Restaurants, Wineries and Hotels: What’s New in the Okanagan?

Both B.C. locals and far-flung visitors agree the Okanagan is a destination of such natural beauty that we don’t need to be sold on it. We all love to visit, any time of year, and as often as possible, knowing that the region lives up to its ‘something for everybody’ reputation. I did the homework for you, having recently checked out what’s new and noteworthy in person. Here’s what to include when planning your next visit.

Your Next Go-to Sparkling Wine

Evolve Sparkling House opened late July in Penticton and now tops my list as having one of the most spectacular views of Okanagan Lake. Perched overtop their vineyards at the start of Naramata Bench and Kettle Valley Rail Trail, this scenic winery is where you’ll find the “Best Sparkling Wine in Canada” according to the 2025 Canadian Wine Championships. Awarded gold for its 2018 Brut Nature, I can say as a champagne snob who prefers the real deal from France and who is not easily impressed by sparkling wines that this particular B.C. bubbly is exceptional.

Evolve’s sparkling new tasting space with pink and floral décor is truly an Instagrammer’s dream, with ideal selfie spots and photo ops everywhere you look. I ordered the bubbly tasting flight, which you can pair with a local delectables charcuterie board. My advice? Take your sweet time here, basking in the jaw-dropping view from the upper deck while you sip the afternoon away.

Stay in Wellness

Where does one stay in Penticton that’s affordable but seems fancy? I’m always seeking reasonably priced hotels to share with readers because, ultimately, we all love luxury, but budgets can be tight. Balcomo is a modern, affordable redo of the Ramada by Wyndham hotel, and recently opened a brand new wellness centre right off the outdoor pool deck.

Contrast therapy is a big thing, whereby you gain proven health benefits with a rotation of different temperatures you expose your body to, like a cold plunge pool, hot tub or sauna. I felt invigorated after cycling through the hot/cold experiences. The new wellness centre also offers a mindful movement program in the new Relaxation Room and Salt Studio. The salt wall in the studio creates an ambience to slow down while you take a yoga or Pilates class. I was given a strong hint to watch for the upcoming retreat season at the hotel. The Okanagan is not just a summertime destination; I’ll be remembering the Balcomo for a cozy, mid-winter wellness getaway too.

What’s for Dinner?

What’s new at OROLO Restaurant + Cocktail Bar in Penticton? TIME Family of Wines owns this restaurant, the attached Chronos Winery and Evolve Sparkling House. OROLO is a steak-seekers paradise, which is me on occasion. Diving into a dry-aged steak paired with classics like a tableside Caesar salad and a jammy glass of Chronos Cab Franc just fits the bill sometimes, especially in the autumn. OROLO is hosting a winemaker’s dinner on October 16 and is part of the ‘Taste Downtown’ event on October 17 and 18.

Do you crave Indian food? I do—and often. I’m happy to see Manzil Restaurant at Kismet Estate Winery in Oliver is planning a long table series in October to celebrate Diwali. If the new menu I tasted is an indication of what’s in store, we are in for a treat. Ghee-tempered achari prawns, a kale chaat salad and masala roasted Brussels sprouts were a few of my favourites, all showing off the beautiful bounty of Okanagan fresh ingredients with traditional Indian spices. Promise me you’ll pair your meal with Kismet’s award-winning wines that swept at the 2025 All Canadian Wine Championships, like the 2024 Phulkari Rosé. Kismet’s Manpreet Dhaliwal is Canada’s first and only South Asian woman winemaker, and someone worth watching.

Happy Anniversary

I love a silver anniversary, don’t you? Quails’ Gate Winery’s Old Vines Restaurant is celebrating 25 years as one of the Okanagan’s best winery restaurants, with chef Roger Sleiman recently inducted into the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame.

A pioneer in B.C.’s farm-to-table menus, Old Vines has always supported local farmers and growers to create dishes paired with the award-winning wines from Quails’ Gate. I tucked into a grilled Okanagan peach, burrata and prosciutto salad to start, followed by their menu classic— the Yarrow Farm game hen. The Market at the winery is an essential stock-up spot, especially for the limited-edition vineyard wildflower honey, which I slather on my toast every morning.

Here’s some nice news to look forward to. Hotel Eldorado in Kelowna will celebrate its 100th Anniversary in 2026. I am so charmed by this historic lakeside hotel with its boardwalk patio and live music, top-shelf whisky tasting room, afternoon tea service, and guest rooms that are simultaneously antique-y and fresh (which is tough to get right at hotels, but the El nails it). With a backstory that involves Countess Bubna, an aristocratic Brit, ex-stage-actress and divorcee (scandalous at the time) who founded the hotel in 1926, I’m certain some fun and celebratory events will be planned in the coming months.

Local and Gluten-Free

As someone with Celiac disease, eating gluten-free food is essential. So stumbling upon The Farm Store in Keremeos and their entirely GF brunch menu was like the sky had parted. I enjoyed hot breakfast bowls and perfect pastries that would fool any gluten-eating person (like my husband while sitting at a picnic table under the shade of an apple tree, overlooking their Honest Food Farm. The store itself sells its own fresh produce, flowers and tastefully selected condiments, teas, soaps and jewellery from local makers. News here is that the farm has expanded its reach, selling at some Vancouver farmers’ markets, plus offering home produce delivery in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valley, too.