Where are the best bars and restaurants in Banff

With so many awesome activities on offer in Banff, you’re bound to work up quite an appetite ticking them all off your bucket list. Luckily, Banff  in Alberta, Canada is home to a smorgasbord of delicious restaurants, cafes and bars to help you fuel up for (or let loose after) your adventures in the Rockies. Here are our pick of the best restaurants in Banff.

BANFF BREAKFAST

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Tooloulou’s

A Banff Breakfast institution, it’s not uncommon to see a lineup 10 people deep patiently waiting outside Tooloulou’s for a taste of their decadent selection of waffles, pancakes and French toast, hearty breakfast skillets, and their infamous breakfast poutine.

Location: 204 Caribou St, Banff

Mel’s

Another Banff brekkie staple, Mel’s (or Melissa’s Missteak) is home to arguably the best Eggs Benedict in town! Not an Eggs Benny fan? No worries! Mel’s breakfast menu is almost as long as Banff Ave itself, with something to suit literally every taste, and every appetite.

Location: 218 Lynx Street, Banff

Pacini

Pacini boasts all the breakfast classics, as well as a few Italian-inspired dishes, such as Gratinati, Fritattas, and Breakfast Pizza. With every breakfast order, Pacini also offer a sweet little bonus of a complimentary Duo Mattino – a little taster plate of fruit bread and yoghurt granola parfait.

Location: 345 Banff Avenue, Banff

Bruno’s

Bruno’s is the answer to all your hungover breakfast dreams. This understated bar-by-night, grill-by-day serves up hearty dishes of all the brekkie basics. If you find yourself feeling a bit rough from the night before, just order Bruno’s Breakfast Melt – its greasy goodness is guaranteed to soak up all your sins.

Location: 304 Caribou St, Banff

COFFEE

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Wild Flour

Wild Flour and its baby sister store, Little Wild, are home to THE best coffee in Banff. Yep, I said it. Challenge me on this if you will, but in the land of Tim Horton’s and Starbucks, Wild Flour is a shining beacon of hope in the desolate dark ages of drip coffee. Wild Flour and Little Wild also serve a selection of scrumptious baked goods to enjoy with your sweet, sweet bean juice.

Location: 101-211 Bear Street, Banff

Whitebark

This cozy little hole-in-the-wall coffee shop nestled inside the Banff Aspen Lodge may be small, but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in a damn good cup of joe.

Location: 401 Banff Avenue, Banff

Good Earth Coffee House

New kid on the block, Good Earth is a Canadian-grown coffeehouse boasting good beans, good food, and good vibes. Their outdoor patio is a great spot to kick back with your daily dose of caffeine (and possibly a little somethin’ sweet from their selection of treats) and take in the amazing mountain views.

Location: 333 Banff Avenue, Banff

LUNCH

Bear St Tavern

If your stomach is saying “pizza”, then you can’t go past Bear St Tavern and their aptly named ‘Ridiculously Good Pizza’ menu. These guys know their way around dough, cheese and delicious toppings.

Location: 211 Bear Street, Banff

Nourish

Vegans and Vegetarians rejoice! Nourish is your food Mecca in Banff. And Carnivores? Forget everything you’ve heard about vegan food, because Nourish blows these misconceptions right out of the water with their totally delicious, yet totally vegan friendly, menu.

Location: 110, 211 Bear Street

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Magpie & Stump

Tonnes of tacos, endless enchiladas, bounties of burritos, and non-stop nachos – If you’ve got a hankering for Mexican, Magpie & Stump is the place for you. Keen to get the party started? Try one of their ‘Bulldog’ cocktails, a lime margarita with an upside down Corona. Arriba!

Location: 203 Caribou St, Banff

Squish Sandwich Cellar

Want the best sandwich you’ll ever eat in your life? Go to Squish! This sneaky underground joint’s menu may be modest, but every sandwich will leave you craving seconds. You can’t go past the Rueben or Montreal Smoked Meat. Drool.

Location: 211 Banff Avenue, Banff

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Eddie Burger & Bar

There are times when you just want a burger, and in those times, you head straight to The Eddie. This is the perfect hangout for thirst-quenching beers and mouth-watering burgs. As if that doesn’t already sound enticing enough, The Eddie also do Wing Wednesday with 50 cent wings all day and night!

