Whistler, BC, is known for having the highest concentration of top-class restaurants in any ski resort in North America. If you planned a fortnight's visit you could eat extremely well at least 7 times and very well indeed the rest of the time without ever patronizing the same restaurant twice. But which is the very best restaurant in Whistler?.As always, it depends on what you want. The priciest restaurant in town is the Bear Foot Bistro, which also sports one of the world's most extensive and exclusive wine lists.

Fancy sampling the legendary Chateau Cheval Blanc 1947, or a vertical tasting of Chateau Le Pin (the miniscule vineyard which commands a price premium over Pétrus in some years)? The Bear Foot is the place to go. The food is extremely good, but it is not quite up to the standards of the wine list, and it is also exceedingly pricey.Long-time favourite of well-heeled locals is the Rim Rock Café, a little way out of the centre, where seafood and game top the menu.

The ambience here is unmatched, with post and beam construction, a couple of log fires, discreet service and consistently excellent preparation.If you prefer a more raucous atmosphere and if you love Italian food, the Trattoria di Umberto, or The Trat as it is universally known, is the place to be. The food is good but the warmth of your welcome is better and it is almost always party time in the evening. For a more subdued, formal-dining kind of Italian, go for Quattro where linen tablecloths and a hushed atmosphere accompany the excellent cuisine.

The other Italians worth visiting are Il Caminetto di Umberto and La Rua.If steak is what you are after, Hy's Steakhouse is unquestionably the place to be. Prime grain-fed Alberta beef finds its ideal counterpart in the subtly flavoured sauces conjured up by the Hy's kitchen.New in town, but by no means happy to acknowledge the superiority of more established Whistler venues, is Fifty Two Eighty (the name refers to the vertical mile of skiing available on Blackcomb Mountain) in the Four Seasons Hotel. Praise has been rained on this restaurant since it opened 2 years ago.

Which is the best? Try them all and decide for yourself. But if you are planning to come during the Olympics of 2010, book early: now would not be too soon to secure a table at any of these establishments. The top tables, like the top Olympic accommodation, will be at a decided premium.

By: Henry Schlee