The Okanagan’s Artisan Bakeries

OKANAGAN

All you need is bread. Handmade artisan bread baked daily is one of life’s best affordable luxuries.  A bowl of soup with a freshly made loaf transforms into a gourmet feast. Sandwiches become extraordionary. French toast made from challah/brioche turn sinful. Croissant and a latte equals a moment of aha in a busy day. A slice of foccacia is all it takes for a cheap gourmet lunch. Baguette, cheese and wine, whether outside in the sunshine or inside by the fire, is the recipe for picnic perfection. Don’t settle for grocery store mass marketed tasteless loaves. You deserve the best – which is where our guide to the Okanagan’s artisan bakeries comes in:

Kelowna

The Bread Co sourdough bread

The Bread Company  

Handmade on site, their daily bread line-up includes San Francisco sourdough, ciabatta, European rye, cranberry pumpkin seed and ancient grain, as well as organic loaves of multigrain, whole wheat and rustic garlic. Enjoy weekly bread special features such as fig and anise. This popular downtown eatery is known for their excellent sandwiches, salads, lattes and desserts but locals know to pick up their bread. 363 Bernard Avenue Monday through Friday 6am to 6pm. Saturday 7am to 6pm. Sunday 8am to 6pm

Debakkers Kitchen 

Debakkers Kitchen Foccacia

Mary De Bakker and her husband, Sandy Lukic started selling their homemade breads including spelt, potato and onion, Luker’s sourdough (named after their son) and Sasha’s crown (named for their daughter) as well as cookies at the Kelowna Farmers’ Market, quickly establishing a loyal clientele. In 2011, they opened their own bakery, restaurant and pizzeria “Debakker’s Kitchen” across the street from the Kelowna Golf and Country Club. Their sought-after breads are baked on site daily in an apple wood burning oven. In addition to the pizzas, do not miss the foccacia – it’s the best in the Okanagan. 1014 Glenmore Drive. Tuesday through Saturday 11am to 9pm. Sunday 10am to 3pm. Monday  5pm to 9pm.

Mount Royal Bagel Factory

Imagine Paris without the baguette, San Francisco without sourdough or Montreal without the bagel. And yes, tucked away on a side street in Kelowna is the Okanagan’s only bagel bakery. Here you can enjoy freshly made bagels made in the Montreal tradition: boiled then baked. Or pick up a bag of bagels and a tub of the natural cream cheese to go. This is also home to the Okanagan’s biggest selection of flavored cream cheeses (I’m partial to the  honey vanilla cream cheese).  1551 Sutherland Avenue.  Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm.  Saturday 9:30am to 3pm. 

Okanagan Grocery Callebaut Loaf

Okanagan Grocery Artisan Breads Bakery

This tiny Kelowna bakery opened in 2004 and one cannot imagine the Okanagan food scene without it. Daily breads include a wide variety of baguettes, alpine loaf, Okanagan Grocery loaf, Callebaut Chocolate loaf and focaccia. Owner Monika Walker also does daily specials, such as Tuesday’s fragrant potato and scallion sourdough, Thursday’s peanut butter and jelly loaf and Friday’s organic apple raisin sourdough. On Saturdays enjoy hand shaped butter croissants, pain au chocolat and heavenly brioche. Okanagan Grocery Artisan Breads is also home to gourmet cheeses, soups and artisan jams. Main Shop Guisachan Village, 2355 Gordon Drive. Tuesday through Saturday 9:30am to 5:30pm. Bake Shop, 115-1979 Windsor Road, Tuesday through Friday 7am to 6pm. Saturday 8am to 5pm.

Sandrine French Pastry & Chocolate

Sandrine Pear Croissant

Sandrine Pastry is the Okanagan resident’s trip to a Parisienne Bakery via Hwy. 97.  Although Sandrine does not carry traditional French baguettes, arrive early to pick up her heavenly croissants as late comers face bitter disappointment. Plain, almond, chocolate, and beautiful fruit croissants including pear, peach and blueberry are bites of buttery gold perfection. Also home to macrons, handmade chocolates, divine paté and the Okanagan’s best quiches to go. 1865 Dilworth Drive (Orchard Place). Monday through Saturday 8:30am to 6pm.

