DINE
Crabbing , a Way of Life
What started out as a tent on the dock , Halibut Point Crab & Chowder is now a full-fledged restaurant and bar located in the stunning new building at the Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal , a true testament to how wildlife sustainability can feed our locals – both their stomachs and their dreams .
The Friske family has owned and operated their crabbing business since 2013 , and when we say family , we mean family ; Andrew and Becky ’ s two children have been an integral part of the business ever since they were little , and their duties grow as they do . Their crabbing operation led them to offer Sitkans and travelers freshly-caught crab off the dock , and it also allowed them to educate people about wild Alaska seafood and well-managed sustainable resources .
Since Alaska Department of Fish and Game has two seasons for commercial crabbing – mid-June through mid-August and the beginning of October through the beginning of December – the Friske family cook , freeze , and glaze the crab to sell when they open in May . Anything after June 15 is caught , kept live , and then cooked up fresh daily . Through the expansion and changes of the restaurant , the family continues to make it their mission to provide locals and visitors with the freshest crab available . In the summer , you can snag a photo with your lunch and then taste the delicious , mild , and flaky flesh of Dungeness crab meat . The new restaurant , which opened in the spring of 2022 , also offers sights of Sitka Sound through floor-to-ceiling windows , a perfect viewing platform to spot whales as you sip on a locally-crafted beer . Their beautiful wooden tables , repurposed from a single tree of a recent landslide , are now decorated with the restaurant ’ s delicious eats , like coho salmon sandwiches , bowls of hot chowder , and of course both Dungeness and king crab .
Fresh seafood is a staple for Sitkans , and Ashmo ’ s , a local food truck , also loves to provide its patrons with delicious twists on their ocean-caught meals . Bite into their black cod tips , salmon mac and cheese , or rockfish tacos . But get in line early ; they can sell out of favorites fast . In Sitka , when you eat salmon , cod , and crab , you ’ re buying from the people who fish them – a cycle that is celebrated and honored .
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