Magpie & Stump Restaurant – Banff, Alberta

We’ve been heading to Banff a lot more recently to get away from the city and this time we went to enjoy the Banff Santa Claus Parade of Lights. We stopped for dinner before the parade and went to Magpie & Stump where we enjoyed a fantastic dinner! Once inside, the place was already packed, and tons of tables were trying to get in-and-out before the start of the parade. We didn’t care if we missed it, but we were advised their kitchen was a little backed up from the amount of customers.

I felt like a sugary drink, without the alcohol so I got a Virgin Pina Colada which is one of my favourite drinks! It wasn’t the best one here, as it was fully of ice and watered down even at the start – so by the end, it was really quite flavourless.

We ordered their Spicy Shrimp Tostadas which was basically a large salad in between to large crispy corn tortillas, topped with a bed of pulled pork and spicy prawn. Then, it was topped with some delicious bbq sauce and lime crema. It was a large dish and very refreshing.

We also ordered their El Pollo Piquante Fajitas which was spicy grilled chicken with tomatoes, peppers, onions, queso and salsa on the side for you to build on flour tortillas. It was a fun, interactive dish which was delicious and quite spicy!

Overall, we loved this place, the service was quite good even when they’re so busy. The food was fresh and delicious and the location is really good as they’re right next to public parking. The food came out fast enough that we were able to eat, pay and get outside in time for the parade even though they warned us they’re backed up! So, they did an amazing job!

Magpie & Stump on Urbanspoon

Magpie & Stump

203 Caribou Street
Banff, AB
(403) 762-4067

Balkan – Greek Restaurant in Banff

It’s been years since we’ve gone back to our favourite Greek Restaurant and it just happens to be in Banff, AB! It’s really nice as they have renovated the space to make it quite inviting – yet warm and intimate. It’s pretty neat, when you first get up the stairs, you’re greeted by beautiful piece of what appears to be a Greek imitation of their art on Ivory.

We came to this restaurant after watching the Santa Claus Parade that was held in Banff. It was quite spectacular as it was a night parade – which you normally don’t see. So, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to return here. This particular even, they were really packed as there were large families and parties going on – but we managed to make a reservation – so the food and service was still really good.

For drinks, I ordered a Virgin Pina Colada as it’s my favourite girly drink. It was really good and not too sweet, as some other places make it extra sweet – or there’s just no alcohol to make it bitter. We also had a bottle of Mythos which is Greek beer and it’s quite light and crisp.

For starters, they give you some nice fresh buns with Balsamic Olive Oil Bread Dip which is really nice! They do use a really nice Greek Olive Oil for this and it’s perfect for this application!

I ordered something I don’t normally, but for some reason, it really stuck in my mind that it was what I was going to get… so, I got it. I ordered the Arni Psito which was roasted lamb. The lamb was fork tender and it fell off the bone as I started eating at my dish. It was so good, I pretty much ate the entire plate before realizing we said we’d switch half-way to experience each others dishes.

The other dish we ordered was Greek Ribs and they were tender as well, lots of flavour and soft. It wasn’t fall of the bone ribs that are tender and juicy, but it sure is a different style.

Then, as stuffed as we were, we knew we wanted dessert from the moment we made a reservation to Balkans. We always order the Galactobouriko which is an amazing dessert that is really light, and not really sweet, warm, custardy with crispy phyllo pastry! To top it off, it’s topped with a decadent honey syrup and cinnamon.

Balkan The Greek Restaurant

120 Banff Avenue
Banff, AB
(403) 762-3454