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Food & Drink posted Aug 7, 2019 @ 07:30am by Josh Duncan
Skinny Duke’s Glorious Emporium now open for business in downtown Kelowna
(UPDATE: Aug. 7 @ 7:30 am) - The newest spot to grab a bite and a beverage in downtown Kelowna quietly opened up to the public on Tuesday.
Shortly after 5 pm, Skinny Duke's Glorious Emporium posted on Facebook that "today is the day! We are now open to welcome all you fine folks."
Despite the short notice, a number of people flocked to the new space to be whisked back into the 1970s and try some of the exciting menu options that Skinny Duke's has to offer.
"We loved everything we tried," said Marcy Simpson on Facebook. "Congrats Carolyn and Kyle on another slam dunk for downtown Kelowna!"
Paul Scott chimed in with her two cents, suggesting that everyone "go try the Gordie pizza and the vinegar peanuts. You won't be disappointed."
That Gordie pizza, which we suspect is named after the late Tragically Hip frontman, has roasted cauliflower, peach bbq sauce, fresh peaches, pickled jalapeno, red onion, Black Sheep mozzarella, cilantro and ranch.
"It's a must-see, one-of-a-kind restaurant in downtown Kelowna," added Traci Lee Scott. "Loved all the food we tried. The vibe is sooo cool."
The early reviews were certainly positive, but you'll have to go see for yourself whether Skinny Duke's lives up to the hype.
It opens at 1481 Water St. every day at 2 pm and closes between 11 pm and 1 am, depending on the day.
To learn more about Skinny Duke's, check out our original story below!
(Original story: Aug. 6 @ 10:30 am) - The latest venture from the minds behind BNA Brewing Co. is a serious throwback.
Skinny Duke’s Glorious Emporium is ready to open its doors in the brick building that used to house the popular Sturgeon Hall Pub and Bordello’s Italian Pizzeria.
The vibe inside the redone space will be as funky as the new name, as you can expect a 1970s-inspired lounge and dining room that aims to make you feel like you’re inside a home.
"When you walk in the way we have it set up, the whole building is sort of supposed to be like this house party," BNA's Jill Jarrett told KelownaNow.
Downstairs, it’ll be more of a casual lounge space, while the top floor of the two-storey building will be a sit-down dining space.
Jarrett says this is a concept they’ve been knocking around for some time, but weren’t necessarily ready to pull the trigger on it.
When Bernie Wilson and Louis Drummond decided to sell the building, located on Water Street just north of Bernard Avenue, it was too good of a space to pass up.
“When the opportunity came to our door, we were ready for it,” Jarrett explained.
The framework of the building remains the same, but the entire interior was torn out and redecorated with a vision of the 70s in mind.
One thing that does remain from the building’s past is Bordello’s old pizza oven, which Jarrett says will be used to make some pizzas the team is very proud of.
As an ode to Sturgeon Hall’s popular burger menu, the pizzas will all be named after people, including former owners Bernie, Louis and Vikki.
The men behind those pizza creations are executive chef Justin Best and head chef Chad Mitchell, who will also be serving up a very Asian-inspired menu.
According to Jarrett, many dishes will be created using classical French techniques as well, making it a “real mosaic of cultures and techniques and our chef’s own spin on things.”
To go with that Asian-inspired menu, Skinny Duke’s will serve Yanjing, the state beer of China, Guinness, as another ode to Sturgeon Hall, and Miller High Life, as a 70s throwback.
There will also be one BNA beer on tap, along with craft beer from Vice & Virtue and Four Winds and a cider from Scenic Roads.
Patrons will be offered the same food and drink menu throughout Skinny Duke’s, which means you'll have the same options whether you’re sitting down for dinner upstairs or enjoying a drink on a comfy chair downstairs.
There’s been plenty of excitement regarding this new project from Kyle and Carolyn Nixon, along with the rest of the team involved, and the doors are expected to open to the public any day now.
With all the success and innovation we've seen out of BNA in recent years, it's safe to say Skinny Duke's will quickly become a popular eatery in Kelowna's downtown core.
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