7 Best Restaurants in Whistler, British Columbia

Well-chosen antiques and original artwork create a vibrantly chic atmosphere for what has always been one of Whistler's top fine-dining restaurants. Local farmers grow produce exclusively for Araxi's chef, who also makes good use of regional cheeses, game, and fish. The food is fresh and innovative, best described as Pacific Northwest cuisine. Seafood is a specialty, so while you can certainly order a superbly prepared beef tenderloin, it's dishes like alder-smoked Arctic char or handmade pasta with wild prawns, scallops, and mussels that steal the show. The two-tier seafood tower is a must-try for seafoodies who love to graze and share. Wine aficionados take note: the wine list is 43 pages long. A heated patio is open in summer, and the lounge is a popular afternoon and après-ski spot, especially for its oyster bar.

If beef's your passion, then you don't get much better than Hy's, a hard-core steak house that's famous for the quality of its Alberta Prime fillets, porterhouses, and New York strips. Beef Wellington comes in a handmade flaky crust, and there are steak and lobster combos. This menu will appeal to everyone, even vegetarians. The place is dark, moody, and just right for a candlelit dinner, a secret rendezvous, or a more formal affair. Service is impeccable and discreet.

Vancouverites in search of fine Italian fare flock to the Pinnacle Hotel for warming après-ski meals. The dining room exudes a whimsical Venetian style with ornamental ironwork, picturesque tiles, and hand-painted chandeliers. For a splurge try L'Abbuffata, a five-course Roman feast that comes on family-size platters meant for sharing. Other popular dishes include spaghetti pescatore (with prawns, scallops, and clams), pistachio-crusted sea bass, pressed Cornish game hen, and a plate of five pastas for two to share for a reasonable fixed price. The cellar is filled with 900 wine varieties and an impressive grappa selection.

About 3 km (2 miles) south of the village, this restaurant is a perennial favorite as much for its cozy, unpretentious dining room as for its great seafood. Although seafood takes precedence on the menu—try the raw oysters with champagne—Alberta beef and local game will satisfy carnivores. If you want a booth or a coveted table near the fireplace, dine on the early side or make a reservation. Otherwise, be prepared to wait.

Located right in the heart of the Village, this deli has a great assortment of sandwiches, wraps and pre-made charcuterie boxes. The boxes are at the heart of what they do: they have an OG Box, with a selection of meats, cheeses, fruit, and vegetables, as well as a Brunch Box. Added bonus: they can accommodate any dietary restriction. Can't eat gluten, nuts, dairy, or meat? They've got you covered.

A trip to Wild Blue is a real treat. The fine-dining restaurant's speciality is sustainable seafood dishes, alongside an extensive wine and cocktail list. Appetizer options include oysters, caviar and chilled seafood towers. As for the entree menu, look for the sablefish with turnip, radish, sesame crisp and roasted fish bone sauce or the halibut T-bone with porcini spice, morel mushrooms, and onion brodo.