Middle Way Cafe

Anchorage, United States

4.1

Closed now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 907-272-6433
Website:
www.middlewaycafe.com
Address:
1200 W Northern Lights Blvd Ste G, Anchorage, AK, 99503
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
1.6 miTransit Center
2 miAnchorage
Categories:
QR code
Download QR Image Download vCard

Map

Streetview

Activate map

Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Apple Pay
No
Good For
Lunch
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
No
Caters
No

Today

Today 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Anchorage) 06:35 Wednesday, 11 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wednesday 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
Thursday 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
Friday 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Middle Way Café is an Anchorage original! Established in 1994, we are a popular and maverick café, bakery and coffee house located in Spenard, the heart of West Anchorage. Spacious and filled with local art, we are a family friendly meeting place and hub for the community.

Our mission is to contribute to a healthy, balanced, and sustainable life through good food and drink.

We have been an Anchorage pioneer in incorporating a wide selection of organic and locally sourced products as seasonality and availability allows. Middle Way embraced gluten-​free and vegan/​vegetarian options very early on, and you will find many wholesome items from our bakery and our breakfast and lunch menus to choose from.

Our organic and socially just coffees are roasted by our friend and master roaster, Michael McGuire, at K Bay Caffe in the beautiful Alaskan village of Homer. Our baristas raise the «bar» in barista by artistically presenting your favorite espresso drinks, and serving you with gratitude.

History

Established in 1994.

In the beginning, we started out as a popular espresso cart way back in 1992 next to our friends at REI, serving up lots of Kaladi coffee. When a 1,300s q.ft. space became available in our beloved and near ancient Northern Lights Center, we pounced and opened our first iteration of the café in ’94. There were no options back then for multi-​cultural and healthy food that actually tasted good, offered local or organic products, and offered great espresso, a juice bar, and a bakery. «Beyond sprouts» and «unconventional» were the mottos of the day.

After many years of serving the good people and steadily building the business, it was time to grow up a bit, and so we moved into our current 4,000sq.ft. space in 2008. This began a new era for Middle Way and we are so very grateful to all of our visitors, locals and travelers alike, for making us a top destination and cult favorite in our fair city! We hope to see you at Middle Way Café very soon.

Meet the Business Owner

Jonathan C.

Business Owner

We hope you will stop by for a visit soon! If you are a local we are sure you will find many friends here! If you are from outside, then welcome to Alaska! Our wholesome and delicious food and drink and our casual, airy, and local-​art filled atmosphere should make you feel right at home while you plan your adventure or take care of business here in the Greatland.

Related places

You might also like:
1.2
mi
Alaska Vegan and Gluten Free
600 E Northern Lights Blvd
1.8
mi
Midnight Sun Cafe
245 W 5th Ave Ste 106
2.6
mi
RMD Cafe
2476 E Tudor Rd
2.8
mi
Yogurtland
5000 W International Airport Rd
3.2
mi
YogurtWorks
3421 B E Tudor Rd
3.5
mi
Yes Bistro
3801 Debarr Rd

Nearby

Near this location:
1
ft
REI
1200 W Northern Lights Blvd Ste A
1
ft
OEC Revolving Sushi Bar
1200 W Northern Lights Blvd Ste H
10
ft
La Bodega
1200 W Northern Lights Blvd Ste F
140
ft
Title Wave Books
1360 W Northern Lights Blvd
330
ft
Burger King Restaurants
1341 West Northern Lights Blvd
330
ft
Yak & Yeti
1360 W Northern Lights Blvd

