If you haven't been to De Bakker's Kitchen to try one of their wood-fire roasted chicken sandwiches or handmade pizzas, you need to put that on your list of things to do in Kelowna this summer. This is the perfect place to celebrate the bounty of Okanagan summer, kicking back to enjoy local wines and fresh flavours.
Mary De Bakker and her husband Sandy Lukic both work in the kitchen, keeping the fire stoked with local apple wood and birch to roast vegetables and chickens during the day when the oven has cooled from pizzas the night before. The menu is whimsical, changing as Mary and Sandy are inspired by seasonal ingredients. This is casual, quality food – slow as opposed to fast. The whole wheat, rye and spelt for the pizzas and breads are locally grown and milled, and all menu ingredients are sourced as close to home as possible, supporting local producers and farmers. They also feature a number of Okanagan wines by the glass.
At De Bakker’s, you are encouraged to linger, to enjoy the art on the walls (currently also from a local artist connected to food, Amber Dennison – Little Creek Gardens). You can take goodies home too, including freshly baked bread and their organic coffee from Backyard Beans, a staple at their Sunday brunch.
~ Kristin Peturson-Laprise