Canadian Food Scenes to Discover this Fall, Part 4: Vernon

Cambium Cider Co.’s orchard has been producing apples since 1946! Today, the farm grows more than two dozen varieties of apples, including modern dessert apples, nearly-forgotten heritage cultivars, and vintage cider fruit. These sugar-laden fruits are hand-harvested and slowly fermented into delicious craft ciders that are blended and bottled on-site. Enjoy a glass of your favourite cider over lunch or dinner at the cidery’s farm-to-table restaurant, which features a wood-fired grill and a menu overflowing with Okanagan produce.

Predator Ridge Resort is located just outside of Vernon. Their on-site restaurant, the Range Lounge and Grill, is the perfect spot for a meal after a day on the golf course. Their food is globally inspired and created using local ingredients – because fresh and delicious go hand-in- hand. The bar menu includes a wide selection of premium Okanagan wines, cocktails, local beers or a refreshing cider. In the warmer months, soak in the views from the patio setting and watch the sunset over the greens.

Located in the Prestige Vernon Lodge, Cabana Bar + Kitchen serves a refined menu of comforting favourites in a beautiful, plant-filled space. Check out their social media channels for sneak peeks of delicious menu items, an extensive Okanagan wine selection, and refreshing cocktails!

Since 1997, Planet Bee Honey Farm and Meadery has been providing customers with high-quality honey and other bee products sourced from passionate local beekeepers and packaged on their farm in the Okanagan Valley. Visit the farm to be educated and inspired about the amazing world of the honeybee. Experience working beehives up close, and watch as pollinators visit their favourite plants, collecting pollen and nectar. Discover honey, re-imagined and ready to sip with Honeymoon Mead. You’ll leave with a new appreciation for these hardworking pollinators!

Davison Orchards has been growing farm food and family fun since 1933! They sell fresh produce in the farm shop and use it in the bakery and café to make delicious sandwiches, treats, and pies. Make sure to bring home a jug of their super popular homemade apple juice made from hand-picked apples in the orchard.

Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery is Western Canada’s original craft distillery, dating back to 2004. The distillery uses 100% locally grown fruits and grains to make premium, world-class spirits just a tractor-ride away from the orchards and fields where the base ingredients were grown. Taste handcrafted cocktails made from the award-winning spirits and learn some new recipes from Canada’s craft distilling pioneer at the onsite Barrel Room distillery lounge and patio.

Masiero Pizzeria in downtown Vernon crafts delicious Neapolitan style pizza in a handmade wood oven from Napoli, Italy. Pizzas are crafted with a bend of local produce and fine pizza-making ingredients imported from Italy. They offer a fine selection of local and international wines, cocktails, and craft beer. Reservations are strongly recommended, but the eight-seat dining bar is always open for walk-ins.

The Perch Winery is Vernon's only winery, and it's worth a visit! This family-run 10 acre farm includes 5.5 acres of estate vineyards, a cozy tasting room, a winery manufacturing space and two casual outdoor picnic areas with panoramic lake views. Owners Michael Durant and Mary Cuk have done significant research to determine the best grape varieties for the climate and land, and the resulting wines are imbued with superior aromas and flavours. Their wines pair perfectly with the charcuterie plates and wood-fired pizzas on offer (check Instagram for the schedule). They are closed during the colder months, so keep an eye out for their spring reopening date announcement!

The Edge Restaurant and Bar is The Rise Resort's new culinary destination! Perched 1,000 feet above Okanagan Lake, the City of Vernon, and the Signature Golf Course, the restaurant features a menu crafted with locally sourced ingredients that celebrate the region’s bounty. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery as you dine on farm-to-table dishes that pay homage to the Okanagan’s rich culinary heritage; think goat cheese from Happy Days Farm, chicken from Colonial Farms, Haida Gwaii halibut, and much more.

By day, the space at the corner of 29th St and 31 Ave is Ratio Coffee & Pastry, a beloved local coffee spot and bake shop. After 5pm, the space transforms into Juicy Burger, a brand-new restaurant serving up classic, mouth-watering smash burgers alongside hyper-local beer, wine, and cider options. The menu features local meats from Yankee Flats Meats, which processes and sells high-quality pasture-raised meats raised by local farmers.

BNA Brewing has been providing genuine, warm hospitality and unique guest experiences in downtown Kelowna since 2015. In the coming months, they will be expanding their operations to Vernon, with a brand-new brewery/restaurant/bowling alley opening up in late 2024/early 2025. Follow BNA Brewing Vernon on Instagram to get updates about opening day!