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Banff is a postcard-pretty mountain town with an exceptional food scene — Photo courtesy of Lola Augustine Brown
For fans of fresh powder and pristine runs, Banff – and nearby Lake Louise – in Alberta, offer incredible skiing and snowboarding in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.
There are plenty more reasons to head there though, from heavenly hot springs, art museums and cultural attractions to plenty more fun diversions such as dog sledding, ice climbing and other traditional winter pursuits.
What many people don’t realize is that there are amazing restaurants in the area, as well as breweries and a world-class distillery. Here are 10 food destinations for après ski – or just for the thrill of eating your heart out in one of the most spectacular destinations in the world.
Chuck’s Steakhouse | Banff
The steaks at Chuck’s are epic, but the sides, like this corn creme brulee, are wonderful too — Photo courtesy of Lola Augustine Brown
Beef is a big deal in Alberta, and if you love steak, then you’ll never get a better one than at Chuck’s. It took two servers to bring out the boards of dry-aged steaks to choose from, and the Alberta-raised Wagyu bone-in ribeye that I selected was truly incredible, cooked to medium-rare perfection.
The sides at Chuck’s are also noteworthy – I don’t think I’ll ever get over the creamy corn crème brûlée, to be honest. And the pan fried mushrooms with garlic and beef jus were so tasty, as was the roasted broccoli with chilis and garlic. Attentive staff and a fun, vintage Western-inspired room made for a great night out.
The desserts looked fab, but the dinner portions were so big, I couldn’t even contemplate ordering one.
Sky Bistro | Banff
The views from the Sky Bistro at the top of Sulphur Mountain match the quality of the food — Photo courtesy of Sky Bistro
The only way you can access the Sky Bistro is by taking the Banff Gondola 7,520 feet to the top of Sulphur Mountain, which is kind of essential when visiting Banff anyway. The floor-to-ceiling windows offer unparalleled views out over the mountaintops, and if you go at sunset like I did ,then it is absolutely magical.
Whatever you do, order the crispy duck wings to start (but the bison tartare was also excellent). For my main, I had a lamb stew with tender roasted lamb and a slab of perfectly fatty lamb belly, which was followed by a lemon mousse topped with candied thyme. Delicious.
Outside on the huge deck, before I made my way back down the mountain, we made s’mores over fire pits and looked at the stars. It was a pretty perfect way to spend an evening.
Wild Flour Bakery | Bannf
Almond butter tart from the Wild Flour Bakery in Banff — Photo courtesy of Lola Augustine Brown
Ask any local where to find the best coffee in Banff, and they’ll send you to the Wild Flour Bakery.
This is also the best place for sweet treats, croissants and loaves of crusty bread. They do great soups and sandwiches, and have a bunch of grab-and-go meals and smoothies in the fridge, making them a great place to stop on your way up a mountain or out of town.
The Bison | Banff
The bison trio at The Bison: huge and incredibly tasty — Photo courtesy of Lola Augustine Brown
If you only had time to eat at one place in Banff, I’d send you to The Bison (though Chuck’s would be a close second). At this farm-to-table spot, every dish is imaginative and wonderful. We started with cured steelhead so soft that it melted in your mouth, complemented by sweet beet puree and crisp radish slices. We also tried the bison tataki with ponzu, enoki mushrooms, picked onions, and shaved almonds, which was absolutely perfect in both taste and texture.
The bison trio came with a little cast-iron pan of short rib so tender you needed to spoon it off the bone, Jack Daniels bison sausage and a massive tender steak, served with red wine jus, chimichurri and roasted vegetables.
Two of us struggled to finish the trio, but couldn’t turn down the deconstructed banana split for dessert – who could when it includes caramelized bananas, cherry gel, tonka bean Chantilly, candied pecans and locally made ice cream. Totally worth it.
Juniper Hotel Bistro | Banff
The eggs and hollandaise on the Juniper Benny at the Juniper Hotel Bistro sits on a bed of braised rabbit and bannock — Photo courtesy of Lola Augustine Brown
I’d been told by a ski instructor I knew that the absolute best place in Banff to grab breakfast was the Juniper Hotel Bistro. Sitting before huge windows that looked out over mountains, a few deer hoofing at the snow in the foreground, I had the most spectacular of eggs Benedicts.
