The Best Restaurant With a View in Banff (Our # 1 Local Pick)

There’s a table at nearly 7,000 feet with a sweeping view of Mount Rundle and the Bow Valley below, and you can reach it without breaking a sweat.

No hiking boots. No trailhead. Plenty of elevation gain, just not under your own power.

All you need to do is take a ten-minute chairlift ride and walk a few steps to your seat.

That’s the pitch behind the Cliffhouse Bistro at Mount Norquay. And after spending an afternoon up there, we can say the payoff is real.

If you’re looking for the best restaurant with a view in Banff, this one deserves to be on your radar. It’s one of the easiest ways to combine a genuine mountaintop view with a proper sit-down meal anywhere near Banff.

What Is the Cliffhouse Bistro?

The Cliffhouse sits at the top of the North American chairlift on Mount Norquay, in a building with more history than you’d expect from a mountaintop lunch spot.

It first opened in the 1950s as a tearoom and was visited by Marilyn Monroe during the filming of River of No Return. That mid-century character is still very much present today.

The restored cabin-style building holds around 50 people, small enough that it never feels like a cafeteria, but big enough that you’re not squeezed in.

Today, it’s a relaxed alpine bistro built for a long lunch, a shared plate and a drink with a view rather than a formal sit-down affair.

It’s casual, it’s a little indulgent, and the setting does a lot of the work.

The View From Your Table

We sat at a small table along the curved wall of windows. It was a sunny day with big white clouds, and noticeably chillier at the top of the chairlift than it had been at the bottom.

The room is built around huge windows that frame Mount Rundle and the Bow Valley, with the Town of Banff and Bow River visible below.

It’s the kind of view that normally takes some effort to earn. Here, it’s sitting behind the glass while you eat.

If you’re a smaller group, ask for a table right along the windows. That said, the Cliffhouse is small enough that the views are good from almost anywhere.

There’s also an outdoor viewpoint a short walk from the restaurant that’s worth visiting for photos before or after you eat.

You can make special requests when booking a reservation, but your preferred table isn’t guaranteed.

Getting There Is Half the Experience

Getting to the Cliffhouse means riding the North American sightseeing chairlift, an open two-person lift that takes roughly ten minutes to reach the top.

There’s no hiking or climbing involved.

The views start building almost immediately: first the ski runs and treetops below, then the Bow Valley begins opening up, followed by the wider sweep toward Mount Rundle and the surrounding peaks.

Keep an eye out for wildlife on the way up, too. We spotted some white-tailed deer during our ride.

Norquay is locally owned, and it doesn’t get the same attention as some of Banff’s bigger-name attractions. That makes it feel a little like a discovery, despite being only minutes from downtown.

You also don’t need a car. A complimentary shuttle runs between downtown Banff and the base of the mountain, with four pickup locations in town and service timed around the sightseeing chairlift.

The shuttle operates on one schedule from June 10 to Sept. 13 and another from Sept. 14 to Oct. 11.

What We Ate at Cliffhouse Bistro

The menu goes well beyond what you might expect from a mountaintop restaurant.

It’s built around Alberta-inspired dishes with a bit of urban polish, with shareable plates, all-day breakfast, paninis, wood-fired flatbreads, burgers and hearty salads.

Everything we tried was generously portioned and nicely plated.

We shared the Norquay 100 Nachos, loaded with tomato, onion, pepper, cilantro, jalapeño, avocado, salsa and sour cream, as well as the Charcuterie Platter, a spread of locally cured meats, artisanal cheeses, fruit, jams and housemade croûtes. The latter is a good call if you’re sharing.

From the mains, the Smashed Alberta Beef Burger is a solid pick if you’re arriving hungry, while the Poached Pear and Goat Cheese Salad was a lighter, well-balanced counterpoint.

We also tried the Shakshuka, which was a pleasant surprise to find on top of a mountain and looked and tasted beautiful.

On the drinks side, don’t skip the tea-infused cocktails.

They’re a nod to the building’s tearoom past and are made with local Wild Life Distillery spirits and Jolene’s Tea House teas.

We tried the Smokin’ Summer and Blackberry Ridge Spritz. Both were fun, tasty and well-made twists on the building’s tea house history.

If cocktails aren’t your thing, there’s also a proper loose-leaf tea list, along with a small but solid beer and wine selection featuring plenty of Alberta options.

The Atmosphere

When you arrive at the top of the chairlift, you can head straight into the restaurant. It’s just a small flight of stairs away.

But you’ll be hard-pressed not to check out the view first.

A short path leads to a viewing platform that you should absolutely visit before or after your meal.

Inside, you’re immediately met with a mid-century cabin feel. Despite the restaurant being fairly full when we arrived, we were able to snag a table by the window.

It feels more like a small ski lodge or a friend’s mountain cabin than a typical restaurant, just with a spectacular view.

Photos from the bistro’s former life as a tea house and its brushes with Hollywood line the walls and make you want to learn more about the building’s past.

