We had a 3-course lunch with the legacy collection wine pairing upgrade. We had: 1. appetizer: asparagus salad with goat cheese, and beef rib black bean tostada, 2. main: steelhead trout, and pulled duck breast, 3. dessert: rhubarb fruit tart, and chocolate "cheese cake" (which was more like a mousse). Overall, the food was good, with decent wine pairings. We got a taste of the Oculus, which was the best one we were served. The view was lovely, including a number of wild deer walking through the vineyards. Service was excellent, and the waiter was knowledgeable. The only downside were the noisy children running up and down the aisle between the tables on the terrace. Definitely worth the experience. read more

Terrace Restaurant at Mission Hill Winery offers a 3-course lunch or 4-course fine dining prix fixe dinner featuring local, sustainable and seasonal cuisine. This 5 time "Winery of the Year" national Wine Align Award winner not only boasts incredible wine, culinary experiences and views, but the grounds themselves are some of the most stunning of all the spots we visited during our trip and a definite must visit when in the Kelowna area. read more

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Location on top of the hill is fantastic. The restaurant has a wonderful view of the grape vines, the lake and the other side of Kelowna. Service was very friendly and prompt, they take time to chitchat with their customers. We ordered the following: 1. Daily bread - Ricotta with strawberry and rhubard puree, pickled rhubarb and rosemary ciabatta. It was perfect for the start of spring. Loved the combination of the ricotta with the rhubarb and strawberry. The ciabatta was served warm and it was fluffy and lovely. 2. Catch of the day - Halibut with farro and veggies. Fish was cooked perfectly - the outer char then the juicy moist flesh of the fish. It was amazing! 3. Spaghetti with scallops and side striped shrimp with asparagus and watercress/peashoots and radish with slivers of parmesan. Perfectly cooked shrimp and scallops. The veggies were a fresh accompaniment for the dish -- perfect pairing. We didn't have room for dessert anymore but we plan to comeback again next time we're in West Kelowna. Also, loved their sun-shade. It blocks the heat of the sub but you can still see the view behind. read more

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Friendly attentive staff, excellent service, good view and good food! What else can you ask for? It's not a big restaurant so reservation is a must if you want to be sure that you have a table. The restaurant is open like there is no AC but you get a great mountain view and great view of the bell tower and chapel at Mission Hill. The chef uses local ingredients. We didn't have any wine with our meal because we plan to do wine tasting after dinner. read more

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The dinner was delicious, the wine pairings were spot on. But the best part of the experience was the desert - it was delicious! read more

Terrace Restaurant - View from patio. - Canadian (New) Near Me - West Kelowna, British Columbia

This was perhaps one of the most picturesque dinners I've ever had. Seated along the edge overlooking Okanagan Lake and the Mission Hills vineyard, the weather made for a perfect night to have dinner outdoors. The in house made canola oil was something that I personally didn't care for and would've been happy with an olive oil but the home made butter was wonderful. Our starters were all beautifully done and great for a nice summers night. Their duck was done perfectly served on a bed of fresh local vegetables and a squash purée on the side. Amazingly tender, flavourful with just the right amount of seasoning. The wine selection of course being at a vineyard restaurant was excellently paired based on the chefs recommendations. The price of the wine offerings were of course a little higher being a premium winery but it was still an excellent experience. read more

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Spectacular view of Lake Okanagan from Mission Hill winery. 20+ years ago, when I first came here, there were picnic tables for a bring-your-own lunch. The lunch menu is limited - a couple of pastas and a burger - but the meat and cheese board was delicious, and all you really need if you want to have a couple of glasses of wine and enjoy the view. read more

Terrace Restaurant - Panorama - Canadian (New) Near Me - West Kelowna, British Columbia

Lunch with the wine pairings was totally worth it! The views were beautiful, the waiters were so kind and helpful, the food was delicious (small portions, but expected at a place like this). Highly recommend getting the chocolate custard for dessert! read more

