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Award-Winning Restaurants in Banff and Lake Louise: Top Places to Eat for a Foodie Getaway

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Jun 8, 2025
A couple enjoys a meal at the top of the Banff Gondola at Sky Bistro with views of surrounding mountain peaks in Banff National Park

You have a few precious days in the iconic mountain towns of Banff and Lake Louise. And while these towns may be small, their culinary impact is anything but.

Home to Western Canada’s only AAA Five Diamond restaurant and cellars recognized by Wine Spectator, Banff and Lake Louise are glowing points on the global food map.

Here, chefs create Canadian Rocky Mountain cuisine using ethical ingredients that honour the land.

Read on to discover award-winning places to eat so you can plan your own mouthwatering mountain adventure.

1888 Chop House

Awards:

  • Food Photography Series (2025), Applied Arts Award
  • Best Dinner Menu + Wine List + Use of Local Ingredients (2020), Best of the Bow - Rocky Mountain Outlook
  • Diners’ Choice Award (2019), OpenTable
  • Best Overall List - Gold (2019), Alberta’s Finest Drink List Awards
  • Silver Service Award - Outstanding Hotel Dining (2019), Les Clef d'Or Concierge

Location: Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, 405 Spray Ave, Banff, AB

Plan a visit to the Banff Springs Hotel, aka “The Castle.” You’ll experience a piece of living history.

1888 Chop House honours the completion date of this gem of the Canadian Rockies. Taste world-renowned Alberta beef while soaking up Rocky Mountain views.

“I’m passionate about working with the best proteins Alberta - and the world - have to offer,” says Chef Aaron Engeler, who fosters relationships with local producers to source sustainable meat brimming with flavour.

The ambience and ingredients are so visually stunning, they won the Applied Arts Food Photography award.

Eden

Awards:

  • Five Diamond Restaurant (since 2003), AAA/CAA
  • Top 1000 Restaurants (2024), La Liste
  • Best of Award of Excellence (since 2003), Wine Spectator

Location: Rimrock Hotel, 300 Mountain Ave, Banff, AB

This is your last chance to experience this beloved fine-dining establishment. After 30 years, Eden will close its doors as the Rimrock Hotel undergoes renovations.

Eden chefs have curated two six-course tribute menus: the Grand Finale and Vegetarian Grand Finale, available only until August 31st. Add the wine pairing to sample from their award-winning cellar. Book while you still can.

Fairview Bar

Award:

  • Travelers’ Choice Award (2024), Tripadvisor
  • Best of Award of Excellence (2018), Wine Spectator

Location: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, 111 Lake Louise Drive, Lake Louise, AB

Cradled like a jewel on the edge of Lake Louise, the historic five-star Chateau has attracted travelers since the late 1800s. Now it’s your turn.

Book a stay for preferential restaurant access. Enjoy epic views right out the window while you sip wine from an award-winning selection and savour foraged and locally farmed ingredients.

The art-deco interior backed by mountain views will have your notifications buzzing.

Hello Sunshine

Awards:

  • Travelers’ Choice Award (2024), TripAdvisor
  • Diners’ Choice Award (2024), OpenTable
  • Top 100 Restaurants in Canada (2022), OpenTable
  • Standalone Category (2022), Restaurant & Bar Design Awards

Location: 101 - 208 Wolf Street, Banff, AB

Ready for a super cool retro sushi experience? This Banff restaurant has all the good vibes.

The decor alone is worth a visit (fire tables, sushi bar, and private karaoke rooms), which is why it was acknowledged by the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards – a leading international design competition.

Order sake and sushi and see for yourself why diner ratings place Hello Sunshine among the top 10% of restaurants worldwide.

Lupo Italian Ristorante & Patio

Awards:

  • Diners’ Choice Award (2024 & 2025), OpenTable
  • Top 10 New Restaurants - #6 (2023), Canada’s 100 Best
  • Travelers’ Choice Award (2023), TripAdvisor

Location: 201 - 208 Wolf Street, Banff AB

Step into Lupo, and you'll swear you’re in Italy -- that is, until you look out the windows and see the towering Canadian Rockies.

The mix of mountain views and Italian vibes helped this Banff restaurant earn #6 in Canada’s 100 Best’ Top 10 New Restaurants.’

The on-site pasta lab ensures your noodles will be to die for.

Chuck's Steakhouse

Awards:

  • Diners’ Choice Award (2024 and 2025), OpenTable
  • Top 100 Restaurants in Canada (2022), OpenTable

Location: 101 Banff Ave, Banff, AB

This luxe ranch-style Banff restaurant features an exclusive collection of Alberta beef sourced from trusted ranchers.

