“It’s become a little less Nelson and a little more Whistler,” says Marnie Dansereau, the cherubic owner of Communitea Cafe. As she loads Intelligentsia grounds into her Synesso espresso machine, Dansereau contemplates the changes in her chosen hometown over the last decade. Part of the changing face of Canmore herself, Dansereau opened what she calls a “new age café” in early 2007 that became a popular community meeting place almost overnight. It personifies the new, foodie Canmore: high-end espresso and tea, organic foods, delicate French pastries, eco-friendly cups and “no worries” staff.

And her description of Canmore’s transition from a hippie-tinged, razorless backwater to a geared-up, clean-shaven resort is very apt. Life is still pretty laid back in Canmore, with mountain bikes (some pulling baby chariots) as a major transportation mode. But multi-million-dollar houses climb up the mountainsides; Bentleys and Ferraris are common sights. Canmore has elements of other Western mountain resorts, but more and more it’s growing into its own personality—and it’s evident first on the town’s culinary face.

Canmore has earned its glittering reputation through years of hard knocks. Ironically, the latest challenge for local restaurants is an affliction of its new affluence. “Staffing,” smiles Dansereau, chuckling and rolling her eyes. “It’s the biggest issue.” That’s why she’s behind the espresso machine today. Across the street at Harvest, Melanie Rosen, born in Banff and raised in Canmore, echoes that sentiment. She and co-owners Mike and Misha Reed handle much of the work in their café but ensure that they and their entire staff have at least one day off each week: Saturdays. Why? It’s a good hiking or snowboarding day for staff and locals alike, they explain. And since the bulk of their business is local, and since the locals like to get outside on Saturdays, it makes sense to join them on the hills and close the shop that day. Only in Canmore.

Long considered Banff’s working-class cousin, Canmore used to be the cheaper place to live—the other side of the tracks, so to speak. Located just east of the National Park gates, it was the coal-mining town you blew by on your way to swankier climes, just a few kilometres away. Back in the late 1970s when the last of the Canmore coal mines closed, things looked pretty bleak. Much of Main Street was a ghost town, the idea of any tourism development was looked on as a pipe dream, and folks were in a surly mood. It was not a pleasant town to visit—and there wasn’t much reason to.

But after those who wanted to (or had to) leave left, things started turning around. In the early 1980s, Canmore discovered there was life after coal. Canmore was always a bedroom community for Banff, but it turned out that those who remained in Canmore actually wanted to live there and were active participants in the community. The 1988 Winter Olympics and the development of the Canmore Nordic Centre gave Canmore a new purpose (home to Olympic athletes!). Thanks to the television exposure of the Games, people from around the world noticed the area’s natural beauty.

It didn’t hurt Canmore’s development that building inside the National Park is curtailed, so that anyone looking to buy a lot in Banff had to enter a lottery for the privilege. In Canmore, you could buy land anywhere: on the Bow River, up the hills with a view of the Three Sisters or along what would become some of the best golf courses in the country. Artists and artisans also flocked to the still affordable area, upping the culture quotient. (The annual ArtsPeak festival provides dozens of gallery and studio tours throughout the town).

By the mid-1990s, Canmore was booming. Land and housing were increasing in value by up to $1,000 per week. The buying frenzy brought more people to town, including weekends. Between 1989 and 2007, Canmore’s population nearly tripled, from 4,000 to 11,400 residents, with an additional 3,500 part-timers.

With all these new bodies (many of which are pretty well-heeled) plus all the weekenders and passers-through, the demand for good restaurants increased. My wife and I lived in Canmore for a couple of years in the mid-1980s when there were few options beyond the fast-food chains near the highway. Our choices were limited to the Fireside Inn, the Lone Star Cafe, the Peppermill, and the notable Boccalino, all of which are gone now.

These days, we regularly make weekend trips from Calgary to dine on Thai (Thai Pagoda), sushi (Chef’s Studio, Marra’s Way), French (Chez François, O Bistro), tapas (Tapas), Cajun (French Quarter) or Swiss-German (Valbella Cafe, Railway Deli) cuisine. In a more casual mood, we can choose from excellent pizza (Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co.), pub food (Grizzly Paw, Iron Goat, Zona’s, Rose & Crown, the Drake) or various iterations of contemporary mountain cuisine (Quarry, The Trough, Crazyweed, Rustica, the Wood). The fast food is still there but, remarkably, the closest thing to a chain restaurant is Murrieta’s, a contemporary spot with locations in Calgary and Edmonton.

