We’ve rounded up Black owned businesses, artists, and cultural events to explore while you’re visiting Alaska’s largest city, highlighting creativity, entrepreneurship, and community across Anchorage.

Food & Beverage   

Eva’s CupCakery is a sweet stop you won’t want to miss. A love of travel led owner Eva Perry to enlist in the United States Air Force, an adventure that took her all over the world and eventually to Anchorage. Since retirement, her lifelong dream of owning a bakery has come to fruition and now she has a storefront in Anchorage’s Fairview neighborhood. Flavors like sweet potato, sour cream pound cake, red velvet, and hummingbird showcase Perry’s Southern roots, and an always rotating selection of flavors keeps customers coming back again and again.

A community-minded restaurant serving sweet and savory waffles, Waffles and Whatnot is a tried-and-true hit the entire family will enjoy. The restaurant began as a picnic table on Anchorage sidewalks and its popularity led owner Derrick Green to upgrade to a food truck. Green concocted his original batter recipe wanting to create something both delicious and nutritious while his wife was undergoing chemotherapy. Now with a brick-and-mortar location along Muldoon Avenue in Northeast Anchorage, Waffles and Whatnot has been featured on the Food Network, in Entrepreneur Magazine, and USA Today. Try it out, and if you love it, you can even take home their signature waffle and pancake mix as a souvenir.

At Sweet Creations Lollipop Boutique, you will quite literally feel like a kid in a candy store. Owner Missy Simms set out to create a neighborhood candy store in her hometown Mountain View neighborhood that would feel like the places she and her friends flocked to as children. In addition to an extensive candy collection, Sweet Creations offers personalized packages including custom and made-to-order candies, candy arrangements, chocolate bouquets, and more.

Buzzed Beetle is a veteran, minority, woman-owned business and Anchorage’s only full hard seltzer brewery that expanded into mocktails following an extended alcohol permit delay. With Caribbean roots, flavor is central to every product, using naturally sourced and locally available ingredients sweetened primarily with pure cane sugar and occasional honey. Offerings include hard seltzers, mocktails, Ta’Ines, tea-based non-alcoholic wines, gourmet sodas, and energy drinks.

Savor charcoal roasted chicken at Spinz Pollo a la Brasa, where bold Peruvian inspired flavors take center stage. Known for its juicy rotisserie style chicken seasoned with house spices, this locally loved spot pairs comforting classics with vibrant sauces and sides, making it a go to for hearty meals and shared plates.

Mama Carol’s Soulfood serves up comforting, home-style dishes rooted in soulful tradition. This Black owned eatery brings heartwarming flavors and community spirit to Anchorage’s dining scene.

Savor bold Afro Caribbean flavors at J3rk Spot, a Black owned restaurant serving authentic Guyanese cuisine with a modern twist. The main location is in Eagle River, with additional spots in Anchorage and Chugiak, making it easy to enjoy these vibrant dishes across the area.

Arts, Culture & Community

Akela Space gallery is a must-visit location in downtown Anchorage and a great way to experience Anchorage’s local art scene. The gallery curates monthly shows featuring contemporary Alaska artists, kicking off on the first Friday of each month as part of downtown Anchorage’s art walk. It also hosts a variety of community pop-up events, intimate concerts featuring local musicians, and more. Akela Space is owned by Jovell Rennie, a local photographer and creator. Rennie is the lead behind the storytelling project “Black in Alaska” which shares positive stories about Black Alaskans.   

The 11th Annual Alaska Black Business Expo, hosted at the Anchorage Museum, brings together entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community members to celebrate and support Black owned businesses across Alaska. Held annually on the first Saturday of February, the event offers opportunities to connect, learn, and discover local businesses while exploring pathways to start and grow your own.

Local Resources & Essentials

Umoja Coworking and Incubator is a welcoming, community centered workspace in Mountain View where entrepreneurs from across the state come together to connect, collaborate, and grow. Focused on creating an inclusive environment that taps into the strengths of Alaska’s most diverse communities, Umoja is also the force behind the Alaska Black Business Directory, a go to resource for discovering and supporting Black owned businesses statewide.

We can’t think of anything much more brilliant than a vending machine stocked with the essentials for anyone traveling with young children. Founder and CEO Jasmin Smith is a mother of twins and came up with the idea for Baby Vend after running out of diapers in the middle of the mall one day. Her vending machines, stocked with anything a parent might carry in their diaper bag, can now be found at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), 5th Avenue Mall, Anchorage Museum, and the Dimond Center. 

Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals provides professional auction, appraisal, estate settlement, and benefit fundraising services for clients in Anchorage and across the country. The company works with individuals, businesses, and nonprofits to sell assets efficiently through live and online auctions. Founder and CEO Dan Newman holds five professional designations and led the company to earn Inc. 5000 recognition in 2025. He is especially known for his work helping nonprofits raise tens of millions of dollars through strategic benefit auctions and fundraising.

Want to immerse yourself in Anchorage cultures even more? Be sure to check out our blog posts on how to Experience the World in One of America’s Most Diverse Cities - Anchorage, Alaska.