Trusted and True: The Old Spaghetti Factory

The restaurant has huge windows overlooking Wolf Street that are open in the summer. They always have generous helpings of well-prepared food. Their “It’s All Included” menu means you will get a complete dining experience with starter sourdough bread, your choice of a soup or salad, a main course and coffee or tea with ice cream for dessert. Bring your appetite, this meal is sure to satiate your hunger!

I’m all about the sour dough bread, so much so that I have to be careful not to fill myself up before the real meal begins! I also discovered their house salad with blue cheese dressing and I’ve never turned back. Even if you’re not a huge fan of blue cheese, this dressing packs just enough punch to gussy up your greenery without overpowering your senses with the “blue” of the cheese flavour. I don’t even wait for the server to run through the list of options any more, it’s blue cheese dressing and nothing else!

Bottom line: The Old Spaghetti Factory in Banff serves trusted quality time and time again.

For date nights, we always go for the Tomato Basil Flatbread with Goat Cheese as an additional appetizer, although we’ve also ordered the mussels, the calamari and the sweet potato fries, all of which we’ve enjoyed. Be sure to check out their weekly drink specials: they serve some great cocktails along with beer on tap and classic Canadian drinks.

Their mains come fresh and hot and there are lots of choices. Some of my personal favourites are the Seafood Fettuccini Alfredo, the Chorizo Cannelloni and the Tortellini Pomodoro. They have classic spaghetti options and a Manager’s Special which lets you choose different sauces, in case you can’t decide. If you didn’t bring your appetite, or you filled up on sour dough bread, they are happy to provide you with a take-away box so you can enjoy your meal the next day. You may need one anyway with these generous portions.

They also serve truly gluten-free pasta options made separately for people with Celiac disease. I brought my visiting parents to the Old Spaghetti Factory – twice! – because my dad, who suffers from Celiac disease, could eat here and continue enjoying his vacation. The staff were very respectful of my dad’s dietary needs and they ensured his food was prepared properly. If ordering gluten free, be sure to inform your server.

Don’t forget to leave room for ice cream! The spumoni ice cream is a mixture of chocolate, vanilla and pistachio. It’s a delightfully chill treat to finish off the meal. Enjoy a fresh cup of coffee or tea with your dessert to really polish off the evening.