Guidebook for Kelowna
Food Scene
They're a short 6 minute walk away, next to the best chocolate shop imaginable. It's called Canoe, but they serve the actual coffee out of an adorable trailer parked in their space. AND, right next door is the best chocolate shop, Karat Chocolates, which is brand new. They make the most amazing things. I've never tried to eat a chocolate so SLOWLY, to make it last.
42 locals recommend
Bright Jenny Coffee
984 Laurel AveThey're a short 6 minute walk away, next to the best chocolate shop imaginable. It's called Canoe, but they serve the actual coffee out of an adorable trailer parked in their space. AND, right next door is the best chocolate shop, Karat Chocolates, which is brand new. They make the most amazing things. I've never tried to eat a chocolate so SLOWLY, to make it last.
This is one our favourite places. The food is great, the pricing is fair for quality dining (cheaper than the Keg, probably), and the staff and atmosphere are great. They source a lot of local food, even from friends of our who grow locally. Arrive for 6pm for shorter wait times. They don't take reservations. You can always grab a drink two doors up at Micro while you wait. They'll call you from there when your table is ready.
195 locals recommend
Raudz Regional Table
1560 Water StThis is one our favourite places. The food is great, the pricing is fair for quality dining (cheaper than the Keg, probably), and the staff and atmosphere are great. They source a lot of local food, even from friends of our who grow locally. Arrive for 6pm for shorter wait times. They don't take reservations. You can always grab a drink two doors up at Micro while you wait. They'll call you from there when your table is ready.
Hands down one of my favourite Japanese restaurants ever, anywhere. The pricing is excellent and the food is always surprising and yummy. Everybody loves this place. It's no-fuss goodness. Not focussing on raw fish sushi, it's izakaya, so a tapas-style approach, with an inventive menu.
15 locals recommend
Wasabi Ramen and Izakaya
1623 Pandosy StHands down one of my favourite Japanese restaurants ever, anywhere. The pricing is excellent and the food is always surprising and yummy. Everybody loves this place. It's no-fuss goodness. Not focussing on raw fish sushi, it's izakaya, so a tapas-style approach, with an inventive menu.
3rd generation chocolatier, Sandrine makes amazing things. Her macarons are to die for. So are the croissants. And the fleur de sel caramel chocolates. YUM!!
7 locals recommend
Sandrine French Pastry and Chocolate
1865 Dilworth Dr3rd generation chocolatier, Sandrine makes amazing things. Her macarons are to die for. So are the croissants. And the fleur de sel caramel chocolates. YUM!!
There are four things to love about this place-- the gelato!, the cheeses, the drive out, and the GOATS. This is a great option for people allergic to dairy, because it's goat milk gelato, and it's delicious. The cheeses are excellent too. It's a great spot for families. I like to get ice cream and then stop at Bertram Creek Regional Park on the way back. It's a lovely park, with two great beaches.
53 locals recommend
Carmelis Alpine Goat Cheese Artisan
170 Timberline RdThere are four things to love about this place-- the gelato!, the cheeses, the drive out, and the GOATS. This is a great option for people allergic to dairy, because it's goat milk gelato, and it's delicious. The cheeses are excellent too. It's a great spot for families. I like to get ice cream and then stop at Bertram Creek Regional Park on the way back. It's a lovely park, with two great beaches.
This is a great coffee shop, with hands down the BEST bread in the city. It's exceptional. Upstairs is a great place to do a little work.
48 locals recommend
Sprout Bread
1295 Cannery LnThis is a great coffee shop, with hands down the BEST bread in the city. It's exceptional. Upstairs is a great place to do a little work.
We love this little hole-in-the-wall salvadorean restaurant.
16 locals recommend
Latin Fiesta - Dos Chiles Restaurant
400B Highway 33 WestWe love this little hole-in-the-wall salvadorean restaurant.
This place is downtown. It's got great food--surprising for its originality and price point. The food is way better than you expect, cuz it looks like a high end cafeteria. But the chef is so freaking smart.
12 locals recommend
Gather Restaurant
460 Doyle AveThis place is downtown. It's got great food--surprising for its originality and price point. The food is way better than you expect, cuz it looks like a high end cafeteria. But the chef is so freaking smart.
A great place for a romantic night out. Mid-to-higher range price point (like Raudz). The food is so delish. We love sitting at the bar and watching what happens in the kitchen. It's easier to get a table on an evening if you reserve. Or sit at the bar. YUMMMMM.
49 locals recommend
KRAFTY kitchen + bar
281 Lawrence AveA great place for a romantic night out. Mid-to-higher range price point (like Raudz). The food is so delish. We love sitting at the bar and watching what happens in the kitchen. It's easier to get a table on an evening if you reserve. Or sit at the bar. YUMMMMM.
There are 5 of these locations. The coffee is great at all of them. This location is the closest to us (and owned by a young woman), but there's another just a few blocks away downtown. Each location is a locally-owned branch of the local "franchise".
Bean Scene Coffee Works North
1399 Ellis StThere are 5 of these locations. The coffee is great at all of them. This location is the closest to us (and owned by a young woman), but there's another just a few blocks away downtown. Each location is a locally-owned branch of the local "franchise".
We love this little shop. You'll leave with your clothes smelling of the place, but it's worth it. Cheap, yummy as all heck, and fun to eat. The crepes are HUGE. And who doesn't love to eat with their hands?
9 locals recommend
Dosa Crepe Cafe
110 Gray RdWe love this little shop. You'll leave with your clothes smelling of the place, but it's worth it. Cheap, yummy as all heck, and fun to eat. The crepes are HUGE. And who doesn't love to eat with their hands?
