Dining

Pack a Picnic

The Naramata General Store (225 Robinson Ave) is a must-see local attraction even without a shopping list. It's a great place to pick up made-to-order sandwiches, soup of the day or all the deli fixings for a picnic on the beach.

Once a week, on Wednesdays from 4pm to 7pm, the Naramata Community Market in Wharf Park (June through September) is another good bet for do-it-yourself gourmets. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables and a selection of locally made preserves.

Favourite picnic spots include the beach at Manitou Park, Little Tunnel on the Trans Canada Trail (Kettle Valley Railway Trail), and Wharf Park.

Winery Dining

The Barrel Room Bistro at Hillside Estate Winery was the first vineyard eatery on Naramata Road and it remains a seasonal institution. Cozy ambiance inside, great patio outside. Lake Breeze Vineyards serves Mediterranean-inspired lunches from May through mid-October in another beautiful patio setting.

Several wineries sell deli items, cheese and local preserves to match up with a bottle of fresh from the wine shop for an al fresco picnic on a patio with a view. At Poplar Grove, watch cheese makers in action through a viewing port in the tasting room and ask the attendants for advice on pairing their wines and cheeses.

Best Bistro

Year-round, try the one-stop wine tour at Cobblestones Wine Bar and Rock Oven Dining Room at the Naramata Heritage Inn and Spa (Robinson Ave and First Street). A summertime favourite on the intimate, shady patio is the hearth bread platter. Tear a morsel from a fresh baked loaf and spread with a choice of cheeses, pâtés, savories and vegetables. Entrees include fresh, local seasonal ingredients, many prepared in the rock oven.

The wine bar offers the largest selection of Okanagan wines in the valley with a cellar that boasts some 220 labels. In summer choose from six reds and six whites to sample by the glass. Friday nights the entertainment is live.

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