I know I say this every year but Kelowna’s foodie scene is booming and 2019 is no different.
Would you believe it if I told you there are 11 spots I want you to check out this year?! Compared to last year we are growing at an unprecedented rate.
Breweries are popping up as quickly as my sister & her friends when I mention free wine. Plant based menus are THE trend this year with restaurants catering to the vegetarian and vegan demographic that is on the rise. And my prayers have been answered with our own cheese shop.
Let me know which of these you are most excited to try in comments below!
Upside Cider
Arriving by plane or maybe you’re heading out of Kelowna to do some wine tasting in Lake Country? Then make this your first stop located just a minute’s drive from the Kelowna airport. An organic farm pouring ciders made from the orchard. Can’t get any more quintessential Okanagan than this!
An added bonus is that they also serve ciders, beers and kombucha from other producers and they’ve got an onsite organic market.
Forbidden Spirits
Need something stronger than cider?
How about a vodka martini made from apples? Another Okanagan gem is Forbidden Spirits serving up two vodkas one of which is premium distilled, they say, 50 times!
Gin, whiskey and food service is on the horizon but for now enjoy a vodka tasting and a shaken martini or gimlet to be enjoyed on the patio in East Kelowna.
Frankie, We Salute You! (FWSY!)
Plant based restaurant located in what used to be the VW car lot in the Landmark building area.
Carrot dusted popcorn, vegetarian burgers, mushroom ragu and flavourful cocktails make this a fantastic weekday hangout with the girls. The small local wine list is pretty good too.
Orchard Room
Another plant based menu with fish and meat options for the unavoidable carnivores in your life. But this is the place to go for fun cocktails before or after dinner. A fun atmosphere adorned with pink hues and palms. Tacos have just been added to the menu too!
Skinny Duke’s Emporium
Brought to you by the people behind my favourite hangout, BNA. The atmosphere feels like Quentin Tarantino’s film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, in set design not goriness. 1970s decor, orange hued carpeting and lamp shades, retro booths and a menu with a kitschy vibe – cocktails served in tiki glasses, dim sum dumplings, sweet & sour chicken, carbonara and pizza served out of the brick oven upstairs. This is my new downtown hangout!
Pro tip: make a reservation for the upstairs or get here when it opens at 5 pm to snag a spot!
Warning: We sat at the upstairs bar facing the brick pizza oven on a hot summer evening. Be prepared to sweat a little along with the chefs.
Barn Owl Brewing
A new brewery in the lower mission keeping good company with It’s a Bakery, Mod Salon, and kitty corner to Dunnenzies. Barn Owl Brewing is located in the big red barn which dates back 100 years. The Mod Salon space was a brothel during the 60s and all this history is located right next to an old Tudor-style church and graveyard dating back to 1910. It’s a very cool area of Kelowna that many tourists don’t normally get to see unless they are on their way to the local wineries in the area.
Stop in, grab a growler or a pint and sit in this converted barn to contemplate the irony of a brothel and a church located next door to each other.
Jack Knife Brewery
Ok so I cheated a bit with this one. It isn’t yet built but coming soon (fall 2019) to Kelowna right next to Kettle River Brewing. Makes sense as this new brewery owner was part of the KRB beginnings and success. He’s also married to a published writer colleague, Dania Tomlinson, from my UBC Okanagan days so I am cheering them both on!
Copper Brewing
Opening any day now! Another new space to check out around the Landmark building area which is in my mind another foodie hub for locals and tourists alike. You’ve got multiple breweries, montREALfood, Start Fresh Kitchen, QB Gelato, Dunnenzies and Frankie We Salute You! all in one convenient walkable area. Keep an eye on their Instagram account for news about a grand opening.
Rustic Reel Brewing
Boss babe Susi Foerg built Rustic Reel Brewing which is about to open downtown next to Sandhill Wines’ urban winery. I’m going to have to update my DIY walking tour of downtown Kelowna with the rate the city is producing quality beer, wine and dinning options! Again, it is opening soon so check out their Instagram to stay up to date on grand opening news.
Perseval & Young Cheesemongers
Ok, so this is the biggest news for me. Kelowna is getting our own cheese shop. I thought it was dream. I thought these types of stores only open in quaint areas of European cities I experienced in Ireland France or Italy. I immediately e-mailed the owners asking to please be inviting to the soft opening if they have time to remember little old me! A dedicated post coming soon on the glorious world of Perseval & Young cheesemongers.
Dunnenzies
This pizza parlour has been apart of the Kelowna food scene for years. It was a popular place to go after you’ve been bar hopping downtown. You’d grab a slice or a whole pie before you head home after the evening was done. Since then they have added locations by the airport, landmark buildings, and now, my neighbourhood, in the mission. But this location is special because they have an outdoor space with a giant tree that has been a fixture in the neighbourhood as long as the St Andrews tudor-style church across the street. They also have weekly live music. It is a welcomed addition to the area and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Their pizza is good, yes, but I’m in love with their tacos!
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Thanks for this post Murissa, nice to have someone compile the info in one place.