Veggie restaurant. Great food. Fun ambience. Locally-owned. We love eating here. It's pricey for 'veggie food', as the small towners grumble, but the menu is really good. They know what they're doing.
41 locals recommend
Frankie We Salute You!
1717 Harvey AvenueVeggie restaurant. Great food. Fun ambience. Locally-owned. We love eating here. It's pricey for 'veggie food', as the small towners grumble, but the menu is really good. They know what they're doing.
Single-handedly the best chocolate place in the west of Canada. The pastries are amazing. This place ruined other chocolate shops for me. I love this place. Ask (or check next to the till) to see if they have a bag of 'uglies', which are less than half price. You don't feel guilty eating five in a row (so I'm told, we'd never do that ourselves...).
20 locals recommend
Karat Chocolate
1526 Ellis StSingle-handedly the best chocolate place in the west of Canada. The pastries are amazing. This place ruined other chocolate shops for me. I love this place. Ask (or check next to the till) to see if they have a bag of 'uglies', which are less than half price. You don't feel guilty eating five in a row (so I'm told, we'd never do that ourselves...).
Great spot for groceries. Cheaper than most places. Great hiring policy, which we like.
11 locals recommend
Peter's Your Independent Grocer
1835 Gordon DrGreat spot for groceries. Cheaper than most places. Great hiring policy, which we like.
A little further away from us, but this is also a great spot for economical groceries. And houseware stuff.
40 locals recommend
Real Canadian Superstore
2280 Baron RdA little further away from us, but this is also a great spot for economical groceries. And houseware stuff.
Fun place. A 70s aesthetic. Reasonably priced. Really yummy. Super fun chill spot for hanging out and looking adorable.
32 locals recommend
Skinny Duke's Glorious Emporium
1481 Water StFun place. A 70s aesthetic. Reasonably priced. Really yummy. Super fun chill spot for hanging out and looking adorable.
Shopping
Nobody leaves here without something cute. Great place to buy a gift for your partner, or yourself. I love this shop. The owners are friends, but I can only visit them on days that I want to shop, cuz everything is great in this store. Mostly local products.
26 locals recommend
Funktional
447 Bernard AveNobody leaves here without something cute. Great place to buy a gift for your partner, or yourself. I love this shop. The owners are friends, but I can only visit them on days that I want to shop, cuz everything is great in this store. Mostly local products.
Entertainment & Activities
Not a zoo, really, because you get to interact with the animals. This place has kangaroos and wallabies and all sorts of other weird animals. People LOVE this place. My sister mentions it every time she sees me. It's especially amazing when they have baby joeys.
260 locals recommend
Kangaroo Creek Farm
5932 Old Vernon RoadNot a zoo, really, because you get to interact with the animals. This place has kangaroos and wallabies and all sorts of other weird animals. People LOVE this place. My sister mentions it every time she sees me. It's especially amazing when they have baby joeys.
Parks & Nature
This is a bit out of town, so you'd need a car to get here, but this is hands down my favourite beach in Kelowna. It's not as busy, and the views from here are amazing, especially when you're IN the water. The whole valley opens up. There are two beaches-- the sandy one is easy to spot, but over the rock on the far left of that beach (you walk up along the trail following the rock face and then back down the other side) is a pebble beach with pretty much nobody there. We got married at this park. It's a beautiful spot. Early mornings, you might see deer. AND, it's a short drive from here to Carmelis goat farm, for gelato and cheese.
54 locals recommend
Bertram Creek Regional Park
5680 Lakeshore RdThis is a bit out of town, so you'd need a car to get here, but this is hands down my favourite beach in Kelowna. It's not as busy, and the views from here are amazing, especially when you're IN the water. The whole valley opens up. There are two beaches-- the sandy one is easy to spot, but over the rock on the far left of that beach (you walk up along the trail following the rock face and then back down the other side) is a pebble beach with pretty much nobody there. We got married at this park. It's a beautiful spot. Early mornings, you might see deer. AND, it's a short drive from here to Carmelis goat farm, for gelato and cheese.
This is a spot hardly anyone makes use of. A free Japanese garden, immaculate, really pretty, super quiet. This is a great date location, to sit and chat. Bring a beverage maybe, and cuddle up. There's hardly anyone ever here. I love it.
56 locals recommend
Kasugai Japanese Garden
1435 Water StThis is a spot hardly anyone makes use of. A free Japanese garden, immaculate, really pretty, super quiet. This is a great date location, to sit and chat. Bring a beverage maybe, and cuddle up. There's hardly anyone ever here. I love it.
Arts & Culture
Kelowna Art Gallery
1315 Water StAlternator Centre for Contemporary Art
421 Cawston AveDrinks & Nightlife
This place is always packed. It's got great atmosphere. Caters more to a younger crowd (but I go, haha). AND, I recommend eating here, as much as having a drink. We are always impressed with the food. Their menu is inventive and the food is freaking delicious. Not the place to do for a quiet time. Definitely the place to go for people-watching or rubbing elbows. And eating.
270 locals recommend
BNA Brewing Co. & Eatery
1250 Ellis StThis place is always packed. It's got great atmosphere. Caters more to a younger crowd (but I go, haha). AND, I recommend eating here, as much as having a drink. We are always impressed with the food. Their menu is inventive and the food is freaking delicious. Not the place to do for a quiet time. Definitely the place to go for people-watching or rubbing elbows. And eating.