With only a few weeks left in which to squeeze in some summer road tripping, look no further than the Okanagan for food, fun, wine and sun.
Less than 10 minutes north of Oliver lies Okanagan Falls, home to some fantastic wineries and even more fantastic barbecue at Wild Goose Vineyards (wildgoosewinery.com/). What could be better to pair with the excellent Riesling but some house-smoked St. Louis-style pork ribs with cherry BBQ sauce? At nearby Liquidity Wines (liquiditywines.com/), the bistro offers more elevated fare, such as quinoa and spinach cake, and Yakima Valley lamb with cumin seed cavatelli. Don’t forget to stop at Tickleberry’s (tickleberrys.com/) for some old-fashioned ice cream, handmade fudge (in both regular and sugar-free flavours), chocolate-covered local fruit (the cherries rock), and assorted handicrafts and sweets.
Next stop is Penticton, where beach days on Skaha Lake reign supreme, along with plenty of good eats. Craft Corner Kitchen (http://www.craftcornerkitchen.com/) is where chef James Holmes and his team put together some of the best fried chicken (among other delights) in the valley, not to mention the daily doughnuts. And, if they’re available, the devilled eggs are not to be missed. The restaurant is practically next door to both Bad Tattoo (http://www.badtattoobrewing.com/) and Cannery (https://www.cannerybrewing.com/) breweries, both of which also offer food with their brews. Pick up some pizza at Bad Tattoo or the famous cheese-stuffed pretzel bombs at Cannery.
Heading up onto the Naramata Bench, you come to Upper Bench Winery and Creamery (upperbench.ca/),where the addictive Baby Grey is a perfect match to the estate Zweigelt, a nice light red with cherry and raspberry notes. This is also the only place in the region to try this varietal. Head on out to the patio and order something made in the wood-fired pizza oven, like the Honey Pie, with tomato sauce, Upper Bench King Cole cheese, mozzarella, prosciutto, chili and honey.
Next stop is Summerland, where Okanagan Crush Pad (okanagancrushpad.com) is home to Haywire and Narrative wines. Visit to marvel at the giant concrete eggs that act as fermentation tanks, and stay for a tasting and picnic or charcuterie platter on the patio. Evolve Cellars (evolvecellars.com/)is another must-visit, not only for its fantastic Rosé and Gewürtz, but also for its new picnic bar, where you can purchase local cheese, charcuterie, breads and more, and enjoy on the expansive patio that stretches to the water’s edge. Sit and enjoy the view over Okanagan Lake or pack away into a cooler for an afternoon of sipping and tasting.
Okanagan Crush Pad's charcuterie platter. - Okanagancrushpad.com photo
A few miles north lies Peachland and the lovely Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards (fitzwine.com). Located right off Highway 97 on the water’s edge, the new bistro and sparkling bar is the place to unwind after a day of hard tasting. The sparkling bar offers not only the house bubble, but also comparative flights from around the world, include Cava, Champagne and Prosecco. The Fitz Brut also appears in the house cocktails, including a refreshing Pimm’s Cup and an interesting take on a Negroni. The bistro, which is open for dinner Thursday through Saturday, lunch Monday to Friday, and weekend brunch, keeps things casual, local and delicious. Try the lobster agnolotti or tempura rockfish with one the cocktails.
The Fitzpatrick Family Vineyard, north of Peachland, offers tasting flights of its wine. - Contributed photo
In Kelowna, Summerhill Pyramid Winery(summerhill.bc.ca/) is renowned for its organic, biodynamic wines – and yeah, the big pyramid. And, while the pyramid and the story of how it was created is fascinating, you’ll also want to check out the outdoor dining at Sunset Bistro under executive chef Alex Lavroff. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu is full of the estate’s own biodynamic produce and herbs. Try the Campari watermelon salad with haloumi, Road 17 arctic char with warm potato salad, Cache Creek steak, nasi goreng and more. At Spierhead Winery (spierheadwinery.com), the patio features a menu of pizzas, charcuterie, cheeses, salads, tapa, desserts, and lots of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, like the recent coconut, blueberry, cashew and ginger pie.
