Published by The Bankhead Restaurant & Lounge | Canmore, Alberta

Looking for the Best Restaurant in Canmore, Alberta? Here's Why The Bankhead Should Be on Your List
A Restaurant That Covers Every Meal of the Day
The Food: Alberta Classics Meet Global Flavours
The People Behind the Kitchen
The Lounge and Drinks Menu
Why Families and Groups Keep Coming Back
Location, Hours, and How to Book
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts

If you are searching for the best restaurant in Canmore, Alberta, you already know this town has no shortage of good food. From cozy bistros on Main Street to fine dining spots with mountain views, Canmore is packed with options for locals and visitors alike. But if you want a place that serves everything from a hearty breakfast to a fine dining dinner, with a menu that mixes Alberta classics with flavours from around the world, The Bankhead Restaurant and Lounge is worth your time.

‍ Located inside the Northwinds Hotel by Basecamp at 1602 2nd Avenue, The Bankhead is a short walk from downtown Canmore and close to the Bow River pathways. Whether you are staying in town for the Rockies, passing through after a hike, or you live in Canmore and want a regular spot for dinner with friends, this restaurant covers breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner under one roof.

The Bankhead Restaurant and Lounge, best restaurant in Canmore, Alberta, located in Northwinds Hote

‍ A Restaurant That Covers Every Meal of the Day

‍ A lot of Canmore restaurants pick a lane and stay in it. Some only do dinner. Some only do brunch. The Bankhead is one of the few places in town that does all of it well.

‍ In the morning, you can start with a full breakfast or brunch menu before heading out on the trails. At lunch, there are sandwiches, burgers, and salads for a quick but filling meal. By dinner, the kitchen shifts into a full Canadian and international menu, with steaks, seafood, pasta, and curry all on the same page.

‍This kind of range matters if you are travelling with a group. Not everyone wants steak every night, and not everyone wants curry. At The Bankhead, one table can order a butter chicken, another can order an Alberta beef ribeye, and everyone leaves happy.

The Food: Alberta Classics Meet Global Flavours

The name Bankhead comes from a real place. Bankhead was a coal mining town near Banff in the early 1900s, run by the Pacific Coal Company to fuel Canadian Pacific Railway steam engines. The name was picked to bring back the spirit of the old west and the pioneer days of the Bow Valley. The food, though, looks well beyond that history.

The dinner menu is split between a Canadian kitchen and an international kitchen, and that split is the heart of what makes this restaurant different from most other Canmore restaurants.

On the Canadian side, you will find:

Alberta Beef Striploin, Ribeye, and Tenderloin steaks, all served with mashed potato, vegetables, and a red wine demi-glace
Northern Gold Beef Tomahawk, aged 35 days, made for sharing
Bison Short Rib with mashed potato and sautéed mushrooms
Braised Lamb with rosemary crisp
Blackened Atlantic Salmon with a citrus tomato bisque and brown butter gnocchi
Surf and Turf, pairing a 10oz Alberta striploin with scallops and shrimp

On the international side, the menu travels through the Philippines, India, Italy, and Korea:

Oxtail Balbacua, a Filipino oxtail broth with chilli, hazelnuts, and black beans
Chopped Chaat Salad, an Indian-style salad with chickpeas and a tangy chaat masala vinaigrette
Gamberetti Alla Puttanesca, tiger shrimp in a classic Italian puttanesca sauce
Beef Bulgogi, Korean marinated beef with cellophane noodles and steamed rice
Bison Ravioli and Lobster Ravioli, both creamy pasta dishes with a local twist

For brunch and lunch, the menu stays just as varied, with butter chicken, Thai red curry, a pulled pork sandwich, and a classic Caesar salad all sitting side by side. There is also a gluten-free quinoa macaroni and a vegan protein loaf for guests with dietary needs, plus a kids' menu with chicken fingers, mac and cheese, and grilled chicken.

The People Behind the Kitchen

Good food usually comes down to the people cooking it, and The Bankhead has real experience behind the line.

