One of the most iconic spots in Banff National Park, visitors from around the world flock to Lake Louise for its family-friendly hiking, wellness retreats and epic winter adventures. In between all that activity, you’ve got to eat and we just happen to know which Lake Louise restaurants are worth your tourism dollars.
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Lake Louise Restaurants
While the dining scene at Lake Louise may not be as famous as what you’d find in nearby Banff, there’s quite a few top notch Lake Louise restaurants you’ll want to search out. In Louise, you can enjoy anything from a quick bite to white linen dining experiences – all while taking in pristine mountain views. When you’re planning your next mountain getaway, be sure to hit up one of these lovely eateries.
Whitehorn Bistro
Situated slope-side at Lake Louise Ski Resort, Whitehorn Bistro is a casual restaurant with an upscale menu in an upscale location – 6700 ft above sea level. Some of our favourite menu items include the cheese fondue, charcuterie platter and a loaded Whitehorn Burger. (In case you haven’t tried it before, Alberta beef tastes incredible.) Once we had a fantastic beef tartare, but the menu changes seasonally.
The Bistro is open during ski season and the summer months. If you like wildlife, for sure you’ll want to take the Lake Louise gondola up in summer. Grizzly bears love to roam the wide open expanse of this ski resort. It’s likely you’ll spot some bears either while dining at Whitehorn Bistro or on the gondola.
Baker Creek Bistro
Situated at Baker Creek Mountain Resort, the bistro sports a cozy, log cabin vibe, just like the resort. This is the spot to tuck into uniquely Canadian food like bison short ribs, game burgers, wild boar meatloaf and sockeye salmon. There’s vegetarian options too, and they do their best to source locally.
In winter, you’ll want to dine in the lounge, but come summer the patio is the place to be. Pair your food with a craft beer or glass of wine from their extensive lists.
The Station
The Station is a super cute restaurant, built inside a former Canadian Public Railway station. It has multiple railway themed rooms to dine in, complete with memorabilia from when the building was a train station.
This makes it a fun day out when you’re touring around with train obsessed wee-ones, the grandparents or even if you’re looking for a different kind of date night. Don’t forget to stop at the gift shop on your way out!
Note: Be sure to check online for hours of operation as they close temporarily during shoulder season.
The Outpost
The Outpost is an English-style pub attached to the Post Hotel. Here you can enjoy elevated pub-grub in front of the wood burning fireplace or watch a game on the large televisions.
Typically, the Outpost is open to anyone, not just hotel guests, but during Alberta’s Phase 2 of COVID, it’s currently closed.
Lake Louise Bakery
Laggan’s is the main Lake Louise bakery outside of the resorts. It’s located in the town strip mall, near the public washrooms. Laggan’s Bakery sells freshly baked pastries, sandwiches and soups, making it a choice pitstop on your way in or out of town.
For anyone with food sensitivities, Laggan’s has gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options. (Their tomato soup with quinoa is quite good.) Stop in for a sit-down lunch or grab a snack like brownies or sausage rolls to take away.
Fairmont Lake Louise Restaurants
Situated inside the regal Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, these restaurants don’t just serve up amazing meals, but deliver a capital A for ambiance. With so many choices, you can always find something that’s the right choice depending on what you’re hankering for. Best is you don’t have to be a hotel guest to dine here.
Lakeview Lounge
This is one of the most stunning lounges you’ll find in all of Canada. Grab a cocktail and take in the picture postcard views of Lake Lousie and Victoria glacier. It’s equally as pretty in winter as the snow silently fall from behind cathedral-like windows.
In the summer, soak up the sunshine and turquoise lake views from the patio. The Lakeview Lounge has a signature cocktail, the Lakeview Cosmopolitan, which you’ll want to order in order to get the full experience.
Walliser Stube
You’ll feel like you’re waltzing through the Alps at this Swiss-themed restaurant. Walliser Stube is an atmospheric fondue restaurant known for serving up one of the best fondue experiences outside of Switzerland.
Tuck into a decadent cheese fondue for dinner followed by a chocolate Toblerone fondue for dessert. For wine lovers, the restaurant has a floor-to-ceiling wine library with over 500 bottles of wine to choose from. Don’t forget to reserve!
Chateau Deli
The Chateau Deli is a great way to enjoy the Chateau without worrying about making a reservation or having a sit-down meal. The deli offers a variety of hot meals, soup, sandwiches, salads, baked goods and desserts. The quality here is high, so you won’t feel guilty about making it a quick bite.
Lake Louise Fine Dining
While many Lake Louise restaurants focus on casual dining for skiers, hikers and bikers, there’s still a couple of fine dining restaurants for when you want to splash out. Both these restaurants are located in hotels, making it super convenient for guests.
Fairview Bar and Restaurant
Another Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise restaurant, The Fairview Bar and Restaurant is a classic, upscale choice. This elegantly appointed dining room overlooks Lake Louise and focuses on seasonal dishes made with local ingredients.
Open for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you’ll have plenty of chances to sample delights like rack of lamb, ribeye steak and fresh fish.
Fairview is also a fantastic spot to take afternoon tea. You have your choice between a traditional tea or a vegan one! Always make a reservation to ensure your table.
Priority seating is given to hotel guests, but the restaurant is open to anyone.
The Post Hotel Dining Room
The Post Hotel Dining Room, inside the Post Hotel, opens for dinner at 5:30 pm each night. While the dress code is discretionary, athletic attire, t-shirts or shorts aren’t allowed.
The restaurant features the creative talents of executive chef Hans Sauter and promotes the marriage of food and wine. While the culinary influence is European, and the menu showcases the bounty of the Bow Valley. Beef dishes are popular here, but one of the unsung heroes on the menu is the fish. Whenever we see it offered, we order it and have never been disappointed.
The wine cellar has over 26,000 bottles of wine (yes, you read that right) over 2,200 selections. Since 2002 they’ve been awarded the Grand Award, Wine Spectator’s highest honour. Only three hotels in Canada have achieved this recognition. It’s certainly one of the best wine cellars in North America. Additionally, the Post Hotel Dining Room has made the gold list of the Conde Nast Traveler’s best food in the Americas category.
But don’t be scared of all the accolades. While it’s fine dining, it’s unpretentious. We recently tucked into salmon tartare, one of the best butterleaf salads we’ve ever had, rainbow trout, squash gnocchi and coupe Danemark (seriously one of the best ice cream sundae’s we’ve ever had).
Note: During the COVID-19 pandemic, dining is exclusively reserved for Post Hotel guests.
Did we miss any places that you love to eat at in Lake Louise? Let us know in the comment section below.
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