Whistler gets about 3 million visitors every year, and that’s not including the local residents that call Whistler home. The majority of people visiting this world-class ski town are here to hit the slopes in the winter or go hiking in the summer. That means they are going to build up quite the appetite.
Luckily, Whistler has about 200 restaurants, cafes and bars which serve up tasty grub to Whistler’s hungry visitors. But how’s the vegan scene?
As Whistler is primarily a destination for outdoor sports enthusiasts, like skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking and hiking, it draws a very health-conscious crowd. That means lots of vegans. In this article, we’re rounding up the best places to get delicious vegan food in Whistler, along with some of our favourite dishes for you too!
BReD (made by Ed) is a 100% vegan bakery and café located in Creekside Village. It’s owned by local vegan couple Ed and Natasha, who are committed to using locally sourced, fresh ingredients in all their baked goods. Their organic sourdough is notorious in Whistler, with both vegans and non-vegans, but they also have a variety of other delicious vegan goodies available. It’s also the only café in Whistler that can boast that their coffee machine has never touched dairy milk!
They are one of the only entirely vegan food venues in Whistler, so there are no limitations to which of their menu items you can enjoy. That said, we do have a few favourites that you definitely shouldn’t miss. You can pre-order these items online if you want to pick up a larger quantity for home, or you can just pop in the bakery to see what they have available on the day.
Organic cinnamon buns with organic Canadian maple syrup glaze
Dark chocolate, coconut, oat and sea salt cookies
100% sourdough baguette (the best to dip in veggie soup!)
Vegan affogato, made with coconut ice cream
Flatbreads and tartines (as available)
The Green Moustache Organic Café is the only other 100% vegan food venue in Whistler, and they have two locations: one in Whistler Village’s Marketplace and the second in Function Junction. They have also expanded to other parts of British Columbia and even have vending machines, one of which you can find in the Meadow Park Sports Centre.
The café is a casual dining setting serving a variety of fresh juices, salads, vegan bowls, soups and desserts. Some of our favourite menu items include:
Banana buckwheat pancakes
Hearty veggie stew (when available)
Buddha bowl with brown rice, quinoa and a variety of veggies
No-cheese cheesecake
Earl’s is a casual/fine-dining restaurant ideally located in Whistler Village. They have a large interior dining space, along with a second-floor balcony that is great for and après drink and meal (they have happy hour from 3-5 each day). They have an entire section of their menu decided to plant-based grub, with unique and creative items showing that the chain values all of their patrons, regardless of dietary preference.
Some of the vegan crowd-pleasers on the menu include:
Vegan Hunan Kung Pao with wok-fried vegetables and ginger soy sauce
Crispy Tofu Sushi Tacos
Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower with vegan ranch
Vegan Mother Earth Bowl with roasted cauliflower, yams and white balsamic dressing
Tandoori Grill is an authentic Indian restaurant located in Whistler Village that offers tons of delicious vegan options. They have been open since 1997, making them veterans on the Whistler food scene. Indian food is often a default cuisine for vegans since most Indian restaurants tend to have a decent amount of options. But Tandoori Grill goes above and beyond to satisfy the palettes of their vegan customers.
Don’t miss the:
Vegetable Pakora
Yellow Dal Tadka with tempered cumin seeds, red chillies and tomatoes
Eggplant Bharta with charcoal-roasted eggplant
Palak Aloo with chopped spinach, potatoes, onions and tomatoes
Don’t let the name fool you; Hunter Gather has tons of options for vegan. They are relatively new to the Whistler food scene, only opening in 2017, but they have generated quite the buzz since then. Hunter Gather is a casual eatery and taphouse serving locally-sourced foods, craft beers and wine in Whistler Village. They have some innovative vegan options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including:
Vegan Avocado Toast with balsamic mushrooms and garlic wilted kale
Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich with grilled pineapple and spicy slaw
Thoughtful Falafel Pita with pickled red onions, tabouli and spicy vegan mayo
You won’t find a more picturesque dining experience than you’ll get at Cure Lounge and Patio, located inside Nita Lake Lodge in Creekside. During the summer, you can enjoy the patio as you look out over beautiful Nita Lake. And in the winter, you can cozy up inside next to their huge wood fireplace. They have tons of vegan options to choose from, along with an extensive local wine list.
Some of our favourite vegan menu items include:
Vegan Rigatoni Bolognese with du puy lentils, sunflower seed ricotta and crispy kale
Vegan cheeseboard featuring two types of vegan cheese, pickled local vegetables, chutneys and crackers
Roasted tomato soup
Panzanella salad with black olive-rosemary vinaigrette
If you’re looking to grab a quick slice or burger, Whistler has no shortage of vegan-friendly options. Here’s a quick round-up of where you can find vegan pizzas and burgers when the craving strikes:
Vegan Tree Hugger pizza from Creekbread with caramelized onions, local mushrooms and kalamata olives
Vegan Mos Dof pizza from Functional Pie with Beyond Meat sausage, dairy-free cheese, mushrooms and onions
Splitz Grill Beyond Burger with vegan mayo (they also have a lentil burger)
Choose from a variety of veggie pizzas with vegan cheese from Misty Mountain Pizza. Our favourite is the West Coast Veggie; just sub the feta for vegan cheese.
Modern Burger from The Longhorn Saloon or Stonesedge Kitchen
Fat Tony’s Pizza claims they serve the best vegan pizza in Whistler, but we will let you be the judge of that. We would agree that they have the most extensive vegan pizza menu in town. You need to try the Vegan BBQ Beyond Meat Lovers.
One thing is for sure. The vegan scene in Whistler is growing by the year, and we love to see it!