Urban Fare 

Kelowna’s new upscale grocery store carries many of the Okanagan’s best local products including croissants from Sandrine’s Pastry and breads from Okanagan Grocery Breads. 3155 Lakeshore Road. Daily 8am to 10pm.

Peachland

Bliss Bakery 

Peachland is anchored by this busy and popular bakery cafe. Bread and delicious treats are baked in house daily and the rotating line up includes baguettes, cheddar ale potato bread, sourdough from an Okanagan starter using wild yeast from local grapes, and their own Bliss Braid- a baguette combining their three most popular sellers: espresso dark rye, Italian white and multigrain. An outdoor sidewalk patio with stunning views of Lake Okanagan is one option for your cuppa, as well as an inviting long table and cozy seating inside. They also make gourmet sandwiches, soups, quiches, lattes, cookies and treats. Home to the biggest cinnamon buns in the Okanagan. #101 – 4200 Beach Avenue, Peachland. NEW Kelowna Location:109-1289 Ellis Street, Kelowna.  Both bakeries: 7:30am to 5pm daily.

Summerland

True Grain Bakery Pretzels

True Grain Bakery 

True Grain Bakery, an organic bakery from the Citta Slow community of Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island, chose the Okanagan for their third location and happily opened their doors this fall in downtown Summerland. Passionate about old world techniques and local grains, their daily line-up includes Red Fife cracked grain, sourdough, German rye, light spelt, flax’n rye, Kamut pumpkinseed, cinnamon raisin made with organic Thompson sun-dried raisins, ciabatta and the Ogopogo loaf. The ample seating inside is perfect for indulging in the not-to-be-missed croissants, cookies and old world salted pretzels offered with a side of organic grain mustard. 10108 Main Street.. Wednesday through Sunday. 8am to 5:30pm.

Penticton

Walla Foods Authentic Mediterranean & Middle Eastern Foods

Hidden away in the Cannery Trade Centre in Penticton, this bakery has a charm all its own. The weekly line-up includes focaccia, whole wheat cranberry walnut, whole grain rye, Jewish rye with caraway puttanesca, sour dough, and brioche. Check the website for the daily offerings. Don’t miss the “Quign Aman” a salted caramel croissant (seriously addictive).  This tiny bakery also serves housemade sandwiches, soups and their signature brioche French toast. Cannery Trade Centre and Market.1475 Fairview Road. Monday through Friday 8am to 6pm. Saturday 9:30am to 3pm.

Wouda’s Bakery

Wouda’s Bakery is located in the Apple Plaza and has a loyal local following. Daily offerings include rye, baguettes, potato rosemary, cinnamon sugar loaf, multigrain and sourdough. Personal favourites include cranberry walnut sourdough and raisin bread. The bakery also serves sandwiches and soups as well as pastries and coffee. Apple Plaza. 146-1848 Main Street.  Tuesday through Saturday 8am to 5:30pm.

Osoyoos

Lakeview Bakery

The Lake Village Bakery 

The Lake Village Bakery opened their doors this summer and already has become a local and tourist favorite. The daily line-up of fabulous handmade breads includes baguettes, Lake Village loaf, anarchist loaf, sourdough, east side rye, as well as croissants, muffins and classic brownies. Local owner, Shannon Peltier trained with Monika Walker of Kelowna’s Okanagan Grocery before opening the bakery with her husband, Sean. Enjoy weekly specials such as pumpkin and chai, Portuguese corn bread, and the incredible Sicilian chocolate bread. Local cheeses also available.  Arrive when the door opens to avoid disappointment. This bakery has been discovered. 6511 Cotton Wood Plaza Unit 4, Osoyoos