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View is amazing, food is amazing, wine is amazing - can't go wrong with this place! Lucky to have visited this place for lunch during my visit to Kelowna this week. I've heard tons of good things about this place so I was excited to give it a visit :) Both personal recommendations from people I knew and reviews online sounded promising and we weren't disappointed! Everything on the menu sounds so SO delicious - it was hard to narrow down what we wanted. After some help from our server, we ordered the beef carpaccio, kale salad, and the catch of the day which happened to be scallops. I liked how unique and fresh every dish was. Felt like everything had a bit of a twist to make it different from, example, beef carpaccio you can get anywhere else. I loved the addition of the pumpkin seeds in the dish, and the presentation was beautiful :) The salad with the goat cheese was amazing too - first time I felt like I didn't get jipped on the cheese to salad ratio - I really do love my cheeses! I almost felt like I didn't have enough greens to eat with the cheese ;) The scallops were cooked perfectly and although the beans didn't sound appetizing when the item was described to us, it surprised me how much I liked them! We finished off with the cheesecake which was light and delicious - totally recommend! Not too sweet, not too heavy. The only slight complaint I have is that the service was soooo slow as the food took forever to come. The server did apologize and mention that the kitchen was backed up. Based on this, I would've given the place a 4.5/5 but I rounded up since I was happy with everything else :) If you have the time and the $$$, please do yourself a favour and check this place out :) read more

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Make sure you make a reservation on OPENTABLE! The restaurant is quite small, fitting around 50 people max i would say. The scenery looking out to the vineyard is breathtaking, and the service is very personable. We got the flight of White Wine to start, and the Brisket Burger with Fries, while my wife got the Catch of the Day (I think it was Salmon). The presentation of the food is spot on, along with the quality and taste of the food. When I visit Kelowna again, I'd definitely hit up this place if i visit Mission Hill Winery! read more

If you are looking for a well executed lunch on a breezy terrace overlooking a spectacular vineyard, framed by a shimmering lake and mountains, this is your place. We went there for lunch, it was well executed and tasty, pricing matched quality and overall experience. Staff greeted us with smiles upon arrival, and our server was professional and courteous. Can't say much bad about this place, if it's within your budget. read more

Terrace Restaurant - Canadian (New) Near Me - West Kelowna, British Columbia

Had an incredible experience here at the Terrace Restaurant for dinner. The set menu was delicious and the wine pairings incredible. I highly recommend checking this place out. The ambience is amazing too. read more

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Not a lot of choice in the menu. A bit expensive for what you get, but the food is pretty good. Had the brisket burger and it was too salty. The salt overpowered the rest of the burger and I could barely taste the cheese. However, I changed my side from fries to vegetables and they helped balance or the salt. By the end of my meal, I was enjoying the burger and just wishing it has a bit more veg to balance the salt. My son has the chicken kids meal and it was wonderful. Nice crisp skin, well cooked throughout, and tasty. Came with vegetables! Overall the place is pretty good but not good enough for the price. read more

Terrace Restaurant - Menu of the day. - Canadian (New) Near Me - West Kelowna, British Columbia

Beautiful scenery but too expensive and you walk away hungry because the portions are so small.

The food was impeccable with great attention to detail. Very flavourful and fresh ingredients. The service was attentive and friendly. The grounds are stunning and the view from the restaurant is unbeatable. Looking forward to returning next time we are in Kelowna. read more

This vineyard is absolutely beautiful and the views of the restaurant are unbelievable! We tried the white flight and the red flights of wines. They are quite small so I definitely wouldn't share them but all of the wines are incredible. I went with the oculus for dinner and it was amazing. I felt like the charcuterie was very small compare to other places so the price tag did not reflect the amount of food you got. For dinner we went with the sirloin for 2 - it's suppose to come medium we felt it was very rare, while all the food was very good it's food that's very expensive and you leave still hungry. I would say it's all about the experience here. read more

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The Terrace Restaurant at Mission Hill winery was the most perfect meal we enjoyed in the Okanagan. The service and scenery were outstanding, it was still the food that stood out, as it should, just as the gorgeous architecture of the winery stands out atop its lofty location. The food is not just good-for-the-Okanagan; it's downright awesome. If you only have time for one winery meal, this should be it, either on your way into or out of the Okanagan valley if you're coming from Vancouver. The only tricky part is that its hours are temperamental, or contingent upon the weather, since the restaurant is literally an outdoor terrace. Usually it's open only during the middle of the day. Call ahead and make a reservation. read more

