Listen, I get it. You like poutine. I like poutine. Everyone likes poutine. It’s a Canadian treasure. But believe it or not, it’s not the end-all be-all of Canadian cuisine.
Backpacking in Canada: 4 Restaurants You Need to Visit in Banff
Don’t believe me? Here are four restaurants so good I guarantee they’ll have you saving up for Banff houses for sale.
Sky Bistro
As one of Canada’s top tourist hotspots (coldspots?), it’s no surprise that Banff has plenty of top-notch spots to get some grub. But none captures everything great about Banff quite like Sky Bistro. It’s not just a meal; it’s an adventure.
Starting at the base of Sulphur Mountain, diners ride a gondola all the way up to the peak where, alongside a theatre, several gift shops, and an outdoor viewing platform, Sky Bistro allows foodies to chow down while enjoying a picturesque view of the snow-kissed Rockies just beyond the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows.
The Maple Leaf
Nothing says cozy like the Maple Leaf Grill & Lounge’s log cabin/ski lodge aesthetic. And nothing says delicious like its upscale gourmet menu made with the freshest and most high-quality local Canadian ingredients available.
Discerning foodies take note: the Maple Leaf offers such to-die-for dishes as bacon-wrapped Central Alberta Bison steak, confit duck wings with jalapeno maple sauce, a charcuterie board featuring a variety of Rocky Mountain game meats, and the restaurant’s signature entrée, British Columbia Sockeye Salmon and prawns poached in Dijon and maple syrup. If your mouth isn’t watering right now, you might want to visit your doctor, because you’re clearly dehydrated.
BeaverTails
Fine dining is great and all, but sometimes you just want to gorge yourself on sugar and carbs. If you’re going to be decadent, you might as well do it the Great White North way.
No, BeaverTails isn’t some rustic version of Hooters; it’s a 40-year-old Canadian bakery chain. So what’s with the name? It comes from their specialty, a hand-stretched fried-dough pastry roughly the size and shape of, well, a beaver tail. These jumbo-sized sweets come with a variety of sinful toppings, from chocolate-hazelnut and banana to cinnamon, sugar, and lemon. Oh, and did I mention you can make your own custom combinations, too?
High Rollers
Finally, if you’re anything like me, the one thing you need to know whenever you travel someplace new is this: who has the best pizza? In Banff, the answer to that question is undoubtedly High Rollers, a kitschy bowling alley-themed eatery (yes the lanes are real, and yes you can play a couple games of ten-pin while you’re there).
Every day, High Rollers has different specials and there are nearly 50 Canadian beers available on tap. If you’re thirsty for some hops ‘n’ barley, this place is practically a one-stop countrywide tour of Canada’s best bubbly brews. Good food, good drink, good bowling; let’s eat!