Banff Cafes

Could there be anything finer than to sip your capuccino or macchiato amid swaying pines and towering peaks or while strolling down Banff Avenue? We don't think so. That's why we've taken great pains to sample the many Banff cafes and all that they have to offer. It was an arduous task tasting fine pastries and pairing them with appropriate teas, espressos, and other fine caffeinated (our hands are now shaking like a Seattle yuppie) and non-caffeinated drink delicacies, but we persevered to bring you the best of the Banff cafes.

With three locations in Banff, including two on the main shopping and travel thoroughfare of Banff Avenue, it is unlikely that anyone looking for a caffeine fix will miss finding an Evelyn's location. Evelyn's offers all that you have come to expect from a coffee bar in the way of specialty coffees, espresso based beverages, and teas, as well as home made cookies and pastries. At the Insider, we have fallen passionately in love with Evelyn's four inch wide gingersnap cookie, which is among the most moist and perfect cookie we have ever had. While we have nothing against Starbucks, and the Banff Avenue location is as lovely as all the other locations of that Seattle franchise, why not try something a little different after you've travelled all this way? There just something about Evelyn's that keeps us coming back for more.

Slightly off the beaten path (but only very slightly), you will find Wild Flour, a mecca for those organically inclined. As you can see from its sign, Wild Flour bills itself as Banff's Artisan Bakery Cafe, and does not disappoint. A dizzying array of fabulous breads, cakes, and other magnifique boulangerie delights await the weary hiker, skier or shopper. And of course Wild Flour has the full selection of teas, coffees, and other drinks to complement the warm atmosphere, making it a delightful place to have Rocky Mountain high tea or light lunch any time of day. Wild Flour is located on Bear Street, which runs parallel to Banff Avenue one block west.

This ultra-cool cafe is located in Canmore, actually, not Banff, but its devotion to and selection of teas (and coffees, of course) and bean bag chairs and games area make this cafe a must stop for your visit to Canmore. Communitea is located on the corner of 10th Street and 6th Avenue in downtown Canmore, which is one block off of the centre of Main Street. Not only does Communitea offer a wide variety of teas, including Communitea special blends, they also serve some light lunch fare, including peanut butter and banana sandwiches for all of you kids out there and for those adults wanting to nourish their inner child!

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