Best Pub Food in Kelowna

The best pub food in Kelowna is at Skinny Duke's Glorious Emporium, The Train Station Pub and Central Kitchen + Bar, all downtown or in the North End. This guide covers 12 pubs and brewpubs, with what to order, where to park and what to skip, plus which are worth visiting in winter and which depend on the patio. Kelowna's pub scene has moved well beyond frozen wings in the last few years.

Skinny Duke's Glorious Emporium

1481 Water St | $$–$$$

Skinny Duke's Glorious Emporium is a downtown retro lounge, styled like a 1970s basement with velvet couches, and the best pick here for food. The Asian-fusion menu is unconventional, and the pizza dough is better than you'd expect from a retro lounge. Order the Sweet & Sour Pork Chow Mein or one of the pizzas.

The catch: it's loud, which rules it out for a quiet conversation. Open daily from 5 PM to late. Book ahead on weekends.

The Train Station Pub

1177 Ellis St | $$

The Train Station Pub is the North End's dependable everyday pub, set in a train station built in 1926. The Train Station burger is the reliable order, and the poutine uses real cheese curds and thick station gravy. Local Okanagan wine is available for non-beer drinkers.

The catch: it gets very busy before Kelowna Rockets games. On a Friday hockey night, arrive by 4:30 PM or expect an hour's wait. Open 9 AM to 11 PM most days, midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Central Kitchen + Bar

1155 Ellis St | $$

Central Kitchen + Bar, directly across from the Train Station, is best known for its very dog-friendly patio and garage doors that roll up in July. The burgers are large, and the truffle fries are the standard side.

The catch: summer weekend waits are long, and the patio gets direct afternoon sun around 4 PM. Open 11 AM (10 AM weekends) to about 11 PM, close to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Tonics Pub

1654 Ellis St | $$

Tonics Pub is a classic downtown sports pub known for low prices, large portions and Wing Wednesdays. On Wednesdays, order the Honey Electric flavour. The beef dip is also a strong choice.

The catch: it's a traditional sports bar, dark inside even in July and not suited to a date. It's a common spot for watching UFC. Check their site for current hours.

Leopold's Tavern

279 Bernard Ave | $$

Leopold's Tavern combines a dive bar setting with a carefully built menu. The Poutine of the Week changes regularly and is often elaborate, and the plant-based options are unusually extensive for a pub. The bucket of bacon is exactly that: a metal bucket of bacon strips.

The catch: the room is small and narrow. Groups of eight won't get a table on a Friday night. Check their site for current hours.

BNA Brewing Co. & Eatery

1250 Ellis St | $$–$$$

BNA Brewing Co. & Eatery is a craft brewery whose kitchen competes with most restaurants in town. The menu changes often; the steamed pork buns and bowls are consistent. The space includes an indoor bocce court downstairs and a vintage bowling alley upstairs.

The catch: it's busy, loud and one of the more expensive nights out downtown. Open daily from 4 PM, until 1 AM on Fridays and Saturdays.

Kelly O'Bryan's

262 Bernard Ave | $$

Kelly O'Bryan's, a BC Irish pub chain, is best for its rooftop patio, the Paddy O, which looks down Bernard Avenue. The signature order is Pachos: lattice-style waffle fries with melted cheese and green onions. Diners get a meal discount on their birthday.

The catch: the rest of the menu is standard chain food. Stick to the appetizers and burgers rather than the steaks or pastas. Open 11 AM to 11 PM, midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Rustic Reel Brewing Co.

760 Vaughan Ave | $$

Rustic Reel Brewing Co. is a North End brewery district taproom with high ceilings, a large patio and a comfortable room in winter. The food is casual pub fare; order the house-baked pretzel with beer cheese dip or the sausage flight.

The catch: it closes early for a pub: 9 PM midweek, 11 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, 6 PM on Sundays, and the taproom is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Creekside Pub & Grill

3929 Lakeshore Rd | $–$$

Creekside Pub & Grill is the Mission's neighbourhood pub, next to the creek and away from downtown parking. Daily specials include $5 off steak sandwiches on Tuesdays, and the patio is popular in warm weather.

The catch: the interior is dated, and it's a long drive from Glenmore or Rutland (about 25 minutes from Black Mountain). Open 11 AM to late (10 AM on weekends).

Dakoda's Sports Bar & Grill

1574 Harvey Ave | $–$$

Dakoda's Sports Bar & Grill is an old-school sports bar on Highway 97 with comedy nights and karaoke. The food is better than the exterior suggests: the clubhouse sandwich is large and the Caesar salad is garlic-heavy. Pitchers are the usual order.

The catch: the setting is a highway frontage, and the entrance is up an exterior flight of stairs. Open daily from 11 AM.

Red Bird Brewing

1080 Richter St | $$

Red Bird Brewing is best known for wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and a large outdoor space with fire pits and picnic tables. The Ultimate Pepperoni and Truffled Mushroom pizzas are the standouts, and a gluten-free crust is available.

The catch: in summer the space hosts ticketed concerts, which limits drop-in visits. Check the schedule before going.

McCulloch Station Pub

2789 K.L.O. Rd | $$

McCulloch Station Pub is a quiet, local East Kelowna pub with a solid happy hour and a patio, and few tourists. It's a convenient stop after a round of golf nearby, and the room is quiet enough for conversation.

The catch: the menu is standard burgers, fries and wings. Open 11 AM to 11:30 PM most days.