Whistler is known for many things: great skiing and boarding, mountain biking, hiking, eating out, shopping, even partying. What people often don’t realize there is also some amazing mixology going on in the village that has it all. It seemed fitting to let any cocktail aficionados out there know where they should head to when they want a great drink in Whistler.
Bearfoot Bistro is known as the restaurant of excess, a place to go to get an amazing dining experience while drinking some fantastic wines. While this is true, anyone that doesn’t have a pre-dinner cocktail is really missing out. Bar Manager Chris Hoy has put together a great team that makes the classics perfectly but is highly creative with their signature house cocktails. A personal favourite is the My Manhattan (pictured top) made using sherry cask rye, antica formula, whisky barrel aged bitters and house made brandy and rye soaked cherries. Delicious! Another signature drink to try after a day on the hill is the house Caeser, the John Sezar. This delicious libation gains an edge over all other Caesers with the use of house made bacon vodka, a secret spice mix and a dehydrated beer rim. If visiting the Bearfoot be sure to take a tour of the Belvedere ice room, where you’ll learn more about Vodka that you thought it was possible to know!
The Mix's MargaritaThe Mix at Ric’s is the place to head if you are looking for a great drink in a lively atmosphere. This small tapas and cocktail bar on the village stroll always has great music playing and a great mixologist at work. This is one of those places where it’s best to ignore the menu and instead ask for your mixologists recommendations. They always have many new ingredients that they’ve been working on and can’t wait for the opportunity to show off their new creations. Don’t be scared just ask! If you’re not feeling like trying something new, then they mix up a pretty mean Margarita (pictured left).
Hidden away on Main Street Alta Bistro is another restaurant with an outstanding cocktail program. Here Scot Curry heads up the bar program with a passion and talent that is rarely found. The menu changes seasonally but a new hit over this winter has been the barrel aged cocktails Scot has introduced. Scot is also launching his own bitters: Scoty’s Orange bitters.His bitters add a subtle complexity to cocktails that can’t be underestimated. Scot won this last year's Cornucopia cocktail competition sponsored by Schramm gin.
Araxi is another restaurant with a fine cocktail program. Here the bar team offer a perfectly balanced list with all the classics you’d expect and a great program of signature house drinks. If in the upper village it’s well worth checking out the bars at both the Fairmont and the Four Seasons.