Where to Eat in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory: 11 Delicious Spots to Visit

If you find yourself in the Yukon Territory, I’m assuming it’s not by accident. Canada’s northwesternmost territory is remote and relatively undeveloped by modern tourist standards: it’s traversed by only a few highways, and is even less visited than some of the most far-flung places I’ve visited in neighboring Alaska. Your options for where to stay and where to eat are limited – but don’t get me wrong: there’s no shortage of incredible things to do in the Yukon!

Whitehorse is the capital city of the Yukon Territory, and your travels will take you through this small town (by most standards). I last visited in June 2023 as part of a road trip on the Klondike Highway and to Kluane National Park (the “Klondike-Kluane Loop”), and spent two nights in Whitehorse as the bookends of my trip. As you might guess, I had to eat while there, and made the most of my short time to sample as much of Whitehorse’s surprisingly diverse culinary scene as possible.

Whether you’re just passing through on the AlCan and need a bite to eat or have the time to stop and explore the many cool things to do in Whitehorse, this post has you covered. In the style of restaurant lists I’ve created for other destinations I know and love (like Anchorage, Denali, and Seward, Alaska), below you’ll find my suggestions for where to eat in Whitehorse. This doesn’t cover every option, but instead, these are the places that pass my own test: delicious food in every style, a variety of price points, and options that will suit nearly any kind of traveler.

I hope this helps you narrow down your research and make the most of your time in Whitehorse – don’t be surprised if you wish you’d had more time after passing through… or end up staying a bit longer to really enjoy it!

In this post, I promote travel to a destination that is the traditional lands of the Kwanlin Dün and Ta’an Kwäch’än peoples. With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgment, extending my appreciation and respect to the past and present people of these lands. To learn more about the peoples who call these lands home, I invite you to explore Native Land.

Woodcutter’s Blanket – Best in Show

As in all of my restaurant round-ups, I like to choose one restaurant that I think is essential, as in, if you only have time for one meal when you’re visiting “X town”, “Y” is the spot. In the case of where to eat in Whitehorse, that spot is Woodcutters Blanket.

I’ll be honest: Woodcutter’s Blanket wasn’t on my original restaurant list as I did my research before my June 2023 visit. But as my trip started and ended in Whitehorse, I had time to correct my error and made sure to visit for the final dinner of my trip.

Woodcutter’s Blanket is both a brewery and restaurant; it’s also insanely popular and reservations are highly recommended. Even as a solo diner, I ended up at the bar, watching the bartenders work wonders on incredible cocktails and an uncountable number of pints of craft beer from their house list.

You really can’t go wrong with the menu, in fact, you might struggle with what to choose. I went for the Al Pastor tacos though was seriously tempted by the Butter Chicken (and which my dining neighbor ordered and said was absolutely fantastic). The menu is brief but has a wonderful variety, including everything from pierogies to a bahn mi to a spicy jerk chicken sandwich – and there are (North) American classics too.

Seriously though, if you only have time for one lunch or dinner in Whitehorse, Woodcutter’s Blanket is where to go!

Burnt Toast – Best for Breakfast

If your time in Whitehorse also includes breakfast, there are a few good options, but I’ll start with my favorite – and I’m not the only one who loves it, judging by the time I had to wait in line for breakfast!

Burnt Toast is a local fave and the word is out with visitors; this small spot is wildly popular for good reason. They offer breakfast, brunch, and lunch most days/daily depending on the season you visit. All three menus are extensive, with plenty of variety for whatever way you like to start the day. Because I am a glutton and also deeply admire Bourdain and his love of all “street meats,” I went for the “Maple Banger and Eggs” which was a standard breakfast with a maple-soaked sausage. Have you really visited Canada if you don’t try something with maple syrup?!

Even better, I believe it’s women-owned and operated, so a good way to support women in the restaurant industry!

Runner Up: Crêperie La Petite Maison

I wanted to include a backup option in case the line for Burnt Toast is too long when you’re in town; I didn’t have the chance to visit Crêperie La Petite Maison during my visit, but it was highly recommended by a local I met.

As you might guess from the name, they specialize in crêpes of all kinds; there is no online menu posted, but you can swing by to see both staples of the menu (like a ham-and-Emmental, I’m sure, since all crêpe restaurants have that classic) to more inventive and seasonal options.

Kind Café – Best Healthy Start

If you’re more of a healthy and/or light start to the day kind of person – as in, maple-soaked sausage sounds like a bit much for you, no judgment! – I’ve got you covered. For my last meal in Whitehorse, I popped over to Kind Café to see what they had to offer.

If you want to picture in your mind the most Instagram-worthy or Pinterest-perfect cafe in the heart of wilderness that is the Yukon, Kind Café is it! In addition to a beautiful interior space, they have nice outdoor seating that gets good sun in the mornings. Their menu is equally distributed between drinks – smoothies, artisan coffees, etc. – and food, which includes bowls (I had the mango lime chai parfait) and toasts (I’m a millennial – gotta have my avocado toast!).

Whether you’re at the end of your trip and like me and are craving something a little lighter, or just want a different option for breakfast, this is a great spot.