Chef and patron Abraham Mannakuzhil moved to the Bow Valley in 2008 after working at Ajman Kempinski in the UAE. Since then, he has held chef roles at some of the area's biggest names, including Eden at the Rimrock Resort Hotel in Banff, Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, and Sunshine Village Ski Resort. That kind of background is exactly why the menu can move comfortably between a classic Alberta steak and a Filipino oxtail dish without either one feeling out of place.

Front of house is led by staff like Amal Regy, a graduate of the Hospitality and Hotel Resort Management program at Fanshawe College, who has worked across several restaurant roles in the Bow Valley before joining The Bankhead team. The restaurant has a simple hiring philosophy borrowed from chef Anthony Bourdain: skills can be taught, but character cannot. That shows in the service.

The Lounge and Drinks Menu

As the day moves into evening, The Bankhead turns into more of a lounge atmosphere, with a drinks menu built for both a quick cocktail after a hike and a longer night out. The wine list includes bottles like Amarone from Tommasi and a HUSH red blend, alongside a cocktail list with espresso martinis, mudslides, and chocolate martinis for dessert lovers. It is a comfortable spot to end a day in Canmore, whether you are celebrating something or just winding down.

Why Families and Groups Keep Coming Back

The Bankhead markets itself as a family restaurant, and the menu backs that up. Kids get their own section with chicken fingers, mac and cheese, dinosaur pasta, and grilled chicken with rice, all priced under $15. Parents get a full adult menu with everything from a Caesar salad to a 12oz ribeye.

For bigger groups, such as work trips, ski club dinners, or wedding parties staying in Canmore, the restaurant also offers group bookings and a private chef option, so larger tables can be planned ahead instead of squeezed in last minute.

Location, Hours, and How to Book

The Bankhead Restaurant and Lounge is located inside the Northwinds Hotel by Basecamp at:

1602 2nd Avenue, Canmore, Alberta, T1W 1M8

Phone: (403) 679-1771

Email: info@thebankheadrestaurant.ca

You can book a table online through their reservation system, or order delivery for nights when you would rather stay in. Group bookings and private chef requests can be arranged directly through the restaurant.

The Bankhead also has a second location in Sherwood Park, Alberta, inside the Four Points by Sheraton, with its own dinner, breakfast, and lunch menus, for anyone travelling between the Edmonton area and the Rockies.

Family-friendly dining at The Bankhead, best restaurant Canmore Alberta for kids and adults

Frequently Asked Questions

It serves breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner at one location, with a menu that combines Alberta beef and Canadian comfort food with international dishes from India, Italy, Korea, and the Philippines. The kitchen is run by Chef Abraham Mannakuzhil, who has cooked at the Rimrock Resort Hotel, Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, and Sunshine Village.
It is inside the Northwinds Hotel by Basecamp at 1602 2nd Avenue, Canmore, Alberta, close to downtown and the Bow River pathways.
Yes. The menu marks dishes that are vegan (V), vegetarian (VG), gluten-free (GF), and dairy-free (DF), including a vegan protein loaf and gluten-free quinoa macaroni.
Yes. There is a dedicated kids' menu called Mini Miners, with chicken fingers, mac and cheese, dinosaur pasta, and grilled chicken, all under $15.
Yes. Tables can be booked online through the restaurant's reservation system, and delivery is available through Foodie Online for the Canmore location.
Yes. The Canmore location offers both group booking options and a private chef service for larger parties or special events.

Final Thoughts

Canmore has plenty of great restaurants, and most lists will point you toward fine dining tasting menus or casual pub fare. The Bankhead sits in a useful middle ground: a relaxed lounge atmosphere, a kitchen led by chefs with real Rocky Mountain hotel experience, and a menu wide enough to cover an Alberta beef tomahawk and a Korean beef bulgogi on the same page. If you are planning where to eat in Canmore, whether for breakfast before a hike or a steak dinner after one, The Bankhead Restaurant and Lounge is one to add to your list of the best restaurant in Canmore, Alberta has to offer.

Book a table or check the full menu at thebankheadrestaurant.ca.

Looking for the Best Restaurant in Canmore, Alberta? Here's Why The Bankhead Should Be on Your List

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