A Taste of Canada: Foods to Try on Your Banff & Lake Louise Adventure

Canada is a country of enormous landscapes, deep forests, glacial lakes, and mountain ranges that seem to stretch forever. But there is another way to experience a place, and that is through its food.

Canadian cuisine can be difficult to define. The country’s culinary traditions have been shaped by First Nations peoples, French and British influences, and generations of immigrants who brought their own recipes and adapted them to the ingredients around them. Add Canada’s vast geography and distinct regional traditions, and you have a cuisine that is as varied as the country itself.

And while you may come to Alberta for the Canadian Rockies, the turquoise waters of Lake Louise, or the dramatic peaks surrounding Moraine Lake, you’ll want to leave a little room at the table.

Here are a few Canadian foods and drinks worth seeking out during your next adventure.

Poutine

Let’s start with the obvious one. Poutine may be Canada’s most famous comfort food: crisp French fries covered with cheese curds and gravy. Simple? Absolutely. Satisfying? Without question.

What began as a humble dish in Quebec has become a Canadian favorite, with restaurants putting their own spin on it with everything from bacon and onions to more elaborate toppings.

There is something wonderfully Canadian about poutine. It isn’t trying too hard. It is hearty, uncomplicated, and best enjoyed after a day outside. And after hiking, walking, and photographing the Rockies, a plate of poutine can feel like exactly the right reward.

Bison & Elk

When you think about Alberta, it is hard not to think about wildlife. The Canadian Rockies are home to elk, and bison have long been an important part of the landscape and cultural history of North America. For travelers, trying bison or elk is another way of connecting with the region—not simply seeing the landscape, but experiencing a taste of it.

Bison is lean, flavorful, and often served as a burger, steak, or tenderloin. Elk has its own distinctive character and is another local specialty worth trying.

On our Banff & Lake Louise Photo Tour, guests have the opportunity to sample local bison and elk during our welcome dinner in Banff. It is a fitting introduction to a week spent exploring the wild heart of Alberta.

Maple Syrup

Few foods are more closely associated with Canada than maple syrup. There is something almost wonderfully simple about it: sap collected from maple trees and transformed into the rich, golden syrup that finds its way onto pancakes, waffles, desserts, and countless Canadian breakfasts.

And while maple syrup may be familiar to travelers around the world, tasting it in Canada somehow feels different. Perhaps it is the setting.

Imagine sitting down to breakfast after an early morning photographing the Rockies, looking back at the images on your camera while enjoying something distinctly Canadian. The food becomes part of the memory. That is one of the pleasures of travel. Sometimes the smallest details stay with you.

Butter Tarts

Ask a Canadian about butter tarts and you may get a very enthusiastic response. These small pastries are made with a flaky shell and a rich filling of butter, sugar, syrup, and egg. Some versions include raisins or pecans, while others keep things beautifully simple.

They are small enough to convince yourself that having one more is perfectly reasonable. And after a morning spent photographing waterfalls, mountain reflections, or wildlife, a butter tart with a cup of coffee makes a pretty compelling afternoon break.

Nanaimo Bars

Here is another Canadian sweet worth knowing. The Nanaimo bar comes from Nanaimo, British Columbia, and is built in three delicious layers: a crumbly base, a creamy custard-flavored middle, and a layer of chocolate on top.

No baking is required, which may be part of its appeal. The name might be unfamiliar at first, but once you try one, you are unlikely to forget it. And if you happen to travel beyond Alberta during a longer Canadian journey, it is one more regional taste worth looking for.

Peameal Bacon

And then there is bacon. Peameal bacon is made from lean pork loin that is cured and traditionally rolled in cornmeal. It is sometimes confused with what Americans call Canadian bacon, but the two are not quite the same.

It is particularly associated with Ontario, so it isn’t something you should necessarily expect to encounter everywhere in Alberta. But if your travels take you elsewhere in Canada, it is another classic worth putting on your list.

That is one of the wonderful things about Canadian food: the farther you travel, the more regional discoveries you make.

Come Hungry for the Experience in Banff & Lake Louise

When we travel with a camera, it’s easy to focus on the big moments—the mountain rising above the lake, wildlife moving through the forest, or the first light spilling across the peaks.

But some of the best memories happen between those moments. A shared meal after a day of exploring, a local dish you’ve never tried before, or a quiet coffee while talking about the morning’s photographs can tell you just as much about a place as its landscapes do.

That’s part of what makes traveling through Banff and the Canadian Rockies so rewarding. The scenery may be what draws you here, but the experience goes far beyond what you see through the viewfinder. From tasting local flavors to sharing stories around the table with fellow photographers, these simple moments become woven into the journey.

And when you look back at your photographs years later, it’s often those unexpected details—the people, the meals, the laughter, and the feeling of being there—that bring the entire adventure back to life.

Ready to Experience Banff & Lake Louise?

Canada’s Rocky Mountains offer far more than beautiful photographs. Come for the mountains, lakes, forests, and wildlife. Stay for the food, culture, conversations, and experiences between the photographs.

Explore our Banff & Lake Louise Photo Adventure and discover what it is like to photograph one of Canada’s most remarkable landscapes with a small group of fellow photographers.