Photo credit: Charlie&Anamias (flickr)
Dudes. Did you know you can get delicious animal-free food right here in this very city? You didn’t?! WELL! LET US TELL YOU. You can. Allow us to take you on a vegan tour of Kelowna.
First stop: Downtown!
Need a coffee and first breakfast? Pop on into the Bean Scene where you can cure that groggy morning face with caffeine and good ol’ fashioned oatmeal. Waking up after prime oatmeal time? No problem! BeanScene always has a couple lunch items, too, and they are always delicious. Sweet tooth? NO PROBLEM! They also have the best vegan treat in town: Mexican chocolate cookie. It is one enormous and perfect cookie. Impress a date by eating it all by yourself.
Ready for second breakfast?
Head on over to everyone’s favorite brunch spot, The Bohemian Café. The Boh will let you replace the eggs with a bed of spinach in their unique take on huevos rancheros. That’s right, a hang-over curing smorgasboard of hashbrowns, tortilla, veggie chilli, guacamole, and salsa. Definitely the best vegan brunch option in town.
Did you get mesmerized by the lake for 5 hours after second breakfast and suddenly you’re hungry again?
You don’t have to travel far for a buffet of meat and dairy free meals to quell those hangries. Fernando’s pub will serve you a vegan burrito as a side to your avocado margarita. Dunn Enzies will whip you up a vegan pizza while all your drunk friends inhale their cholesterol-laden grease slices. Feeling fancy? Have a sit at RauDZ Regional Table where, for a pretty penny, the chef will whip you up a special something that is sure to impress your champagne tastes. Feeling a little more like Japanese? Head to Momo sushi and order their Shitake Mushroom Rolls or their Spicy Veggie Rolls (just be sure to ask for no mayo/mayo sauce).
Brand new! Downtown’s Naked Cafe is a Kelowna’s hottest vegan cafe and hookah bar. They have everything: fakon cheeze burgers, vegan caesars, lattes with vegan whipped cream, shisha, and some of the most pleasant humans you’ll ever meet. Get thee there! Go every day! Tell them Juawana sent you because she wants to get in good with the owners so they let her live there.
Hate downtown? Not to fear!
There are hidden vegan oases sprinkled all over town. Poppadoms by Grand 10 up Highway 97 (The 97’s last stop past UBCO) notes all the vegan options on their menu and is SUPER delicious. Like, no joke. We would marry that food if we could. You could also run into Nature’s Fare and swoop up some picnic supplies because SPRINGTIME IS HERE! We recommend the samosa and the kale salad. While you’re there, you can stock your kitchen with those pantry staples, too. Multi-tasking, YAY!
Not in the mood for dining al fresco? Perhaps Kelowna’s vegan sweetheart, Lake Tai, can entice you. Located next to the kitschy Ok Corral (food then line dancing anyone?!), Lake Tai is 100% vegan Taiwanese food and offers a huge menu of delicious delights for all occasions. Sweet service, special flavors, and more menu options than any other spot in Kelowna? What are you doing! GO THERE RIGHT NOW! In addition, there is Vietnam Village, right across from London drugs on highway 97 where you can get yourself a sweet-ass coconut tofu soup, just look for the veggie options at the back of their menu! There’s also bubble tea and pre-made vegan noodle dishes, too, at Formosa Tea Cafe right across from Futureshop on highway 97!
Mission where you’re at?
Before your 5 dollar Karma class at Moksha yoga, mosey downstairs and check out SOY! They’ll get you all set up with tofu, veggies, and the starch of your choice. Except potatoes. They don’t have potatoes. If you’re in more of an Italian mood, hop, skip, and jump over to The Fixx Café for some Italian! Order your vegan dish by letting the waiter know you’re vegan and they’ll whip up a pasta or salad for you in no time!
Feeling more conventional? Original Joe’s can sub soy chicken for any meat product on the menu. We suggest getting the fish tacos (just ask them to sub soy chicken and hold the chipotle/mayo dressing!). Beware, though, their veggie burgers have egg and cheese in them. It’s ok, we’re bummed too. If you’re feeling brave and have extra money to burn, head over to Gratitude Cafe for a fully vegan spread (Juawana had some bad experiences with this place, though, so be forewarned).
There you are, young comrades. Enough vegan options to keep you well-nourished and your body free from the horrors of animal agriculture for all occasions! This is just a small sample, but fear not! Ellen and Juawana are on the case. Stay tuned for the forthcoming vegan guide to Kelowna. In the meantime, send any leads to animalsatubco@gmail.com. We also accept cash donations to supply our… ahem… research…. ahem. Now go forth and nourish yourself—body and soul!