230 Best Restaurants in Canada

Waterton's only gastropub is the place for live music most weekends and casual eats anytime. The nachos here are the best in town, and there's a wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, and wraps—all served with salad or fries. Choose from 12 kinds of local craft beer, or peruse the cocktail menu: the Caesar cocktail, a Canadian invention similar to a bloody Mary, is the most popular mixed drink in Canada.

This brewery restaurant is designed to feel like you're in the middle of a forest---complete with a 25-foot pine tree, wood features, plants, leaves, and a retractable rooftop patio. The menu is casual and includes a variety of appetizers, sandwiches, and mains that all pair nicely with a flight of craft beer made on site. Pizza, stone-baked in a wood-fired oven to provide the perfect amount of crispiness, is one of the specialties; the sourdough pizza crust takes 72 hours to make using a reverse ice water fermentation process. The smash burger, made with Benchmark ground chuck, is one of the better burgers in town. For a more substantial meal, try the slow-roasted beef rib. The "million-dollar onion"---a roasted onion section baked in herb cream sauce and then broiled with cheesy bread crumbs---goes well with almost anything and only costs C$5.

A corner location and floor-to-ceiling windows make this a great spot to catch spectacular mountain sunsets while enjoying carefully crafted dishes. The menu changes twice yearly but might include Alberta bison strip loin with crispy kale and a charred shallot and Merlot glaze, Spanish paprika–crusted British Columbia halibut, or grilled Alberta beef tenderloin with truffle mac and cheese rissolé (small croquette). Gluten-free and vegan choices are clearly marked on the menu. The ample wine list showcases the output of top Canadian producers.

Located inside the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre, this cozy café serves contemporary food with a First Nations twist—think venison chili, bannock tacos, fish chowder, or smoked salmon panini. You don't need to purchase admission to the museum to access the eatery (but we do recommend checking it out!). It's also located next to the gift shop, so after your meal you can take a stroll through the store.

A youthful place with two different energies, Toslow serves coffee and light breakfast fare in the mornings, then at night switches to a dinner menu with bar service. Whatever time of day, you're sure to get delicious offerings prepared with local, seasonal ingredients. With a playful decor using antique pieces, the windows provide a view of St. John's Harbour and the Narrows.

Local work crews, mountain guides, and park wardens love this small café for a hot breakfast, lunch, or early dinner (until 6). Baked goods, made-to-order sandwiches, wraps, and salads are the specialties, and the coffee is excellent. This is a good place to pick up a meal to go if you're driving north on the Icefields Parkway. There are only a few seats along the window and a few chairs outside.

One of more than 15 restaurants in Little Italy, this café with crimson-color walls, ceilings, and tablecloths is known for its more than 5,000-bottle wine cellar and traditional Italian dishes. Chicken Princess, a tender piece of chicken accompanied by asparagus and mozzarella cheese, comes in a white wine sauce. Pasta accompanies every dish or you can opt for potatoes and vegetables. An accordionist plays Friday and Saturday evenings.

This fun local café's slogan is "Eat Butter," so it's no surprise that their massive buttery croissants are amazing, and freshly roasted beans from the coffee roastery next door—Anchored—means that the caffeinated drinks are perfect, too. 

Cool yet pleasingly unpretentious, this downtown eatery gets rave reviews from an eclectic mix of businesspeople, shoppers, students, and city visitors. The menu features classic deli fare, including sandwiches piled high with interesting combinations of fillings, hearty soups, imaginative salads, and comfort food such as mac and cheese and flavorsome coconut curry chicken.

First established in 1978, this company produces gourmet cured meats and artisan sausages. In the on-site deli, you can buy locally grown and made foods and enjoy a variety of freshly made sandwiches, chicken pot pies, sausage rolls, paninis, snacks, and treats served alongside coffee or tea.

As the name suggests, this is a great choice for vegetarians and vegans, but it's popular with nonvegetarians too, particularly for the beautifully presented and tasty salads—many people come specifically for the incredible carrot cake. Beverages include vegan wines and beer from local microbreweries.

Fine artwork adorns the brick walls of this bright and charming French-style café perfectly blending old and new; there's a great Euro-vibed patio for summer dining. Menu items range from the Vendome Caprese to delicious shared plates like truffle puffs or sauteed pea shoots to steamed mussels. There are also plenty of delicious vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free items.

This is the place to start your day with a sweet or savory treat or to reward yourself after a day of hiking or paddling near Maligne Lake. You'll find everything from classic cinnamon sugar waffles to smoked salmon waffles, and there's a good coffee and tea menu.

Next door to Weiners, this spot specializes in Belgium Liège waffles, made with yeast dough and pearl sugar that caramelizes on the surface; it also has some of the best coffee in town. These indulgent treats are served with whipped cream and juicy berries or smothered in Nutella and sliced bananas. There are also some savory buttermilk waffles on the menu like ham and Swiss cheese, caprese, and even grilled cheese. Waffles are made from scratch daily and they're great with coffee, espresso, or hot cocoa. The restaurant also serves soft ice cream and frozen yogurt. There are no tables inside, but there are picnic tables right outside the front door.

For something fun and a little different, try this restaurant's three-course Château Experience, consisting of a mushroom-and-shallot cheese fondue to start, an eight-ounce beef tenderloin with farm vegetables and whipped potatoes for the main course, and chocolate fondue with banana bread and fresh fruit for dessert. If fondue isn't for you, other classic Swiss, German, and Alpine dishes are served à la carte. The comprehensive wine list roams the globe but favors vintages from Canada and California.

This local hangout sells specialty fizzy drinks; guests choose their favorite soda and add flavored syrups. Hot dogs, cookies, ice cream, frozen yogurt, milkshakes, ice cream floats, and seasoned popcorn are also on the menu.

If there is such a thing as a gourmet hot dog, then this is the place to find it. The buns here are baked fresh daily, and the all-beef wieners and smokies are sourced locally with one exception: the genuine Nathan's dogs are shipped from New York City. There's even an anti-dog for the vegetarian set. Made with falafel, it's topped with hummus, tzatziki sauce, and fresh vegetables. For all the dogs, there are plenty of homemade sauces and tons of interesting toppings to choose from. Sides include sweet potato fries, fried pickles, kettle chips, and classic Canadian poutine (fries served with gravy and cheese curds). Wash things down with a milkshake, raspberry lemonade, or fountain drink.

A trip to Wild Blue is a real treat. The fine-dining restaurant's speciality is sustainable seafood dishes, alongside an extensive wine and cocktail list. Appetizer options include oysters, caviar and chilled seafood towers. As for the entree menu, look for the sablefish with turnip, radish, sesame crisp and roasted fish bone sauce or the halibut T-bone with porcini spice, morel mushrooms, and onion brodo.

At breakfast, enjoy a regular coffee or espresso, hot chocolate, or tea from the local Banff Tea Company with your breakfast panini, toast, or house-made granola. Lunchtime soups, sandwiches and salads are often innovative; consider trying the buddha bowls with fresh veggies, falafel, quinoa and tangy tahini lemon dressing. Kale salad with fresh apples and toasted nuts is a typical vegan offering.

This little coffee shop is attached to the Waterton Lakes Opera House and is a great spot to grab a nibble and re-caffeinate. Excellent breakfast sandwiches, bagels, and hearty lunch sandwiches can be picked up before heading out on a hike. A wide variety of coffees---from your basic cup of joe to fancy options like caramel macchiato and Vietnamese---are on offer. There are also a variety of teas, cold drinks, baked goods, and snacks on the menu.