SAVOUR B.C.’S VALLEY VIBE
Superb food and drink experiences in the Okanagan
SHELLEY BOETTCHER
Every year, since I was about eight years old, I’ve been visiting the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. That translates to well over 40 visits. (I’m getting old.)
As you can probably tell, I’m a convert. I don’t have to be sold on why the valley is wonderful. With its rolling hills, vineyards, orchards and summertime heat, it’s a gem in the heart of Canada’s westernmost province.
But every time I’m there, I discover a new place or two that make the trip extra-special. Yes, we visit wineries, new and old, but we don’t just stop there.
We check out the newest restaurants and time-tested favourites. We shop and we drive, up and down the valley. Occasionally, we hike or swim or take in a spa. And sometimes we just loaf around on patios, watching the world go by.
While there are good things to see throughout the valley, I prefer to make our home base in Kelowna or Penticton — ideally, a few days in both.
Here are 19 of my favourite places to visit:
KELOWNA
1. From the outside, Pulp Fiction Coffee House may not look like much. But inside, on a typical Saturday morning, it will be bustling with locals enjoying coffee or kombucha. Browse through the walls of vintage books and antiques, or just sit and sip.
2. Love live jazz? Make a reservation for the jazz brunch at Quails’ Gate Winery on Sunday morning. Eat eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, perhaps, while overlooking the vineyards, and try wines from some of the region’s top estates.
3. Oh, sweet thing. I dare you to stop at just one of the rainbowhued macarons from Sandrine French Pastry and Chocolate. If macarons aren’t your style, try a pain au chocolate. Mmm.
4. If you’re looking for a unique souvenir, Alchemy is the place to shop, especially for the playful, modern, sexy (trust me) resined wood and clay works by Entouquet, artists who work nearby, in Lake Country. You’ll find Sandrine’s macarons and chocolate here, too.
5. Meat lovers’ paradise, Salted Brick is small but excellent, specializing in locally made charcuterie, local wines and artisan cheeses. The place for nibblers.
6. Julian Helman at Karat Chocolate takes some of the world’s finest chocolate and adds local ingredients, lavender or cherries or freeze-dried Cabernet Sauvignon. (Apparently, it’s a thing.) Chocoholics won’t be disappointed.
7. Hang out with the locals during happy hour Fridays from
5 to 7 p.m. at Sandhill Wines’ downtown tasting room. Get a glass of the Small Lots Malbec for five bucks. You can’t buy it yet in Alberta.
8. The Delta Hotels by Marriot Grand Resort is one of the finest hotels in town, and the restaurant’s a winner, too. Oak & Cru offers excellent cocktails made with local ingredients by an enthusiastic team.
9. You’re a musician? Book an hour of free recording time at Frequency Wine & Sound. Yes, a winery. Or just show up to check out the groovy ambience.
10. Breweries are popping up everywhere in Western Canada these days, and Kelowna has many, including Tree Brewing and BNA Brewing (a lively spot for dinner, too.) Kettle River Brewing Co. is one of the newest players in town. Stop for a pint or a growler to go.
PENTICTON
1. No visit to Penticton would be complete without tacos on the patio at Tacos del Norte. You can’t miss the little bright yellow building downtown. The ingredients are so fresh and full of flavour; I’m craving one as I write.
2. I never leave empty-handed from a visit to The Book Shop, a 5,000-square-foot used bookstore. Poetry, manga, biographies, history, collectibles, as well as gently used current bestsellers — it’s all here.
3. Liquidity Winery’s bistro, 20 minutes outside of Penticton, was recently named one of the Top 50 places for brunch in Canada by Open Table, which looked at reviews from 480,000 diners at more than 2,000 restaurants across Canada. Liquidity’s dinners (and wines) are also exceptional, and art lovers will enjoy work by the likes of Jeff Burgess, Charles Malinsky and Martha Sturdy.
4. When Time Winery opens this summer, it’ll be a game changer for downtown Penticton. The city’s first urban winery, Time will give visitors a chance to visit a winery without leaving town. There will be a cool on-premise restaurant, tasting room and a big patio, too.
5. The Bench Market is the place to stop for your morning latte, plus in-house baking and homey lunch offerings. A popular spot for local cyclists heading to (or from) the Kettle Valley Trail.
6. By late afternoon, the patio at Bad Tattoo Brewing will be busy, but don’t let that stop you from getting in line. The beer is excellent and the flatbread pizzas will fortify you while you plan your next day’s excursions.
7. The Penticton Lakeside Resort and Convention Centre location can’t be beat; many rooms overlook the lake, and you’re mere metres from the Hooded Merganser restaurant, one of the city’s top eateries. The resort just opened a new west wing, featuring 70 modern rooms.
8. I pack home a wheel of U&Brie cheese every time I visit the darling Upper Bench Estate Winery and Creamery, and on a warm day, the patio is both simple and elegant.
9. Up for a drive? On the way toward Oliver, just before Road 13 Winery, you’ll spot a sign for Mexican food and a couple of flags. Stop. Attached to a small Indian grocery, this little shack offers one of the most authentic Mexican culinary experiences this side of the Canadian border. Don’t be fooled by the inexpensive prices. Portions are huge; 10 bucks gets you enough food for two.