20 reviews of Middle Way Cafe

No registration required
Place rating: 4
Anchorage, AK
The food here is great (Even though I have only had the Turkey Cranberry sandwich). I will say it is always packed (Which obviously means the food is good), but since it is so busy and bustling I usually get my food to go. I like places a bit more low key and quiet.
Place rating: 4
Anchorage, AK
Their buddah bowl is to die for. The place is nice, good for lunch only really. Nice vegan/​vegetarian options. Also a good place to meet random people for a good coffee chat.
Place rating: 5
Anchorage, AK
This has been a favorite place of mine for years. But I am working hard to change my way of eating and I plan to visit Middleway more often. Everything you get here is fresh and well made. I went in for a quick bite and got the ½ turkey cranberry sandwich with salad for $ 10.50. Great value and big meal! I have never been disappointed. Thier salsa is darn good and their tahini dressing is STILL my fav.
Often restaurants that have a menu that is largely veg/​vegan do not appeal to me because I am a carnivore & french fry foodie! Middleway is not all veg/​vegan however they offer a lot of dishes that are. AND THEY ARE GOOD!!! I am always surprised and happy when I leave. Their yummy healthy food is helping me change my thinking. Their owner/​s are doing everything right!!!
Place rating: 5
Riverside, CA
This place serves nutritious and delicious food! Healthy, great atmosphere, coffee, juices, salads, soups, sandwiches and bowls.
Place rating: 3
Anchorage, AK
I stopped by here to get a little studying done just before the Big Game. Seeing that the game starts at 2:30, I figured I could have an early lunch here and be hungry by halftime. I have been here several times to study and I can’t believe I forgot to post a review after all this time. This place is popular and always busy when I come in. The design of this restaurant is part rustic, part modern art with lots of paintings made by local artists. This works well for the atmosphere of the place and there are lots of chairs and tables to make for a very large seating area. There is also no shortage of outlets here. The outlets are literally lined up on the wall straight to the back. This is one of the cafes where I’ve seen a lot of students from UAA putting some study time in.
The employees here are friendly and quick to take your order. I’ve only had to wait several minutes for my food to arrive at my table in spite of a very large Sunday lunch crowd. The food is decent, not the best I’ve had. My order of the Southwest Turkey sandwich which consists of lean smoked slice turkey breast, cream cheese, green leaf lettuce, tomato, avocado and red onions on sourdough bread along with a bowl of their spicy White Bean soup was delicious. However, the Tuna Schooner I had from a previous visit was a big disappointment. The sandwich sounded good since it has albacore tuna salad, herbed mayo, tomato, lettuce, and red onion, but when I tried it, there was hardly any flavor to it. The smoothie I had called the Follow Your Heart which has apple, banana, strawberry, and blueberry was very good but it was pricey for a 16 oz. size.
I still intend to come back here mainly because of the friendly employees and the spacious seating area for studying. The Wi-​Fi here is fast. You also get a bonus connection to REI in case the connection for Middle Way stalls. The food is hit or miss, but based on the popularity of this place, I’ll keep an open mind on the other dishes I haven’t tried yet like their salads, breakfast plates or modern burgers.
Place rating: 5
Anchorage, AK
Best Avocado Melt EVER!!! And best huevos rancheros anywhere. Also best coffee in Ak from KBay, buy a bag that was just roasted usually a few days before and get a free mocha or latte. Enjoy it not to go and it comes with tiny chocolate chips floating on top of the whip cream. Purely luxurious coffee drinking experience. They always have amazing soups from scratch, and usually 3 options. Pastries are amazing, cupcakes are the best I have ever had, they are vegan gluten free but you would not know by taste. Love the juices and the kombucha brand they carry is the best you can get in Ak. They get busy because the food is obviously good. The perfect antidote to the greasy spoons with blech food that are all over this city. So thankful to have a place like this here!
Place rating: 3
Anchorage, AK
I’ve been here a couple of times for lunch. Each time has been pleasant, it’s a comfortable place to eat or drink. The first time I came I ordered a wrap that did not come with some of the promised ingredients (sprouts, kalamata olives) and they were pretty stingy with the hummus; leaving me not very satisfied and unimpressed with the portion.
The next time was a significantly better experience. The coyote burger was delicious (really tasty black bean/​kale patty) with ample avocado and toppings. I opted for adding the salsa (remembering being hungry the last time) and was happy I did as I thought the salsa was quite tasty. Again, I thought the portion was kind of small – I felt hungry a few hours later; but the burger stayed together well and I will probably be back for the veggie burgers.
Place rating: 4
Anchorage, AK