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This is probably one of the most wonderful restaurant/wine experiences that I have had to date! The service, the ambiance, the wine and the food were all fantastic giving my friend and I an unforgettable experience. Upon entering we were greeted by the host and taken to our seats. We were blown away by the view overlooking the vineyards with the lake and the mountains in the backdrop. So beautiful! The restaurant has no windows but it does have adjustable screens to block out wind or rain on a cool day. Once we were seated, we were offered a complimentary 2 oz taste of their rosé wine. It was delicious and a wonderful aperitif before our lunch. Their menu is always changing depending what is in season. I ordered the scallops and squid on a bed of grilled vegies with chickpeas and my friend ordered the halibut and pork belly. We ordered the Mission Hill wine that is suggested to go with it as the food is still centered around the wine and we wanted to get the full experience. Before our meals came, we were offered fresh bread and butter as well as an elder-flower drink to cleanse the palate before eating. Both were delightful and the presentation was beautiful and detailed. Our mains arrived and were even more delicious than they looked. I have never had scallops and squid that were so soft and buttery that they almost melted in my mouth. The vegies and chickpeas were also very tasty and complimented the seafood. Even though the serving was a decent size, I still wanted more! I was able to try a bit of my friend's pork belly and oh. my. God. It was so delicious with the right amount of fat and salty goodness. She said that her halibut was also delicious. The wines we chose (I believe that they were rieslings) were also lovely and the flavour was enhanced with the food. To end we shared the lemon tart dessert with fresh blueberries and meringue. This was a heavenly rich dessert that didn't last very long between the two of us. It was also very beautifully presented. By the end we were very full and very satisfied. This was a real treat and I look forward to coming back again when I am in the area. When you are here visiting the winery, make a point of stopping in for lunch or dinner. So well worth it! read more

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Came by on a Friday night in a group of 8. This is a beautifully designed unique space with spectacular views. The restaurant is long and narrow allowing each table to be arranged next to a open balcony providing views for each table. Our server and the service was excellent, very attentive and pleasant. We enjoyed our selections of wines and ended up finishing multiple bottles with the dinner. That was the good. Unfortunately my entree selection was not great. I ordered the Butchers Cut which was described as beef cooked sous-vide and then seared to crispen the exterior of the beef. There was no flavour to the meat and while it was tender, there was no searing or crispiness to the exterior of the beef. The rest of our group had mixed comments on their appetizers and entrees. The positives (view, wines, service) made up for my entree but I can not give it more than 3 stars. read more

Great experience! We lucked out when we entered we were told we were the last reservation for the season! And Im glad we had the chance to try this great restaurant while we were in town. First off the location Mission Hill Estate winery is absolutely beautiful. We were blessed with perfect blue sky weather on mid October long weekend. I made reservation online through open table. I came here with high expectation due to some reviews Ive read, and it didn't disappoint. After our wine tour we were early for our reservations so we enjoyed the Mission Hills grounds and walked around. "The Terrance" is exactly that you feel like you were transformed somewhere in Italy having lunch with friends and family at someones beautiful terrance surrounded by a beautiful vinyard. Mind you, I don't know anyone rich enough to have that but its nice to dream sometimes... Its an outdoor restaurant only opened from spring to fall. Not a big restaurant so highly recommend making reservations, gets busy during summer season. Location was amazing but how was the food you ask.....that was amazing aswell. The server explained to us that most of the food is fresh, grown locally, and some even grown in the vineyard like the tomatoes that was used to make our tomato bisque soup. We started with an arugula salad with bacon, parmesan cheese, chicken con fit with a light oil dressing, warm tomato bisque soup. Its was a great way to start a meal. We paired it with a pino gris and merlot. For our mains we ordered. Sheared albacore tuna on top of a cucumber chopped salad, my husband had the steak topped with caramelized onions with a side salad. My tuna was cooked to perfection, it was light and the salad was refreshing a great meal after running a half marathon. Food was fantastic and so was the service. Overall a great experince. read more

