Whistler is renowned as a legendary place to play hard in the snow, so at the end of the day finding the perfect spot to re-fuel is at the top of the priority list. There's certainly no shortage of superb dining venues from which to choose.
Whistler's award-winning restaurants serve up appetizing fare from a range of ethnicities and regions, with many featuring locally sourced and organic ingredients. Declared one of the Top 10 Food and Wine Destinations in Canada for the Travelers' Choice 2011 awards by Trip Advisor, Whistler boasts more than 100 restaurants and bars - not bad for a town with a population of only 10,000.
Whistler restaurants take pride in featuring fresh, local, organic produce and Canadian specialties, including B.C. wild salmon, halibut and shellfish, B.C.-raised venison, B.C.-produced wines, Pemberton fingerling potatoes, and produce and cheeses from organic producers on Salt Spring Island, to name just a few.
Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay recently declared Araxi to be the top restaurant in Canada. In fact, a grand prize on his TV show, Hell's Kitchen, was a Head Chef position at Araxi, joining Executive Chef James Walt.
So, it's not surprising that Whistler is a great place to embark on a culinary adventure. Some of the country's best restaurants and chefs marry B.C. food with B.C. wines - as well as food and wine from around the world - to create unique epicurean experiences.
One myth that needs to be debunked is that you must be loaded with money to make it to the table in Whistler's eateries. Many of Vancouver's finest restaurants such as Hy's, Quattro and Umberto's have Whistler properties that offer equally good fare at similar price points. Several of Whistler's best restaurants offer Monday-Thursday tasting menus that rival the "Dine-Out Vancouver" Festival for quality and value. The locals regularly take advantage of the outstanding weekly deals offered by many restaurants. Two favourites are $10.00 pasta Thursday and $20.00 dinner and a movie. Ask nicely and they might just let you know where they are.
In keeping with taking a culinary adventure, why not consider a taste of the best? Whistler Tasting Tours conduct guided walking tours, where guests savour a multi-course feast, with each scrumptious course set in a different restaurant. Undoubtedly, this is the best way to discover where the locals like to dine. Their Hidden Gems Dinner Tour features a beer tasting at the Whistler Brewhouse and stops at four local favourite restaurants.
For the more daring, the Whistler Sabbatical Project offers you the chance to continue the Napoleonic tradition of having a bottle of champagne sabred open on the eve of a battle. While a day in Whistler is hardly a battle, an evening at the Bearfoot Bistro is still a great way to get psyched up for another day on the slopes.
So no matter what you desire - fine dining or a casual fireside meal with friends - Whistler is truly the scene of many culinary exploits, and a place to choose your own adventure, culinary-style.