“Commitment and passion for their animals and pastures put them on the list of the most sought-after beef in North America and the world,” says Executive Chef Hayden.

The beef is grilled over hardwood and mesquite, then finished under an 1800-degree broiler. Savour your meal while connecting with cowboy culture and mountain views.

The Maple Leaf

Awards:

  • Diners’ Choice Award (2024), OpenTable
  • Travelers’ Choice Award (2024), TripAdvisor
  • Best of Award of Excellence (2006–2022), Wine Spectator
  • Gold Awards - Best Overall List, Best Thematic List (2019), Wine Spectator Awards
  • Award of Excellence (2002–2005), Wine Spectator

Location: 137 Banff Ave, Banff, AB

Taste true Canadian cuisine at this staple Banff restaurant.

Pair Alberta beef, bison, or fresh seafood with a wine list that’s won multiple prestigious awards.

This is the place to experience a mountain lodge setting, right the heart of downtown Banff.

Three Bears Brewery

Awards:

  • Top 100 Restaurants in Canada (2025), OpenTable
  • Diners’ Choice Award (2024), OpenTable

Location: 205 Bear St, Banff, AB

Check out this funky downtown Banff craft brewery, where you’ll be dining by a 25-foot pine tree or seated beneath a retractable roof for stargazing.

Pair your pint with a comfort foods like pizza, Mac n’ Cheese, or Beer Battered Fish and Chips.

Rated as a top restaurant by discerning diners from around the world.

Sky Bistro

Awards:

  • Top 100 Restaurants in Canada (2024), OpenTable
  • Travelers’ Choice (2023), TripAdvisor
  • Winner (2019), Cochon555

Location: Sulphur Mountain, 100 Mountain Ave, Banff, AB

Take a gondola ride to dine atop Sulphur Mountain. Sky Bistro chefs' partner with local farms to provide fresh flavours and climate friendly practices.

This could be one of the coolest places to eat that you’ve ever tried.

Where else can you take such a luxurious bite on a mountaintop?

Walliser Stube

Award:

  • Best Award of Excellence (2024), Wine Spectator

Location: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, 111 Lake Louise Drive, Lake Louise, AB

The European-Alpine inspired menu at Walliser Stube harkens to the history of when Swiss Guides helped European travelers navigate this iconic landscape.

Order the fondue and select and sip from their award-winning wine list.

The Bison Restaurant

Awards:

  • Diners’ Choice Award (2024 and 2025), OpenTable
  • Top 100 Restaurants in Canada (2022-2024), OpenTable
  • Travelers’ Choice Award (2024), TripAdvisor
  • Top 10 Canadian Fine Dining Restaurants (2024), TripAdvisor

Location: 211 Bear St, #213, Banff, AB

Feast on big mountain views from the Bison’s dining room and rooftop terrace.

Reviews place this Banff restaurant in the global top tiers of OpenTable and TripAdvisor.

Using a farm-to-table ethic, this is the place for plant-focused dishes and Alberta bison, an animal that once roamed these lands in the millions and is now sustainably raised by local ranchers.

Rundle Bar

Awards:

  • Canada’s Best Patio (2024), Canada’s 100 Best
  • Best International Hotel Bar, Regional Top 10 Honoree – Canada List (2023), Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Spirited Awards
  • Best in Class - Rundle Bar Gin (2021 and 2022), Alberta Beverage Awards
  • Best of Canada (2021), Canadian Interiors

Location: 405 Spray Ave, Banff, AB

Imagine yourself in a glamorous 1920’s bar. Arches, library shelves, and a secret (and privately bookable) speakeasy behind a library wall.

Rundle Bar has top shelf mountain views just waiting for you to enjoy.

This Banff restaurant won the prestigious Alberta Beverage Awards two years running for its Rundle Bar Gin.

Secure Your Table Now

Whether you're sipping wine beside a glacier-fed lake, or dining high above the tree line, Banff and Lake Louise serve unforgettable moments on every plate.

Tables at these award-winning restaurants won’t remain for long. Plan your multi-day culinary journey here.

Jane Marshall

Jane Marshall

Jane Marshall is a writer, adventurer, and lifelong explorer living in the Bow Valley. Her work has appeared in magazines, newspapers, and digital publications for nearly 20 years, and she is the author of two travel books. She was a cast member in the documentary Wildflowers - which had its world premiere at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival. You can find Jane on local trails and surrounding mountaintops, and at seejanewrite.ca.