The BEST Lake Louise Restaurants to Try

At the beautiful Lake Louise and feeling peckish? While it may seem like a small area in the Rockies, there are surprisingly many Lake Louise restaurants to try (for being in the middle of the mountains, that is).

Whether we’re freezing our butts off at Lake Louise in February or just getting off a fun hike in the area in July, we are almost always in the mood for some good Banff eats. Here are our favorite restaurants in Lake Louise.

---

The Best Restaurants Around Lake Louise

---

Post Hotel Dining Room

• Price: $$-$$$
• Address:  200 Pipestone Rd
• See Menu

The Post Hotel is a fantastic hotel in Lake Louise, and it also has a great dining room for an elegant night out. Conde Nast has even named its dishes the “Best Food in the Americas.” If you reserve a table here, I’m sure you’ll quickly see why.

The whole dining room gives off the ideal Canadian Rockies vibe as you are surrounded by Canadian Pine, flowers, a grand fireplace, and crystal to give it that warm and inviting feel. If you are a wine connoisseur, you will want to head here as their cellar holds over 25,500 bottles and 2300 selections. If visiting Lake Louise in the winter, I would suggest ordering their fondue sampler.

---

Walliser Stube

• Price: $$$
• Address: 111 Lake Louise Dr

Walliser Stube is a European restaurant at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. It’s an upscale affair perfect for when you want to celebrate a special occasion, like a honeymoon in Banff. You’ll enter and find vast views of Lake Louise, but you’ll feel like you’re in Switzerland when you try the food.

They are only open at night from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and reservations are highly recommended, especially around Christmas in Banff or in the peak summer months. Go ahead and add on the wine pairing; it’s one of the best you’ll find outside of the Alps.

---

The Station Restaurant & Heritage Dining Car

• Price: $$
• Address:  200 Sentinel Rd
• See Menu
• Dining in the heritage dining car is only available in the summer.

If you want a unique restaurant experience around Lake Louise, head to the Railway Station restaurant. Wondering why you would go to a train station for a meal? Well, this is no ordinary train station. This former train station serves Canadian cuisine in multiple areas, including in an old dining car.

You’ll be able to get some classic Canadian staples here while also enjoying food items like the Bison Lasagna and Alberta Bison Ribs. Because of their not-so-obvious location, they often get overlooked. As it’s a bit off the beaten path, you have to know this restaurant is even there to really enjoy it, but once you experience dining in a historic rail cart, you may not want to go anywhere else.

---

Banded Peak Base Camp

• Price: $$
• Address:  1 Whitehorn Rd

For a laid-back meal under the sun, head to the base of the Lake Louise Summer Gondola and grab a table at Banded Peak. Here, you can order delicious sandwiches, burgers, and beer before heading up to the Lake Louise Chairlift.

---

Storm Mountain Lodge

• Price: $$-$$$
• Address:  Highway 93 South
• See Menu

Not only is Storm Mountain Lodge one of the most romantic cabins in Banff, but it also has a delicious restaurant that is one of the most beautiful places to dine in the Lake Louise area.

Guests and non-guests are free to make reservations at the lodge. Come hungry, as Storm Mountain Lodge does Canadian cuisine right. Expect organic ingredients and naturally raised Alberta meat and wild fish with an innovative flair.

All bread and desserts are baked daily on-site. You’ll be able to taste the freshness every day at their deli, which offers take away sandwiches for lunch. It’s a fantastic place to stop if you have forgotten your lunch on the way to hike to nearby Arnica Lake or Taylor Lake.

However, the real driver here is the five-course dinner offered in the evening. It’s great for special occasions, as the log cabin ambiance is some of the most romantically rustic we’ve found in the park. If you want to dine for dinner, pay attention to their hours, as they are only open on select nights. Reservations are highly recommended.

---

Bill Peyto’s Cafe

• Price: $$
• Address:  203 Village Rd
• See Menu

This is one of the most laid-back Lake Louise restaurants you can find. Bill Peyto’s Cafe is located inside the HI Lake Louise Hostel and dishes up fantastic breakfast and even better burgers throughout the day (try the Elk Burger!).

Of course, you may be wondering about the name. Bill Peyto’s Cafe is named after Bill Peyto, a pioneer, mountain guide, and early park warden in Banff. It’s said that at the turn of the 20th Century, Bill caught a lynx, strapped to his pack, brought it to his favorite bar, and released the cat.

The place emptied immediately, just what Mr. Peyto wanted, as he was quite an introvert. He then enjoyed his drink alone and sold the animal to the Banff Park Museum. Is the story true? Well, after hearing many stories about Bill Peyto, I would say probably, but even if it isn’t, we now have this great cafe where we can tell the tale!

