Gourmet Croissant – Canmore, AB

Gourmet Croissant
101-1205 Bow Valley Tr.
Canmore, AB
(403) 609-4410

I often dream of moving to the mountains, especially to the gorgeous town of Canmore.  I am one of those people who will go out of my way to extend any trip home from Calgary with a jaunt through the Icefields parkway.  Usually it is to take in the serenity of the views, or to make time for a quick hike, but on this particular trip – we made the trip out to Canmore specifically for a Gourmet Croissant.

I first visited this cafe a few years ago while on vacation.  Luckily, we found it early in the week – and made it part of our daily routine while in town.

It has since changed hands, but thankfully there was no noticeable change in quality.  On this particular visit – we noticed a ‘for sale’ sign (best-wishes to the current owners, but my fingers are crossed that it remains the same).  There also seems to be a few other vacancies in the building since our last visit – but we didn’t inquire, assuming the current economy isn’t boding well for tourism worldwide.

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company – Canmore, AB

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company
#1 838 10th Street
Canmore, AB
(403) 609-5508
Wednesday – Sunday, 5.00 pm onwards

I’m not exactly sure when flatbread became synonymous with pizza, but that’s exactly what it is. Generally speaking, thin crust, though i’ve come across all kinds in my travels. Regardless of what you call it, the recipe for success is generally the same. A great crust, appropriate sauce, and the right blend of toppings – for the most part, meats, cheeses, and vegetables. While it seems like a simple formula, very few places get it right. Thankfully, Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company is one place that works hard to succeed.

The Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company is a Canmore-based company producing good flatbread pizza. Perhaps more admirably, they do so with a mission. Their key philosophy is their belief in community. They believe in contributing to the community they live in, supporting their local producers, and supporting a variety of social and environmental causes. They even charge a optional carbon tax on each meal to offset the carbon emissions used to create your meal. This form of respect for their community certainly comes with a price – slightly higher prices, but I know personally, it is a small price I am willing to pay. In line with their mision, they use only local organic ingredients. No additives, GMO’s, transfats.

Grizzly Paw Brewery – Canmore, AB

The Grizzly Paw Brewery
622 Main Street
Canmore, AB T1W 2B5
(403) 678-9983

Located just outside Banff National Park, Canmore is a large town in the Bow Valley, nestled against the Rockies, serving as a destination for outdoor activity and adventure. The town has re-invented itself, moving from a small coal mining town to a tourist destination for outdoor enthusiats. While Canmore actually boasts a high number of drinking establishments, the town is still a combination of old and new places to imbibe. The Grizzly Paw Brewery falls squarely with the new. Located on Main Street, it is almost impossible to miss.

Starting as a Brew Pub in 1996, the Grizzly Paw now brews under a microbrewery license, distributing their beer around Alberta . With 8 hand-crafted beers on tap at any given time, they have a good selection of beer to meet everyone’s tastes: pilsner, to wheat ale, to ambers, browns, stouts, and seasonal beers. The beer itself is brewed with a purpose – sacrificing little in quality, they follow fairly traditional techniques to produce subtle, flavour-filled beers.