Best Lunch Spot in Canmore: Why The Bankhead Should Be on Your List
Published by The Bankhead Restaurant & Lounge | Canmore, Alberta
Table of Contents
Best Lunch Spots in Canmore: Why The Bankhead Should Be on Your List
What Makes The Bankhead One of the Top Lunch Spots in Canmore
The Lunch Menu at The Bankhead: What to Order
Salads
Sandwiches and Burgers
Starters Worth Adding
Main Course Options at Lunch
Kids Lunch Options
Drinks at Lunch
What to Expect When You Visit for Lunch
Lunch Delivery from The Bankhead in Canmore
Beyond Lunch: Breakfast, Dinner, and Group Bookings
Canmore Lunch Spots: How The Bankhead Compares
Frequently Asked Questions: Lunch Spots in Canmore
When you are in Canmore for the day coming off a morning hike, passing through on the way to Banff, or just looking for a proper sit-down meal finding a reliable lunch spot matters. You want good food, a reasonable wait, and something more interesting than a fast-food stop.
The Bankhead Restaurant & Lounge at 1602 2nd Avenue consistently comes up as one of the top lunch spot in Canmore, and for good reason. The lunch menu runs from noon, the kitchen uses locally sourced ingredients where possible, and the range of dishes covers everything from a quick power bowl to a full salmon plate. This post walks you through exactly what to expect.
If you are looking for the best lunch spot in Canmore, The Bankhead is the best choice.
What Makes The Bankhead One of the Top Lunch Spot in Canmore
Canmore has no shortage of places to grab a bite at noon. What separates The Bankhead from most other lunch spot in Canmore is the combination of quality, variety, and atmosphere in one room.
The menu draws from two kitchens a Canadian kitchen and an international kitchen and both show up at lunch. You can order a classic pulled pork sandwich on a charcoal bun or go for Korean Beef Bulgogi with cellophane noodles. The Caesar Salad and the Miner's Power Bowl both hold their own as full meals. Starters like Firecracker Calamari and Gamberetti Alla Puttanesca are available from the start of lunch service.
The team behind The Bankhead commits to locally sourced food, cooked and served by trained kitchen professionals. That philosophy is not just printed on the menu it shows in the consistency of the food.
The Lunch Menu at The Bankhead: What to Order
The lunch menu is available from noon daily. Here is a breakdown of what is on offer and what to pick depending on what you are in the mood for.
Salads
The Miner's Power Bowl is one of the better lunch options in Canmore if you want something filling but not heavy. It comes with mixed greens, kale, beans, nuts, avocado, berries, and balsamic vinaigrette. You can add chicken, shrimp, or scallops if you want more protein.
The Caesar Salad is a reliable classic romaine, kale, croutons, bacon, roasted garlic dressing, cherry tomato, and parmesan. It is not a side salad; it is a proper lunch. Same protein add-ons apply.
Miner's Power Bowl salad with kale, avocado, beans, and berries — fresh lunch spots in Canmore at The Bankhead Restaurant
Sandwiches and Burgers
All sandwiches come with a choice of house salad or fries, which keeps things straightforward. The steak sandwich leads the section 6oz sirloin on ciabatta with mushrooms and onion rings. It is a solid choice if you want something substantial.
The Pulled Pork Sandwich uses smoked pork with BBQ sauce on a charcoal bun with coleslaw. The Crispy Fish Burger has lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and coleslaw on a good bun. The Blackened Chicken Burger is lighter with lettuce, tomato, and coleslaw. Add spicy parmesan fries or onion rings for $5 if you want to upgrade the side.
Starters Worth Adding
The Firecracker Calamari is one of the most popular items on the lunch menu crispy calamari with sauteed peppers, soy, and sesame. It works well as a shared starter before sandwiches or as a lighter lunch on its own.
The Chopped Chaat Salad from India is a fresh option: romaine, red onion, cucumber, tomato, chickpea, radish, cilantro, and tangy chaat masala vinaigrette. The Gamberetti Alla Puttanesca tiger shrimp in Puttanesca sauce with sourdough is a more filling starter with Italian influence.
Main Course Options at Lunch
If you have time to sit and want something more than a sandwich, the kitchen offers full mains at lunch as well. The Blackened Atlantic Salmon comes with citrus-infused tomato bisque, brown butter gnocchi, and vegetables one of the best dishes on the entire menu regardless of meal period.
The Chicken Supreme is served with a mushroom and gnocchi ragout, vegetables, and hollandaise. The Korean Beef Bulgogi soy garlic and sesame marinated beef with cellophane noodles and steamed rice is a clean, well-seasoned dish and a genuinely different lunch option for Canmore.
Kids Lunch Options
The Mini Miners menu covers lunch for children well. Mac & Cheese with sausage or broccoli, Buttered Dinosaur Pasta, Chicken Fingers with fries and plum sauce, and Grilled Chicken Breast with steamed rice and broccoli. Simple, well-priced, and kid-approved.
