Guide to Restaurants in Kelowna

Wine and food go together like… well, wine and food. Wine pairings with gastronomy have gone together since time immemorial, and this means that wherever you find vineyards and winemakers, you’ll usually find chefs and restauranteurs. This is perhaps why the food in Kelowna — and the Okanagan Valley, more generally — is excellent. The other reason is that we grow so much of our produce that we have access to a range of local organic ingredients that elevate all regional restaurants.

At Wicked Tours, we’ve noticed that some wine-focused restaurants aren’t quite as good as their reputations. This makes it difficult for visitors to find the best food during their stay. So, we’ve written this guide: we’ve lived and dined here for many years, and we know what we’re talking about. However, it’s also important to say that this is our guide to Kelowna restaurants and that other people’s mileage may vary.

If anything we say in this food guide makes you want to book an experience with Wicked Tours, look at our Kelowna Wine Tasting Tour Packages. And you might also like to try our Lakeshore Wine Tasting Experience.

---

Central Kitchen + Bar might not have the sexiest name globally, but they know what they’re doing and do it well. You’ll find a well-rounded wine list full of Okanagan stalwarts, and there are also excellent local spirits, craft beer, and cider. The food menu offers a diverse range of options, such as poke bowls, Korean chicken, and delicious burgers. This first recommendation is a solid place for anyone looking for a tasty meal and a consistently good time.

This excellent bistro creates some of the best food in Kelowna, and it does this with a sense of style and consistency. Sometimes nothing compares to French cuisine. Sometimes you need a rich bouillabaisse, a hearty cassoulet, or an authentic crème brulée. You will notice that the wine menu is a delightful combination of local wines alongside French wines. Why not taste and compare?

Waterfront Wines offers a consistent fine-dining experience with creative and intelligent dishes that have earned several local awards and accolades. With a strong emphasis on local and organic ingredients, this restaurant champions local produce and local flavours. However, Waterfront Wines also offers a range of international wines to taste alongside local Okanagan wines.

---

For almost fifty years, La Bussola has been a family-run Italian restaurant offering delicious fine-dining experiences to locals and visitors alike. Hailing from Salerno, Italy, the Cocarro’s brought their local cuisine and enthusiasm for high-quality ingredients. La Bussola makes the most of the Okanagan Valley’s incredible local produce, and it has an impressive wine list that has won local awards.

We’ve got too many fine-dining options on this list; sometimes, you want a killer pizza, tasty tacos, or a delicious bowl of nachos. That’s where DunnEnzies Pizza comes in, and it more than deserves its place on this list. Because you can’t eat at fine-dining places every day. Sometimes you need some proper grub, craft beer, and local cider!

This next option is particularly unique as it involves a trip to Okanagan College, where the culinary students will cook for you. As you might expect, there are considerable savings at Infusions. Still, you also get to try some of the Okanagan’s most exciting and innovative cuisines while supporting students and the future of Kelowna’s culinary scene. This is a bring-your-own-wine affair, but you shouldn’t have any problems as you can buy delicious local wine everywhere in Kelowna!

There are just two words for you: tomahawk steaks! The Modest Butcher is the perfect spot if you love a good steak. The meat is locally sourced and all cooked to the highest standards. Because we’re always thinking about wine, we’re pleased to report that Modest Butcher has an excellent range of Okanagan Wines. They have their vineyard, but they also stock other Okanagan wines — this is unusually modest (as most vineyard eateries only stock their wines), so The Modest Butcher more than earns its moniker.

Like with DunnEnzies, sometimes you want a big plate of delicious food without the fanfare — which you can get at Mamma Rosa. This is great, authentic Italian food but at low prices. Expect large portions of pasta, Italian wines (and some local wines), and a warm Italian atmosphere.

That’s all we have time for this guide, but perhaps we’ll come back to add a few more excellent eateries. Honestly, the food in Kelowna is impressive, and you probably can’t choose an objectively lousy spot. However, we hope this guide has helped you find the right place for your appetite! Start planning your big Kelowna trip! If you have any questions about anything related to our entire range of Okanagan Wine Tours, please feel free to reach out.