The Park Ranger’s Three Favourite Restaurants
Storm Mountain Lodge
Address: Storm Mountain Lodge is located in Banff National Park in the Vermillion Pass on the Banff-Windermere Highway (#93 south). It is just 25 minutes outside of Banff and Lake Louise townsites.
Phone: 403.762.4155
Storm Mountain Lodge is the defenition of an off the beaten track little gem. Often I see a bear just on the road linking the restaurant to the highway. This is a restaurant I frequent perhaps more than I should but the food is so damn addictive, it’s hard to say no.
The ambience is particuarly warm and comfortable, something that you really appreciate entering during the peak of winter. On my most recent visit, I thought I would veer away from my standard meat with meat dish. Instead I had the veggie tower that was enough to almost make me want to become a vegeterian.Almost. There is also a great selection of wines and beers if you aren’t the designated driver.
Of course, if you enjoy the food that much, you can always hibernate at the lodge for a few days and leave a much rounder person. It has been known to happen to certain park rangers!
Balkan Restaurant
Address: 120 Banff Avenue, Banff, Banff National Park, Alberta T1L-1A4, Canada Phone: 403-762-3454
I have to admit, I hadn’t heard the greatest things about Balkan and I wouldn’t declare myself to be the greatest fan of Greek food but I was dragged here on Valentines day and it has managed to leap frog its way into my top 3 restaurants in Banff.
For me quantity is as important as quality and as soon as I saw the size of the portions our neighbours were getting, I began to get excited. The prices are really very affordable too. (One of the reasons I allowed myself to be dragged here)
I went for the roasted lamb and homemade baklava and also had the sagnaki cheese and kalamari for starters. Really really tasty and every flavour was so different. It’s hard to find good Greek food anywhere except Greece but Balkan is right on the doorstep and, take my word for it, it is excellent.
St. James Gate Irish Pub
Address: 205 Wolf St, Banff, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Phone: 403-762-9355
Ok so its not exactly fine dining but sometimes, all you want is a nice old fashioned pint of beer and a pub lunch. Where better to go about this than right in the middle of Banff in our very own Irish themed bar.
It’s the kind of place that you can get away from it all, watch a game, chat to the staff and just relax. The potato nachos are really good and huge too and the best main course in my humble opinion is the beef, mushroom guiness bake (toped with phyllo).
Not really the type of place that you take a girl on a first date (although I learned this the hard way) but great considering its walkable to the centre, tasty, warm and just an all round cool bar. Price wise, it compares well to other restauarants around especially considering its a themed restaurant.