---

Trailhead Cafe

• Price: $
• Address:  101 Lake Louise Dr (in the Samson Mall)

Not so much a full-scale restaurant, but a small cafe good for takeaway sandwiches and coffee drinks. We usually stop at The Trailhead Cafe for a warm-up after a long day out at Lake Louise Ski Resort.

This is a great stop if you just want something short and sweet before heading to do your activity at Lake Louise or Moraine Lake in the morning. Like most coffee shops, they close around 5pm, so if you’re craving a latte and baked good, get here before then (there aren’t many other proper coffee shops until you get to Field or the town of Banff).

---

Lakeview Lounge

• Price: $$$
• Address:  111 Lake Louise Dr
• See Menu

The Lakeview Lounge is another great restaurant at The Fairmont. It is perfect for guests staying at the Lake or non-guests who just want to enjoy the views of Victoria Glacier. In the summer, you can take a seat on the stunning outdoor patio.

The Lakeview Lounge has various dishes, but my absolute go-to is the Apple Smoked Chicken on Butterfly Pea Sourdough Sandwich. If you can, try get a seat next to the big oval windows. Though you may have to wait extra long to get this seat, it’s beyond worth it.

---

Lake Agnes Tea House

• Price: $-$$
• Address:  Lake Agnes
• See Menu
• Only operational in the summer

The Lake Agnes Tea House is an icon of Lake Louise and all of Banff National Park, for that matter. It’s not so much as a restaurant as it is well, a tea house! To get to the Lake Agnes Tea House, you’ll have to put some work in and hike up 400+ meters up to Lake Agnes.

Once you are there, you won’t be able to miss the tea house directly in front of this amazing Banff lake. The Lake Agnes Tea House serves up expensive English tea and pastries. A visit here isn’t for the super hungry but rather for the tourists who want to check this awesome spot off their Canadian Rockies bucket list.

The Lake Agnes Tea House is only open during the summer months during the day. It’s often hectic, especially on holidays and weekends in July and August. Unless you visit outside of peak hours, you’ll probably have to wait to get inside and order a $5 cup of tea, but the setting around you is heavenly.

---

Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse

• Price: $-$$
• Address: Hike Along the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail
• See Menu
• Only operational in the summer

Speaking of teahouses, there’s another one you should be aware of. Like Lake Agnes, this is not your typical restaurant. Approximately 5.5 km from the shore of Lake Louise, you will come to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse. Here you can purchase light lunch options, soups, baked goods, and tea before continuing along the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail. Constructed in 1927 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, the teahouse has remained under the ownership and management of a single family since 1959.

The rustic and charming teahouse has been preserved in its original form, with no electricity. All of the food and beverages here are prepared on propane stoves and the supplies need to be carried in by the staff. If you want to work for your lunch, put this on your hike itinerary.

The Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse is not open year round and typically opens up in late Spring and will stay open until the larch needles fall in early October. Cash is preferred here. The good news is it’s much less crowded than the Lake Agnes Teahouse.

---

Laggan’s

• Price: $
• Address: 101 Village Rd Building B

Laggan’s is a counter-serve cafe and deli in Lake Louise Village (Samson Mall). It’s right next to the Trailhouse Cafe, but in my opinion, the Trailhouse Cafe holds a better vibe. If you need something quick and easy, a stop here is essential. We’ve visited Laggan’s before having a big day out, like biking and hiking at Moraine Lake or continuing to Lake O Hara.

---

Whitehorn Bistro

• Price: $$
• Address:  1 Whitehorn Rd
• See Menu

There aren’t many restaurants on Lake Louise Ski Resort, but Whitehorn Bistro is the absolute best out of the ones that are there. It’s where you’ll head on a winter day in Banff when the sun is shining, and snow is glistening.

You can enjoy a light meal here, like Cauliflower Wings with King Mushrooms or an Alberta Whitehorn Burger. We’ve only eaten here once on an exceptional day while skiing in Banff and can assure you, the views of Mount Temple never get old. You will need a lift pass to access Whitehorn Bistro in the winter.

Whitehorn Bistro is also open during lunch hours in the summer, though you’ll need to take the Lake Louise Summer Gondola to get to it. Consider purchasing a Gondola and Gourmet ticket, which will give you a discount on the combination.

---

Truffle Pigs

• Price: $$
• Address:  100 Center Street, Field
• See Menu

This isn’t a restaurant in Lake Louise, but it’s not far at less than 30 minutes away in the small hamlet of Field – and it’s definitely worth mentionining because it is DELICIOUS. If you’re heading to Emerald Lake, the Spiral Tunnels, or Tak Falls in Yoho, you must plan a visit to Truffle Pigs Bistro.

Recently named the best restaurant in the mountains, Truffle Pigs is a gem in Yoho National Park’s heart. Their menu has some absolute delights on it, like Phony Cannelloni and the Galbi Korean Ribs. Stop by here, and you’ll see why they have such rave reviews.

---

---

---