I cannot be the only person who is counting the days ’till we can have a reliable source of Canadian-grown spinach… the address-checking on produce pain is real but oh, so necessary, so I am loving the stores who are clearly marking their shelves. More of this, please! #ElbowsUp when it comes to food events in April.
April brings ramps, the first fresh, wild BC halibut and other locally harvested treats. Now, more than ever, keep it Canadian!
7 Food and Drink Events in B.C. in April 2025
Pidgin’s After Dark Monday Menu
Ever since the much-missed Buckstop on Denman closed, there has been a vacancy for some brave soul to step up and fill that Burger Monday gap. Enter column favourites, Pidgin, with their After Dark Monday menu (from 10pm till late). On offer is a trio of burger sizes from a ‘flyweight’ smash to a double smash ‘heavyweight’ served either classic with Comté and an apple cider aioli or with mushroom duxelles, goat gouda and miso aioli. Drinks specials include $8 sake and $6 beers.
Adorable Parfaits from Whisk and Level V
I cannot wait to photograph every millimetre of this and then devour it: a Miffy-themed matcha parfait from the fine folks at Whisk in association with Level V bakery. Comprised of layers of hojicha custard, matcha sponge, Sakura ice cream, strawberry milkshake cornflakes (!) and matcha cream and topped with a coconut pudding mini-Miffy, this is part of the Sakura Festival and only available till April 27.
A Sugary Egg Croissant from Seven Days
One would imagine that a sugared croissant would absolutely not be good friends with a Japanese egg mayo filling. And, one would be utterly, utterly wrong. I spotted this beauty at my local café and had to try it. The pastries here at Seven Days are always superb, but this was crazy good. It should be horrifying, but it just… works.
Tantalus’s 2024 Rosé and Other B.C. Wines
I bumped into Tantalus’s wine maker, David, on a recent trip to Whistler, and he brought out his latest rosé for me to try. Yum. Hello summer, you taste of strawberries and good times. We’re in something of a complicated situation with many of our B.C. wines this year: a couple of years of brutal conditions meant no harvest last year. Instead of going under, many wineries chose to try and survive instead by sourcing grapes from elsewhere, such as Vancouver Island, Ontario, and yes, from Washington and Oregon too.
I’m excited to try these wines, many of them made with grape varieties we never usually get to try in this province. Of course, if life was peachy, then we wouldn’t have to even think about importing grapes from elsewhere, but I’d rather support some of my favourite wineries, and try their new wines, than see their businesses fail. Let’s support B.C. in this ‘crisis vintage’ in its many forms: from those places with deep cellars who are able to weather this storm to those who’ve done what they can with grapes from vineyards elsewhere.
A Dreamy Local Greek Yogurt
Speaking of keeping local, I decided to try a new-to-me B.C. yogurt and holy moly, I am addicted. The Greek variety of this grass-fed brand has a thick layer of cream on top and it’s probably the best I’ve ever tasted. Give it a whirl.
Fancy Tea at Bacchus
I have never wanted anything as much as I want the lavender-Earl Grey profiteroles on the menu at Bacchus’s new afternoon tea. Back by popular demand, afternoon tea will be served on Saturdays and Sundays from April 12 to May 11, 2025. Expect “finely cut gourmet sandwiches, freshly baked sweet and savoury scones (with clotted cream and preserves) and a variety of dessert bites by pastry chef Samson Iza-Fellows.” Got a special date coming up or just really need a delightful treat? Book this now.
A Road-Trip-Worthy Whistler Dinner Series
Tickets for the Wild Blue Long Table Dinner series are on sale now. This year’s dinners will be on Sunday, July 20 and Sunday, August 10 beginning at 4:00 pm at The Range at Whistler Golf Club, just steps from the restaurant. Feast on four delicious locally sourced courses (paired with excellent wines) from the award-winning team of chef Alex Chen and executive chef Derek Bendig.
Committed to sustainability and supporting the local community, Wild Blue will once again donate a portion of the Long Table Dinner Series proceeds to the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation. The event starts with a cocktail reception and tickets are priced at $259 plus tax and gratuity per person. Snap ‘em up now as they always sell out.
