GLUTEN FREE BANFF
So I’ve learned a lot about myself during the pandemic. I went deep inside myself, did some extensive healing of past traumas, and came through my inner journey ready to conquer the world.. Is something I kind of wish I could say. What I did actually learn is that I’m gluten intolerant.
I never want to be that person who makes eating out a living hell. So after booking a trip to Alberta I went to town on the google search, made a list, and crossed my fingers I wouldn’t just be eating salad. I did my fair share of dining and though there were meh meals, overall my stomach was satisfied. To save you from the tedious task of reading Yelp reviews, I’ve compiled a handy list for gluten free Banff.
(I called this post gluten free Banff as my trip was meant to be primarily Banff, but we ended up eating a lot in Canmore (recommend!) and doing a last minute drive to Jasper (also recommend!) so I included spots along our entire route.)
COMMUNITEA CAFE, CANMORE
Communitea Cafe is AMAZING if you’re gluten sensitive/intolerant/full blown celiac/just hate gluten. They take things VERY seriously here and almost the entire menu can be made gluten free. From breakfast bowls to paninis to pad thai, you can check out Communitea Cafe for every meal. Their coffee was fantastic as were the couple baked goods we sampled. I loved their sauces, many of which can be purchased to take home as well. The staff were all super nice, the decor bright and clean, and for the Banff area the prices were fantastic. Two of us ate for the price one meal cost us in most other places. We ended up here two days in a row for breakfast. Also loved how fresh and healthy our meals were, excellent fuel for all the hiking we did. This place should be a must on your gluten free Banff trip.
INDIAN CURRY HOUSE, BANFF
So first of all, Banff is expensive and can get reallll busy, especially during peak times. We weren’t interested in waiting around to get an overpriced burger at a pub, so we decided to give Indian Curry House a go, as we both love Indian food. We were not disappointed with our decision. Reasonably priced, delicious, and very filling. We shared a couple dishes when we were both starving, and still had some left over. Though not serviced, they do have patio space that you can enjoy your food on as well. The menu is fairly large with all your indian staples and loads of gluten free options (though sadly no naan for me, tear).
MARY’S POPCORN SHOP, BANFF
We tried the maple pecan popcorn here on a whim before our long drive back to Calgary. I don’t know whose idea this flavour was, but they deserve a raise. If you like popcorn, or snacks, and especially popcorn snacks, check out Mary’s Popcorn Shop. We just shared a tiny bag and were torn after with regret for not getting a bigger size but also relief that we didn’t as we would have inhaled the entire bag of sugary goodness in one go.
TRAILHEAD CAFE, LAKE LOUISE
Dining in the immediate Lake Louise area is VERY limited and a lot of options seem to be inside hotels or hostels. I knew we would be heading out at the crack of dawn to avoid the crowds at Lake Louise and would be pretty ravenous after an epic early hike so I looked for something easy to grab before heading back out on the road. The Trailhead Cafe may look unimpressive from the outside but go around lunchtime and you’re likely to see a line. They have a large menu with various delicious sounding wraps and sandwiches, ALL that can be made gluten free.
COCO’S CAFE, JASPER
Coco’s Cafe has on their posters Vegan, Veggie & Celiac friendly and they definitely are all of those things. It seemed like all of their glutinous meals could be made celiac friendly if requested though I’ll admit, I was a bit disappointed that the bagel alternative was bread, tasty as it was. They have rotating sides depending on the day and I honestly think I enjoyed the soup more than the main itself. Coco’s seems hella popular and it resulted in quite a bit of a wait. We didn’t mind though as we had coffee to sip on from BEAR PAW.
THE OTHER PAW CAFE, JASPER
The Other Paw Cafe was wicked and I wish we had discovered it sooner and had an actual meal there. This cozy spot was busy af and understandably so. The coffee was fantastic and given with a complimentary chocolate and I am allll about free chocolate. Gluten free options were available though limited with the baked goods, my brownie didn’t taste anywhere as good as all the other treats looked. Can’t comment on the sandwiches but they did offer gluten free bread for all of them. On a whim I did decide to get a side pasta salad and damn, I wish I had gotten a full sized one because it was one of the best pasta salads I’ve ever eaten. Go to the Other Paw, get the pasta salad.
Alright so I’m going to stop here cause it’s midnight and I’m getting hungry reminicing on past yumminess. These weren’t all the gluten free eats I had on my trip and there were the sad burger without a bun meals as well. But the above were all great spots with the Rae stamp of approval, which may not be worth much to you, but it should be, cause I have good taste. I hope this post proves helpful to even just one person with their gluten free Banff trip! Gluten sucks and you still deserve happy taste buds and a full belly.
Like food? Sure ya do! Check out another foodie post here and how to eat cheap in London.
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