2012 Best Restaurants

Our readers choose their favourites in a host of categories and Okanagan Life brings you the results. Welcome to the 18th Annual Best Restaurants issue. Perhaps above all others, this is the keeper magazine of the year. Readers try new restaurants all the time and you can expand your dining experience by referring to these listings throughout the year. Get ready to dine—Okanagan Life style!

Unless otherwise stated:

Central = Kelowna   

North = Vernon   

South = Penticton

CATEGORIES

BEST CULTURAL DINING: Local/Regional Restaurant | Northern European | Mediterranean | Mexican/Latin | Asian Fusion | Indian

BEST ATMOSPHERE: Decor | Winery Restaurant | Restaurant With a View | Dining With Live Music | Place for a Party | Patio Dining | Romantic Dining | Place for a Meeting

BEST MEAL SPOTS: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Casual Dining/Bistro | Family Restaurant | Buffet | Wine Bar | Sports/Pub | Late Night Bite (after 9 pm)

BEST CRAVINGS: Tapas/Appies | Soup | Salad | Seafood | Poultry | Steak | Vegetarian | Sandwich/Wrap/Panini | Burger | French Fries | Fish & Chips | Pizza | Sushi | Ice Cream | Dessert

BEST OF THE REST: Bakery | Place to Buy Fruit & Veggies | Health/Natural Food Store | Coffee/Tea House/Herbs & Spices | Caterer | Fast Food | Local White Wine | Local Red Wine | Local Beer

 

BEST CULTURAL DINING

Best Local / Regional Restaurant

Central

1 RauDZ Regional Table

2 Cactus Club

3 La Bussola

3 Fixx Cafe

North

1 Anchor Inn (Armstrong)

2 Allora (Silver Star)

3 Range at Predator Ridge

3 The Phoenix Steakhouse

South

1 Local Lounge • Grille (Summerland)

2 Hooded Merganser

3 Firehall Bistro (Oliver)

Best Northern European

Central

1 Gasthaus on the Lake (Peachland)

2 Wood Fire Bakery

3 Bouchons Bistro

North

1 Isidore’s Cuisine (Silver Star)

2 Crush Bistro

South

1 Bogner’s of Penticton

Best Mediterranean

Central

1 Ricardo’s Mediterranean Kitchen

2 Olympia Greek Taverna

3 Yamas Taverna

North

1 Intermezzo

2 Eclectic Med

3 Dorian Greek Taverna

South

1 Theo’s Restaurant

2 La Casa Ouzeria

Best Mexican / Latin

Central

1 Hector’s Casa

2 Fernando’s Taqueria

3 DJ’s Mexican Restaurant

North

1 Little Tex

2 Los Huesos

3 Rio Grande

South

1 Vallarta Grill

Best Asian Fusion

Central

1 Yamato’s

2 Mekong

3 Hoang Gia Vietnamese

North

1 Pho Fusion

1 Bamboo Beach Fusion Grille

2 Temptasian

3 Amarin Thai

South

1 Benja Thai

2 Isshin

3 Saigon on Main

Best Indian

Central

1 Dawett

2 Poppadoms

3 Da Tandoor

3 Chutney

North

1 The Palace

2 Curry Pot

South

1 Best of India (Oliver)

2 Navratan

3 Haveli

 

