The Alaska Hole-In-The-Wall Restaurant Known For Its Pizza And Sled Dog Races

Although dependably modest, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant can be one of the best insights into local culture. With affordable yet tasty fare, such businesses function as a centerpoint for the community, bringing together diverse residents in a convivial setting. In Alaska, the restaurant Peace on Earth offers such a dining experience, but in a manner distinct to the state: pizzas catered to a sled dog race. The eatery is located in Unalakleet, a tiny town on the Bering Sea inaccessible by car.

Operating a restaurant here is tough. Ingredients are expensive due to transportation costs, and the winters are long and harsh. Yet this eatery — opened by husband-and-wife team Bret and Davida Hanson — serves not only and salads, sandwiches, appetizers, and delicious pies on homemade pizza dough, but also functions as a buzzy social space. There's occasional live music, dancing, and always a warm atmosphere.

Already, such a distinct personality is enough to set Peace on Earth apart. Yet once a year during springtime, the 1,000-mile Iditarod Race passes right by the restaurant's doors. A historic dog race involving resilient Alaskan huskies and their mushers, Peace on Earth's hometown of Unalakleet serves as an important checkpoint along the journey. And so, the Hansons serve pizzas to the tired participants en route, deftly timed to their arrival. Often ordered by supporters, boxes come inscribed with messages and are handed off to mushers with a smile. Reinforced by the high-quality pizza, it's a tradition that's cemented Peace on Earth's heartwarming status.

With its incomprehensibly large swaths of wilderness, it's no surprise that Alaska is home to other remote eateries, too. Small towns like McCarthy have generated a buzz for their dining scene, upheld by both fine-dining options and several food truck offerings. Delivering ingredients to these isolated areas is a constant struggle; many turn to foraged, fished, and locally grown produce to sustain business.

Gastropubs like The Roadside Potatohead — celebrated for its gourmet take on curly french fries — operate locations at the end of a 60-mile dirt road in McCarthy as well as in the scenic sea town of Valdez. Elsewhere in the state, you can find eateries like Osaka Restaurant, which serves delicious sashimi and Asian fare in Utqiagvik, the northernmost town in North America. And if you want to try fish and chips made with wild-caught Alaskan fish, head to The Bus, seasonally open in small Hyder, right on the Canadian border.

And if you're not traveling the remote expanses of Alaska, don't worry; a sea of other unique gems can be found nationwide. So look into the best hole-in-the-wall restaurant in your state to get delicious food in a unique setting, all delivered with wholesome service.