There are many celebrations happening throughout town during this year’s 10-day festival. From Drag Shows with royalty to family friendly events and mountaintop parties, there’s no shortage of ways to find the rainbow colours in Banff. Here at The Dining Guide, we’re obsessed with food and drink, so we were more than excited to hear that Taste the Rainbow was happening again! It’s inspiring to see so many restaurants participating this year. We’ve rounded up our favourites. Here are the best places to celebrate Banff Pride… with drinks!
Taste the Rainbow
We’re so excited about Banff Pride!
Farm & Fire
This cozy, wood-fired everything restaurant is taking their flavours to another level with the Pride-themed Lady Grey Gin Fizz, made with adventure gin, natur-el earl grey, simple syrup, lemon, egg white, prosecco, and rose petal garnish. Delectable!
Nourish Bistro
This so-good-you-won’t-know-it’s-vegetarian restaurant is pulling out all the stops for this year’s Pride. Their featured cocktail, Radical Faerie Floss, is a tribute to gay activists Harry Hay and Don Kilhefner’s revolutionary Radical Faerie movement in the 1970s. The cocktail is watermelon candy floss in a glass. It features Park vanilla vodka, Giffard watermelon liqueur, Aperol, lemon juice, raspberry jam, and aquafaba.
If this delicious drink wasn’t enough, they are also serving a blueberry lemon vegan rainbow cheesecake!
The Prow
Located in Buffalo Mountain Lodge, this recently redesigned restaurant presents the Miss Tiffany cocktail to celebrate Pride. The mixture of vodka, mint, elderflower, lime, butterfly pea berry, and soda has a backstory. “Our amazing bar manager has worked and lived in Thailand and adores Thai culture. The drink name is a nod to the Miss Tiffany’s Universe, a beauty contest that celebrates transgender women.”
The Radiant
Celebrate one of the many Pride shows at this trendy downtown parlour and lounge with their signature cocktail, Rainbow Washed. Sip on gin, lillet blanc, creme de violette, simple syrup, lemon, and 24 carat gold. Yes Please!
For a full list of events at The Radiant during Pride Week.
Rundle Bar
The Fairmont Banff Spring’s Rundle Bar is bringing not one, but two delicious cocktails to the party for Pride! Try the Bubble Gum Cheesecake with blue curacao, cotton candy, and vanilla crème. Looking to change it up? The Rainbow Sour features Rundle Bar gin, raspberry puree, yuzu, aquafaba, and absinthe. This drink is topped with cotton candy.
Sky Bistro
Dine on the mountaintop at Sky Bistro. With a sky-high drag show to celebrate the week, it only makes sense to enjoy it with a delicious drink! The Dancing Queen has Pursuit & Eau Claire distillery’s trailblazer vodka, Disaronno, Giffard’s creme de cacao, simple syrup, and Bittermens’ hellfire habanero bitters. It’s garnished with edible silver and gold leaves & blackberries. This drink has all the golds and silvers inspired by Abba… because who doesn’t love Abba?
Tooloulou’s
This Banff favourite is also bringing two inspired cocktails to the Banff Pride party! The Purple Dragon has vodka, blue curacao, cranberry juice, sweet & sour, glitter, and sprite. If that’s not sweet enough for you, the Cotton Candy Confession features Prosecco, Chambord, St Germain liqueur, glitter, and cotton candy.
The Vermillion Room
Enjoy a classy cocktail at the Fairmont Banff Spring’s elegant restaurant The Vermillion Room. The Pride Blanc Manger combines cherry, orange, pineapple, apple, blueberry, and cassis for a fruity celebration of the season!
Looking for more? There are over 30 restaurants participating in this year’s Taste the Rainbow! For a full list, along with their creative cocktails. Happy Pride Banff!