The Juniper Benny consists of the usual eggs and hollandaise, but these rest on braised rabbit and a bed of bannock (traditional Indigenous fry bread) with buffalo mozzarella, juniper berry glaze and brown butter hash browns. It was all so good that I would have licked the plate if manners had not prevailed.
Paired with excellent coffee, that feast set me up for my first ski lesson in many years.
High Rollers | Banff
An amazing array of food perfect for chowing down on between frames at High Rollers — Photo courtesy of Lola Augustine Brown
When you think bowling alley food, gourmet probably isn’t a term that springs to mind, but High Rollers Banff delivers just that. Chef Blake Mathewson describes his menu as elevated grab-and-go food, using local ingredients and a sourdough base for his pizza that took him six months to perfect.
The food at High Rollers hits a strike with every bite, from the sweet potato tater tots and mac and cheese bites to the amazing pizzas. The Canadian comes with maple sausage, bacon and cheese curds and is served with a bottle of maple syrup to drizzle over, while the vegetarian comes with a tasty hummus tomato base. Oh, and there are 48 craft beers on tap, too!
Banff Ave Brewing Co | Banff
Bison chili poutine pairs perfectly with beer — Photo courtesy of Lola Augustine Brown
Besides brewing tasty beers (they usually have six to eight of their own on tap, plus a bunch of other local brews to sample), the Banff Ave Brewing Co serves up delicious and mostly carnivorous fare. I opted for the poutine with bison chili, which had big chunks of tender meat in a rich gravy that paired perfectly with the melted cheese curds and crisp fries it sat on.
My lunch mate went for a bison burger – massive, juicy and tasty – and we shared a plate of warm soft pretzels with honey mustard that paired perfectly with their Black Pilsner.
Park Distillery Restaurant and Bar | Banff
The chicken at Park Distillery is slow-roasted for 3.5 hours and superb — Photo courtesy of Lola Augustine Brown
This super cool distillery with massive dining and drinking rooms is known for its exceptional gin, vodka and rye (all made with glacier water), as well as popular keg cocktails. The cuisine at Park Distillery is a blend of healthy options (there’s an entire plant-based menu), comfort foods and carnivorous classics, many of which are cooked over a wood fire.
“The concept is elevated campfire cookery,” explained Park’s master distiller Matt Hendriks, “And you have to try the rotisserie chicken, because we slow roast it for three and a half hours over mesquite, cherry and birch chips.”
I did. It was amazing, served with smashed baby Yukon gold potatoes, charred lemon, housemade coleslaw and the most decadent, rich gravy made from the drippings.
Alpine Social | Lake Louise
Perfect aprés-ski (or anytime) apps at Alpine Social — Photo courtesy of Lola Augustine Brown
The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is one of Canada’s poshest and stately hotels, sat on glorious Lake Louise, that turns into a skating rink and ice-sculptured playground once frozen over.
Alpine Social, in the hotel basement, is upmarket for sure, but not stuffy. It serves a great menu of steaks, and small and medium plates designed for sharing, as well as a large menu of craft beers, Canadian whiskies and bourbons. I went for the blow-your-head-off-hot smoked chicken wings with a habanero butter sauce, tuna ceviche and a tasty riff on a Cobb salad that came with pulled duck confit and boar bacon.
Lake Louise Railway Station and Restaurant | Lake Louise
Super cozy and welcoming, the Lake Louise Station Restaurant serves amazing comfort food and more — Photo courtesy of Lola Augustine Brown
This historic log-built railway station turned warm and welcoming restaurant is a perfect place to hunker down on cold nights – and fill your belly with comforting dishes, especially if you snag a table by the roaring fire.
The Station Restaurant does have lots of non-beef and non-bison options, but if you’re a carnivore, you owe it to yourself to order the slow-braised Alberta bison ribs (so, so good) or the beef tenderloin with cabernet peppercorn sauce.
