The Inside Scoop

THE INSIDE SCOOP

LOCAL VIBES REMAIN STRONG AT THE HEART OF THESE WHISTLER VENUES

STORY BY CLARE OGILVIE PHOTOS BY DAVID BUZZARD

Want to know the best runs on the mountain, where to get the most delicious sushi, which hometown beer is the favourite? Look no further than the locals; that’s where you’ll get the best inside scoop for all things Whistler. You’ll find them at laid-back haunts where you can order hearty food, home-grown brews and delicious cocktails. So, pull up a chair or a bar stool and ask away. >>

WHISTLER BREWING MANAGER JENNIE KWASNECHA WITH A BLACK TUSK ALE AND CANUCK PIZZA

ROLAND’S CREEKSIDE PUB

“As a traveller myself, I always ask the locals, where do you go for a good beer or a good meal or whatever,” says Karen Roland, who has guided one of Whistler’s favourite locals’ hangouts since 2008—Roland’s Creekside Pub. “It’s so much fun to talk to locals too. They are going to tell you all that they know and probably more than you want to know!”

Roland has stayed true to the original ethos of the longstanding pub, once known as Hoz’s. This is a place offering a warm welcome and affordable fare. There’s always the cheap and cheerful beer, Roland’s lager, on tap and time to talk if you are not cheering for your favourite sports team on the pub’s nine big-screen TVs.

“I’m still trying to make everything as affordable as possible,” says Roland. “It’s important. And let’s not forget that word of mouth is some of the best advertising, so if the locals are talking us up, we are going to be welcoming tourists too, and that’s important as well.”

TRY THIS!

Roland’s has a plentiful pub-fare menu and offers brunch on the weekends. But one not-to-miss item is the fish and chips. “We make our own beer batter and the consensus is that we have pretty much the best fish and chips in the (Sea to Sky) corridor,” Roland adds. It comes with home-cut fries and home-made coleslaw as well as lemon tartar sauce. And what better to wash it down than with a cold beer. The pub has a good selection of brews, including its own namesake lager.

ROLAND’S BAR MANAGER BIG RICH POEHLMAN WITH THE FAMOUS FISH AND CHIPS

STINKY’S ON THE STROLL

If you are in the Village and looking for a relaxed, come-as-you-are venue, check out Stinky’s on the Stroll—with comfort food at the heart of its menu. Don’t be fooled by its new kid on the block status—it opened in 2019—as those behind Stinky’s have been living and working in Whistler for nearly three decades. At the core of Stinky’s, says owner Jeremy “Stinky” Peterson, is his desire to share with everyone why Whistler has captured his heart and to offer up a venue where locals can feel at home—where they are valued and appreciated.

“Whistler is still that classic, small ski town at heart,” says Peterson. “I love Whistler, and because of my love for Whistler, I try to keep that oldschool spirit (at Stinky’s). It speaks to people, locals and visitors alike.”

TRY THIS! While there are lots of sandwiches, flatbreads, shared plates and tacos to try, a visit to Stinky’s wouldn’t be complete without ordering Tater Tots. You can get them neat with dips such as Sriracha honey or tequila bbq, or get them loaded as nachos or with chili and cheese. There’s even a truly Canadian version—the tatertine—which comes, of course, with cheese curds and gravy, just like a traditional poutine. Wash it all down with local brews from Pemberton or Whistler’s Coast Mountain Brewing, or try The Stinky cocktail. “That’s my drink of choice,” said Peterson. “It’s double vodka, iced tea and a splash of water.” >>

STINKY’S ON THE STROLL OWNER JEREMY “STINKY” PETERSON WITH THE TATERTINE AND STINKY’S ALE.

WHISTLER BREWING COMPANY

Over the last several years Whistler’s Function Junction neighbourhood has become more and more popular. Part of its draw stems from the soho-like mix of art galleries, coffee dens and retail stores and part of it flows from the growing population right across the road in the Cheakamus neighbourhood, formerly the resort’s 2010 Olympic and Paralympic village.

Function Junction is where you’ll find the Whistler Brewing Company. Founded in 1989, the company was one of B.C.’s early pioneer microbreweries.

“People enjoy the relaxed ambiance of a (local pub)—you can come in your work clothes, you can come in your biking gear, walking gear, ski gear, you don’t have to be dressed up,” says Jennie Kwasnecha, who has been general manager of Whistler Brewing since 2017. “It’s more laidback and comfortable as opposed to somewhere fancy, and it’s affordable—good quality craft beer at a reasonable price.”

TRY THIS! What could be better than enjoying a tasty slice of pizza with a cold glass of craft beer? Whistler Brewing can satisfy that craving with plain cheese pizza all the way up to the fully loaded variety (try the Crazy Canuck pizza…yum). Kwasnecha recommends trying the Black Tusk Ale, which is brewed from the original 1989 recipe, with a special blend of imported chocolate and roasted malts, offering a smooth finish with a hint of cocoa and roasted coffee. “The cool thing about it is that the recipe hasn’t changed,” she explains. “Beers come and go but that one is the same … It’s not super sweet, it’s not super bitter; it is both mainstream and unique.”

Whistler Brewing offers seven core beers ranging from pilsner to pale ale. It also brews seasonal favourites including a chestnut and a grapefruit ale. All are available at the tap room or to go. Tours of the facility are also available. For those who don’t like beer, there is always wine and cider on the menu too.

A BLACK TUSK ALE AND CANUCK PIZZA FROM WHISTLER BREWING.