116 Best Restaurants in Alberta, Canada

Although diminutive in size, this Downtown coffee shop has a BIG reputation for the best coffee in town, with perfect microfoam on every latte. They do offer a fine selection of baked goods, and you can also preorder excellent St. Viateur bagels from Montreal and pick them up on Wednesday.

More than 80 varieties of loose-leaf teas, craft beverages, and artisan coffees are served alongside fresh, healthy, and local food at this downtown café. Look for pad Thai noodle bowls, rice bowls, salads, sandwiches, and delicious wraps. There are many vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options on the menu as well.

A small restaurant decorated with log beams and bathed in warm Santa Fe colors, Coyotes serves healthful Southwestern-style dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Scrambled eggs and salmon, stuffed French toast, and warm seven-grain cereal topped with fresh berries, pecans, and yogurt stand out among the breakfast offerings. Lunch and dinner favorites include the black-bean burrito, polenta with ratatouille, pan-roasted honey-glazed salmon, and several vegetarian selections.

One of three Credo locations in Edmonton, this elegant café serves seriously good coffee and house-made granola bars, brownies, and outstanding cookies. Every latte comes with perfect microfoam worthy of a picture.

Located in the back corner of a shopping mall, this family-run restaurant has a casual menu, a kids menu, and a pet-friendly patio. Along with burgers and pizza, you'll find steaks, shrimp, salmon, ribs, and a few specialties like bibimbap and bulgogi (the owners immigrated from South Korea). The restaurant has specials that are served before 5 pm. There are five craft beers on tap and six wine choices.

Calgary's oldest restaurant started as a milk bar in the 1950s that served organic food before it was trendy; today it's best known for breakfast, which is served until 3 pm, but it’s a fine place for lunch and supper too. While this gem is not technically in Kensington, it's certainly worth the short walk.

Located in the turn-of-the-century home of RCMP Superintendent Captain Richard Burton Deane, this award-winning restaurant is an easy and delightful walk from Downtown. The restaurant specializes in contemporary Canadian fine dining, with some of the dishes based on archival recipes and photographs from Calgary’s Wild West past. The weekend brunch is delightful.

Deville brews direct-trade, small-batch coffee beans and serves fresh baked goods and other tasty breakfast and lunch items as well. There are four locations Downtown but only the Fashion Central Location, near Stephen Avenue Mall, is open on weekends.

Every town has at least one outstanding breakfast and lunch place, and in Downtown Edmonton, the District is it. Excellent limitless coffee and fresh baked goods, all-day breakfast, and a world-class breakfast sandwich make this a great breakfast stop. The tasty sandwiches and salads make it a great spot for lunch too, and there are lots of options for vegans and vegetarians too.

This new restaurant has an eclectic, often-changing menu that focuses on fresh, flavorful food. The menu includes appetizers like bacon-wrapped dates and fired Halloumi cheese with honey, toasted walnuts, and pumpkin puree. The entrées range from pan-seared trout and steak frites to roasted lamb. The vegan options are typically limited to one or two items. The wine list is not extensive, but it is well-chosen and there's a nice, reasonably priced Sunday brunch.

The signature location of this upscale chain for years, the large and varied menu ranges from sushi to barbecue ribs, and almost anyone can find something they prefer. Portions are large, the food is quite good, and a generous happy hour inspires the locals to head to the bar or patio, depending on the season, for drinks.

With a casual, upscale ambience and a tried-and-true menu, Earls is always a good choice for dinner or drinks. Steaks, pasta, salads, seafood, and Thai options provide something for everyone.

On any day, this specialty coffee roaster carries 15–20 different environmentally grown and socially responsible coffees which they roast on-site---they've won numerous roasting competitions. Each aromatic blend is perfectly brewed and can be enjoyed with baked goods, snacks, wraps, and other light fare. There are two locations in Canmore.

A funky atmosphere and an "evil"-inspired menu make this Jasper restaurant a fun place to dine. Local favorites among the globally inspired, locally sourced entrées include the Malevolent Meatloaf (Alberta bison wrapped in wild boar bacon), Nefarious Chicken (fried chicken with chili bourbon maple sauce, served on a toasted waffle), and the gluten-free El Diablo Bowl (marinated free-range chicken, chipotle sauce, jasmine rice, corn salsa, black beans, and corn tortilla sticks). There's always a chef's cut steak special as well as a seafood feature, and the Cowboy sushi made with grilled beef tenderloin is a fun appetizer. Save room for WTF dessert---fried banana spring rolls with chocolate and caramel sauce.

Fire-roasted Neapolitan-style pizzas made in a real bell oven are the specialty at this small pizzeria in the upper level of a downtown building. Although you seat yourself and order over a counter, servers bring the food and drinks to your table. The pizzas range from a classic margherita to interesting combinations like cavoletti (brussels sprouts, prosciutto crisps, Gorgonzola cheese, dates, and walnuts) or prosciutto with arugula. Enjoy a gelato for dessert.

Canadian flair is the hallmark of this modern, airy restaurant—a recent addition to the Elk + Avenue Hotel—where ingredients sourced from small, local, organic farmers are used in entrées such as slow-roasted rotisserie chicken, Alberta grains risotto, and flatbread pizza. The drinks menu features Canadian wines, local craft beers, and unique cocktails made using the best Canadian spirits. Brunch includes classic breakfast dishes and cocktails as well as breakfast bowls and sandwiches.