Drinks at Lunch
Specialty coffees run from Ristretto and Americano to Flavoured Iced Latte Macchiato. There is a Chef's Special Ginger and Cardamom Chai and an Arabic Karak with Saffron for something different. Fresh juices (apple, orange, grapefruit, cranberry) and specialty teas round out the non-alcoholic options.
The brunch cocktail menu is available and includes the Pitman Caesar, Mimosa, Tequila Sunrise, and the Blackberry Gin Hot Chocolate all of which also work at a leisure lunch.
Specialty cocktails and drinks at The Bankhead Restaurant & Lounge — best lunch spots in Canmore Alberta
Related: Where to Eat in Canmore: Why The Bankhead Should Be Your First Stop
What to Expect When You Visit for Lunch
The Bankhead is inside the Northwinds Hotel by Basecamp, which gives it a comfortable, settled feel not a rushed hotel cafe, but a proper restaurant with table service. The space works for a solo lunch, a couple, or a group. Tables are set up for conversation and the noise level stays reasonable even when the room is busy.
Service is professional without being stiff. The kitchen moves at a good pace during lunch you are not waiting 45 minutes for a sandwich. If you are on a time limit before heading back out to the mountains, it is worth letting your server know when you sit down.
Walk-ins are welcome, but if you are coming with a group or on a busy weekend, a reservation is worth making. Call (403) 679-1771 or book online at thebankheadrestaurant.ca.
Lunch at The Bankhead Restaurant & Lounge
Lunch Delivery from The Bankhead in Canmore
Not eating in? Delivery is available through Foodie Online at foodieonline.ca/thebankhead. Most of the lunch menu is available for delivery, including sandwiches, salads, and mains. Delivery orders do not qualify for the 10% subscriber discount, which applies to in-person dining only.
Beyond Lunch: Breakfast, Dinner, and Group Bookings
The Bankhead is not just a lunch spot. If you are staying in Canmore or spending the full day, the breakfast menu is one of the most interesting in the Canadian Rockies Turkish Eggs, Masala Omelette, Shakshouka, Steak and Eggs, and a full Egg Benedict section with seven variations.
Dinner extends into Alberta beef steaks, Bison Short Rib, a 35-day dry-aged Beef Tomahawk for two, Elk Osso Buco, and Lobster Ravioli. The lounge comes alive in the evening with cocktails and a full drinks menu.
Group bookings are available for both the restaurant and lounge. A Private Chef service is also offered for more customized events.
Canmore Lunch Spots: How The Bankhead Compares
Canmore has a solid range of lunch options. Some places are better for fast casual, others for a pint and a pub meal. What The Bankhead does that most other lunch spot in Canmore do not is serve a full international menu at the same quality level as the Canadian dishes, all from one kitchen, at lunch prices that make sense.
The Miner's Power Bowl at $19, the Pulled Pork Sandwich at $23 with a side included, and the Blackened Atlantic Salmon at $39 cover a wide range of what people are looking for at noon. There is no filler on this menu every item is there because the kitchen can do it well.
If you are spending time in the Canadian Rockies and want a lunch spot in Canmore that is worth coming back to, The Bankhead is the one to know.
The Bankhead Restaurant & Lounge — best lunch spot in Canmore for families with kids menu and relaxed Lunch
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Bankhead Restaurant & Lounge at 1602 2nd Avenue is one of the top lunch spots in Canmore. It serves Canadian and international dishes including salads, sandwiches, starters, and full mains from noon daily, with in-person dining and delivery available.
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The lunch menu at The Bankhead is available from noon daily. Breakfast service runs before that, and dinner service begins in the evening.
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Yes. Delivery is available through Foodie Online at foodieonline.ca/thebankhead. Most lunch items are available for delivery including sandwiches, salads, and mains.
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Yes. The Miner's Power Bowl and Chopped Chaat Salad are both vegetarian. Gluten-free and dairy-free options are marked on the menu. Ask your server for current vegan options.
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Yes. The Mini Miners kids menu is available at lunch and includes Mac & Cheese, Chicken Fingers, Dinosaur Pasta, and Grilled Chicken Breast. The restaurant is relaxed and family-friendly.
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Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are recommended on busy weekends and during peak tourist season. Book online at thebankheadrestaurant.ca or call (403) 679-1771.
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The Firecracker Calamari, Miner's Power Bowl, Pulled Pork Sandwich, and Blackened Atlantic Salmon are among the most ordered lunch items. The Steak Sandwich is also a strong choice for a more filling meal.
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The Bankhead Restaurant & Lounge is at 1602 2nd Avenue, Canmore, Alberta, located inside the Northwinds Hotel by Basecamp — easy to reach from downtown Canmore.
Plan Your Lunch at The Bankhead Restaurant & Lounge, Canmore
1602 2nd Avenue, Canmore, Alberta (inside the Northwinds Hotel by Basecamp)
Phone: (403) 679-1771 | info@thebankheadrestaurant.ca
Book a table: thebankheadrestaurant.ca | Order delivery: foodieonline.ca/thebankhead
Follow on Instagram: @thebankhead_restaurant | Facebook: /Thebankhead