Mike Western, co-owner of The Trough with wife and chef Rosie Gair, attributes the wide range of food options to all the global travellers who come to Canmore. Some may be Olympic athletes, some may come for just a short time, but they all bring appetites. And they’re not just coming for the summer hiking and winter skiing seasons. In previous years, some restaurants would close down for November and again after Christmas, but no longer. Jan Hrabec, co-owner and chef of Crazyweed Kitchen, says, “It’s now possible to make a living in the restaurant business. So many of our regulars are from Calgary and Edmonton and they come year-round.”

Those diners, whether they’re affluent Albertans or globe-trotters, are “much more sophisticated now. They know what foie gras is, and they can tell the difference between different duck farms,” says Jean-François Gouin, the owner and chef of Chez François. He’s also about the longest serving chef in the area, having opened his restaurant in what was then the Green Gables Inn (now Canmore Mountain Lodge) in 1989. Back then, Green Gables, with its 61 rooms, was the town’s biggest hotel. Gouin counts himself fortunate to have had the hotel’s breakfast and meeting trade to support him through the lean years. Since then, his customer base has more than quadrupled.

So has his family. In their years in Canmore, Gouin and his wife Sylvie Gregoire have raised four sons. Their oldest, Olivier, 23, has recently started his own Canmore restaurant, O Bistro, its opening a small allegory for the growth of the town’s food scene. He took over the original space occupied by the outlandishly popular Crazy-weed Kitchen, on Main Street. To meet demand, Crazyweed’s Jan and Richard Hrabec finally expanded into a new building last year. Meanwhile, at O Bistro, Olivier Gouin is putting his own newfangled Canmore spin on classic French bistro cuisine.

Twenty years ago, O would not have worked in Canmore. Even 10 years ago, it would have been a struggle. But now, tourists strolling Main Street are looking for more than a burger between ski runs. They’re sizing up the options, reviewing the menus, and wondering just which place will provide them with their next great meal.

A little less Nelson? Yes. A little more Whistler? Probably. But 100 percent Canmore, absolutely.

TOP OF THE TOWN
Calgary food critic John Gilchrist’s 11 favourite Canmore eateries (he couldn’t settle on just 10).

Chef’s Studio Japan The sushi at Chef’s Studio is as finely cut and as beautifully presented as at any place in the Bow Valley (709 Main St., 403-609-8383).

Chez François The eggs Benedict is definitive here, as are chef Jean-François Gouin’s soups. (Green Gables Inn, 1604 Bow Valley Tr., 403-678-6111).

Communitea Enjoy the primo coffee and the quinoa-tabbouleh salad in these sunny confines (1001 6 Ave., 403-678-6818).

Crazyweed Kitchen Whatever Jan Hrabec has prepared as her daily special is guaranteed to stop time at Crazyweed. It’s always superb (1600 Railway Ave., 403-609-2530).

Harvest House-built sandwiches, soups and granola are the local favourites at Harvest, but if the cinnamon buns haven’t all been scooped up, grab one (718 10 St., 403-678-3747).

Quarry Bistro The old Texaco station makes a perfect locale for brother-sister team David and Naomi Wyse to serve up the freshest regional ingredients (718 Main St., 403-678-6088).

Railway Deli Austrian brothers Harry and Roland Griesser have created an upscale café and deli that’s great for breakfast, lunch and meals to go (702 Bow Valley Tr., 403-678-3637).

Sage Bistro My mother-in-law swears the osso buco at Sage is the best she’s ever had. Who am I to argue? The chicken and prawn curry bowl is pretty good too (1712 Bow Valley Tr., 403-678-4878).

Stoney’s Grill Mighty fine ribs are a perfect finish to a game of golf at Silvertip. For more elegant cuisine, Silvertip’s Rustica offers the white linen approach (2000 Silvertip Tr., 403-609-6599).

The Trough Rosie Gair’s unique flavour combinations (how can mashed peas, potatoes and mint taste so good?) and Mike Western’s wine selections make an unbeatable pair from this unbeatable pair. (725 Walk of Champions/9 St., 403-678-2820).

Valbella Café No one does cured meats better than Valbella; you’ll find its bundnerfleisch, bacon and paté on menus throughout the Bow Valley and beyond. But go directly to the source for the full meat experience (104 Elk Run Blvd., 403-678-4109).