King Taps is the place for brews, pizza, and views

King Taps has expanded into Kelowna with their second restaurant, in a location that offers 270 degrees of lake views and patios on two floors.

“This space became available, and we just couldn’t turn it down,” regional manager Thomas Beetlestone told Kelowna10. “We love Kelowna and love the city here, so when this opportunity came up, we snatched it up.”

After years of construction at the former Rose’s Pub location which closed in 2018, King Taps opened its doors to eager diners during their opening week.

The restaurant, adorned with art, shares many features with its counterpart in the financial district of Toronto, but also has its own unique feel.

“We like to think of it as King Taps on vacation on the waterfront, so the décor is a little bit different,” Beetlestone said.

White oak tables and brown leather seating characterize the lakeside location. To pay homage to the former Rose’s Pub, a two-story flower mural leads to the second floor.

Other paintings and sculptures from artists who decorated the first restaurant connect the brand on both sides of Canada.

In many ways, the Kelowna location is experimenting, including expanding its takeout options.

“If you’re on your boat and you’re coming in to dock your boat here, we want you to be able to order takeout. We can run some pizzas and beers for the boat,” Beetlestone said.

The menu is characterized with thin crust pizzas, cocktails, local wine, and craft beer, plus new menu items that are available thanks to the new space.

“This kitchen differs quite a bit from Toronto,” executive president of culinary operations, Eric Foskett said.

“We’re able to make this kitchen much larger and that gives us the ability to offer a lot more selection for everybody to enjoy.”

The pizzas are cooked in ovens imported from Italy with speed and volume in mind. The larger kitchen allows them to offer family-style dining with a main protein, and side dishes to share amongst a table.

Kelowna10 had the opportunity to sample some of the menu items.

While the Frozen Margarita and Tropic Thunder, served in a tiki-style glass, satisfy sweet cocktail cravings, the creamy Night Rider has hints of cocoa and coffee.

The doughs used in various entrees are soft, but while the chicken taco shells are light and bouncy, the thin pizza crust is firmer. Both offer a savory experience, great for satisfying an appetite after a day on the lake.