Gluten Free Banff National Park Canada

Travel: Gluten Free Banff National Park, Canada

Gluten Free Banff National Park

In this section of my gluten free Canada guides I cover main towns Banff and Canmore, plus I have added some notes on where you can find coeliac friendly gluten free food around the main tourist attractions in the park.

Banff

I didn’t get a chance to try the all places I had researched for gluten free Banff town itself, but here are details to save you time with your own research.

Tooloulous: apparently a coeliac friendly spot for waffles and pancakes, with a full gluten free menu and massive portions. There is no dedicated fryer but speak to staff and they will inform which items are suitable for coeliacs.

Eddie Burger + Bar: a burger joint with gluten free buns and good precautions against cross contamination. The fries are not suitable for coeliacs.

Balkan Restaurant: a Greek restaurant with gluten free items marked on the menu. They have various (largely healthy-ish) gluten free options and gluten free beer. They follow processes to ensure food is coeliac safe.

The Old Spaghetti Factory: the manager here is apparently very helpful and reassuring for coeliac diners, taking time to explain processes etc. They have gluten free pasta and a gluten free menu. Let them know that you are coeliac when you order so they can take extra care with food preparation.

Fairmonth Banff Springs: part of the Fairmont hotel group, the various restaurants at the one in Banff are well set up to cater for coeliacs. They have gluten free bread and staff are well trained to understand the risk of cross contamination.

Canmore

We stayed in Canmore and I was so glad we did. It is less touristy than Banff and there are some brilliant gluten free dining options, including a fully gluten free restaurant.

Wild Orchid Bistro and Sushi Lounge: this is a fully gluten free, Asian-inspired restaurant and the food is delicious. We had a huge variety of dishes to share between us, from sushi rolls and tempura prawns to fish and chips and curry. A must for coeliacs visiting this area.

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co: gluten free pizza, pasta and even gluten free cheesecake! Oh and they have gluten free beer too :). Staff have good coeliac knowledge, but please double check what is safe for coeliacs when you order.

Tavern 1883: a pub style restaurant with gluten free tacos and beer. The food was yummy but the portions were pretty small…we ended up having to make pancakes for dessert at home as we were still hungry! The server was brilliant though and very helpful at reassuring me about coeliac safe processes etc.

Communitea Cafe: a must visit for a coeliac safe, gluten free breakfast. Or try one of their gluten free wraps or cupcakes. Either way you are in safe hands here as staff have a thorough understanding of catering for coeliacs. The menu is also marked up to show the gluten free choices.

Spice Hut: a curry house where the majority of the menu is naturally gluten free.

Lake Louise

A tourist hot spot, I would definitely recommend hitting the trails asap to avoid the crowds. The lake is very beautiful but the nature aspect is somewhat spoiled by the crowds. You will need to arrive very early in order to get parking.

Fairmont Chateau: a brilliant spot for coeliac-friendly, gluten free options. We grabbed a bite to eat in the casual Chateau Deli and there were plenty of options for me. Prepackaged gluten free rolls (big fluffy, homemade gluten free bread) and various cakes including a fruity gluten free muffin and delicious chocolate torte. Everything was individually packaged or wrapped to reduce the cross contamination risk.

Although this was the only one we tried personally, I was informed by staff that all the restaurants in the Fairmont are able to cater for coeliacs, including the lovely Lakeview Lounge restaurant.

Lake Louise Station Restaurant: this restaurant has gluten free choices marked on the menu, gluten free pasta available and can cater for coeliacs. The restaurant is themed like an old railway station. Oh and they sometimes have gluten free brownie as a dessert option.

Johnston Canyon

We did a wonderful hike here up to the Ink Pots and if you fancy a decent walk I really recommend this trail. You walk along the canyon and waterfalls for the first couple of kilometres, then up to the ink pots through the forest. The ink pots themselves are beautiful little pools with springs bubbling up through the sand – quite hypnotic to watch.

After hiking the trail you can grab a bite to eat afterwards at the cafe by the car park.

Johnston Canyon Market Cafe: this little cafe in with the gift shop had three types of gluten free cake available, all individually wrapped. I also got myself a tasty salad, which the waitress checked to ensure it was gluten free. They only have a small menu here so don’t expect loads of choice, but I was happy to find something at least!