A Summerland restaurant has been ranked among the best in the province in a recent series of restaurant awards.
Local Lounge and Grille took bronze in the Best Okanagan in Vancouver Magazine’s Restaurant Awards in the best Okanagan category.
More than 700 chefs, restaurant representatives, sommeliers and food critics gathered in Vancouver last week for the award ceremonies.
Finalists were selected in 49 categories.
Christa-Lee McWatters Bond of Local Lounge and Grille said the awards are the most prestigious restaurant awards in the province and are recognized by others in the industry as well as by consumers.
She said the restaurant’s success is its approach to food.
“We just continue with our philosophy of using local ingredients as much as possible and letting the foods taste as they should,” she said.
She added that Lee Humphries, chef at the restaurant has done much to ensure a high quality of food.
Humphries, formerly of Vancouver’s C restaurant, joined Local Lounge and Grille in June.
In addition to placing an emphasis on locally-produced or provincially-produced foods as much as possible, the restaurant also changes its menu throughout the year to accommodate those items which are in season.
Wines at the restaurant are from British Columbia, produced within 100 kilometres of the restaurant.
McWatters Bond said the emphasis on local foods is becoming more common among B.C. restaurants.