Crow's Nest ★ 4.6
Crow's Nest is Anchorage fine dining: 20th floor of Hotel Captain Cook, sommelier-led wine programme and Chef Cameron Richardson driving Alaska seafood.
History
The Copper River fishery is the first salmon to hit Alaska markets each year, traditionally celebrated with a 'first fish' ceremony. The 2026 fishery opened May 22 with a 12-hour drift gillnet period, and the sockeye harvest forecast was 728,000 fish on Copper River. Native Alaskan and commercial fleets have fished these waters for generations.
Common allergens: Fish
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 4 Copper River sockeye fillets, 150-180g each, skin on
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Flaky sea salt and black pepper
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
Method
- Pat the fillets dry and let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking.
- Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, then add the olive oil.
- Season the fillets generously with salt and pepper, then place skin-side down in the pan and press lightly with a spatula for 30 seconds.
- Cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the salmon has cooked two-thirds of the way up.
- Flip and cook 1-2 more minutes until the centre is medium-rare; the fillet should still give slightly to the touch.
- Remove from the pan, add the butter and dill to the residual heat, swirl to a brown butter and spoon over the fillets. Serve with lemon wedges.
Tip from the editors. Do not overcook. Sockeye dries out at 50C internal; pull at 45C and let carry-over cooking finish it.
Where to eat copper river sockeye salmon
Copper River sockeye salmon in Anchorage
Glacier BrewHouse ★ 4.3
Glacier BrewHouse runs Sat-Sun brunch from 11:00-15:00 on 5th Avenue with alderwood-fired Alaska salmon, hollandaise and a house IPA on tap for the crowd.
Order: Alderwood-fired Alaska salmon with hollandaise and house IPA on tap
Simon and Seafort's ★ 4.4
Simon and Seafort's runs the Cook Inlet view downtown since 1978 with USDA prime steak, fresh Alaska halibut, weekend brunch, private rooms and a sustained.
Sacks Cafe ★ 4.3
Sacks Cafe runs a chef-driven menu of fresh Alaska salmon, ribeye and vegetable tart on G Street downtown, with sustainability messaging and a focused wine.
South Restaurant and Coffeehouse ★ 4.5
South Restaurant runs an all-day brunch on Old Seward Highway with a Croque Madame, seared scallops and Kaladi Brothers coffee bar at the South Anchorage.
Order: Croque Madame with seared Alaska scallops on the side
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