Roy’s Place has long been a Claresholm institution in southern Alberta
As a road-food eater, perhaps the worst thing I can encounter is a “for sale” sign outside a little, independent establishment. Usually, it means the business has failed, a sadly familiar outcome during all the pandemic shutdowns.
But that’s not the real issue at Roy’s Place, a local institution in the farming community of Claresholm in southern Alberta. Indeed, there’s a bit of a lunchtime lineup in the spacious restaurant when I visit recently. Double indeed, it has gained widespread acclaim since appearing on Canadian TV’s You Gotta Eat Here not that long ago.
Soup and sandwich special
The problem is more likely something that’s afflicted many a successful restaurant: burnout. Co-owners Kieth and Brandi have run the place for 14 years, putting in 60-hour weeks for her and 80 hours for him, while raising young children. So it’s not surprising to see the for-sale ad on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Hopefully, they can find someone as talented and committed to take over the business. It will be one thing to duplicate the famous menu, which includes king-sized cinnamon buns, bowls of dill pickle soup (Thursdays only) and Angus beef burgers.
Every order comes with a generous helping of humour
But it will be difficult to replicate the pizzazz and personality the couple bring to Roy’s. Throughout my meal, Brandi is kibitzing with locals, several sporting hard-used cowboy hats. “That’ll be $10 million for your lunch,” she tells one customer and “I will not be responsible for her” another. Meanwhile, Kieth is steadily prowling the restaurant, delivering bulging plates of food.
The challenge for the next owners will be to keep the good times rolling. As the Facebook ad states: “Here is your chance to be the beacon of good food and love on Highway 2 for the next 15 years.”
Roy’s Place 5008 1 Street West/Highway 2, Claresholm, Alberta Tuesday to Saturday 11 am-7 pm. Closed Sunday and Monday 403-625-3397
When I first published Day Trips From Calgary in 1995, it was hard to get a decent cup of coffee in most Alberta towns, let alone a muffin or sandwich that hadn’t been wrapped in plastic hours earlier.
My, how things have changed. Nearly every self-respecting town or small city now boasts a craft brewery and coffee roaster. In the past year or two, you can add craft bakeries that rival anything the big cities can produce, well except for Edmonton’s ethereal Duchess Bake Shop and maybe Sidewalk Citizen Bakery in Calgary.
While updating the aforementioned book, I’ve come across a handful of such bakeries in southern Alberta, far from the metropolitan food scene. Why, I’m not sure, other than owners willing to put in the long, early-morning hours that a well-rounded bakery demands. Here are some of the brightest examples, starting with the smallest centres.
The Heart of Bragg Creek
Mouth-watering, healthy treats at The Heart of Bragg Creek
Bragg Creek is a hamlet of about 600 people, albeit on the doorstep of a million-plus Calgarians looking for somewhere to go on weekends. The Heart of Bragg Creek is a yoga centre that also runs a café. I didn’t see any loaves of bread during a recent visit, but the baked goods were exceptional, including a berry crumble bar with lots of seeds, which I messily tackled without a fork. This is proof that healthy can also be delicious.
Sublime berry crumble barThe lunch menu is begging to be explored
Homestead Bakeshop, Fort Macleod, population 3,000
The Homestead Bakeshop is on a historic downtown street in Fort Macleod
A decade ago, this historic brick-walled spot was the home of a European bakery that made delectable butterhorns. Fast forward to today, and there are still great butterhorns but now being produced by the talented Kimberly Vanden Broek and Julena Schipper, both graduates of the SAIT baking and pastry arts program.
Gotta love the brick-walled space
The apple rosemary sourdough bread, soft and chewy, is to die for, as are the almond croissants and the fruit turnovers and danishes. The artisan, sourdough bread roster also includes an oat porridge loaf and one with sprouted grains.
How do you choose?
Uprising Bake Shop, fairly recently opened in Canmore (population 17,000) and Banff (8,200)
This Uprising Bake Shop is on busy Banff Avenue
By mistake, I order the large size of the focaccia and cheese bread. No matter. I destroy the whole beast while driving through Banff townsite, each tangled bite inspiring another until there’s nothing left but bread crumbs embedded in the upholstery.
I demolished this cheese focaccia loaf in 20 minutes
Seeing as how I can pick up these hand-crafted breads and other baked treats in either mountain town, I’m strongly opting for the Canmore location. That’s because (rant alert), Banff has recently implemented a paid parking policy so byzantine for visitors that I’m questioning my need to ever go into the town again.
French 50 Bakery, Okotoks, population 32,000
French 50 Bakery takes over this historic Okotoks patio on Saturdays
French 50 is essentially a pop-up bakery—on the patio of a historic, pressed-tin building—open only on Saturdays for in-person shopping or online pickups. There are breads that are naturally fermented and cold proofed as well as treats like cinnamon brioche rolls and three-cheddar scones. But my eyes and tastebuds are drawn to a berry cross of a croissant and muffin, called a cruffin. Bliss ensues.
An elegant space inside, tooMore choices
The Heart of Bragg Creek 12 Balsam Avenue, Bragg Creek Weekdays 9 am-4 pm, weekends 9 am-5 pm 403-813-8465
Homestead Bakeshop 228 24 Street, Fort Macleod Monday to Saturday opens at 7 am. Closed Sunday 403-553-4328
The Uprising Craft Bakery 735 9 Street, Canmore and 202 Banff Avenue, Banff Monday to Thursday 8 am-4 pm, Friday to Sunday 7 am-7 pm
French 50 Bakery 52 North Railway Street, Okotoks Saturdays only 8 am-1 pm 587-429-5906
About to devour a Timber Wolf pizza at Lake Louise Inn
Pulling into Lake Louise for a post-backpack bite to eat on Monday of the recent August long weekend, I was bracing for lineups—on the roads and in the restaurants. But what we instead encountered was a bit of an eerie ghost town, especially in the hamlet’s eateries.
