A food tour of Jasper’s newest restaurants

Situated 1,000 metres above sea level and surrounded by mountains and glaciers, Jasper has long been known for its breathtaking scenery, but it may soon have a reputation for elevated cuisine as well.

In 2019, Banff Jasper Pursuit Collection acquired controlling interest in Mountain Park Lodges. Since the acquisition, Pursuit has been sprucing up the properties with a new coat of paint here, a rebuild there, and a revamp of the culinary offerings. I along with a group of food and travel writers were invited to check out the progress and sample the menus.

We visited five restaurants, including one in Banff, in 48 hours. Before we get to those however, respect must be paid to what has made Jasper National Park an international bucket-list attraction.

For the uninitiated — i.e., me — the three hours on the highway from Banff to Jasper (Highway 1 then Highway 93) were a revelation. The drive took us along the Icefields Parkway, past glacial lakes and rivers, towering mountain peaks, great swathes of pines, and cliff-face waterfalls. It’s no wonder that National Geographic called “these 181 dramatic miles of Alberta… one of the most spectacular drives in the world.”