A good breakfast and comely staff at organic prices. The coffee was ok, eggs Florentine great.
Place rating: 5
Lubbock, TX
This place has a wonderful atmosphere and a friendly helpful staff. Wonderful art on the walls and great t-​shirts. Their smoothies are delicious and the breakfast burrito is on point! Get here quick!
Place rating: 5
Austin, TX
I loved the multigrain pancakes! They had some crisp on the edges that was really delicious. The flavor was quite rich too. The eggs and reindeer sausage were not that special, so I’d really just get stacks of pancakes here if you’re coming for breakfast.
Place rating: 4
Anchorage, AK
I love this place! They discontinued my favorite beet and portobello mushroom burger, but I am currently experimenting with this dish. The chipotle sweet potatoes are amazing. The act that the dish is all veggies is a fun fact. It would be nice if the purple cabbage making the «bowl» was more edible. It’s literally just raw. I’ve tried to cut it and eat it… and well it’s not too tasty. The dish has zucchini pasta mixed in. I count 6 different veggies in this dish. It costs about $ 12 which is kind of spendy considering the cabbage is not pleasantly edible.
Place rating: 4
Copenhagen, Denmark
Being on vacation in the homestate/​town of your girlfriend for the first time carries with it the promise of visiting all the restaurants she’s known and loved for years. With a hankering for a breakfast burrito, she took me to Middle Way Café one morning.
The place was light and pleasantly minimalistically designed. Tall ceilings and large windows made for a good ambiance even with plenty of people chatting merrily. We ordered at the cashier, while admiring all the gluten free cupcake options. A guy can wish, right? Taking our number, we found a table and sat. They have plenty of shirts for sale and everything screams hipster in the best way.
Our food came sooner than I had expected, and with a smile. I got the Huevos Rancheros on brown rice and beans, and my girlfriend got the aforementioned breakfast burrito. I took a bite or two of my Rancheros and wasn’t super impressed. Then I added Sriracha hot sauce and the dish was instantly transformed from bland til amazing. Perhaps my mouth is weirdly set up, but I haven’t ever experienced a transformation quite like that. Deliberate I chose to believe. I was well chuffed with my selection at that point. As we have a habit of doing I switched dishes with my girlfriend half way through, and found the breakfast burrito to be very delicious indeed.
All in all it was a very enjoyable breakfast. Delicious fresh food — lots with vegan options if that floats your boat. Pleasant surroundings, nice staff and we got a long sleeved tee and, surprise, a cupcake to boot.
Place rating: 4
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA
In town visiting from Los Angeles, Unilocal helped me discover this gem of a café. I originally came in on a Sunday with a couple friends and it was certainly packed with people! In my book, busy usually means yummy, so we waited it out, found a table and received our juices fairly quickly for the amount of people in here. Already being pleased, I was extra excited to get my vegan tofu stack breakfast made with mostly organic goodness that I dove in as soon as the plate hit the table. It was so good I practically licked the plate clean… ok so maybe I did actually lick it, but no one was watching so it’s totally ok. ;)
I returned this morning to fill my tummy with vegan love and fresh juice before my flight home. It was far less busy, but still a decent size crowd for a Wednesday morning. Finding a table was no issue, but the made to order juice and food is still a bit of a wait. For the record, I’m completely ok waiting for fresh and delicious food. If I ever make it back to Anchorage, this will absolutely be on my restaurant list.
UPDATE: when I received my vegan breakfast burrito, it was actually made incorrectly (with tofu instead of the soy chorizo that it was supposed to be) and the black beans didn’t taste completely cooked, a little too al dente for my preferred burrito wants. When I asked a server about it, she immediately apologized, checked with the kitchen and refunded me the cost. Super nice, really understandable. 1 star deducted for the lack of communication from the kitchen and under cooked beans. :(I recommend the tofu stack over the burrito to any other vegans that visit here — both for prep and taste.
Place rating: 4
Anchorage, AK
Middle Way is hip and happinin’. A little on the $$ side but not bad given the quality of their food.
I’ve been a fan for some time now. They’re always serving up some good, hearty, fresh dishes that satisfy my appetite every time. I usually settle on the «Pick Two» because I’m very indecisive. Their portions for this $ 10 steal are big but small enough to where I don’t need a to go box. MW also has ½ sizes of some items in case your appetite isn’t full sized.
Not only do they have wonderful café type plates (soup, salad and sammies), MW also has a case full of wonderful baked goods. Their cookies and cupcakes are A+.
I also love how GF, vegan and vegetarian friendly they are. I do not have dietary restrictions, except for home much my tummy can hold, but my friends who do appreciate the extra effort to cater to their needs.
