De Dutch

Choosing where to eat in a city this spread out often comes down to the drive as much as to the food, which is why the rooms that hold their own here tend to sit on the routes people already use. Consistency does more for a restaurant than novelty. A kitchen gets judged on how it handles a full room at nine on a Sunday, when everybody wants to order at the same moment and the coffee has to keep moving.

Some practical advice. Weekends are the pinch point in most Kelowna dining rooms, so either arrive early or expect to wait, and if you are coming with a larger group it is worth phoning ahead to see whether the room can take you. Ask about takeout if you are heading for the beach or the trails, since a great deal of Kelowna eating happens outdoors once the weather turns. Families should check what is on hand for small children at the hour they plan to arrive. And if you are travelling the valley on Highway 97, remember that Gordon runs parallel to it, which makes this a short detour rather than a long one.