Where to eat Yukon meats in Whitehorse
Whitehorse doesn’t have unique food specialties. In fact, neither does anywhere in the Yukon. Early gold rush settlers brought sourdough bread from San Francisco, which in turn came from Europe. Although there’s a sourdough winter festival in Whitehorse, the “sourdough” here refers to hardy locals rather than the bread.
While sourdough (the bread) isn’t a big thing in Whitehorse, it’s a fine place to try local game meats.
Klondike Rib and Salmon
Often mentioned in tourist literature, it’s no wonder this restaurant gets packed with tourists. It occupies a historic store and spills over to a tented structure. Open only during the warmer months.
As it name suggests, the things to get here are ribs and salmon. My Taku river salmon burger came with a mountain of fries. The salmon tasted ok and needed more seasoning. It was a little dry and the tiny bit of garlic aioli didn’t help. The fries were crisp and lightly salted. My favourite were the crispy dough drippings. It felt like eating at a diner, but with more exotic meats. 7/10.
Other wild game on offer: elk, bison, wild boar, and arctic char.
The Deli
Closed on 2025-05-30. Thanks for the memories!
Yes, this is the only deli in Whitehorse. And it’s a full-blown one with cured meat counters, groceries, and a cafeteria.
Unless you’re buying frozen sausages, the easiest way to try their wild game offerings is their Deli Dog. Pick a sausage, type of bread, sauce, and toppings. Of course, I had to try their spicy elk sausage.
The deli dog was mediocre. Tip: if you want to savour the original flavour of meats, don’t try it in a sausage or cured form. The elk sausage wasn’t spicy hot. I could taste nutmeg and pepper but not so much elk. The kind of meat was indistinct. Other components of the sandwich were ordinary. I asked for sourdough but it tasted like regular white bread. The bread was not toasted and the sausage was microwaved. 4.5/10.
Other wild game on offer: bison.
Antoinette’s
It’s a delight to find fusion Caribbean food, 5500km from the Caribbean. I was looking forward to Antoinette’s because the menu was phenomenally creative. One restaurant churning out the national dishes of Caribbean islands, and adding Canadian touches? Where else in the world can you get elk bitterballen? On Sundays, they have a global brunch menu, which is exactly as it sounds.
Bitterballen are meatballs of Dutch origin that spread to Dutch-Caribbean islands. The elk and mushroom bitterballen had a thick crunchy shell and a mushy centre, which I enjoyed. I thought the dollops of dijon mustard were unnecessary. It was already hard enough to appreciate the elk flavour, which was somewhere between pork and beef.
The potato wedges were crisp and seasoned lightly, though I suspect they were store-bought. The biggest disappointment was the Calypso rice. There was some brown bits but it was cold and tasteless. The salad and tangy dressing was so-so. 7.5/10.
Reviews were glowing before the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant changed owners in August 2021 which might have led to a less than stellar experience.
Other wild game on offer: bison, wild boar, salmon, lobster.
Other places to check out
Some other restaurants that have game meats or are interesting for food tourists:
- Alpine Bakery: German bakery with elusive sourdough bread.
- Belly of the Bison: Closest thing that Whitehorse has to fine dining.
- Dirty Northern: Pub food with bison burger.
Where to eat wild game in Toronto
The most reliable places to try bison, elk, and other game meats is Antler and Woods Restaurant. Otherwise, check out fine-dining places with tasting menus like Canoe, Bymark, and Richmond Station. WVRST has a large range of exotic meats, including kangaroo, but sausages are not the best way to find out how meats taste like.
Verdict
The dining scene in Whitehorse can be touristy and mediocre, but it can be convenient to sample meats that you haven’t tried before. Look out for bison, elk, salmon, and Arctic char.
Practical information
Klondike Rib and Salmon
- Rating
- 7/10
- Prices
- BBQ wild Taku river salmon burger: $22.05 (including tax)
- Address
- 2116 2nd Avenue
- Hours
- Monday to Friday 1100h – 2100h
Sunday 1600h – 2100h - Date of visit
- August 2022
The Deli
- Rating
- 4.5/10
- Prices
- Spicy elk deli dog: $9.70 (including tax)
- Address
- 203 Hanson Street
- Hours
- Monday to Friday 0900h – 1600h
- Date of visit
- August 2022
Antoinette’s
- Rating
- 7.5/10
- Prices
- Elk and mushroom bitterballen: $26.25 (including tax)
- Address
- 4121 4th Avenue
- Hours
- Daily 1600h – 2030h
Sunday 0830h – 1500h - Date of visit
- August 2022