Best Vegetarian Restaurant in Banff Alberta

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have a whole lot of experience with vegan or vegetarian restaurants in general but I can definitely rate a restaurant on whether it has ok food, good food or great food. Nourish Bistro has great food and is my pick for Best Vegetarian Restaurant in Banff Alberta. On a recent trip to Banff with my friend Karen from Health And Swellness Blog, we took a lunch break at Nourish Bistro and were blown away by the menu.Nourish Bistro is a cozy small restaurant with a simple decor that comes together with it’s centre piece “tree” table right in the front window. The tables are close together offering a community feel where your table neighbour may ask what you’re eating as they peruse the menu.

Our first course was Galaxy Nachos. Voted Best Nachos since 2006, we had to try them. 29 toppings include things like carrot, quinoa, legumes, pepper, corn and optional vegan cheese or dairy cheese. I love me some nachos and loved the addition of strawberries and mandarin oranges as garnish on top. I would go back for the nachos alone. The only thing missing was some fresh guacamole for dipping. Karen and I shared a half plate which was more than enough as a starter.The second appetizer we tried was Spiced Cauliflower Bites served with house vegan ranch sauce. This is usually a hit for me at most restaurants but I admit, it was lacking at Nourish Bistro. I found it underwhelming despite my initial excitement. The dish was more like a plate of steamed cauliflower with spices on it. I was expecting a little crunch and more flavour. Next time I would skip this dish and go straight for the award winning nachos.Unfortunately the Wild Mushroom Ravioli I really wanted to try was already sold out by 1pm. So based on the friendly servers recommendation, we ordered the Curry Du Jour. A chef’s creation served with naan and “rice”. This was by far my favourite dish. The curry was a creamy mix of potato, chickpeas, sweet potato and sunflower seeds. The flavour is a traditional garam masala blend that was pleasantly fragrant and not spicy. Served on a patty of “rice” that is a mix of quinoa and rice and fried crisp. The tiny bite sized naans were soft and warm but we could have used a handful more. Based on this dish along names Nourish the best vegetarian restaurant in Banff Alberta. Definitely a must try!The last dish we tried was the Ramen. Miso base with shiitake, king oyster and shimeji mushrooms finished with forbidden kombu noodles and crisp veggies on top. To be honest, I’m a ramen virgin so I don’t know that this was the best dish to base all my ramen education on but as far as a soup goes, I really enjoyed it. If I had just come off the ski hill on a cold winter day, this ramen would have been perfect to warm me up. The broth was not overly salty but thick and creamy. The mushrooms blend well with the noodles. Stay tuned for more deep dives into my ramen adventures!Check Please: Overall I give Nourish Bistro in Banff Alberta 4/5. As a non vegetarian/vegan I would eat at Nourish Bistro again and would take my vegetarian friends. Also worth noting, I give them full marks for accommodating all sorts of food requirements from gluten free to nut allergies. Vegan often means using nut substitutes and not only did they have alternatives for my nut allergy but they have strategies in place to prevent contamination (as much as they can while having nuts present in the kitchen). PS: I’ll be back for the Wild Mushroom Ravioli.Final Note: Nourish Bistro is located at 110, 211 Bear Street, Banff Alberta. They’re open 7 days a week and take reservations between September and June, in the summer high season, go early and go often. There is street parking as well as a free parking lot across the street. Nourish Bistro has a website and moderately active social media and an engaging and knowledgeable staff in house.