So you are planning a trip to Whistler and want to know the best places to eat, drink and have fun? Whistler has a great array of restaurants, pubs, clubs and festivals for all tastes and styles. Whistler restaurants range from casual pubs, hip cafes and coffee shops, and world-class fine dining restaurants. The drinking scene usually begins after a day on the mountain (also known as Après) and may lead to a cocktail or wine bar followed by a night dancing with friends at one of Whistler’s well known night spots. Whistler has a year-round calendar of food and drink events so there should be something to appease all tastes twelve months of the year. Here are our suggestions of places to drink, dine and dance in Whistler.
Drink
Wet your palette at one of Whistler’s famous drink spots. The Longhorn Saloon and Grill is an iconic social hub located right at the base of Blackcomb Mountain. In the peak of winter and on blue-sky days this patio is overflowing with blissful boarders and skiers wrapping up their day on the hill. Tapley’s Neighbourhood Pub is another great drink spot and has the largest selection of beers in town plus lots of TVs to catch the game. Other venues worth a mention include the BearFoot Wine Bar which has one of Whistler’s most notable wine lists plus a sub- zero vodka tasting room and Steeps Grill and Wine Bar featuring one of the most impressive wine lists in town.
Dine
If you are looking for casual food the Southside Diner is a popular spot for tourists and locals and features old school diner style food served in a casual atmosphere. Avalanche Pizza has the best pizza in town with slices bigger than your head and Stonesedge Kitchen fuses comfort food with healthy and delicious ingredients- a combination that’s hard to resist. If you are after fine dining check out Araxi Restaurant and Oyster Bar in the heart of the Village Stroll. Araxi has consistently been named the best restaurant in Whistler year after year. The Rim Rock Café is an upscale dining experience favoured by locals and Mongolie Grill is a unique family-friendly dining experience that allows you to create your own meals which are then weighed and theatrically grilled by Chefs.
Dance
There are no shortages of places to shake a leg in Whistler. Garfinkles (or Garfs), a Whistler tradition since 1992, is always a safe bet when seeking a night on the town. Playing top party hits catering to the 20’s and 30’s crowd and open 7 nights a week make sure you stop in at this iconic party spot. Buffalo Bills is another legendary Whistler night spot, has one of the biggest dancefloors in town, and plays dance classics and top 40. With weekly feature nights such as Friday Lady’s Night, Cider Tuesdays and Cocktail Dance Party Thursdays make sure you check out this Whistler institution. Other night spots to explore include Tommy Africa’s, Maxx Fish and Moe Joe’s.
Festivals
Fall is the best time to visit Whistler if you want to check out a foodie festival. September 16-20th 2015 is the annual Whistler Village Beer Festival showcasing over 200 beers and 80 breweries over 5 days. Indulge in food pairing dinners, interesting seminars, tastings events and great parties. Cornucopia is Whistler’s premier food and wine event and is held in November each year. The 10 day event has a jammed packed schedule of wine tastings, long table lunches and food themed parties. Aside from these established festivals Whistler has year-round wine-maker dinners and long table lunches showcasing local food producers as well as International and Okanagan VQA wines.
Whistler isn’t all about outdoor adventure with a notable food and wine scene to impress even the fussiest foodies. Before diving into the wining and dining make sure to get your hands on a Whistler Adventure Passport which has over $1000 in savings on some of the best restaurants, tours and shops in Whistler. Many of the restaurants and nightspots mentioned above offer great savings in this book and you will quickly pay off your $25 investment on your first meal or bar tab!