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The food here is excellent, unfortunately the service isn't. It's slow even when they're not busy and our server didnt really know the menu perhaps she was new. The view is unbelievable! The arugula salad is fantastic, a little salty from the cheese and chicken confit but very tasty and for small appetites, it would be enough to last til dinner. My Arctic char was perfectly cooked, crisp skin, the cous cous with chorizo added just enough spice to the dish! I'd definitely have this again although a little heavy for summer. The lung cod cheeks were also very good and for smaller appetites, came with lots of fresh grown on premise veggies. The Romenesca was very interesting, tastes like cauliflower but is green in color and pointy. To finish we shared the compressed melon desert with lime foam and basil pearls and it was a perfect way to finish off an incredible lunch!! Light and fresh. Yummmmmmm read more

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A great sunny lunch spot with an amazing view surrounded by a gorgeous pillared space. It felt like I was in Italy! We started with the Lamb Merguez (type of sausage) with sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers and a toast. The dish was incredibly flavourful and not gamey (I'm not a big fan of lamb so this was crucial for me!) For our entrees, we shared the Okanagan char and Smoked Beef Short Rib. The char was pan seared to perfection. The fish was flakey and light. It was accompanied with potatoes, beets and pickled carrots to give the dish a different texture and crunch. The smoked beef short rib was hearty and delicious. We were not expecting such a smoky/cured flavour and texture to the short rib and were expecting it to be the usual braised short rib style - it was still delicious regardless. We paired the entire meal with Mission Hill's Oculus reserve - which went perfectly with the lamb and beef! We finished off with the cream-filled peach tart with poached peaches and peach sorbet with crumble. Amazing. I can't get enough of these Okanagan peaches. read more

Terrace Restaurant - Smoked short rib and Okanagan char - Canadian (New) Near Me - West Kelowna, British Columbia

Such a great restaurant! We came here for lunch on our visit to the winery and we had such a great meal. It's called the Terrace because you are literally sitting on the terrace of the winery. If you get cold easily, I would suggest bringing a light scarf or something because it can get a bit cold in the shade with the wind blowing through. The views from the Terrace are fantastic and you get a great view of the vineyard. We ordered the cheese board and my hubby and I both ordered the fresh made pasta with wild shrimp (he ordered the tomato basil version and I got the butter and white wine version). The cheese board was fantastic. Each cheese came with a spread/sauce that paired perfectly with the cheese. The honey that came with the Brie is produced on-site (yes, they have their own honey bees!). The pasta was definitely the highlight of the meal. First of all, the portions were huge. We were definitely very full after our main meal. Both sauces were equally delicious and you could tell that the shrimp were very fresh (looked like spot prawns) and never frozen. They weren't stingy with the shrimp either! I'm salivating just thinking about it... The service was really great as well. Our server was attentive and made some light conversation which was appreciated. Overall, this restaurant was great and I'm DEFINITELY coming back next time we're in town! read more

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Wow! We spent a wonderful evening here tonight! The food was excellent, the views breathtaking and the staff so kind and helpful! Thanks to Mason for his impeccable service and wine advice. This is a very special place, I would highly recommend it for a memorable night out. read more

Terrace Restaurant - Canadian (New) Near Me - West Kelowna, British Columbia

On June 16th, I took my family from out of town to Mission Hill for a treat. Terrace had a nice set menu paired with wine priced at $60 per guest. We were fine with it until!!!!!! the waiter told us there is no exception even for my ONE year old son and FOUR years old daughter!!!!!! SERIOUSLY?????????????????!??? I was willing to pay the $60 for my oldest daughter who is eight years old just for my family to enjoy this meal we have been looking forward to for months. But $60 for 1 and 4 year old kids????? I asked politely to speak to the manager on duty and the manager lady also said there was no exception. I even asked if the chef could come up with a little kids menu at a lower price point and her answer was still no. For the first time in my entire life...I walked out of the restaurant. I felt humiliated in front of my family who was visiting Kelowna. There were eight of us that day and I am not sure if I will ever go back. Mission Hill lost valuable customers and I am sharing this story with all the other parents out there. A little flexibility would have easily fixed the situation and made all of us happy and we would have been able to make a beautiful memory at one of the world's best wineries but.........$60 wine paired set menu for a ONE YEAR OLD and a FOUR YEARS OLD KIDS???????? That is just WRONG!!!!!!!!! Too bad there is no option to give zero star. read more