First stop was the Lake Louise Hostel for a burger and beer at the Bill Peyto Café. Nope. Closed.
Second stop the Post Hotel’s basement pub, the Outpost. Also closed, until further notice. On a summer long weekend!
Last shot, the Lake Louise Inn, where for once I was happy to see a wee early-dinner lineup. What’s going on? I asked our upstairs server.
“Staff shortages,” she said. Thanks to a pandemic that kept nearly all Alberta restaurants closed or relegated to takeout, all those Aussies that wait on tables are still locked out of the country. Even the Lake Louise Inn was half staffed this holiday Monday and dealing with all the hungry diners that couldn’t get into the hostel or the Outpost.
After gorging on pizza, we were happy to leave a generous tip.
Timber Wolf Cafe, Lake Louise Inn 210 Village Road, Lake Louise Tuesday to Saturday 6 pm-11 pm. Closed Sunday and Monday 403-522-5419
Evelyn’s Memory Lane Cafe is a busy High River diner
Other than Fort McMurray and its devastating wildfires, it’s hard to think of an Alberta community that’s suffered more over the past decade than High River.
First, there were the devastating floods of 2013, which for weeks swamped the aptly named town of 14,000, a 40-minute drive south of Calgary. Then the pandemic hit, with the Cargill meat-packing plant, on the town’s doorstep, recording 950 Covid cases, the worst outbreak in Canada.
So it was nice to recently visit High River and see a bustling downtown, with lunchtime lineups at a couple of landmark cafes.
Evelyn’s Memory Lane Café is a hopping 1950s-style diner, complete with swiveling stools and a menu that features thick sandwiches, interesting salads, house-made ice cream and deep-dish pies.
How’s this for a loaded roast chicken sandwich?
I went for an Evelyn’s classic, a roasted Hutterite chicken sandwich with cranberries and mayo on house-made bread. It’s an outstanding meal—they certainly don’t skimp on the chicken—which at $8 would rival any of my Calgary cheap-eats sandwiches. For another $6, I could have added a generous broccoli or beet salad, but the sandwich alone was certainly a sufficient lunch.
Colossi’s Coffee House next door
Next door, the graffiti-clad Colossi’s Coffee House was serving good hot beverages along with paninis, loaded bagels and baked treats. Not far away, the Whistle Stop Diner offers a unique dining experience: lunch in a historic, refurbished rail car.
The historic Whistle Stop Diner
Unfortunately, it wasn’t open this day. But it was great to see so many long-time High River restaurants (including the Hitchin Post Drive In) still chugging along.
Evelyn’s Memory Lane Cafe 118 4 Avenue SW, High River, Alberta Weekdays 10 am-3 pm, Saturday 11 am-3 pm. Closed SundayH 403-652-1887
Colossi’s Coffee House 114 4 Avenue SW, High River Weekdays 7 am-6 pm, Saturday 8 am-5 pm, Sunday 9 am-5 pm 403-652-2181
Lake of the Woods campsite in Cathedral Provincial Park
Time to dodge some smoke and do some hiking, eating and driving on a road trip along the Crowsnest Highway (3) in south-central B.C. Here are some images.
First stop for coffee and muffin at Bacchus Books Cafe in Golden, now owned by Katie Mitzel, author of The Skoki CookbookHistoric Studebaker and trailer at Grist Mill campground in KeremeosPlaying in the attached garden, the one and only ValdySamosa Garden fruit stand and restaurant in Keremeos, the “Fruit Stand Capital of Canada.” Benja Thai also recommendedCathedral Provincial Park, just north of the U.S. border. Land of lupinsAnd mountain goatsAnd ridge walksAnd lakesAnd artistic cairns. Who built these?Final days of clear skiesEric and daughters in Nelson municipal campgroundRequisite patio dogs at Oso Negro Coffee in NelsonThe smoke rolled in at Kokanee LakeBut the late-stage anenomes were superbThe Kokanee Glacier “Cabin”So you think you’re toughBest beer, and label, of the trip: Penticton’s Bad Tattoo BrewingBest Bakery: Au Soleil Levant in NelsonBest coffee: Deadwood Junction in Greenwood. Second best (pictured) Humble Bean in Castlegar
Eggplant parmesan sandwich at Calgary’s Meat & Bread
I know, at a place called Meat & Bread, you should be ordering meat. But all the delicious meat sandwiches on offer at this downtown Calgary location—crackling porchetta, meatball, corn beef and chicken—weigh in at about $12.50.
For the quality and quantity, it’s still a great deal, at one of my favourite sandwich shops in Calgary, located in the historic Grain Exchange Building. But for the purpose of this series—Calgary lunch for less than $10—I have to go for the one vegetarian option on the menu, an eggplant Parmesan sandwich, for $9.
It features roasted, organic eggplant, kale, marinara sauce and Parmesan aioli, all crammed into a fresh ciabatta bun. Even if you’re not normally a fan of eggplant and kale, you should like this soft, flavourful blend. You can add a dip, such as a habanero cilantro cream, for $1.50, but it’s not essential and does push the tab over $10.
Meat & Bread is located in a historic sandstone building in downtown Calgary
The eggplant sandwich makes for a light lunch, which if you’re famished, can be complemented with a fine soup or salad, but again it adds $5 to the cost.
Marathon Mouth 