Recently, my colleagues and I found ourselves in Jasper for a business trip. Though our visit was work-related, we made some time for ourselves—a guy’s gotta eat, right?

During an early evening visit to The Whisky Jack Grill, we noticed a sign promoting $4 happy hour pints until 6:30 pm. “What’s on tap?” I asked. “Amongst others, we have Urquell Pilsner from Czechoslovakia, and Jasper Brewing Company 6060 Stout,” answered the hostess.

Excellent beer at an unbeatable price is not a hard sell, so we found a seat at the bar where we could watch the hockey game. We quaffed our brews and stayed for a meal. We were enticed by The Whisky Jack’s compelling chalkboard specials.

I ordered the seafood primavera—fresh mussels, giant shrimp and fish (including salmon) in a creamy garlic sauce over spaghetti for $20. My associate, Chuks, is a meat and potatoes man, so he chose the beef tenderloin in a mushroom wine sauce with a medley of cherry tomatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts and bok choy for $30.

Refusing to be outdone, Ken ordered the meaty, fall-off-the-bone ribs with a pile of crisp spicy fries, and a big mound of creamy slaw for $28. “Is it good?” I asked. Ken smiled broadly and said “yes!”

The following day we found refuge after our business day at Something Else, a Greek-inspired steakhouse operated by two generations of the Balomenos family. We decided to put the owners’ Greek heritage to the test: “three souvlaki platters, please.” Chuks and I ordered lamb with Greek salad, while Ken opted for chicken and a Caesar salad (the platters were $23 and $24 each). Something Else offers Jasper Brewing Company beers on tap, so we ordered three pints to complement our meals.

The meat for our souvlakis was flavourful and tender, which reflected the pre-cooking marinade and flame-broiled finish. The rice was Mediterranean-spiced, while the salads incorporated plenty of fresh vegetables, generous amounts of cheese and tasty dressings.

For Chuks and Ken, no meal is complete without dessert. So, befitting the Greek theme of our meal, they each ordered a baklava (while I ordered a fork so I could hive off a taste). The dessert met our approval and we consumed every morsel with gusto.

On the morning of our last day in Jasper, we received a hot tip from a client; “Check out the $8 brunch special at Earls,” he suggested. From 11 am to noon, Earls offers a great deal: six breakfast-style choices with upscale twists that normally cost $10 to $16. Naturally, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to indulge ourselves during the most important meal of the day.

Following my mother’s advice that “you are what you eat,” I ordered the avocado super brunch. Eggs, tomatoes, radishes and hemp seeds on a baguette dressed with olive oil and served with a side salad. Ignoring their mothers’ advice, my companions both ordered classic eggs Benedict with buttery hollandaise and fried potatoes. To alleviate his guilt, Ken offered to split his meal with me. I agreed, feigning reluctance. But really, I‘m a closet eggs Benedict fan (so thanks, Ken).

My colleagues and I are big fans of coffee. In Jasper, our favourite place for java is SnowDome Coffee Bar, eclectically located in the town centre laundromat. Here, latte art depicting trees is so yesterday. Instead, our talented barista produced an elephant, a dragon and fish bones on top of the perfect coffee crema.

SnowDome’s big gourmet muffins are incredibly tasty. One morning we arrived before 8 am and to our delight, the muffins were still hot from the oven.

We like doing business in Jasper. Our clients are friendly, the small-town atmosphere has plenty of charm, and as a bonus, there is no shortage of excellent places for good food and drink.Work to Eat: How to Enhance a Jasper Business Trip.