The BEST meal we had in the Okanagan Valley. (FYI, we tried Bonita, Quail's Gate and Lake Breeze). I'll keep it short as to why we had an awesome time here: 1. Great view of the lake and the surrounding hills/valleys. 2. Great service - we asked our server to select our flight of wine based on the courses we selected, and he nailed it. 3. Great value - for what you pay for, you get a lot more than what you would get at a similar restaurant in Vancouver. 4. We fell in love with the cheese plate and their heirloom tomato salad with pancetta appetizers. How they made such simple courses taste so good is beyond us. 5. I felt fat after our meal and didn't regret it AT ALL. The end. read more

I had an amazing lunch at the Terrace Restaurant of Mission Hill Winery. The location of the restaurant is spectacular because diners can look to the beautiful Okanagan Lake and vineyards while dining fine quality food. When I arrived with my family, we were immediately seated and our server was friendly and efficient. The menu suggested two wine pairings for each dish. Kudos to the sommelier for giving diners options! Of course all the wines were from Mission Hill. My brother was the only one who ordered a starter. His tomato gazpacho soup with fresh crabmeat on the side was tasty. The colour of the soup was bright with hints of olive oil on the top. My parents and I couldn't help but "sampled" the delightful soup. We liked the freshness, sweetness and tartness of the tomatoes. It wetted our appetites!! I ordered the hemp seed crusted chevre with raisins, quinoa and flax seeds. The colours of the food on the dish were very vibrant and inviting eventhough my brother called it "bird feed food". While I was eating it, I wasn't thinking about meat at all. It looked good and seemed quite healthy. My brother had the roasted free range chicken breast with ricotta ravioli. The chicken was cooked perfectly so it was moist and tender. He devoured the dish in no time. Prices of the food were Vancouver prices but with bigger portions and get better "deals" with the wine. A good place to splurge for an amazing meal while visiting the Okanagan. read more

4 stars for over atmosphere & customer service, but to me, the food's 3.5, all the same when it comes to these wineries. To me, it has to be so deleesh for me to come back just for the food, but I won't, not at these prices. however, had a great time at the wine tasting/souvenir shop, and the amazing views outside, almost like a garden. The appies were actually more deleesh than the mains lol. The angus carpaccio had a nice tomato jam and honey mustard, served w/ a fresh bout of greens. Another winner was the baby scallop and pea salad. My halibut was average, if it wasn't for the nicely-toasted top skin, but do realize it's a fish that's a bit hard and dry, though the pea sauce made up for it. Gorgeous views over looking the valley. Appreciated the Tuscany-esque architecture inside. Great service, she really knew her menu and wines. read more

Superb qualities in location, ambient mood, foods, wines and services. The view from this restaurant is heavenly and makes one forget passing of time. Perfect place to enjoy five star quality dishes after wine tasting. Reservation is must as number of tables are limited. read more

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This is a fantastic restaurant in a beautiful setting overlooking the winery grounds as well as the Okanagan Valley. We had the preset Sunday dinner menu with wine pairings. The four course meal was one of the best I have had in a long time while the wine pairings were perfect. The prices of course are high but this is a must have on your trip to Kelowna so it's well with it. The service is on another level. After dinner you can enjoy a walk on their finely manicured gardens. read more

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This is only the Intermezzo eats cause we missed out on lunch times but it still was surprisingly good. The charcuterie board was pretty decent with a group agreement that the pate was da bomb. The fries were on another level, it was advertised as being cooked in duck fat. However, it actually tasted like the fries were cooked from inside a duck itself....tasty af. I didn't try the dessert due to my intolerance for lactose, but @luub19 says it was refreshingly light. Located at Mission Hill Winery, this location is really cool. The drive up to the winery and the actual view from the restaurant was really pretty. A great place to look out over the vineyard and food off a board. Can't wait to go back and ball out on dinner or lunch. Sal says: Just eat it Ben says: Would have liked to try the full menu read more

