If you’re searching for the best restaurants in Banff, you’ve come to the right place. As a Canadian who’s visited Banff four times (and tasted my way through the Rockies), I know just how special the food scene here is. The food in Banff is incredible—some of the best restaurants in all of Canada can be found in Banff.
This Banff dining guide features 9 must-try restaurants—ranging from local favourites to hidden gems—so you can enjoy the very best of Banff, whether you’re craving a cozy breakfast, a meal with a view, or a memorable dinner. Let’s dig in!
Most of these restaurants I tried during my week of Ski Big 3 in 2025. Honestly, it’s tough to rank them—every spot on this list is top quality, and I’d put them all close together. In somewhat of an order (starting with my favourite dinner spots), here’s my list of the best restaurants in Banff, and where you should eat when you visit.
A quick tip: I recommend making reservations when possible to guarantee a table (especially during peak summer season). Many of these Banff restaurants also save space for walk-ins, so it’s worth a try even if you don’t have a reservation!
Dinners
#1 The Maple Leaf
The Maple Leaf is a Canadian restaurant. I have eaten here for breakfast, and dinner (twice), but they also serve lunch!
Dinner at the Maple Leaf
I highly recommend the duck wings. These are the best wings I have had out of any poultry wings in my entire life. These are life changing wings. Please order these if you eat meat.
Since we visited in January, they had a three course meal promotion for $39 which included an appetizer, main, and dessert.
Callum and I ordered different things, and shared our appetizers and desserts. I can happily recommend all of these.
We had the maple butternut soup, duck wings, and striploin. Callum had maple salmon (I don’t eat fish), and we split both the sticky toffee pudding (amazing), and the maple cheesecake.
These time before, I also had the crème brûlée. Which is generally my favourite dessert so I recommend this. I like the crème brûlée the best, but both my brother, and Callum like the sticky toffee pudding best.
#2 Shoku Izakaya / The Block
I have eaten at Shoku twice, and The Block once. These are basically the same restaurant, and they serve asian food. Block is smaller, and more intimate. It was the original location. I ate here for the first time on my Ski Big 3 Trip.
Shoku I ate at in my Banff trip in 2023, and my Alberta Van Life Road trip in 2024. I’ve been here for both lunch, and dinner.
My favourites are the Korean Fried Chicken, Lettuce Wraps (with boneless beef rib), and the Bao Buns.
#3 The Bison
The Bison serves seasonal Canadian food, and is one of the best restaurants in Canada. It did not disappoint!
We tried The Bison for the first time on this last trip. We did the three course special for $39 (like we did at The Maple Leaf). This was sort of a theme of this trip as we lucked out that they were offering this deal when we visited in January!
The striploin, and brussel sprouts were unreal (this is what Callum chose and he let me eat some). I highly recommend this if you choose to dine here. I also recommend the ricotta toast, bison short rib, Bison caesar salad, sugar cream pie, double dark chocolate budino, and mushroom gnocchi.
Next time I go to the Bison, I am for sure ordering the striploin for myself.
#4 Tooloulou’s
Tooloulou’s infuses Cajun Creole cuisine with Canadian Rocky Mountain cuisine. The food here is also incredible.
I don’t eat seafood so I had the Red Beans and Rice which is a NOLA style bowl. It was so good. The rest of my family ordered the same thing, and also said it was incredible. The Taste of N’Awlin’s is a large bowl that has three different dishes divided alongside each other: Creole Jambalaya, Crawfish Shrimp Étouffée, and Seafood Sausage Gumbo with Cajun dirty rice.
I highly recommend both of these items.
#5 Lupo
Lupo serves modern Italian food, and is another top restaurant in Canada. I also highly recommend this restaurant.
It’s common to order family style for the whole table here, but we all ordered individually.
Callum & I started with the Calabrese (which had burrata, which is one of my favourite things so I was very happy). I had the Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka as my main, and it had a great balance of spice to it.
My brother has been here a few times, and loves the Chicken Parm, and Pork Porterhouse.
For dessert, try the tiramisu or cannoli!
#6 Balkan
Balkan was also an incredible experience. Balkan serves fresh mediterranean fare.