This pine-finished, second-floor dining room has great views of the railway station, downtown Jasper, and the mountains. The Canadian seafood, wild game, and Alberta beef dishes are classic and delicious, and daily specials are noted on a chalkboard menu. This is a good place to sample halibut or lobster from Atlantic Canada or enjoy Alberta game meats like elk or bison. The wine list includes some noteworthy Canadian wines.

Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the restaurant is known for locally sourced ingredients that are used in their delicious wood-fired pizzas and house-made pasta, creative salads, seafood and chicken dishes, and Alberta beef steaks; there's also an excellent breakfast buffet. The dining area includes a long bar, an open kitchen, and expansive windows with gorgeous mountain views along one side of the restaurant. A few vegetarian and gluten-free options are available and children under six eat free.

A small all-day breakfast place that has been around for more than 30 years, the Galaxie Diner is a great option for a fair-priced breakfast (especially if you slept past noon). The decor is vintage diner, the staff is friendly and helpful, and you can have as many hash browns as you like.

Bring a healthy appetite and a love for delicious slow-roasted meat when you visit this authentic Brazilian house of barbecue. With rodizio-style dining, you pay one price and skewers of perfectly roasted steaming meat are carried to your table and sliced onto your plate until you tell them to stop. Delicious hot cheese buns and more than a dozen salads and side dishes can be enjoyed alongside the meat dishes. A wide variety of drinks, including cocktails, craft beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages, are also on the menu.

This spot resembles an old English pub in every way, including having a red phone booth and the best fish-and-chips in town. Other British pub classics like Scotch eggs, bangers and mash, stuffed Yorkshire pudding, shepherd's pie, and beef Wellington are on the menu alongside Canadian favorites like salads, burgers, poutine, and steak sandwiches. The breakfast menu is also very good. The bar is one of the biggest in Canmore with more than a dozen beers on tap as well as a nice selection of cocktails, spirits, ciders, and wines. FYI: The Georgetown is named after a ghost town not far from Canmore.

Spacious and bright with large tables, Beltline’s Good Earth is a great spot to grab fresh-baked goods and as ethical and responsible a coffee you will ever find. This feel-good coffeehouse also serves fresh and nutritious sandwiches, soups, and salads. It's also just one of several locations in the greater Downtown area.

Banff's newest sushi restaurant was designed to feel like a mix between a 1970s ski lodge and a traditional Japanese restaurant with wood paneling in the main dining area and a long sushi bar; private karaoke rooms are in the back. The menu has classics like miso soup, tempura, and a variety of sushi rolls, sashimi, and ramen alongside more inventive fare like cheeseburger gyoza, oshi (press) sushi, hand roll tacos, and build-your-own bao buns. The Japanese BBQ menu highlights Alberta beef and chicken. This restaurant celebrates happy hour daily, with the exception of holidays and long weekends, between 4-5 pm with half-price sushi and discounted drinks and ramen.

Always cozy and full of sunshine, Higher Ground has been the go-to coffee shop in Kensington for decades. They serve 100% organic coffee and tea, so you can feel good about quaffing a hot beverage while sampling one of their fresh-baked goods or all-day breakfast items (particularly the Tuscan Sunrise---a panini with egg, sausage, tomato, onion, Swiss cheese, and basil pesto).

Located in a historic building in downtown Pincher Creek, this cute café is a great place for a quick meal or a long coffee break. Besides exceptionally good coffee and tea, you'll find classic American dishes alongside Asian-fusion cuisine—think pancakes and crepes, avocado toast with lox, chicken skewers, and Filipino lumpia (fried spring rolls with a savory mixture of pork, cabbage, and other veggies). There's a kids' menu as well as a number of vegan options.

Fresh contemporary Italian cuisine in a farmhouse-style atmosphere is the specialty of this restaurant. The menu has classic Italian appetizers like bruschetta, calamari, and beef carpaccio along with house-made pizzas and pasta, and there are meat dishes like salmon, chicken, veal, and bison short ribs. Desserts include such specialties as gelato, limoncello cheesecake, and tiramisu. The restaurant is family-friendly and there is a children's menu. There's also a nice patio area.

Across the parking lot from Lake McDonald Lodge, Jammer Joe's Grill & Pizzeria was named after the historic red jammer buses that have been used for park tours since 1936. The casual restaurant serves an all-you-can-eat salad and pizza lunch buffet, as well as pasta, salads, soups, sandwiches, and pizzas on the dinner menu.

The park's only brewery is a fine stop for a beer and a burger, though the menu also features wings, poutine, nachos, fish-and-chips, and other pub fare in addition to well-made salads, steaks, and seafood dishes. Premium hops and natural mountain water go into the six signature beers brewed on-site. You can watch sports action on the big screens near the bar or dine in the restaurant.

The views are amazing from the newly renovated rooftop patio of this popular downtown Jasper restaurant. Pizza from the wood-fired and traditional pizza ovens is the star attraction here, but you'll also find burgers, pastas, salads, and a broad selection of appetizers. The dessert menu is pretty much non-existent, but it's easy to forgive when you taste the pizza. The King of New York wood-fired pizza is so authentic, you'll want to fold your slice before eating it. The restaurant has three beers on tap, a good selection of craft beer, cocktails, spirits, and wine.

Enjoy good food and drinks in a fun, casual atmosphere at this Eau Claire Market staple that has a loyal following among the locals. While they serve the usual Calgary fare---steaks, burgers, ribs, salmon---much of the menu is Asian-inspired: lettuce wraps, sushi, and a variety of rice bowls. There’s also a good selection of salads and more than a few gluten-free and vegetarian items. You can try much of the menu for less money during their popular happy hour.