Enjoy a breathtaking view on high overlooking the shores of Lake Okanagan in Westbank's Mission Hill Family Estate while sipping on wine in an upscale romantic restaurant. This is one of the wonderful escapes while touring the Okanagan wineries. After the tour through the Mission Hill Winery, it's nice to kick back and relax while being spoiled with great food. Farmhouse Butter & Vanilla Lobster Tail 'sous vide' 19: served with foie gras, maple cured steelhead caviar. How could I resist the precisely controlled temperature of cooking vacuum sealed lobster in airtight plastic bags bathed in a water. The perfected cooked Nephropidae is sweet while preserving its sashimi state. Served alongside is the foie gras and mini toasted brioche. A smooth fatty foie gras to contrast the bouncy sweetness of the lobster. And finished off with a savory lobster bisque soup in a shot glass. The saltiness of the concentrates cuts thru the fattiness of foie gras. Estate Cured Bacon Wrapped Petite Bison Tenderloin 33: served with Okanagan cherry, forest mushroom tart. It is like a perfect canvas against the setting sun. The natural light captures the vivid colors of the dish embedding it against my iris. My brain salivates before I even had a bite. Bacon is slightly charred and crispy while the bison is cooked to perfection. Tender. Moist. Juicy. Tart cherries and earthy vegetables provides a bright flavor of freshness to this handsome dish. Wine Fed Sezmu Beef Striploin & Braised Shortrib 31: served with polenta 'frites', sage & moja coffee jus. A smoky au jus and a tender striploin. A standard but perfectly seared piece. Chocolate truffles melting in my mouth with fruit jellies salutes my day a fond farewell. Adieu! And of course, you can expect great service. read more

Was really excited to be trying this place but this place failed! Firstly was treated with the most rudest host then ordered steak, it was so chewy and mouth tiring! Never coming back never recommending anyone here! The only star here in my review is for the server who was really nice! read more

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The location and winery itself is stunning. We went with another couple and had the sample menus with wine pairing. We were all disappointed with the portion size and the wine sample size. The wine pairing was $45 for 5 pairings. Only about 2 oz of wine was poured on each pairing. The food presentation was good however we went out for pizza after spending $300 on dinner read more

Loved the view and fresh vegetables they used in the dishes grown from their own garden. Will definitely come back again. read more

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One the best meals I had all year with a great view of Okanagan lake. The food was well presented with lots of flavours. The meal started with the broccoli soup which was a puree with almonds on top. A good choice to start. Then came the grilled salmon with crispy skin served on top of local vegetables. This was one of the best salmon dishes I had. The best part was the dessert which was local cherries with chocolate and a sponge like cake. The service was friendly and helpful. They suggest an appropriate wine to match the food. read more

I absolutely LOVE the Terrace at Mission Hill. I have had the pleasure of dining there 3 times over the summer and early fall. The setting, architecture, and view are amazing and calm the spirit. The food changes with the season and fresh vegetables picked THAT day are featured. Unlike other similar restaurants, the service is unpretentious. Our sommelier, Jen, treated us like family, even though we had just met. The servers were all very attentive, Ian and James both remembered me in spite of more than 2 months passing before my return visit. The food was delicious and the portions were just right to satisfy and indulge at the same time. I am sad only that they are now closed for the winter, but I look forward to the spring when the Terrace reopens! read more

Had one of my most memorable and amazing meals here a few years ago when it was under Chef Michael Allemeier. Looking forward to trying it out again this summer under the new chef. With a world class view/setting, we had a fantastic meal that celebrated local, fresh ingredients in ways only an award winning chef could put together. Much worth the splurge. read more

The Terrace at Mission Hill winery is a great restaurant. The food, the service, and the views can't be beat. The Legacy Flight red wine trio - their 3 best reds, 2 oz of each, is a great way to sample at a reasonable price. Make sure you try one of the deserts- we had the cheesecake, which has is nothing like a normal cheesecake, and it was great. This restaurant can be very expensive if you want it to be, but you can also get out for under $100 person, tax and tip included, and get one of the best meals you will ever have. Don't miss this place if you are in Kelowna. read more

