Places to Eat in Banff: A Banff Dining Guide

With more than 3 million people visiting Banff every year, it’s no surprise that the local food is exceptionally good. Banff has a thriving food scene where a variety of cuisines are on offer, sure to satisfy any culinary craving.
However diverse the offerings, a common theme that unites Banff’s selection of cuisine is the prevalence of fresh, regional ingredients, and of course, stunning local mountain views to accompany the dining experience.
We’ve mapped out a Banff dining guide that covers the entire food spectrum so no matter what you feel like eating, there will be a delicious option on offer guaranteed to please.
 

CASUAL EATERIES

 
Eddie Burger Bar

There are a plethora of great dining options within walking distance in downtown Banff and Eddie Burger Bar is a hands down favourite with locals and visitors alike. This burger shack ranks #6 of the top places to eat in Banff on TripAdvisor – which really carries a lot of weight when you consider the amount of fine dining options it’s up against. The burgers really are THAT good though! Try one yourself to believe it.
On top of great burgers, Eddie’s serves up classic comfort foods like hot dogs and wings, alongside milkshakes, cocktails and a variety of craft beer!
Details:

• Burger bar
• Weekdays 11:00am-2am; Weekends 11:30am-2am
• Menu can be found here

Location
#6-137 Banff Ave
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-762-2230
www.eddieburgerbar.ca
 
Coyotes Southwestern Grill

This Southwestern grill is both a local and visitor favourite. The mix of clientele creates a great atmosphere with an authentic, local vibe. Coyote’s pride themselves on having very friendly staff providing a warm atmosphere, as well as out-of-this-world meals. In fact, many visitors claim that they visit the restaurant at least twice during their stay in Banff! Choose from an extensive menu of Southwestern favourites, flatbreads and pastas, or stop by in the AM for “Banff’s Best Breakfast” – where everything from steak and eggs, to pancakes, to frittatas is served up daily for a great price.
Details:

• Southwestern style cuisine
• Open daily from 7:30am-10:00pm
• Menu can be found here

Location
206 Caribou St
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-762-3963
www.coyotesbanff.com
 
Nourish Bistro

This funky, health-focused bistro features an array of organic vegetarian and vegan dishes on their menu. Nourish hand pick all of their ingredients and their beautiful cuisine is freshly made-to-order. The menu features a great selection of family-style dishes for sharing, and the ambiance is relaxed, with colourful mood lighting and eclectic furnishings. Each dish should be paired with one of the drinks from their eco-bar – choose from sodas made in-house or sample the on tap Kombucha.
This is a place for vegetarians, guests with dietary restrictions, and those who simply want an honest, wholesome meal – the menu has something that will surely please even the most choosy guests.
Details:

• Vegetarian; share tapas
• Open daily from 11:30am-10:00pm
• Menu can be found here

Location
211 Bear St
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-760-3933
www.nourishbistro.com
 
Bear Street Tavern

This lively restaurant serves up ridiculously good pizza. Specializing in unique topping combinations like wild forest mushrooms, pine nuts, mozzarella, truffle oil, pesto and pizza sauce, plus perfecting the classics like a margarita pizza, Bear Street Tavern won’t disappoint. They also serve a great selection of handhelds, salads, and comfort classics like ribs and mac ‘n’ cheese. For those interested in the drinks menu, Bear Street serve “bear-sized” cocktails and 8 rotating local beers!
Details:

• Pizza + beer
• 11:30am-10:00pm
• Menu can be found here

Location
211 Bear St
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-762-2021
www.bearstreettavern.ca
 
TooLouLou’s Restaurant

TooLouLou’s is a cozy family-friendly restaurant with an ambience as quirky as the name suggests! Visit TooLouLou’s for the huge cajun-inspired portions, made from fresh and natural ingredients. Despite being tucked away in an Alberta mountain destination, the menu features  alligator bites that receive rave reviews from guests. Many restaurants in Banff stay true to their surroundings by serving expertly-prepared red meat, so TooLouLou’s offers an excellent alternative with their array of seafood dishes like shrimp, calamari, crab, and oysters. Time and time again TooLouLou’s is deemed as one of Banff’s best restaurants for it’s fun, family-friendly atmosphere, and tasty hearty meals.
Details:

• Cajun creole
• Weekdays 8:00am-9:30pm; Weekends 7:30am-9:30pm
• Menu can be found here

Location
204 Caribou St
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-762-2633
www.tooloulous.ca

FINE DINING

 
Eden

Eden’s ambience is refined and sophisticated: gigantic windows reveal sweeping mountain vistas, which complement the superb French cuisine on offer. Eden truly is  a remarkably unique luxurious dining experience. It won’t take you long to realize why this establishment has secured a long list of accolades, including AAA / CAA 5-Diamond and “Best of Award of Excellence” Wine Spectator awards.
The best way to fully appreciate Eden’s acclaimed dishes is by enjoying a multi-course meal. There are several options ranging from vegetarian or non-vegetarian tasting menus, two to four course Table D’hote menus, or the spectacular 10-course Grand Degustation menu. All matched with impeccable service.
The wine here also deserves much of the acclaim, as Eden is home to an impressive 17,000 bottle cellar. A team of sommeliers pairs each dish with the perfect vintage while providing patrons with plenty of advice on what to sample next.
Details

• Fine dining
• Wine cellar includes 17,000 bottles from across the world
• Opening times change seasonally, please refer to website to confirm

Location
300 Mountain Ave
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-762-3356
www.banffeden.com
 