When we went in January they were also doing a three course menu deal, but for $29.99, so naturally we did this. We also decided to split the Saganaki and Pita to start which was incredible. I highly recommend doing this. Not only is it very tasty, they light it on fire before your eyes.
When we went, it aligned with the show they put on so there was a show with dancing, and plate smashing throughout the restaurant. It was fun to have this happening while we were eating.
In terms of our actual meals, I was very happy with my selections. I had the horiatiki salad, chicken souvlaki, and frozen yogurt with olive oil and salt. My family also had Kalamari, and Arni Pisto.
Honestly such an incredible meal. I couldn’t recommend it more.
The three course meals were some of my favourite things. It was a great way to try out what a restaurant has to offer without breaking the bank. I love food, and trying local restaurants, so this was honestly one of my favourite things we did during our week of Ski Big 3.
Breakfast and/or Lunch
#7 Bluebird
Bluebird was probably one of the best brunches of my life. Callum & I split our orders again, so we had the Soufleé Pancakes, Grilled French Toast, Hashbrowns, and Bacon. I also ordered a cappuccino which was made with coffee from Phil & Sebastian out of Calgary (who make great flat whites).
I highly recommend getting brunch here while you are in Banff.
Bluebird also does a fondu, and is actually a steakhouse too. I have only been here for brunch, but if brunch is any indicator, I am sure their lunch and dinner are excellent as well!
#8 Eddies Burger Bar
Wow, what a burger! As expected, Eddie Burger Bar serves excellent burgers. We went here after skiing at Banff Sunshine, and it was the perfect Après Ski for me after we skiied for 4 hrs through low visibility (I was hangry level hungry).
I had the Eddie Classic (try it, it’s good!) with fries. The fries were to the level of crispy I love, had amazing seasoning, and were crinkle fries (which means they are more fun).
Everyone else had the Stadler burger which is a bison burger, and milkshakes. They all really liked their burgers, and shakes.
I also recommend ordering a milkshake here at any point when you are in Banff. They are really good, and you get a bit extra on the side. I’m not really huge on milkshakes generally, but these ones are excellent, and perfect on a hot day 😎
#9 Bear Street Tavern
Bear Street Tavern is known for its thin crust pizza, so we went here for some lunch pizzas. It was also a Tuesday, so they were offering $12 calzones as well.
Callum got a calzone, but I got The Godfather pizza. I really loved this pizza, and would for sure recommend it. It had panko on it, which I thought was a nice touch. In addition to panko, this pizza had prosciutto, confit garlic, truffle oil, grana padano, mozzarella, and arugula.
Bonus!
#10 Whitehorn Bistro*
Technically on Lake Louise Ski hill
So Whitehorn Bistro is actually only accessible on Lake Louise Ski hill, but if you are skiing there, it is totally worth the lunch.
The food was incredible. The views were immaculate. The hot chocolate was one of my favourites in life. It also reminded me of a couple of restaurants I went to in the Dolomites where you had to take a gondola too.
I had the gnocchi with butternut squash and sage. It was fantastic. I would order this again for sure.
My family let me try what they ordered as well so I can also recommend the burger, regular fries, truffle fries, and the Gochujang & Honey Duck Drumettes.
#11 Whitebark Cafe
This is our favourite cafe in Banff. I have enjoyed Whitebark Cafe‘s flat whites, and their hot chocolates.
It’s quality hot chocolate. Not some fake tasting stuff.
I haven’t ordered food here before, but my family really liked the carrot cake.
You can’t go wrong with any of the restaurants on this list. I would eat at all of them again.
If you are in Banff for a few days, and looking to eat at multiple places, I would just be mindful to diversify the type of cuisine you are having (e.g. maybe you don’t want steak or Canadian food two nights in a row). If however this doesn’t bother you like it does me, then go for it! It is all very tasty.
I wish you happy tastebuds, good vibes, and full bellies.
For everything you need to know about planning a trip to Alberta or Canada, check-out my guides. If you are curious what my experiences were like visiting Lake Louise in the summer, check-out my articles.