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The Terrace Restaurant stands upon its merits to such a degree, it can be reviewed separately from the Mission Hill Winery it resides within. In some alternate reality where cats are dogs, gender roles are reversed, and I'm sporting a goatee and wicked thoughts (well, s'more), the Terrace Restaurant sits alone atop a hill, overlooking a picturesque lake, and I would proclaim it as one of the best restaurants you could ever hope to visit. In the real world, the Terrace stands as a prominent aspect of a must-see tourist destination. Ignoring the winery, you're still greeted by one of the best views any restaurant could ever hope to have, at least one not facing a thousand-year old work of human ingenuity (although there was that one sushi place overlooking Kowloon bay in Hong Kong where there are nightly laser shows). This review encompasses a full day, including two meals, lunch and dinner, separated by an insufficient four hours. Also, my position as a food blogger was foretold, like the coming of plagues or the rising of Neo to save Zion. It arose because of an invitation to name-drop in order to receive preferential treatment. Yes, all that flowery mumbo-jumbo can be reduced (like good chicken stock) to the simple truth that I told them I was a blogger. As result, the head chef, Chris Stewart took it upon himself to lead me on a tour of the restaurant's sustainable farming ventures. Herbs and vegetables are grown on site and incorporated into the restaurant's menu, a menu that changes depending on what's in season. An ever-evolving selection is proudly listed at the bottom of the page: asparagus, beets, cattail, chickweed, duck, egg, fennel, hazelnuts, mallow, mint, etc. (since I'm only up to "M" and have a word budget). Edible pansies stood out--partly because I think that sounds funny ("all wimps should line themselves up to be replacement staple for the strong"), as did foraged watercress, which sounded oddly specific. As the waiter ran off the numerous dishes laid out before us, she actually caught herself in an error naming off the specific olives and corrected herself...like that actually mattered. The restaurant itself is creative in its simplicity, like those exhibits in the Tate Modern of Lego brick stacks. The Terrace has no walls to speak of, veils descend to shield against rain and sun. It's one long stretch of tables, with waiter stations positioned bow, middle, and aft--the boat metaphor is apt. To the left reveals the Mission Hill Amphitheatre and are the best seats in the house. To the right is a drop-off overlooking the lake. The prep area, not unlike those in top bistros, greet guests only a few feet from the maître d' podium. Fresh-baked bread is presented on slabs of stone with novelty butter pats shaped as...well, they don't look exactly like corks but they should look like corks. That preceded a meal that cost only $22, and for that we received peace country carpaccio (with arugula, onion ash, puffed wild rice, and oak barrel vinegar), wise earth gem lettuce salad (with duck confit, raisin glace and pear dressing), hand cut frite (because what kind of meal would it be without French fries apparently), and numerous fresh olives (the aforementioned labeling mistake). The price escalated with the addition of wine, because we obviously needed more after the afternoon tour. It didn't include the aperitifs served before and after the full course--pickled cherries and homemade jellies. After a quick jaunt to Quail's Gate down the road, we returned for the evening's chef's table. You'll notice if perusing the online menu that there's no option for a chef's table, but it does exist, usually in July. It was June...because the head chef is just that awesome. Once again came the aperitif and homemade bread, the candied rhubarb, and then two sesame chips jutting from a wood clinging onto a dollop of--I kid you not--wine tartrate (I think that's what it's called--basically wine residue/sediment). After that followed the roasted Haida Gwaii octopus with chickpea fritter, yogurt, mint, and I kid you not, squid ink (which I suspect Chris did intentionally due to a conversation about experiencing that in Teatro). And yet after all that, three more courses followed, a risotto, a beef over spinach salad, and smoked beef short rib & frites (with smoked shallot, seared lettuce, beef glace). I actually couldn't finish--dessert had to be cancelled. Gone, but not forgotten. I will be back for that dessert, Chris. Terrace does nothing by accident, like an oracle, everything is purposeful, from the black weave mats to the artistic knives that stand at rest on their edge. The service is impeccable, the environment romantic and lavish. I can only count a few meals in my life that measure up or supersede the Terrace. And since this is based on two meals, my opinion should count twice, right? read more

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