Minstrel Cafe and Bar Relaunches With Fresh Ideas

The Minstrel Café and Bar has officially relaunched and reopened in Kelowna much to the delight of regular patrons.

The long-time favourite restaurant changed hands back in March as the business was sold, ending a 15 year legacy. Many of those who love the café were worried that with the change of hands there would be sweeping changes at the restaurant as well. While there is a slightly different tone to the popular spot, regulars will be happy to know that things are just as good, if not better according to some, under the new ownership.

With a refreshed website, a new executive chef, happy hour prices and new hours, owner Anne Stewart is excited for the changes.

“Our executive chef Erik Yeverino is absolutely amazing, we are very lucky to have him here with us and mentoring our chefs,” explained Stewart. “He is very passionate and has won several competitions for his amazing creations.”

Yeverino is Italian born and has worked at several high end restaurants in Calgary where he was influenced by some of the best chefs in Canada and the world. Some new favourites on the menu include gnocchi stuffed with lobster, white truffle béchamel, and smoked bacon, chicken cacciatore, arctic char, and a their house made margherita pizza.

Stewart is no stranger to the hospitality business as her family owns and operates the Turtle Bay Pub in Lake Country.

“We work very hard to provide our customers the best food and service at the pub and we will be doing the same at The Minstrel Café,” explained Stewart. “We want to reassure our customers that while there will be some changes, our focus will remain on providing an amazing experience with our food and entertainment.”

The Café will now be open seven days a week from 11:00 a.m. until late and will feature live music and events regularly. Stewart says that Yeverino will do his very best to incorporate seasonal items into his menu and sources as much locally as possible.

Purchasing items from local producers is an important aspect says Stewart, who is originally from Terrace and understands the importance of supporting local.

The Minstrel Café is located at 4638 Lakeshore Drive. For more information about the new menu, specials, and for a listing of upcoming events visit their website here.

Recently KelownaNow checked out another hidden gem, a delicious food truck, as part of our foodie features.

Do you know of any fun and yummy restaurants to check out in our community? Let us know in the Facebook comment section or by e-mailing KelownaNow at news@kelownanow.com.