DISCLAIMER

This site is longer updated.  At one time there were reviews of a couple dozen cafes and shops in the Okanagan, but the information is no longer current and the reviews have been deleted.  In starting this site my aim was to help people who like coffee find good coffee in the Okanagan, but also to encourage a sense of community around good food and drink and to encourage people to get together to make shit happen.  Since this site was started in 2009 two friends I made through this blog opened two separate cafes in Vernon, both with their own unique and new -to Vernon- take on the cafe-as-community-hub.  The huge amount of hard work it took (and continues to take) is entirely theirs, but I hope this blog played a little part in encouraging those ventures.

You’ve probably found this site while searching for somewhere in the Okanagan to get good speciality coffee, so I won’t leave you high and dry.  At this point I’m happy to say the following list is incomplete, as there are more great cafes in the area than these ones.  It’s just that I don’t know what they are (especially in Kelowna, I haven’t spent any meaningful amount of time there in years).

Wild Oak in Armstrong
Triumph Coffee and Ratio in Vernon
Third Space in Kelowna

I’m still available at okanagancoffeeblog@gmail.

Advertisement

Streaming Cafe in Best of Kelowna

Streaming Cafe in Best of Kelowna

So after wondering why Streaming Cafe didn’t make it on to Eat Magazine’s Best of list, Streaming Cafe has been nominated in the Best of Kelowna awards. Click the link and go vote… they deserve the recognition! 

Best Coffee in the Okanagan from Eat Magazine

Best Coffee in the Okanagan from Eat Magazine

Congrats to Good Omen’s Coffee in Summerland & the Bean Scene (tied for first) for best coffee in the Okanagan according to Eat Magazine. They are indeed both great places for Coffee! Good Omen’s also took honors in best place to eat lunch under $10. 

I am surprised however that Streaming Cafe didn’t make the list. Let’s hope for next year!

Okanagan Barista Jam

I’m excited to be a party to Vernon’s first barista jam later this month.  I was hoping we’d see some great events like this this year, and this is the second one in the Okanagan so far!  Sounds like this will be a regular event, with the first one held at the Vernon Blenz.

For more details, and contact information, check out the Facebook event page.

 

Bean Scene Kelowna Barista Jam

On the auspicious date of February 14th, Kelowna’s Bean Scene coffee house held their first open barista jam/latte art throwdown.  Bean Scene’s baristas were on hand, pouring in a head to head format against each other as well as other baristas.  While latte art was the draw, this event was more about fostering some community within the Okanagan’s disparate “coffee scene”.  Baristas from other Kelowna shops, and even a Vernon cafe (Bean to Cup Silver Star) showed up to pour some art and enjoy a night centred on coffee geekery.

The turnout for the event surprised me, as there were many membersof the general public .  It was nice to see something like this attract and hold the attention of people outside the industry, -especially in the Okanagan.  The success of this night is a precursor for nights to come, and shows that there is support for such events here.

I was told that Bean Scene Kelowna is looking at holding barista jams on a frequent basis as a way to get their baristas excited about and ready to compete in the Coffee Fest Latte Art Competition, held every few months.  There is some interest on the part of at least two Vernon shops to hold barista jams as well.

I had camera in hand at the jam, and was able to get a few shots while I wasn’t busy talking shop or pouring (click on thumbnails for larger picture)…