BEST ATMOSPHERE

Best Décor

Central

1 Joeys Kelowna

2 RauDZ Regional Table

3 Vintage Room

3 The Yellow House

North

1 Earls

2 Intermezzo

3 The Pheonix Steakhouse

South

1 Theo’s Restaurant

2 La Casa Ouzeria

3 The Cobblestone (Naramata)

Best Winery Restaurant

Central

1 Old Vines at Quails’ Gate (West Kelowna)

2 Grapevine at Gray Monk (Lake Country)

3 The Terrace at Mission Hill (West Kelowna)

South

1 Miradoro at Tinhorn Creek (Oliver)

2 Sonora Room at Burrowing Owl (Oliver)

3 Hillside Winery Bistro

Best Restaurant With A View

Central

1 Grapevine at Gray Monk (Lake Country)

2 Earls

2 The Harvest Grille

3 Old Vines at Quails’ Gate (West Kelowna)

North

1 Blue Heron Waterfront Pub

2 Alexander’s Beach Pub

3 Freddy’s Patio at The Rise

South

1 Hooded Merganser

2 Lost Moose Lodge

3 Miradoro at Tinhorn Creek (Oliver)

Best Dining With Live Music

Central

1 Minstral Cafe

2 Ricardo’s Mediterranean Kitchen

3 The Blue Gator

North

1 Monashee’s Bar & Grill

2 Lorenzo’s Café (Enderby)

3 Crush Bistro

South

1 Dream Cafe

2 Zias Stonehouse (Summerland)

Best Place For A Party

Central

1 Kelly O’Bryan’s

2 The Harvest Grille

2 Gasthaus on the Lake (Peachland)

3 Cabana Grille

North

1 Monashee’s Bar & Grill

2 Kelly O’Bryan’s

3 Eclectic Med

South

1 Theo’s Restaurant

2 Salty’s Beach House

3 Firehall Bistro (Oliver)

3 Camp Creek Station (Naramata)

Best Patio Dining

Central

1 Earls on Top

2 Eldorado Dining Room

2 The Harvest Grille

3 Sunset Bistro at Summerhill

North

1 Alexander’s Beach Pub

1 Range at Predator Ridge

2 Sir Winston’s Pub

3 Blue Heron Waterfront Pub

South

1 Salty’s Beach House

1 The Patio at Lake Breeze (Naramata)

2 Sage & Vines Bistro

3 Hooded Merganser

Best Romantic Dining

Central

1 Eldorado Dining Room

2 The Yellow House

3 Earls on Top

North

1 Intermezzo

2 Eclectic Med

South

1 Hooded Merganser

2 Local Lounge • Grille (Summerland)

3 Bogner’s of Penticton

Best Place For A Meeting

Central

1 Eldorado Dining Room

1 The Harvest Grille

2 Chop Steakhouse Bar

3 19 Okanagan Bar + Grille (West Kelowna)

North

1 Vernon Lodge (Best Western)

South

1 Theo’s Restaurant

2 The Copper Cup

3 Medici’s Gelateria (Oliver)

 

BEST MEAL SPOTS

Best Breakfast

Central

1 The Jammery

2 Cora

3 Bohemian Café

North

1 Friesen’s Country

Tyme Gardens

2 Dinner on Sixth

3 Bean There Bistro

South

1 Valentini’s Café

2 Local Lounge • Grille (Summerland)

3 Bears Den Restaurant

Best Lunch

Central

1 Joey Kelowna

2 Bohemian Café

3 Earls

3 Wood Fire Bakery

North

1 Earls

2 Dorians Greek Taverna

3 Original Joe’s

South

1 Valentini’s Café

2 Pasta Factory

3 Il Vecchio’s

Best Dinner

Central

1 Chop Steakhouse Bar

2 The Keg

3 RauDZ Regional Table

North

1 Intermezzo

2 Italian Kitchen

3 Tita’s Italian Bistro

South

1 Theo’s Restaurant

2 Zias Stonehouse (Summerland)

2 Hooded Merganser

3 Firehall Bistro (Oliver)

Best Casual Dining / Bistro

Central

1 Minstral Cafe

2 Le Plateau Bistro

3 The Fixx

North

1 Earls

2 Crush Bistro

3 Talkin Donkey

South

1 Sage & Vines Bistro

2 Opus Café Bistro

3 La Casa Ouzeria

Best Family Restaurant

Central

1 Red Robin

2 White Spot

2 Moxie’s Grill

3 Montana’s

North

1 Boston Pizza

2 KTs Heritage Restaurant

3 Red Robin

South

1 Boston Pizza

2 Cozy Bay Seafood Cafe

3 Zias Stonehouse (Summerland)

Best Buffet

Central

1 Manhattan Point

2 Grand Bay Café

3 Buffet King

North

1 Royal Garden

2 BX Creek Bar & Grill

3 Yat Sen Restaurant

South

1 China Palace

2 Isshin Sushi Bar

3 Beijing

Best Wine Bar

Central

1 Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar

2 Rotten Grape

3 Sunset Bistro at Summerhill

3 Old Vines at Quail’s Gate

North

1 Intermezzo

2 Crush Bistro

South

1 The Cobblestone (Naramata)

2 Bufflehead Pasta & Tapas Room

3 Local Lounge • Grille (Summerland)

Best Sports Bar / Pub

Central

1 Dakoda’s

2 Dave’s Sports Bar

3 Rusty’s

North

1 Kal Sports Bar

2 Checkers Bar & Grill

3 Sir Winston’s Pub

South

1 Best Damn Sports Bar & Grill

2 Kettle Valley Station Pub

3 Peacock’s Perch

3 Barking Parrot

Best Late Night Bite (After 9 pm)

