Even with wildlife laying low for the winter season, there’s something stirring in the mountains these days. The dining options in our Rocky Mountain towns have steadily improved over the last decade, as innovative chefs move in and both locals and tourists demand world-class Canadian fare. The past months have seen new openings and delicious initiatives in the world of mountain dining, with meals designed to complement the spectacular views.
The Fat Ox Brings Alpine Italian to Banff Avenue
A chapter closed on Banff Avenue in 2023 when the owners of Ticino — an Italian fondue restaurant that had been a Banff staple since 1974 — decided to retire. Creative Restaurant Group, which is also behind Bonterra and Posto in Calgary, purchased the former Ticino. After an extensive renovation, the space reopened this past summer as The Fat Ox, an elegant Italian restaurant that takes full advantage of the building’s ample frontage and sunroom, creating a new place to see and be seen on Banff’s busiest street.
Much more than a Bonterra clone in the mountains, The Fat Ox specializes in “alpine Italian,” with a menu overseen by Creative’s executive chef, Glen Manzer. A good portion of the menu is seasonal and subject to change regularly, but expect high-end Italian ingredients like imported burrata, 30-month-aged prosciutto and really good olives, paired with mountain-inspired dishes such as elk meatballs and bison bolognese. The emphasis on service is high — guests blissfully get their wine orders delivered while still considering the menu — in an effort to appeal to both tourists out on the town and locals looking for a special dinner. And, since it’s adjacent to the High Country Inn hotel, there’s Italian breakfast, too.
415 Banff Ave., Banff, 403-762-3848, fatoxbanff.ca, @fatoxbanff
John Gilchrist Explores the Cuisine of the Rockies
John Gilchrist claims to be mostly retired, but that hasn’t stopped him from pursuing delicious food in the mountains — the illustrious local food writer and restaurant critic recently released his latest project, an eight-episode TV program called Cuisine of The Rockies. The series sees Gilchrist travelling from Jasper to Whitefish, Mont., stopping to chat with chefs about their takes on mountain food along the way. Cuisine of the Rockies is currently streaming on Tubi, Roku and Distro TV.
Banff Social Gets Eclectic on Bear Street
Following the trend of big, chain restaurant locations closing and making way for local independents, Banff Social opened early last summer in a spot on Bear Street long occupied by the Saltlik steakhouse. Chef Raj Nandamudi previously worked with Sunterra Market, but he longed for a place of his own — and who wouldn’t want to live and work in the mountains?
While so many Banff restaurants focus on a relatively narrow definition of “Canadian cuisine,” Nandamudi wanted to create a restaurant to reflect Canada’s multiculturalism. With more than 250 seats spread over two floors, the restaurant is massive, allowing large groups to walk in without reservations.
Nandamudi makes sure that in addition to the global influences that shine through in dishes like Alberta lamb kebabs, maple miso-glazed salmon, and gochujang wings, the restaurant offers vegetable-driven choices as well as the burgers and game meats Banff visitors have come to expect. Banff Social also lives up to its name, with a lengthy cocktail list and live music nights.
221 Bear St., Banff, 403-762-2467, banffsocial.ca, @thebanffsocial
Where’s the Beef? Try the Post Hotel
A grand old mountain lodge can still learn new tricks. Since Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts acquired the Post Hotel in Lake Louise in 2021, the dining room has retained its Old-World European charm — and award-winning wine cellar — while embracing the modern standard of partnering with local food producers to give guests a uniquely Canadian experience.
Last year, the Post initiated a partnership with Weiss Ranch of Medicine Hat, with the family-run ranch providing whole Black Angus, wagyu and mixed-breed cattle to its restaurant. Throughout the winter and early spring, the Post will continue to offer special Weiss cattle-driven menus (dependent on availability) while also hosting a series of wine dinners bringing together this top-tier Alberta beef with selections from some of the wine team’s favourite regions and vineyards. For the ultimate luxury foodie experience, pair dinner with a spa treatment featuring a rejuvenating caviar lift facial.
200 Pipestone Rd., Lake Louise, 403-522-3989, posthotel.com, @posthotelspa
Jasper’s Journey
When wildfires ravaged Jasper last summer, some feared the entire town would be wiped out. But, many resilient businesses have reopened as visitors began to file back into the townsite in early September.
Jasper has always had an eclectic collection of restaurants and hotels — it’s a little grittier and more down-to-earth than the Banff townsite, which is part of its charm and gives Calgarians a reason to make the drive up the Icefields Parkway. Local favourites like Evil Dave’s Grill, De’d Dog Bar and Grill, and Lou Lou’s Breakfast and Pizzeria were among the first restaurants to reopen in Jasper, with more re-emerging throughout the fall. Many of the much-loved establishments closer to the path of the fire, such as Syrahs and L&W, sustained more devastating damage, with some promising to rebuild and come back later in 2025 while others may be potentially gone forever.
But among the more encouraging news is that Jasper even has one completely new concept that opened in September, less than two months after the fires. The Maligne Range is the sister distillery to the heavily damaged Jasper Brewing Co., which is expected to reopen this spring. The Maligne Range not only creates unique mountain-inspired whiskies, but also features a meat-centric restaurant and guided tasting sessions, and promises to be a new go-to destination in Jasper.
604 Connaught Dr., Jasper, 825-422-5022, themalignerange.com, @themalignerange
Hello Sunshine Enters the Omakase Game
Omakase has become a popular trend in sushi restaurants around the world and the Japanese version of a chef’s tasting menu has made its way to Banff Hospitality Collective’s fun Japanese restaurant Hello Sunshine. The four-course menu changes regularly, with in-house chefs creating dishes on the fly from the freshest and most compelling ingredients on hand.
The omakase requires full-table participation and the kitchen declines substitutions, so this isn’t a good bet for those with allergies or dietary restrictions. But it does showcase Banff Hospitality Collective’s dedication to bringing next-level contemporary dining to Banff. With Lupo — which appeared on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list in 2023 — upstairs from Hello Sunshine, and the much-applauded Bluebird Woodfired Steakhouse just around the corner, this new experience is yet another step in Banff’s growth as a culinary destination.
208 Wolf St., Banff, 403-985-7225, hellosunshinebanff.com, @hellosunshinebanff
Michelin Keys Awarded to Three Rocky Mountain Hotels
While Alberta and most of B.C. are not part of Michelin’s restaurant stars system, the new Michelin Keys program, designed to honour outstanding places to stay, awarded “keys” to several hotels in Western Canada this past September. While the keys aren’t culinary-specific, the service and amenities in a hotel contribute to its overall evaluation. One-key designations — signalling a “very special” stay — were awarded to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, as well as CRMR’s Post Hotel in Lake Louise.