Highest-rated restaurants in Fairbanks by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Fairbanks, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Siam Square
- Rating: 4.0/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 59 College Road Ste 202 Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#29. House of Fire Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3677 College Road Ste 4 Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#28. The Cheesehead Joint
- Rating: 4.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 506 Merhar Ave. Ste B Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Sandwiches, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Pho House
- Rating: 4.0/5 (205 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 400 College Road Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Mom's Kitchen Fairbanks
- Rating: 4.0/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 537 Gaffney Road Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Thai, American, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Chicken Town
- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1454 South Cushman St. Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Korean, Chicken Wings, Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Bahn Thai Express
- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3677 College Road Ste 9 Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Noodle House
- Rating: 4.5/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 731 2nd Ave. Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Thai, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Lemon Grass Thai Cuisine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (314 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 388 Old Chena Pump Road Ste K Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Forget Me Not Espresso
- Rating: 4.5/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1246 Noble St. Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#20. The Hungry Robot
- Rating: 4.5/5 (149 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 910 Old Steese Hwy Unit C Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Pizza, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Thai Orchid Drive Thru
- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 910 Old Steese Hwy Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#18. kanpai
- Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 1448 South Cushman St. Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Nim's House of Thai Food
- Rating: 4.5/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1456 South Cushman St. Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#16. The Alaska Cheesesteak Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Cheesesteaks, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Blue Roof Bistro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (259 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 13 Timberland Drive Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: New American, Tex-Mex, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Oishi Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 329 Driveway St. Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Bakeries, Ramen
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Little Owl Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1755 Westwood Way Ste 2 Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#12. DW Grill & Catering
- Rating: 4.5/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 617 27th Ave. Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: American, Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#11. East Ramp Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3788 University Ave. South Ste 301 Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Jazz Bistro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (260 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 527 4th Ave. Ste B Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Music Venues, Puerto Rican, Cuban
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Aurora Crepes & Peking Duck
- Rating: 4.5/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 512 Old Steese Hwy Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Creperies, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Tokyo Express
- Rating: 4.5/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 516 Old Steese Hwy Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Spicy Thai
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 1189 Old Richardson Hwy Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#6. The Crepery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (772 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 523 2nd Ave. Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Creperies, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Pita Place
- Rating: 4.5/5 (115 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3300 College Road Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Fast food, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Soba
- Rating: 4.5/5 (191 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 535 2nd Ave. Ste 106 Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Bucko's Coffee
- Rating: 5.0/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 281 Bentley Trust Road Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Aurora Restaurant
- Rating: 5.0/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1452 South Cushman Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Lane's Quickie Tacos
- Rating: 5.0/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3412 College Road Ste 1 Fairbanks, Alaska
- Categories: Street Vendors, Tacos, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.