature for 4-5 hours, doing 4 stretch-and-folds at 30-minute intervals in the first 2 hours.
- Shape into a tight ball, place seam-up in a rice-floured banneton and refrigerate overnight (12-14 hours).
- Preheat a Dutch oven inside a 245C oven for 45 minutes. Score the cold loaf and lower into the Dutch oven.
- Bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncovered for 20 minutes until deeply browned. Cool fully on a wire rack before slicing.
Tip from the editors. The cold overnight retard is the Alaskan trick. A long, slow second rise builds open crumb and develops the sour flavour without requiring summer warmth.
Where to eat alaskan sourdough bread
Alaskan sourdough bread in Anchorage
Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop Airport Heights ★ 4.5
Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop Airport Heights is one of Anchorage's lower-profile picks. The K Street flagship gets the press; the Airport Heights location.
Why locals love it: The K Street flagship gets the press; the Airport Heights location with Little Sister Espresso stays quieter and has the same JBF-finalist bakes.
Tip: Hit the Wednesday-Sunday hours early. Pain au chocolat and a flat white from Little Sister Espresso on site.
Great Harvest Bread Co Anchorage ★ 4.3
Great Harvest Bread's Anchorage outpost mills grain on site and bakes whole-grain loaves, scones and cookies in midtown on Benson Boulevard, with a sandwich.
Worth the queue: Honey wholewheat loaf
Middle Way Cafe ★ 4.4
Middle Way Cafe runs the Spenard vegetarian and vegan brunch every day from 07:00, with house-made hot sauce on the tables and gluten-free swaps available.
Order: Tofu scramble or a vegan breakfast burrito with house-made hot sauce
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