Are you looking for the best Alberta steak? Or the best souvlaki, or chana masala, or maybe it’s an authentic street taco you’re craving. What if you could spend a couple of days eating your way around Alberta on a stress-free, luxury bus tour designed by you? Take your colleagues, friends, sports team, wedding party, or corporate group on a unique transportation adventure discovering the lakes, mountains and prairies of Alberta, with the added fun of trying locally loved cafa’s and restaurants.

The quest for great little hole-in-the-wall restaurants has become an obsession for Albertans. It seems that if we are lucky enough to stumble upon a little-known gem, the first thing we do is take a picture of our food and text it to our friends. Look what I’m eating! Wish you were here!

As diverse as the Alberta landscape is, our province is also rich in dishes from many countries. Imagine the thrill of setting out early, preferably hungry, to try local favourites all around Alberta. Between towns and restaurants, you climb back on an air-conditioned, luxury bus, settle in to watch the flat screen, and focus on getting hungry before you get to the next town. Of course, you can customize your tour depending on your time and appetite. Our professional drivers let you just sit back and enjoy the scenery and the food.

We’ve asked locals around the province to tell us their favourite go-to cafe’s and restaurants. Here are their recommendations. Grab your camera and embark on your own a-grazing race around Alberta.

Edmonton:

Remedy cafe- This iconic local favourite specializes in homemade chai lattes, garlicky humus and smooth chana masala. In fact, the chai lattes are so well known, friends just ask, â€œShould we go for a Remedy? Parking is often at a premium but your driver will happily wait with the bus while you feast. La Boule- Cruise down Whyte Ave in your luxury custom bus and turn just off the main drag to find La Boule, an authentic French patisserie which will transport you into France. Enjoy the most lemony of lemon tarts this side of Paris. Tres Carnales- True Mexican street tacos, particularly delicious with a side of homemade taco chips and guacamole. This is the place to be for fun and great food.

Whitecourt:

If you’re chartering a bus for your sports team transportation [or any type of group] and are asking why you should stop in Whitecourt, we have your answer: Mountain Pizza and Steak! A family owned business feeding Whitecourt residents for over 30 years which serves the best steak in Alberta according to our friends!

Grand Prairie:

Jeffrey’s Cafe in Nordic Court is a locally owned, locally sourced restaurant and catering company. Check out their Local Story for the specials made with fresh local ingredients.

Jasper:

Jasper Pizza Place- Renting your own luxury bus for a ski trip or sightseeing tour to Jasper just wouldn’t be complete without stopping in for a wood fired pizza at Jasper Pizza Place. There are many other options on the menu and the restaurant is happy to host large groups. Bear’s Paw Bakery- Your bus driver will be happy to pick you up from the hotel in the morning and take you to this hidden gem for a strong coffee and a beautifully sticky cinnamon bun. You can even pack some hearty trail cookies or muffins for the road.

Banff:

Barpa Bills- One main street back from Banff Avenue, this teeny cafe’ makes a great take-away Greek meal from succulent souvlaki on pita, to crisp calamari, meals are topped with homemade tzatziki. Finish off with a honey-dripping filo pastry. Banff Springs Hotel Lookout patio- There’s no denying that this doesn’t fit into the inexpensive list, however you can take the money you saved by booking your bus rental with Alberta North Transport and sip on a delicious drink while you savour the breathtaking mountain scenery. The lounge will provide blankets to help with those chilly breezes too.

Canmore:

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co “ Ready to get on the luxury charter bus and head home after a weekend ski trip or sightseeing tour in Banff/Lake Louise? Ask your friendly driver to pull over just off the main street in Canmore for a great, homey flatbread cafe. Lunch size forno-fired pizzas are the way to go, paired with a salad. May I suggest fig and goat’s cheese salad and the apple chicken pizza.

Calgary:

Ban Mi Thi Thi- There is simply no comparison to these Vietnamese subs. We have searched in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton, and even Toronto, and none have come close to its equal. Choose satay chicken, satay beef or a combo, all topped with fresh cucumber, cilantro, pickled onions and carrots on a crusty baguette. Add a little spice to your life with Thai red chili peppers. The family who owns this tiny stand is lovely and they know their stuff. It’s a true Calgary legend, and if you’ve booked your tour bus with Alberta North Transport you can bring the food on board and enjoy it while our professional driver gets you where you need to be! Desert Pita and Lebonese Grill- If you are craving Arabic spices, head out a to this iconic cafe Succulant shawarma or Shish Tawouk, with a side of fatoush will do the trick. You may have to go back a few times to sample all of these delicious dishes. Jimmy’s A&A grocery- In the early nineties, this corner grocery expanded into a Mediterranean deli. Try the dolmata, falafel, donair, shawarma, tabhouli, humus, baklava- oh heck, just try it all!

Red Deer:

City Roast- Charter buses almost always stop in Gasoline Alley, but go a few minutes further and stop for a coffee and homemade scone, or perhaps a soup and sandwich on homemade bread.

Pigeon Lake:

Eco Cafe- If you’ve already got a rental bus for your group you might as well enjoy, and a worthwhile side trip off the highway will bring you to Eco Cafe at Pigeon Lake. Their mandate is Food as a Community, using locally raised, organic foods. Unique dishes are Alberta bison pastrami sandwich, Cajun spiced prawn po’boy and a Latin pulled pork torta cubano. All food is community sourced and freshly prepared.

Hungry now? Call us today to book a comfortable and affordable charter bus for your colleagues, friends or family. Leave the driving to us, and we’ll leave the food sampling to you