Bison Restaurant & Terrace

Bison Restaurant & Terrace prepare Rocky Mountain inspired dishes that perfectly match the stunning mountain vistas that can be taken in from the restaurant’s huge windows and large terrace. Complementing the rugged scenery surrounding, rustic-modern interior boasts Douglas fir beams.
Bison Restaurant have a seasonal menu to ensure the restaurant is always innovating, but a few notable classics include beef tenderloin, Pacific lingcod, escargot in a bone, kuterra salmon and (of course) the signature bison ribeye and short ribs. Sunday brunches are equally enticing, with classic dishes like the Duck Confit with goat cheese benny being served.
Details

• Canadian
• Open daily from 5pm; brunch served on Sundays from 10am until 2pm
• Menu can be found here

Location
211 Bear St
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-762-5550
www.thebison.ca
 
La Terrazza

La Terrazza’s European trained chefs prepare authentic Italian cuisine set against giant windows displaying the scenic mountain setting – creating a perfect European-style experience in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. The low lighting and white tablecloths provide an intimate setting while being served delicious meals inspired by one of the world’s most romantic cuisines. The friendly staff are consistently praised for the warm, knowledgeable service, and there is an excellent wine list to accompany the selection of antipasti, pasta and meat dishes available.
Details:

• Italian
• Open daily from 5:30pm-11:00pm
• Menu can be found here

Location
222 Lynx St
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-762-4433
www.banffparklodge.com/dining/terrace-dining-room
 

EXPERIENTIAL DINING

 
Grizzly House Steak & Cheese Fondue

Regarded as a Banff institution, this highly experiential restaurant provides fun for the whole family with its unique approach. Firstly, each table at Grizzly House is supplied with a phone, so guests can ring each other up and share stories (topics are for the guests to decide, participation is optional). Perhaps even more unique than the table phones, Grizzly House’s selection of meats include shark, rattlesnake, alligator, ostrich, wild boar, and more. Keeping a highly engaged, hands-on approach, guests are invited to cook their own meat fondue-style on hot stones while a questionable, but albeit fun, 70’s playlist keeps the background ambiance upbeat. Caution: too much wine may boost confidence and make calling cute fellow diners on the table phone seem like a great idea (which maybe it is).
Details:

• “Fun-dining”
• Open 11:30am-12:00am
• Menu can be found here

Location
207 Banff Ave
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-762-4055
www.banffgrizzlyhouse.com
 
Park Distillery & Restaurant

Nothing complements the great outdoors like good company around a campfire – a concept that Park Distillery & Restaurant have taken to heart. Park offers a fantastic menu of campfire-inspired cooking, served in an upscale-rustic setting that resembles a foray into  nature. All dishes on the menu could be prepared over a campfire… if you were camping with a creative executive chef with a whole arsenal of ingredients! A meal at Park is sure to bring your outdoorsy self to life and create a dining experience you’ll never forget.
It’s also worth mentioning that Park distills all their own spirits in-house using Banff’s glacier fed water, and sampling these should not be missed!
Details:

• Campfire-inspired meals
• Open daily from 11:00am-1:00am
• Guests that book with Leavetown receive a Hearty Spit Roast Dinner with All the Fixins for $25
• Menu can be found here

Location
219 Banff Ave
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-762-5114
www.parkdistillery.com
 
Balkan Restaurant

“Eat. Drink. Opa!” is the philosophy Balkan Restaurant is sharing with their guests. This family-owned restaurant is right on Banff Avenue, and has been an institution in the town for decades. Authentic Greek meals are created by Greek culinary expert Joanna Karlos, and paired with belly dancing and raucous plate-smashing on Tuesday and Thursday nights that guests are welcome to participate in. Enjoy Arni Psito (roasted lamb) or traditional souvlaki served inside a beautiful restaurant with Mediterranean-inspired decor and warm ambience.
Details:

• Greek
• Open daily from 11:00am-10:00pm
• Guests receive $10 off their Balkan dinner when booking with Leavetown
• Menu can be found here

Location
120 Banff Ave
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-762-3454
www.banffbalkan.ca
 

CAFES

 
Wild Flour

Banff’s benchmark for organic small batch, traditional-style bread from locally-sourced ingredients. Stop in for one of their famous loaves, or freshly baked pastries and pair it with some of the best coffee in town. If you’re looking for something a little more filling than a pastry, their healthy breakfast and lunch options are sure to leave you feeling happy and fulfilled, and their cozy cafe interior makes it a perfect stop for a quick bite. From items like kale and quinoa salad, to hearty soup and sandwich combos, there’s nothing here not to like!
Wild Flour take sustainability and environmentally-friendly to a whole new level with their approach. Everything from their fair-trade mugs to their all natural ingredients shows care and commitment to their natural surroundings.
Details:

• Cafe and bakery
• Open daily from 7:00am-4:00pm
• Information about their menu can be found here

Location
#101-211 Bear St
Banff, Alberta
Ph: 403-760-5074
www.wildflourbakery.ca
 
Whitebark Cafe

Take note coffee lovers, this is THE place in Banff to enjoy a great cup of coffee. Banff is host to a number of travellers from all over the world, and Whitebark consistently pleases even the most picky of foreign travellers (as well as local!). Whitebark also has an array of great breakfast and lunch options, like soups, salads and quiches, plus baked goods and pastries made in-house.
The Whitebark Cafe is located adjacent to the lobby of the Banff Aspen Lodge, making it a perfect pitstop for those staying in the hotel.
Details:

• Cafe and bakery
• Open daily from 6:30am-7:00pm
• Menu can be found here

Location
401 Banff Ave
Banff, AB
Ph: (403) 760-7298
whitebarkcafe.com
 

BANFF LOCAL OFFERS AND DISCOUNTS

We love to keep things local! As such, we have accumulated partnerships with plenty of local restaurants and cafes so we can offer our guests exclusive discounts to these great places. To view all our local offers, click here.