Anchorage Restaurant Memories
Yummy memories.
Peggy’s Airport Café
Barbara says:
“Your stories bring back fond memories.”
Mike of the Anchorage Memories Club has this memory
“When our family first arrived in Anchorage in 1950, we landed at Merrill Field.
After the long, 5 hour flight from Seattle, mom asked someone at Merrill Field if there was a restaurant nearby. We were told about Peggy’s Airport Café just across the street.
So for our family, Peggy’s has a special place in our hearts.”
Later known as Peggy’s Café, the restaurant was first opened in 1944. It was originally a one-story building and a favorite of bush pilots.
Peggy was a lady named Peggy Lott. She first moved to Alaska to teach school in Seldovia, then Bethel before coming to Anchorage.
If you liked pie, Peggy’s was the place to be. The pies were always created using the same recipes Peggy Lott used when she first opened the café.
Mary of Anchorage Memories recalls this story
“My mother, Feodoria Pennington, used to bake the pies at Peggy’s Airport Café and was there when the 1964 earthquake struck.
My mom told me that when the 1964 earthquake started shaking, Peggy Lott and my mom ended up crawling around on the kitchen floor on their hands and knees dodging flying pots, pans, and knives.”
Remember the Tent City celebration in the 1980s? Peggy’s Café was there and so was Mary of Anchorage Memories. Notice the “fresh homemade pies” sign.
Peggy left Alaska in the 1970s for Mount Vernon, Washington. She lived to be 103.
BONUS
Take a look at Peggy’s Airport Café Memories and enjoy.
Yes, You Can Share This Edition
Your Anchorage friends and family will love these great Anchorage Restaurant Memories. So take a moment to share this edition. Your friends and family will be so happy that they’ll take you out to dinner at your favorite restaurant… well, it could happen.
A&W Root Beer Memories
A note from Mike of the Anchorage Memories Club
“Back in 1951, my dad, Ray Dougherty, cleared some land on Mountain View Drive, not far from Merrill Field. The area he cleared became an important place in Anchorage history. It became A&W Drive-In.”
Remember those great tasting “mashed potato” french fries. And of course, there were the lions, Timbo, and Princess.
BONUS
Read more about the A&W Drive-In and enjoy.
Nikko Garden
Photo by Ward Wells
Here’s another great Anchorage, Alaska restaurant memory.
The Kimura family hit a home run when they created Nikko Garden.
Located in Spenard, the restaurant’s atmosphere was beautiful and the service and food was memorable.
What are your favorite memories of Nikko Garden?
The Arctic Roadrunner
Oh, the memories…
The Arctic Roadrunner is a favorite. The location shown above is now closed, but such fond memories remain.
BONUS
Mary of Anchorage Memories recalls her Arctic Roadrunner memories.
Take a look at The Arctic Roadrunner and enjoy.
Gwennie’s Old Alaska Restaurant
Gwennie had a secret
To find out what it was, click on the BONUS link below.
One of Anchorage’s favorites
Breakfast, lunch or dinner, Gwennie’s was the place to be. And this is what made it so good.
The owner, Gwennie Thornton, loved to cook, and she loved making her customers happy.
Not long ago, Anchorage Memories caught up with Gwennie and here’s what she had to say to all her Anchorage friends.
BONUS
Gwennie had a secret. Find out what it was.
Take a look at “Gwennie’s Restaurant – in her Own Words” and enjoy.
La Cabana
It didn’t look like the picture above, the first time Mike of the Anchorage Memories Club visited the La Cabana.
“Back in the day, the La Cabana, Mexican restaurant was in a log cabin. When I was a boy, my mom and dad took the family to that small cabin in downtown Anchorage. I had never had Mexican food, and I wasn’t at all sure that I wanted to.
Then, when our dinner arrived at our table and I took my first bite… It was love at first taste.
My wife Mary had the same experience.
And although we have traveled all over, now live in California and have tasted Mexican food in some great restaurants… nothing compares to the wonderful Mexican food we enjoyed at La Cabana.”
What are your La Cabana memories?
BONUS
Read Mary’s La Cabana Memories and enjoy.
The Lucky Wishbone
Oh, what we wouldn’t give for one of those delicious Lucky Wishbone cheeseburger baskets… followed by the strawberry shortcake they served in a glass. Oh, be still, my heart.
All you had to do was just walk into the restaurant, and you knew the food was going to be wonderful.
BONUS
Now here’s a special treat.
Take a look at The Lucky Wishbone Story and enjoy.
Connect with Mike and Mary
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Until next time
Mike & Mary
Anchorage Memories Club
An Airport Cafe memory. Family went to Airport Cafe for dinner one Fifties Friday evening. Being Catholic, eating meat on Friday wasn't allowed. I ordered a grilled cheese. My brother ordered a cheeseburger, apparently thinking it was some sort of meatless concoction and our parents didn't say anything to the contrary. The food arrives, my brother takes a bite and "hey! There's a hamburger on my cheeseburger!" I'm sure the waitress thought we were from another planet.
Many happy memories at La Cabaña, from 1968 on. Their chiles rellenos were outstanding and since then have been my favorite to order in any Mexican restaurant. I married into the Roselius family, and "Grandpa Gene" took us often to LaCabaña. The wonderful manager back then was Ford D'Ybarrondo (spelling?).