Wagashi Tea House is a delightful surprise—a verdant retreat attached to a Canmore garden centre in an industrial neighbourhood far from the cacophony of downtown. Its greenhouse-like walls and ceiling allow plentiful light and views of the surrounding mountains.
The greenhouse-like location overlooks the mountainous Bow Valley
Owners/chefs Mariko and Chris Thomson have crafted a carefully curated fusion menu centred around Japanese confections (such as adzuki bean paste rice balls), tea ceremonies and bento boxes.
My poke bowl ($24) is a wonderful mix of raw tuna, wonton crisps, edamame beans, corn, rice and a spicy house-made dressing so popular they sell it in bottles. I accompany things with a bowl of ceremonial-grade matcha, the hot water whisked in by hand.
My spectacular poke bowl, featuring raw tuna
On Fridays, locals arrive to buy raw, sushi-grade fish to take home. And perhaps a locally raised plant or two from the garden centre next door.
Wagashi Tea House 60 Lincoln Park, Canmore, Alberta Thursday to Monday 9 am-4 pm, closed Tuesday and Wednesday 403-497-6144
There’s nothing like sharing Happy Hour appetizers
There’s one thing residents and visitors can agree on: Canmore is seriously overcrowded.
For a mountain town of 17,000 residents, that means traffic jams, wandering pedestrians, bewildering parking fees and lineups pretty much any time of day, any season of the year. God forbid if you head into town on a sunny summer weekend.
The good news is there’s a commensurate number of first-class, diversified places to eat and drink. Indeed, I would argue Canmore boasts more such places, on a per capita basis, than any town or city in Alberta.
Of course, most of these establishments charge mountain tourist prices for their fare. But there’s one way residents and visitors can snag a deal: Happy hour.
Big deal, you might argue. Happy hours are a dime a dozen in almost every municipality, big and small, in North America.
But here’s where Canmore is different. Given the large number of eateries, there’s a lot of competition amongst them, especially during the dead, late afternoon dining hours of happy hour. And that’s when a growing number of Canmorites (Canmorons?) venture out for a bargain burger and pint or pizza.
Here are a few to get you started.
Bridgette Bar is a mini, chef-driven chain (also Calgary and Toronto locations) that seems to have jumpstarted the recent interest in Canmore’s happy-hour scene. On a recent mid-week afternoon, more than 50 patrons were enjoying the fine subsidized fares. Its so-called matinee happy hour starts at 2 pm and offers generous deals of half off on all beverages and excellent pizzas, including wild mushroom ($13) and fennel salami ($12).
Fabulous chicken pizza at Bridgette’s happy hour
The nearby Mineshaft Tavern is a unique setup, sharing a kitchen with an attached seniors’ living facility in the newish, rundle-rock community of Spring Creek. When I saw residents, in comfy chairs, sipping happy hour glasses of red wine, I wondered where do I sign up for my own sunset years?
Mineshaft Tavern offers good pub fare, including a diversity of happy hour deals: $6 drinks 2-6 pm and daily specials such as $3 tacos Monday and $13 burger and fries Thursday. Plus there’s a daily $10 soup and sandwich deal.
An immense, delicious happy-hour burger and fries at Mineshaft Tavern
Elsewhere Crazy Weed and its sophisticated, casual menu offers 50% off “doughs” daily from 2-5 pm. Tavern 1883 boasts Canmore’s biggest “mountain” hour, with 40% off all food and drink from 2-5 pm every day. Finally, The Georgetown Inn has weekly pub specials, highlighted by fish and chips deals ($15 for one piece of cod) every Tuesday.
Mineshaft Tavern 808 Spring Creek Drive Daily 11:30 am-9 pm 403-678-2288
Bridgette Bar Canmore 1030 Spring Creek Drive Happy Hour 2-5 pm Text 403-493-5643 “We don’t have a telephone”
Market Bistro is a casual, fine-dining spot removed from the Canmore crowds
Now, this is what I call service.
We’re sitting inside The Market Bistro, a lovely little dining room sheltered from the madding crowds of nearby downtown Canmore, Alberta. I order an Alberta craft IPA, which the server says has orangey notes. That it does, but without the hoppy bite I’m expecting.
Upon her return, she asks how I like said ale. I give an indifferent shrug. Immediately, she whisks away the beer and returns with two other options, including a more satisfactory (from my perspective) Railway Avenue rye IPA from local Canmore Brewing Company.
A fine rye IPA from Canmore Brewing
The exceptional service, from sharp-as-a-tack Brande, is just one of the details that makes Market Bistro a fine destination for a quiet dinner in the mountains. Another is the open kitchen, from which French-born co-owner and chef Anthony occasionally emerges to chat with regular customers.
Great service from Brande
Most of all, of course, it’s the bistro-style French cuisine. It’s a step up from my usual cheap-eats meals but quite reasonable for the skill and time that goes into dishes such as chicken tajine and duck confit. Consider my exquisite beef back ribs ($27), braised for hours to fall-off-the-bone tender and served with Gorgonzola polenta, mushrooms and braised kale.
Fall-off-the-bone braised beef ribs
Of course, you can’t finish a meal at Market Bistro without a slice of its famous lemon pie. Brande cautions other diners that it’s not the overly sweet confection they’re probably used to. Indeed, it has wee slices of lemon rind and a pungent flavour that lingers on the tongue.
You haven’t had a real lemon pie till you try Market Bistro’s distinctive version
Lemony tones, certainly. Definitely not sending this one back.
At Canmore’s The Range, the house-roasted chicken sandwich and quinoa salad combo are outstanding
I can’t remember ever applauding a restaurant for raising its prices. But I’m more than happy to fork out $11 (instead of the previous $9) when I order the sandwich and salad/soup combo at The Range, a terrific new lunch spot in downtown Canmore, Alberta.
For one thing, it’s a substantial amount of food, especially the quinoa salad, which for $6 would be a bargain light lunch on its own. But most of all, it’s first-rate fare.
The Range is a bright, cozy space with a short, excellent menu
My chicken sandwich on fresh ciabatta boasts a bounty of house-roasted pulled chicken, arugula, roasted mushrooms and double-cream brie, topped with truffle-parmesan aioli. The quinoa salad is equally delightful, featuring lovely slices of golden beets and apple.
Most everything on the short menu is house made, like artisan sandwiches showcasing slow-roasted beef, porchetta or baked eggplant. Owner Todd and crew also pay attention to the details, dolling up their sandwiches with cured tomatoes, beet and apple chutney and onion marmalade. Just makes me salivate.
In a busy, mountain resort town like Canmore, there’s precious few places that are affordable, let alone committed to chef-driven standards. So when something this good comes along, a tiny bump in prices is almost laughable.
The Range
103, 802 Main Street, Canmore, Alberta
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 11 am-5 pm, Friday to Sunday 11 am-7 pm. Closed Wednesday
403-678-0524
To finish things off, head over to RAVE Coffee, another newish Canmore place that roasts a range of beans and produces fine espressos and pour-overs in its little café.
RAVE Coffee is a great Canmore place to pick up fresh-roasted beans or savour a pour-over
Marathon Mouth 