Bean North Cafe – Best for Your Caffeine Fix

Somehow in all my adventuring throughout the Yukon, I was never sorely craving caffeine – but many people recommended me the spot to go if I needed a fix: Bean North Cafe.

Bean North Cafe isn’t strictly a place you can visit; their Roastery is located a bit out of town, and you can only buy beans there (a good souvenir!). Instead, they have a list of all the places you can find their coffee offered in Whitehorse, including Burnt Toast and a few local markets and shops.

(Unlike Alaska with its many, many roadside coffee huts, these aren’t as common in Whitehorse so you’ll need to pop into a restaurant or bakery to get your cuppa joe.)

Smoke & Sow – Best for Carnivores

Photos courtesy of Smoke and Sow

There are a few places on my list of where to eat in Whitehorse that I didn’t actually eat at – whether due to schedule conflicts with their hours or because of my own limited time – but one that’s at the top of my list for my next visit is Smoke & Sow (or their sister restaurant, the Sow Sandwich Shop).

Smoke & Sow is Whitehorse’s go-to spot for Southern BBQ – and by south, I don’t mean British Columbia (which is south of Yukon, get it??). If you’re craving some real protein and the flavors of the southern U.S., this is the place. From chicken wings to pulled pork and rib plates, they’ve got the meats (sorry, Arby’s!) as well as other delicious worth-every-calorie options like the “Tater Tot Trash Can” (tots with pulled pork, beans, mac & cheese sauce, bbq, and coleslaw) and birria tacos.

Maybe it’s good I wasn’t able to visit on this trip as I was solo and would have really struggled to choose what to order and ended up ordering way too much!

(The Sow Sandwich Shop also has great options for lunch, like an Italian beef sandwich, shrimp po’boy, and Hot Chicken Sandwich – these people just speak my love language!)

Miner’s Daughter & Dirty Northern – Best for Local Character

Another spot I wish I’d had time to visit is the adjoining Miner’s Daughter and Dirty Northern. The Miner’s Daughter is the “restaurant/lounge” open Thursdays through Saturdays with lots of food options, while the Dirty Northern is the “pub” open daily except Sundays.

The pair together make for a great spot if you’re traveling in a group: the food and atmosphere are both casual, and there are lots of drink options to please everyone from the Molson fan (too Canadian?!) to the craft beer connoisseur. (I also have a craft beer suggestion below if y’all are looking for the best!)

The food menu includes tater-tot poutine, burgers, pizzas, and even a nice Arctic char entree if you’re feeling fancy.

Antoinette’s – Best Foreign Flavors

Photos courtesy of Antoinette’s

So far I’ve focused a lot on the unique – especially Canadian – offerings you can find as you decide where to eat in Whitehorse… but part of what makes Canada special is its diversity! That includes its culinary diversity, even in what I think we can all agree is a far-flung corner of the country, aka Whitehorse and the Yukon Territory.

If you’re craving something really delicious and unique while visiting Whitehorse, Antoinette’s is the place. While the menu leans heavily on Caribbean flavors and dishes, you’ll find options from around the globe: there’s Tabbouleh Salad (Middle Eastern), Crispy Pork Sisig (Philippines), and Spicy African Peri-Peri Seafood Pasta. They also have a “Global” brunch menu that features different benedicts inspired by everywhere from Japan to Germany to Saudi Arabia.

If you want to transport your tastebuds, Antoinette’s is a must-visit.

Runner Up: Asahiya

Lest you think there’s only one option, I wanted to briefly highlight another – though naturally more focused – ethnic restaurant option in Whitehorse. Asahiya is your place for authentic sushi, far from its homeland.

Stepping inside, you might forget you’re in the Yukon entirely, and the extensive menu has tons of sushi options, as well as noodle and rice dishes and robata (barbecue) options too for less adventurous eaters.

Tim Hortons – Best Quintessential Canadian

Are you really in Canada if you don’t visit a Tim Hortons?! Luckily, Whitehorse is home to the only Tim Hortons in the entire Yukon territory, so this is your chance.

Go for the quick-made coffee and delicious donuts; leave with a quintessential Canadian memory. There’s wide discussion about which donuts are the best, but it’s generally agreed that the Honey Cruller is tops and you can’t go wrong with it.

Winterlong Brewing – Best Local Craft Beer

As promised, I’m wrapping up my list of suggestions for where to eat in Whitehorse with a drink spot – specifically where I was recommended to drink, and where I agree is worth the drive for you to enjoy a drink too!

Winterlong Brewing was suggested to me by my hiking guide in Kluane National Park; he lives in Haines Junction but says that it’s always a stop when he makes the journey to Whitehorse – especially during Spruce Tip season.

I enjoyed a tasting flight at Winterlong on my last night in Whitehorse, and agree their Spruce Tip is fantastic (my favorite of all I tried). They have both classic and seasonal beers on tap, plus indoor and outdoor seating – and a few light(ish) bites if you’re peckish (I had the Scotch Egg). Cheers!

Have any questions about where to eat or the best restaurants in Whitehorse? Let me know in the comments below!

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