Travelling Gluten Free in Banff
First, Let me tell you how breath taking the scenery is! WOW! I felt very small and impressed by the rockies!
Eating Gluten Free in Banff, Lake Louise Ski Resort, Sunshine proved to be one of the easiest travel I did as nearly all restaurants offer gluten free options or their menu was nearly all Gluten Free with many Dairy Free Options.
Fist, I got some breads at Lakeview Bakery and got a GF Sourdough and Flaxseed. I must say that while travelling it was one of the best options I ever had as it was not a big chain bread, but the sourdough contained yeast and was primarily made with starch and preservatives. OK, it was handy as our fridge was really really tinny. The Flaxseed was good, but again, to many additives and preservatives for my taste, but hey, who is complaining, I have gluten free bread to try and eat every morning!
#1 Castello Italiana at Banff Spring Hotel
Oh My God!!! What a way to start a trip in Banff, actually anywhere! Nearly everything was gluten free on the menu. Our host, is the very man who introduced our family to Christopher Woods Catering, so he knows I only can eat GF and DF and ordered for the table 2 appetizers and my favourite one was the fried calamari that I can never usually eat. As a main course, I chose the a very delicious Sable Fish in a very fine sauce with cherry tomatoes and fingerling potatoes. A very fine dinner.
It was a very wonderful setting! Very calm, dimmed lights! Very professional service! Great sommelier.
#2 Una Pizza & Wine in Banff
Great Regular pizza according to my son and husband, but probably the worst Gluten Free Pizza I had in a very long time, so I do not recommend.
#3 Park Distillery Restaurant in Banff
I had a great Bison Burger that was enormous which I shared with my husband, it was great to start the vacation.
#4 SUNSHINE VILLAGE - SUNSHINE SKI RESORT BANFF AB
All three days I had lunch at Sunshine main cafe, I had their beef chili and once the vegetarian (contains chickpea), and they were great and very filling but just perfect to go back for a last stretch of skiing in the afternoon unlike a burger!
#5 MAPLE LEAF BANFF AB
What a great restaurant and nearly everything on the menu is GF. Great ambiance. The table shared an appetizer of Duck Wings with maple, orange & jalapeño sauce, big and very different than chicken wings, no one made a fuss that they were made gluten free as they were simply delicious. Then I shared with my husband a signature dish - 18oz Alberta Cowboy Steak - not advertised as GF but they removed from the plate the crispy onions, which was the only ingredient that was not GF, you need to love meat!!!
#6 SKI LAKE LOUISE LAKE LOUISE AB
I was surprised by what they had to offer at Temple Café near the Larke chairlift; Beef chilli, vegan chili, burger with gf bun and GF brownies, it was great to be in a chalet and feel normal. But be aware that at the main lodge there was only salad and vegetable sticks available and the service was not as friendly as at Temple Café.
#7 BLUEBIRD BANFF AB
Another very nice restaurant with deemed lights and soft atmosphere where GF is clearly indicated on the menu. I had Wood Grilled Arctic Char with roasted cabbage, fingerling potatoes, hollandaise - gf. Do I need to say...delicious!
#8 The Pow Restaurant part of BUFFALO MOUNTAIN LODGE BANFF AB
Unfortunately, my least favorite place as what we ordered was too salty to our taste, but still ok. I had GF Rotini with a slow brased CRMR bison bolognese, grana padano and fresh basil.
#9 HELLO SUNSHINE BANFF AB
This is by far the very best sushi we had gluten or no gluten and I can talk on behalf of my family. We were seduced by the flavours, the texture, the service and the soft decor. We had their Miso Soup which was filled with miso, tofu, mushroom, wakame, green onion, then we had their Hello Lobster with Tempura lobster tail, tarragon mayo, tobiko, there is no words to describe how good it was. we then followed by their shrimp tempura...when can we have anything tempura in a restaurant, it was fantastic. Oh! did I tell you they had GF Wasabi? another small food item I can never have anymore, no one did want to dip in my soya sauce/wasabi!!! I could go on and on as everything we had was simply divine.
#10 Fairmount Palliser in Calgary
I got spoiled by a friend in the hotel restaurant where nearly everything could be GF. We all shared a GF beef tartar and charcuterie board with delicious GF bread as an appetizer and then I had the duck confit which was delicious and my husband had the Alberta steak which was GF. Thank you dear dear friends.
Banff was surprisingly very Gluten Free friendly and very liberating for me to be able to get Gluten Free and Dairy Free options nearly everywhere. This is the paradise of Grass Fed Striploin, but they also offer lots of other options weather vegan, lots of fish as well. Thank you Banff and hopefully I will have the pleasure to visit you again in a not too distance future!
P.S. I apologize fr the lack of pictures as this is not the first thing I think of doing when I receive my food! I will try to get better!
Josée xxx