Best of Banff: the Bison Restaurant

It’s hard to say what the best part of the Bison is because there is so much to appreciate; from the menu to the service, the Bison doesn’t cut corners.

If you’ve dined at the restaurant before, you’ll notice some changes to the current menu; fear not, though, because the same farm-to-table ethos is present in your options. Instead of filling up on one main dish, the portion sizes of the dishes have been made smaller. Therefore, you can order more for your table. Even better, the prices on the menu reflect the smaller portion sizes! So, what you spend on several dishes now is what you would have spent on one main dish before. The menu is such that you don’t have to limit yourself to one choice, and sharing is made easy.

Knowing where your food comes from is also made easy: the menu features a map indicating where ingredients are regionally and provincially sourced. Should you need some recommendations, order (I repeat, ORDER!) the heritage wheat sourdough with cultured, housemade butter. There’s butter, and then there’s butter from the Bison (I’m still trying to figure out how I can bulk order their sourdough and butter). For main dishes, don’t hesitate to order the Alberta lamb or the bison burger.

If you want a restaurant experience that makes you feel like you’re at a Calgary hot spot with Banff scenery, you won’t be disappointed at the Bison. The service is excellent and the waitstaff are well versed in all aspects of the menu. They have educated recommendations and suggestions as well as thoughtful responses to your needs and desires. Everyone from the hostess to the manager treats you like you’re someone important, and in a transient town like Banff, that level of service isn’t easy to find.

Eating at the Bison makes me feel like I’m a cooler person than I really am. You might feel that way, too.

Make a reservation by calling (403-762-5550) or by visiting the website where can book a table online (www.thebison.ca) for dinner or for Sunday brunch.