Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar has been named Best Whistler Restaurant at the 36th annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards (VMRA). Moreover, the establishment was awarded spot no. 33 on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list for 2025.
The VMRA, which were held on May 5, also named Araxi as runner-up among local restaurants with Il Caminetto in third.
"We are honoured and grateful to be recognized among the best by both Vancouver Magazine and Canada’s 100 Best," said Neil Henderson, Wild Blue Partner and Restaurant Director, in a press release. "This is a true reflection of the hard work and passion of our entire team — from the kitchen to the front of house — and our ongoing commitment to bringing the very best of Whistler to every guest we welcome."
Vancouver Magazine lauded Wild Blue for putting forth a new standard in Sea to Sky dining: "Though resort-adjacent and tourist-focused spots abound in Whistler, our gold winner, Wild Blue, proves that the town can be defined by world-class cuisine as much as by its slopes. The buzzy restaurant is often full of locals (a great sign) and, as one judge stated, 'The food by chef Alex Chen is masterful with exquisite presentation.'"
A release notes that Chen's seasonal menus feature dishes such as West Coast oysters, a bone-in bacon chop with apple cider glaze and geoduck house-made linguini to pay tribute to local farmers. Whistlerites are already more than familiar with Wild Blue's late-night offerings too.