Location: 137 Banff Avenue, Banff

Sushi Bistro

Best Japanese in Banff? Look no further than Sushi Bistro! Super fresh, super fast service, and super reasonable price-point. Can’t argue with that. Domo arigato.

Location: 208 Caribou Street, Banff

DINNER

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Grizzly House

This one is ‘Must-Do’ for any visitor to Banff. Come for the fondue, stay for the exotic meat selection (did somebody say Rattlesnake?) you can cook on your very own hot stone at the table.

Location: 207 Banff Avenue, Banff

Chuck’s Steakhouse

Do you love steak? Then you need Chuck’s! Seriously, the most incredible piece of juicy Alberta beef you’ll ever taste in your life is waiting for you right now at Chuck’s Steakhouse. Get there.

Location: 101 Banff Avenue, Banff

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Balkan

Melt-in-your-mouth lamb riblets. Fried Feta balls. Flaming seafood saganaki. Fresh grilled pita bread. Haloumi. Any of those catch your tastebuds’ attention? Lovers of Greek food will be in heaven at Balkan.

Location: 120 Banff Avenue, Banff

Park Distillery

The atmosphere in Park is always buzzing, and the food is always excellent. It may be a little on the higher end of the price scale, but it’s definitely worth it. Park also distill their own spirits on site, so it would be rude not to sample a few after dinner!

Location: 219 Banff Avenue, Banff

Masala

When it comes to authentic Indian food in Banff, Masala is hands-down the king of the curries. This place has the best lamb madras this side of Chennai, guaranteed.

Location: 229 Bear Street, Banff

APRÉS

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High Rollers

One of the best places to start your night in Banff is High Rollers. This bowling-alley-slash-bar-slash-arcade is a whole lotta fun! Alcohol has been known to improve many peoples’ bowling games, so why not treat yourself to a High Rollers cocktail jug or two and become the best bowler this town has ever seen?

Location: 110 Banff Avenue, Banff

Toque

From the outside, Toque is just a red door in the wall. But step inside that red door, my friend, a whole new world opens up! Great bar food, great drink specials, as well as pool tables, darts, and video games. Toque ticks all the boxes of a good night out.

Location: 124 Banff Ave, Banff

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Mad Trappers

Sure, this one may be a little bit outside of the town of Banff, but for the real deal après on the slopes, you can’t go past Mad Trappers Saloon Bar at Sunshine Village. A total Banff après mainstay where the stoke levels are always high, the beer is always cold, and the deep-fried pickles are always tasty.

Location: Sunshine Village, Banff

Elk & Oarsman

The Elk is an awesome spot to cruise into your night with a bit of bar food, a few pitchers of beer, and a hockey game almost always on the TV. They also run some pretty awesome drink and food specials each night.

Location: 119 Banff Avenue, Banff

NIGHTLIFE

Mel’s

Mel’s by night is a completely different scene to Mel’s by day. The cozy, diner-like eatery downstairs closes up when the sun goes down, and the wood-panelled Canadian bar upstairs comes alive! This is THE place to go before heading onwards to one of the nightclubs. Ski-shots are not only welcome here – they are encouraged.

Location: 218 Lynx Street, Banff

The Devil’s Gap

The Gap is usually the last stop before moving on to Sas or Hoodoos, and with good reason – The drinks are cheap, the pool is free, the music is tight, and the bar staff are legends.

Location: 306 Caribou Street, Banff

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Dancing Sasquatch

I have two words when it comes to Dancing Sasquatch: Time Machines. These house-special fully-charged cocktails are the fuel that keeps the dancefloor at Sas alive. Think crazy cabin party, and you’ve pretty much got the exact image of a standard night out at Sas. Now, this may be the Time Machines talking, but on most nights here there is actually someone dancing around in a Sasquatch costume. Strange, but true.

Location: 120 Banff Avenue, Banff

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Hoodoo

Ahh, the pièce de résistance of Banff’s night scene – the infamous Hoodoo. If the walls of Hoodoos could talk, they’d probably need years of therapy. Many, many you-had-to-be-there-crazy-night-out stories begin and end at Hoodoos, and no trip to Banff is complete without popping your head in here for a drink (or ten). Hoodoo, we salute you. Never change.

Location: 203 Caribou Street, Banff