Dining options in Osoyoos are geared to a wide range of tastes including wine-country visitors, vacationing families and travellers passing through. A developing sophistication is noticeable in the décor, menus and wine lists of high-end restaurants, yet these upscale eateries retain the same laidback and friendly appeal as the city's cafés and bistros, ethnic, casual and fast food outlets.
Many restaurants provide outdoor patios to take advantage of the warm weather and expansive views. Fresh is always best on menus that incorporate the area's abundant fruits and vegetables, while wine lists feature local vintages, often including labels not available in stores.
The Osoyoos Indian Band hosts two wine and dine experiences at its Nk'Mip Resort complex (1200 Rancher Creek Rd). The Patio restaurant at Nk'Mip Cellars winery features aboriginal-inspired cuisine from May through October.
Passatempo
Passatempo is an upscale bistro serving breakfast, lunch and dinner year round at Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort and Spa. Both restaurants feature excellent vineyard, desert and lake views.
Sonora Room
Acclaimed chef Bernard Casavant presides over the kitchen at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery's Sonora Room (100 Burrowing Owl Place). His seasonally adjusted menu features organic produce, fresh fruits, BC seafood, and artisan bread and cheeses complimented by an exclusive wine list. Chic casual with an expansive vineyard view.
Surf 'n' Turf
Beef eaters choose cut-to-order steaks and weekend-only prime rib at the family-run Diamond Steak and Seafood House (8903 Main St). The wine list runs to 250 labels.
Wine Bars
Bibo Wine Bar (8316 Main St) serves lunch, tapas and dinner with Okanagan wines by the glass and local draft beer. Promenade Wine Bar offers tapas and a casual atmosphere at Walnut Beach Resort (4200 Lakeshore Dr), which is also known for its outdoor salmon barbecues.
Prime Patios
Locals drop by Dolci Deli & Catering (8710 Main St) for organic lattes, Okanagan wine and must-try salami on pumpernickel sandwiches or delectable date squares on the garden patio. Downtown, Breeze Bar and Grill (7603 Spartan Dr) is known for its cocktails, live entertainment Thursdays and Saturdays, and excellent people watching. Or take in the panorama of orchards, vineyards, lake and mountains from the expansive deck and patio at Osoyoos Golf & Country Club.
Global Fare
Make a culinary trip to Italy at Campo Marina (5907 Main St). Massively popular with locals and visitors, diners come for the fresh breads, diverse menu, including steak and seafood, and extensive wine list. Check out Ella (6511 Cottonwood Pl) for standard Greek fare; Ambrosia (6910 Main St) for Indian cuisine; and the unlikely O'Delights (8323 Main St), a hometown-style bakery, for dim sum.
Beer lovers, sample a tray of five in-house brews along with an array of pub food at the Ridge Brew House in the Westridge Inn (Junction Hwy 3 & Hwy 97).
Ice Cream
Ice cream is a must-have in summer resort towns and Osoyoos doesn't disappoint. Gourmets head straight to Osoyoos Gelato (9150 Main St) for artisan Italian-style ice cream and fruit sorbettos. Across town, Rattlesnake Canyon (5502 Main St) amusement park is home to an ice cream parlour in an authentic windmill with a choice of 48 flavours.
Do-it-Yourself Gourmet
Osoyoos is a hotbed of fresh ingredients, literally. The warm climate ensures fruits and veggies ripen weeks earlier than in other areas of Canada. Shop the Market on Main downtown farmers' market Saturday mornings June through August. Stop for fresh-picked produce, jams, cider and baked goods at roadside fruit and veggie stands, or take it a step farther and visit a U-pick orchard.
For a host of gourmet ingredients or to join a scheduled cooking class, check out the city's most surprising food emporium, the Osoyoos Home Hardware.
For more information on where to eat out in Osoyoos, head to the Visitor Centre at the junction of Highways 3 and 97.
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