Central

1 Boston Pizza

2 Joey Kelowna

3 Kelly O’Bryan’s

North

1 Original Joe’s

1 Boston Pizza

2 Sir Winston’s Pub

3 Kelly O’Bryan’s

South

1 Peacock’s Perch

2 Earls

3 Breeze Bar & Grill (Osoyoos)

BEST CRAVINGS

Best Tapas / Appies

Central

1 Cactus Club Cafe

1 Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar

2 Joey Kelowna

3 The Yellow House

North

1 Italian Kitchen

2 Sir Winston’s Pub

3 Crush Bistro

3 Allora (Silver Star)

South

1 Bufflehead Pasta & Tapas Room

2 Local Lounge • Grille (Summerland)

2 Salty’s Beach House

3 Peacock’s Perch

Best Soup

Central

1 Wood Fire Bakery

2 McCulloch Station

3 The Bike Shop Café

North

1 The Sprouted Fig

2 Brown Derby Cafe

(Armstrong)

3 Sunshine Corner Cafe

South

1 Sage & Vines Bistro

2 Opus Café Bistro

3 Valentini’s Café

Best Salad

Central

1 Joey Kelowna

2 Cactus Club Cafe

3 The Chopped Leaf

3 Twisted Tomato

North

1 Earls

2 The Phoenix Steakhouse

3 Wendy’s

South

1 Earls

2 Local Lounge • Grille (Summerland)

3 Zias Stonehouse (Summerland)

Best Seafood

Central

1 Christopher’s

2 Codfathers Seafood Market

2 The Keg

3 Ric’s Grill

North

1 Joey’s

2 C-Lovers

South

1 Salty’s Beach House

2 Cozy Bay Seafood Cafe

3 Buy the Sea

Best Poultry

Central

1 Cactus Club Cafe

2 Montana’s

3 Twisted Tomato

3 Old Train Station Pub

North

1 Brown Derby Cafe (Armstrong)

2 The Italian Kitchen

South

1 Amante Bistro

Best Steak

Central

1 The Keg

2 Chop Steakhouse Bar

3 Ricardo’s Mediterranean Kitchen

3 RauDZ Regional Table

North

1 The Pheonix Steakhouse

2 Intermezzo Restaurant

3 Cattlemen’s Club Restaurant

South

1 Sage & Vines Bistro

2 Black Iron Grill

& Steakhouse

3 Theo’s Restaurant

Best Vegetarian

Central

1 Dawett

2 Pho Soc

3 Poppadoms

North

1 The Sprouted Fig

2 Monashee’s Bar & Grill

3 Crush Bistro

South

1 Fresh Healthy Café

2 Isshin

3 Iyara Thai Restaurant

Best Sandwich / Wrap / Panini

Central

1 Subway

2 Mediterranean Market

2 Wrap Zone

3 Jugo Juice

North

1 Wrap Zone

2 The Sprouted Fig

3 Extreme Pita

South

1 Dolci Artisan Fare (Osoyoos)

2 Valentini’s Café

3 The Bench Market

Best Burger

Central

1 Gorgeous George’s

2 Five Guys (West Kelowna)

3 Fat Burger

3 Burger Baron

North

1 Kal Sports Bar & Grill

2 Anchor Inn Pub (Armstrong)

3 Earls

South

1 Burger 55

2 Peacock’s Perch

3 White Spot

Best French Fries

Central

1 Bouchons Bistro

2 McDonald’s

3 Gorgeous George’s

3 Burger Baron

North

1 Kal Sports Bar

2 McDonald’s

3 Squires Four Pub

South

1 Jeffers Fryzz

2 Spud Brothers (Summerland)

2 Burger 55

3 Cozy Bay Seafood Cafe

Best Fish & Chips

Central

1 Shady Rest British Fish & Chips

2 Lord Chumley’s Fish & Chips

3 Codfathers Seafood Market

North

1 C-Lovers

2 Joey’s

3 Junction Cafe (Armstrong)

South

1 Buy the Sea

1 Cozy Bay Seafood Cafe

2 Salty’s Beach House

3 Sinbads Seafood Café (Oliver)

Best Pizza

Central

1 Bordello’s Italian Pizzeria

2 Boston Pizza

3 DunnEnzies Pizza

3 Mr. Mozzarella

North

1 Boston Pizza

2 Jim’s Place

3 JJ’s Pizza Plus

South

1 Mykono’s Pizza & Spaghetti House

1 Papa Murphy’s

2 Murrray’s Pizza

3 Prima Pizza

Best Sushi

Central

1 Momo Sushi

2 Ozeki

3 Aomi Sushi

3 Genji

North

1 Wasabi

2 Mahoroba