Keep it up MWC!
Place rating: 3
Anchorage, AK
I want to love you Middle Way, I really do, but we just don’t have any chemistry.
I’ve been here a couple times. It seems like a place I would like. One of the things I like most about the Pac NW is abundant veggies. I miss veggies in AK. This place definitely has a veggie bend to it. They serve meat, but have many vegetarian and vegan options.
I eat meat, but I love a well-​prepared vegetarian (or even vegan) meal.
I’ve had breakfast here twice and lunch once.
I thought my breakfasts were alright, and I thought my bowl was pretty tasty.
The problem is that, all three times, my stomach felt almost exactly the same as before I ate here. Portions are just too modest, or maybe I’m just a pig. Or maybe I’m ordering the wrong things?
The food also takes quite a while to come out, I’m not sure if it’s a staffing issue or an organizational one. It’s a long, awkward wait. You’ll probably think «did they forget me? Is the food still coming?!»
Maybe I’m not the target market here? The place seems very well-​liked around town.
I’ll try again in a couple months.
Place rating: 5
Aurora, IL
Great place to stop and get a breakfast pastry or even sit down for a hot breakfast. We took meals to go for lunch one of they days we were here and their sandwiches were awesome. The salsa here is amazing, many options for people with special dietary needs like gf, vegetarian or vegan. The staff is great and Elise the manager is so kind and helpful!
Place rating: 4
Mountain View, CA
Perfect place for brunch after grabbing a coffee from nearby kaladi brothers café.
The wait might be long on weekends but it is worth it.
My husband had a vegan breakfast burrito which was ‘deadly’ and I ordered a California omelette which was perfect.
We also ordered a smoothie which was a relief from the hot 82 °F summer outside.
Highly recommended!
Place rating: 4
Anchorage, AK
This is one of my go-​to spots for a lazy Sunday latte. Their backdoor patio is a huge perk, as outdoor seating is hard to come by in Anchorage.
They offer an abundance of healthy options– juices, smoothies, salads, and many items come gluten free. But don’t fret, there offer delicious burgers, sandwiches, and soups when you’re craving something more hearty. My favorite item is any smoothie is ginger! They don’t skimp, so it’s always hyper flavorful.
Ahh the pastries, cupcakes, and desserts are to die for! It can get a little dangerous if you look in the glass case of deliciousness.
They also have rotating art and photography on their walls, which is a fun reason to stop in. The staff is super friendly and it seems like they’re all family.
4⁄5 stars simply because their ordering process is stressful. It’s cafeteria style, so you wait in line, order your food, pay the cashier, then get a number to wait at a table. It’s difficult to decide exactly what I want before its my turn to order. I always feel rushed.
All and all a great Anchorage eatery. Perfect for family lunch, a brunch date with your special someone, or a quick breakfast before work!
Place rating: 4
Anchorage, AK
I almost forgot to review my recent lunch– I had ordered the salmon burger and one of my all time favs the north of heaven smoothie.
The burger was OK, (I am not a salmon burger fan in the first place) but the smoothie was great.
Place rating: 2
Anchorage, AK
Like many reviewers have pointed out, this place does an excellent job with the smoothies and juices. They are spot on every time and zinging with super fresh tastiness. I haven’t found another smoothie place in town I like as much. Of course, because they are organic and served in a hip-​hopping space, they are spendy, like six bucks for a small. I don’t indulge often because as little as I like to prepare food, a good smoothie is something I can and do make often at home. So, five for the smoothie/​juice.
I’ve never had problems with service here, as it’s always been prompt and friendly. They do get super busy, and I can see how that might lead to craziness once in a while, but that part is a-​ok for me. Five stars there, too.
What I dislike about this place is the food. Unfortunately, they follow in a sad stereotypical tradition of hippie restaurants (a term I am using as a catch all qualifier, not as an insult, having a bit of the hippie in me) of healthy but bland food. No matter whether it’s the special, like the Navajo wrap, or a regular item, like the Chicken Milano or Tuna Schooner, all I have tried tastes oh-​so dull. There is somehow no flavor in their food – no spices, no salt, nothing. None of it was gross, just blah. I used to like their breakfast sandwich, but that’s not on the menu anymore (it’s hard for ham and eggs to be flavorless because ham flavors everything in porky goodness). There are much better places in town, and while I like organic and local when possible, I like flavor more. Two stars for the food, and because I find it so disappointing, it’s the rating I’m going with.
I keep going back because I want to like the place. I tried it for lunch the other day because I wanted to go someplace to eat and work, but their wifi was faulty, and I couldn’t get anything done. I imagine I’ll go back for a smoothie or juice when I’m shopping around there, but I don’t think I’ll be giving the food another shot.