Kaleden landmark caters to its friends

entering the restaurant and thinking “You’re not as tall as I thought you were.’’

She adds, “Fred King, our MP in the 80s, and his whole family have been coming here for years.”

Agnes and Ray Ayotte of Okanagan Falls were customers when it was an 18-seat diner and they still are.

Agnes declared “the eggs Benedict are excellent, but they only make them on Sundays. Dave is up at 5 a.m. whipping up the Hollandaise sauce from scratch and it stays fresh only for the day.”

With its unpretentious exterior, Kaleden Restaurant is located on Highway 97, 10 km south of Penticton. It has ample parking, wheelchair access, and within, the atmosphere is cozy, homey and friendly.

Over the years, many travellers, friends and family sat on the patio enjoying the spectacular view of Skaha Lake, the vineyards, the orchards, and south Penticton, while savouring a delicious, old-fashioned, home-cooked meal (gluten-free options available), served with a local wine, and for dessert, a delectable local fruit pie baked by mom and dad that morning. Ah, life in the Valley!

Kaleden Restaurant is rated 4.5 out of 5 by TripAdvisor and 94 per cent like it on urbanspoon.com.

At Halloween, the restaurant and patio are extensively decorated with pumpkins, ghosts and a full complement of spooky critters.

Their sons, Jeremy and Jason, have operated the “good home cooking” business for the last five years, with granddaughter Nyah serving at banquets and special occasions when reservations are recommended, like Mother’s and Father’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

Forty years in the restaurant business says of lot about the food quality and the hospitable Meller family.

Today, three generations work at the Kaleden Restaurant, and the tradition continues ... “Enter as guests and leave as friends.”