2 Bento & Sushi

3 Vernon Tokyo Sushi

South

1 Isshin

2 Ginza Sushi

3 Just Delicious Bistro (Summerland)

Best Ice Cream

Central

1 Marble Slab Creamery

1 Moo-Lix Ice Cream Shop

2 Foothills Creamery

2 Annegret’s

3 Okanagan Fudge & Sundae

North

1 Marble Slab Creamery

2 Garden Ice Cream Parlour

3 Dairy Queen

South

1 Tickleberry’s (Okanagan Falls)

2 Summerland Sweets (Summerland)

2 Ogos Ice Cream

3 Medici’s Gelateria (Oliver)

Best Dessert

Central

1 Moxie’s Grill & Bar

2 Bonfire Grill at The Cove (West Kelowna)

3 RauDZ Regional Table

North

1 Crush Bistro

2 Eclectic Med

3 Bean to Cup

South

1 Bogner’s of Penticton

1 Zias Stonehouse (Summerland)

2 La Casa Ouzeria

3 Accent Chocolate

BEST OF THE REST

Best Bakery

Central

1 Specialty Bakery

2 Tripke Bakery

3 Okanagan Grocery

North

1 Sweet Caroline’s Bakery

2 COBS Bread

3 Okanagan Bake House

South

1 Wouda’s Bakery

2 Cake Box Bakery (Summerland)

3 Blue Icing Dessert Bakery

Best Place To Buy Fruit & Veggies

Central

1 Kelowna Farmers’ & Crafters’ Market

2 Old Town Farm Market

2 Quality Greens

3 Paul’s Produce

North

1 Quality Greens

2 Swan Lake Nurseryland

3 Nature’s Fare

South

1 Quality Greens

2 Old Town Farm Market

Best Health / Natural Foods Store

Central

1 Nature’s Fare

2 Choices Market

North

1 Nature’s Fare

2 Simply Delicious

3 The Sprouted Fig

3 Choice’s Market

South

1 Whole Foods Market

2 Food Emporium

Best Coffee / Tea House / Herbs & Spices

Central

1 Second Cup

2 Bean Scene

2 Blenz Coffee

2 Lake Country Coffee House

3 Abby’s Spice & Tea Store

3 The Jammery

North

1 Bean Scene

2 Blenz Coffee

3 Bean to Cup

South

1 The Beanery Coffee Company (Summerland)

2 The Bellevue Café

3 Fibonaccci Roastery & Cafe

3 Medici’s Gelateria (Oliver)

3 The Bench Market

Best Caterer

Central

1 Bohemian Café

2 Jimmy Ho’s

2 Deli City

3 The Bread Company

North

1 Gumtree Catering

2 Bento & Sushi

3 Ora

South

1 Joy Road Catering

2 Valentini’s Café

3 Murray’s Pizza

Best Fast Food

Central

1 Jimmy Ho’s

2 Wendy’s

2 Subcity Donair

3 Five Guys (West Kelowna)

North

1 Wendy’s

2 Extreme Pita

3 Bento & Sushi

South

1 Burger 55

2 Taco Time

3 Subway

Best Local White Wine

Central

1 Quails’ Gate Chasselas

1 Gray Monk Latitude 50

2 Summerhill Gewurztraminer

3 The View Gewurztraminer

3 Mission Hill Chardonnay

North

1  Recline Ridge Siegerrebe

2  Sunnybrae Turner Road

3  Larch Hills Mad Angie

South

1 La Frenz Sauvignon Blanc

2 Haywire Pinot Gris

3 8th Generation Pinot Gris

3 Therapy Vineyards Freudian Sip

3 Wild Goose Vineyards Pinot Blanc

Best Local Red Wine

Central

1 Mission Hill Merlot

2 CedarCreek Pinot Noir

2 Quails’ Gate Pinot Noir

3 House of Rose Hot Flash

North

1  Recline Ridge Grande Pinot

2  Granite Creek Meritage

3  Celista Maréchal Foch

South

1 Red Rooster Meritage

2 Burrowing Owl Cabernet Franc

3 Black Hills Nota Bene

3 Laughing Stock Portfolio

Best Local Beer

Central

1 Tree Brewing Thirsty Beaver

2 Mill Creek Lord Nelson’s Pale Ale

3 Big Surf Beer Laid Back Lager

North

1 Okanagan Spring Pale Ale

2 Crannog Ales Back Hand of God Stout

South

1 Barley Mill Mustang Pale Ale

2 Cannery Brewing Squire Scotch Ale

3 Tin Whistle Peaches and Cream