Yukon Territory Food and Drink

Traditional First Nations dishes such as bannock and smoked salmon are a hallmark of Yukon's cuisine. Menus feature locally grown produce such as beetroots, potatoes and carrots, as well as berries transformed into jams or poured into pies. Fresh fish and wild game are staples of the Yukon diet. You can bite into barbecued bison or skewered elk and tuck into king crab or fish and chips.

Whitehorse has a cosmopolitan mix of both upscale and casual eateries serving everything from steak to sushi to Swiss specialities. Food and drink festivals in the Yukon include the Yukon Culinary Festival (August), with contests, demonstrations and tastings. The Yukon Beer Festival showcases craft beer and cider from around the world (October).

Specialities

• Moose meat is cooked in several ways, from steaming to smoking or roasting, and accompanied by sourdough and vegetables.
• Dall sheep, mountain goat, caribou and porcupine are also eaten, often in burgers.
• Wild seafood includes Arctic grayling, trout, Kokanee salmon, Alaska king crab and halibut.
• Yukon's gold-mining past is reflected in some specialities, such as buffalo burgers, musk ox chops and Alaskan salmon.
• Morel mushrooms, a popular local delicacy, thrive in the ashes of forests destroyed by wildfire.

Things to know

Beer, wine and spirits are sold at government-run liquor stores.

Tipping

It's customary to tip 15 to 20% in bars and restaurants.

Drinking age

19.

Regional drinks

• Whitehorse is home to Yukon Brewing, which produces unique lagers and ales, and fills growlers in its brewery store.
• Also in the capital, the Winterlong Brewing Company microbrewery has a tasting room where you can sip beer accompanied by snacks such as Scotch eggs and meat pies.
• Boutique distilleries include the Yukon Shine Distillery and Klondike River Distillery, which craft small-batch spirits.
• The Downtown Hotel in Dawson City is famous for the Sourtoe cocktail, which is served with an actual dehydrated human toe preserved in salt.