At an elevation of 2,347 meters (7,700 feet), the
Eagle’s Eye is the crowning glory of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (250/439-5400 or 866/754-5425, daily from 10 a.m.) and is Canada’s highest restaurant. Access is by gondola from the resort’s base village, 13 kilometers (eight miles) west of downtown Golden. As you’d expect, the views are stunning and are set off by a stylish timber and stonework interior, including a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and a wide wraparound deck protected from the wind by glass paneling.

It’s open in summer daily for a lunch costing adult $49, senior $42, child $22, which includes the gondola ride. Between 7 and 10 p.m. on Friday evenings, the setting becomes more romantic and the food more adventurous but remains distinctly Canadian. Dinner mains range $25–40 and include such delights as salmon baked in a saffron-vanilla cream and served with strawberry salsa ($28).

Start your day with the locals at the Golden Bakery & Deli (419 9th Ave., 250/344-2928, Mon.–Sat. 6:30 a.m.–6 p.m., $5–8), where the coffee is always fresh and the faces friendly. Baked goodies include breads, pastries, cakes, and meat pies, with inexpensive daily specials displayed on a blackboard in a seated section off to the side of the main counter.