Banff is a lovely mountain town in Alberta, Canada. It is also the name of the national park that the town is in. There are lots of things to see and do in Banff. If you are looking for activities, click here to read about the best things to do in Banff. But if you want to know where to eat in Banff – you are in the right place!

For such a tiny town, Banff has a pretty wide variety of choices for where to eat. Hungry for a meal? Let’s start with those options. Later on, I will tell you where to find the best treats! There’s a lot of info here, so pin it for later!

Restaurants

The Grizzly House

The Grizzly House is an amazing fondue restaurant right on Banff Avenue. Having a meal there is like traveling back in time to the 1970s – the soundtrack, the wood paneling, the disco ball – it’s the complete experience. The food is delicious and it is so much fun to cook your own meal on the table. Kids love it! It is definitely my top choice for where to eat in Banff.

One caveat: I wouldn’t bring toddlers or preschoolers here. Anyone who you can’t trust to not touch when you tell them not to touch could get burned on the hot surfaces. Plus, the meals here take a long time. It’s an event! If you bring elementary school-aged kids, maybe bring them an activity they can do at the table. Tweens and teens will be fine – it’s fun! For more info, check out the Grizzly House website. And don’t forget to call them to make a reservation ahead! If you want to read my more detailed version of what it’s like to eat at the Grizzly House, check out my article about the best things to do in Banff.

Ramen Arashi

We had to wait in line for a bit to get into Ramen Arashi, but boy, was it worth the wait! Their ramen is dee-lish-us!!!!!! In case you don’t know, ramen is Japanese noodles, usually served in a soup. My husband, son, and I got the Black Tan Tan Men. It has a sesame base, crushed peanuts, garlic, chili oil, green onions, and chopped pork. It was amazing! Wish I had some more right now.

For my daughter, who likes things simpler and not spicy, the restaurant was happy to create a version for her. She got the miso soup base with noodles, tofu, and corn. She was happy with her choice. If you go there with your kiddos, just ask for what you want.

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The restaurant is a little tricky to find as they are located upstairs inside a small mall. The address is Sundance Mall #213, 215 Banff Avenue. FYI the bathrooms are located downstairs, not in the restaurant. Also, this is not a very accessible restaurant as it’s in an older building. We had my dad with us and he has a walker. Even though there is an elevator, you can’t avoid stairs completely. It was okay for him with our help, but a wheelchair or stroller would not work.

Park

Park Restaurant is located at 219 Banff Avenue. We enjoyed this place so much, we went twice during our short three-day trip. The food is delicious, it is beautifully decorated, it has a relaxed pleasant vibe, and it’s located right on the street so you feel like you are part of the Banff action. Our group tried the Park Burger, the Bison Burger, the Brisket Sandwich, and the Steelhead Trout. It was all fantastic. They also have a wide variety of vegetarian offerings and a kid’s menu.

Not only is Park one of the best places to eat in Banff, but it is also a distillery. You can take tours of the distillery and do tastings of their liquors – they make vodka, gin, and rye. They also have great cocktails, a wide variety of Canadian beers, and mocktails for the kids. My kids loved ordering their own fancy drinks.

They take reservations, too, which is nice when you are visiting such a busy area. For more info, check out Park’s website.

Coyotes Southwestern Grill

When we checked in at our hotel, we were told that Coyotes is one of the best places to eat breakfast in Banff. One morning we went for a short hike to Surprise Corner, and then walked back to town and headed to Coyotes. We enjoyed our brunch there very much! My son tried the huevos rancheros and my husband and I got the chorizo breakfast burrito. My daughter got the pancakes. Everything was tasty, but the salsa was definitely Canadian salsa, not a lot like what we get back home in California. They do have hot sauce available if you want to spice things up more.

One of the things I liked about this place is it has menu items that are interesting for adventurous eaters, and also items that are simple for those with simple tastes. There’s something for everyone. For dinner, they offer not only Southwestern dishes, but they have pizza, too. There is a kid’s menu. They are located at 206 Caribou Street, right near Banff Avenue. For more info, check out Coyote’s website.

Coffee Shops

Wild Flour

Our first morning in Banff, we went to Wild Flour Bakery Cafe, located at 101-211 Bear Street. They serve fresh, organic bakery items, a variety of coffee drinks, and their staff is very friendly and helpful. We had breakfast sandwiches with eggs and cheese that were tasty and filling, and we also shared a muffin. My cappuccino was served with one of those delightful artistic swirls – I love me a pretty coffee! It definitely added to my happy vacation vibe. It was also the best tasting coffee I had in Banff.

Wild Flour is a great place for breakfast when you want to have a quick start to a busy day. It’s a stand at the counter and order kind of place, so you are in and out pretty fast. They also serve sandwiches, soups, and salads at lunch. For more info, go to the Wild Flour website.

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Banff National Perk

Another good choice for a quick breakfast is Banff National Perk. They have a wide selection of teas along with the coffee. We got to chatting with the owner, and she said that she is actually a tea drinker rather than coffee, and so takes pride in her tea selection. I had a sausage roll for breakfast before we headed out on a hike, and it was very tasty. They are located at 220 Bear Street, and they don’t have their own website.

Treats

Now for the important part, right? If you are traveling with kids, I am sure they would tell you that the choice of treats is what really matters.

Beaver Tails

If you eat only one dessert while you are in Banff, it should probably be a Beaver Tail. Beaver Tails are basically a pastry – which would be delicious on its own – covered in your choice of over-the-top treats. M got hers with Nutella and candy and T ordered the s’mores flavored toppings. Among the other choices are apple pie-style toppings, strawberry cheesecake toppings, or just a simple cinnamon sugar. They are too big and so good!

There are two locations in Banff, which are quite close together. You can find them at 120 Banff Avenue and 201 Banff Avenue.

Mary’s Popcorn

I hadn’t intended to have any caramel popcorn in Banff. But then we were walking down the street, and someone from Mary’s Popcorn offered me a sample of the best caramel corn I’d ever had…and then a few minutes later we realized we were getting kinda hungry…and well, things happen! We chose the salted caramel popcorn with almonds, and it is fantastic! The caramel is so thick and rich, it’s almost like toffee. They have lots of other flavors, too, including savory ones like cheese. Free samples are offered, so you can try before you buy. Mary’s Popcorn is located at 201 Banff Avenue (yes, that is the same address as one of the Beaver Tails’ locations. That’s because they are both in the Town Centre Mall, facing Banff Avenue).

Cow’s

When we arrived in Banff, I saw the line out the door at Cow’s ice cream shop at 138 Banff Avenue. I read about Cow’s on Yelp before we went to Banff, and I was excited to try this gourmet and kitschy ice cream shop. Unfortunately, we ran out of days and had already had enough treats! Cow’s has lots of fun flavors, and they make their own waffle cones. Find out more at Cow’s website.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to the best places to eat in Banff! If you want more ideas for your Banff vacation, please read my article about the best activities in Banff! And if you have more suggestions of where to eat in Banff, please leave them in the comments below!