That restored tearoom character gives the Cliffhouse a warmth that a purpose-built mountaintop restaurant usually doesn’t have.

How Much Does Cliffhouse Bistro Cost?

Getting to the Cliffhouse requires a sightseeing chairlift ticket.

As of August 2026, adult tickets are around $47, tickets for kids ages 6 to 15 are around $29, and family tickets are about $125. Infants ride free, and Bow Valley residents can ask guest services about local discounts.

Then there’s the meal itself.

Budget roughly $60 to $70 per person if you’re going all-in with appetizers, mains and drinks. If you’re stopping in for a quick bite while enjoying the view, you could spend closer to $25 per person.

Is It Worth It?

We 100% think so.

For the price of the chairlift ticket, you’re getting a genuine high-alpine view that many visitors probably don’t realize is this easy to reach, plus the option of having a proper meal rather than grabbing something from a snack bar.

If your goal is mountain scenery without the effort of a hike, this is about as good a return on a couple of hours as you’ll find near Banff.

And unlike many scenic attractions, the meal doesn’t feel like an afterthought. The Cliffhouse is somewhere we’d actually want to sit and eat even if the view weren’t doing quite so much heavy lifting.

Planning Your Visit

The chairlift and Cliffhouse typically operate daily through the summer season, roughly from mid-June into October.

Both the bistro and chairlift have separate summer and fall hours, and the final chairlift down generally leaves about half an hour after the restaurant closes. Check Mount Norquay’s current hours before heading up.

Mornings and early afternoons tend to offer great light for photos.

If you want fewer crowds, one option is to head up early, spend some time at the viewpoint and then have lunch when the bistro opens for full service at 11 a.m.

Not an early riser? Come up for a late lunch or early dinner, then take in the evening views before catching the chairlift down.

A Few Practical Notes

Getting there: Drive to the North American Lodge at Mount Norquay, about 15 minutes from downtown Banff, or take the complimentary shuttle from one of four stops downtown.

Reservations: You can reserve ahead online. It’s worth doing if you have a specific time in mind or really want to eat at the Cliffhouse during your visit.

What to wear: It’s noticeably cooler at the summit than in the valley, so bring a layer even on a warm day. You can warm up inside, but the outdoor viewing platform is a big part of the experience and you’ll want to be comfortable spending some time out there.

Our Take: Pros and a Few Things to Know

What We Liked

• A real mountaintop view with zero hiking required

• A menu that’s genuinely a step above what we expected from a mountaintop restaurant

• Tea-infused cocktails that are a clever, well-executed nod to the building’s history

• Generous portions on the shareable plates

• A small, historic dining room that feels completely different from a typical tourist attraction

A Few Things to Know

• It’s seasonal, so you can’t visit outside the summer and fall operating window

• The experience is weather-dependent. Clouds, smoke or haze can dramatically change the view

• You have to factor the chairlift ticket into the overall cost of the meal

• Window tables are limited, so requesting one doesn’t guarantee you’ll get it

Cliffhouse Bistro FAQ

Where is Cliffhouse Bistro?

Cliffhouse Bistro is near the summit of Mount Norquay, just outside Banff. You reach it by taking the North American sightseeing chairlift.

How do you get to Cliffhouse Bistro?

Take the North American sightseeing chairlift from Mount Norquay. The ride takes roughly ten minutes and requires no hiking.

A complimentary shuttle also runs from downtown Banff to the North American Lodge parking lot.

One thing to know: there are two lodges and two parking areas at Mount Norquay. The summer sightseeing chairlift that takes you to Cliffhouse Bistro is farther up the hill, so follow signs for North American Lodge and Via Ferrata.

Do you need a reservation for Cliffhouse Bistro?

If you have a specific time or schedule to stick to, a reservation is a good idea.

Norquay still feels like something of a hidden gem, so you may be fine without one depending on the day. Crowds can also vary based on Via Ferrata bookings and other visitors using the sightseeing chairlift.

What is on the Cliffhouse Bistro menu?

Cliffhouse Bistro serves all-day breakfast, shareable plates, paninis, flatbreads, burgers and salads, along with a full bar featuring tea-infused cocktails, local beer and other drinks.

Is Cliffhouse Bistro worth it?

Yes, especially if you’re looking for a restaurant with one of the best views in Banff.

You get a genuine high-alpine experience without hiking, followed by a full sit-down meal overlooking Mount Rundle, the Bow Valley and the Town of Banff.

The food is priced comparably to many restaurants in Banff, but there aren’t many places where this is the view from your table.

When is Cliffhouse Bistro open?

Cliffhouse Bistro operates seasonally, roughly from mid-June through mid-October.

For summer 2026, hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from June 10 to Sept. 13, with full food service from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The chairlift operates from 9 a.m. until the final ride at 7:30 p.m.

In fall, full service at Cliffhouse Bistro runs from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the chairlift operating from 10 a.m. until the final ride at 6:30 p.m.