Deep in the heart of Alaska’s capital city, a small Italian restaurant is quietly doing something remarkable.
In Bocca Al Lupo — Italian for “into the wolf’s mouth,” a phrase used to wish someone good luck — opened its doors in March 2016 and has been winning over locals and visitors ever since.
It is living proof that great Italian food does not need to be found in Rome or New York. Sometimes, it just needs a rain jacket and a flight to Juneau. 🐺🍝
How They Won Local’s Hearts
In Bocca Al Lupo was born in March 2016 out of a bold — and beautifully imperfect — plan. 🐺
Executive Chef and owner Beau Schooler originally set out to open a Calabrian restaurant, bringing the rustic, fiery flavors of southern Italy to Southeast Alaska.
“We like to say that we make Alaskan food, with Italian flavor,” the restaurant says of its own identity — and that honest, humble origin story is a huge part of why locals connected with it so deeply from the start.
From the very beginning, Chef Beau Schooler built the restaurant around a philosophy as bold as Alaska itself: take chances, use what the land and sea give you, and never apologize for innovating.
The menu rotates with whatever the week brings in — wild salmon when it’s fresh, Alaska seafood when it’s right — and that commitment to freshness and seasonality is exactly what turned first-time diners into obsessive regulars. 🍽️
The handmade pasta, made fresh daily with gluten-free options available, quickly became the talk of the town.
And the accolades followed. Chef Schooler has been nominated for a James Beard Award six times — four of those nominations tied directly to Lupo, and he was a finalist in 2023.
That same year, the restaurant earned its most stunning milestone yet when it was included in The New York Times‘ 2023 list of the 50 best restaurants in the United States — a recognition that sent shockwaves through Juneau and the wider food world alike. 🎉🏔️
In Bocca Al Lupo manages to be both a serious restaurant and a neighborhood spot, the kind of place where a fisherman fresh off the water sits next to a couple celebrating an anniversary, and both feel equally at home.
The wood-fired pizzas, the house-cured meats, the from-scratch everything — it all adds up to a dining experience that feels rare, especially this far north.
Travelers from Anchorage have even claimed it to be the best restaurant in Alaska, and honestly? The locals aren’t arguing. 🌟
Food Highlights 🍕🍝
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Rigatoni Bolognese: Made with 21-day dry-aged Royal Ranch beef and finished with parmesan — this is the dish that turns skeptics into believers.
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Pork and Ricotta Meatballs: Served with tomato sauce, parmesan, and garlic oil, these are consistently praised by diners as a must-order starter.
- King Crab Pappardelle: One of the restaurant’s most celebrated seasonal dishes, this is the ultimate marriage of Alaskan bounty and Italian pasta craft. 🦀
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Wood-Fired Hot Cauliflower: Rubbed with Calabrian chili, drizzled in hot honey, and served with kelp ranch and pickled cauliflower leaves. 🌶️
- Salsiccia 2.0 Pizza: Fennel sausage, Calabrian chili, broccolini, white sauce, and mozzarella on a 12-inch wood-fired crust made with Cairnsprings fresh stone-milled flour.
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Spaghetti Pomodoro: The simplest dish on the menu and somehow one of the most impressive — tomato sauce, parmesan, and garlic oil on house-made spaghetti.
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Thunderdome: A fan-favorite antipasto featuring garlic butter and parmesan cream — described by diners as a must-have for garlic lovers. 🧄
- Shells & Cheese: This is smoked salmon, crème fraîche, Beecher’s cheddar, dill, and chive breadcrumbs in one glorious bowl. 🐟
Atmosphere ☁️🕯️
In Bocca Al Lupo keeps its dining room deliberately and unapologetically casual — the kind of place that, as one food writer put it, “does not punish anyone for showing up in a rain jacket.”
The warm, family-style atmosphere is built around wood-fired energy, the hum of good conversation, and a space that manages to feel intimate without being fussy.
Bottom Line
In Bocca Al Lupo is a once-in-a-trip Italian hidden gem experience in the heart of Alaska.
It made the New York Times‘ top 50 U.S. restaurants in 2023, serves handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza made entirely from scratch, blends authentic Alaskan ingredients with Italian tradition, and wraps it all in a warm, no-pretense atmosphere that makes every meal feel like a win. 🐺✨
Address:
120 2nd St Suite B, Juneau, AK 99801
📞 (907) 586-1409
🕔 Open Tue–Fri, 12 PM–9 PM | Sat, 5 PM–9 PM (Closed Sun–Mon)