Intermezzo Wins Four BOB Awards

Vernon’s recent Best of the Best Awards produced many winners – but only one business swept four different categories. Intermezzo Restaurant and Wine Cellar was voted the winner of:

• Best Fine Dining
• Best Restaurant with Best Wine List
• Best Romantic Dinner, and
• Best Service (Food and Drink)

The voters confirmed what Ellie Yawney tells her staff every day. Each shift she relays positive comments from diners on the service, the food and wine, and the overall experience. Because passing along the rave reviews is a daily occurrence, she suspects her staff may sometimes wonder if she’s just showing her bias. So she was delighted for the team to win four of the most desirable categories that a restaurant can claim.

Ellie and her husband Glenn are the owners of Intermezzo, and the operation is a true family affair. Ellie and her sister Mandy first worked at Intermezzo as young teenagers, as well as their other two siblings. She believes the work ethic earned during these early years is part of what makes Intermezzo what it is today. Their boss from that time still regularly dines at Intermezzo – a true stamp of approval.

Glenn’s restaurant career also started in his teenage years. He’d racked up 20 years of experience before taking over the reins at Intermezzo. At different times, family from both sides have been part of the team. The current crew includes Ellie’s siblings Mandy and Lukas, along with their spouses Dustin and Austin. The next generation is on board too with Aidan and Owen pitching in part time. Ellie and Glenn make the point that Intermezzo is also a work family, including Dagny who has been an integral part of the restaurant for 25 years.

The team’s passion, expertise, and love for what they do translates into a consistently exceptional dining experience, one that customers say has never been better.

As renowned as the service is, the food is just as fantastic. One of Intermezzo’s signature dishes is their Moroccan Rack of Lamb, seasoned with a housemade marinade of 21 herbs and spices. The popular Indian Butter Chicken is another example of the attention paid to creating and serving authentic flavours. Its Murgh Makhani sauce is made in house daily, including spices like fenugreek leaves from Northwestern India. The menu also includes fresh pasta like the Spanish Saffron Prawn, and desserts like the tempting Black & White Crème Brûlée. The robust vegetarian/vegan menu highlights Intermezzo’s focus on an outstanding dining experience for everybody.

The chefs balance authentic global ingredients such as saffron and Ras El Hanout spice with a commitment to serve BC products like Fraser Valley duck and local produce. This is also reflected in the carefully curated wine list that highlights Okanagan wineries as well as choices from some of the world’s other highly regarded wine regions – the very wine list that earned them the title of Best Restaurant with Best Wine List for 2021.

The wine cellar itself can also be part of your evening at Intermezzo. Special occasions are made exceptional at the single, private table between the racks of wine. This popular dining experience is no extra charge and is in high demand, so reservations are a must.

Out in the dining room, tables are spaced for physical distancing and extra care is taken to go beyond the current guidelines, while continuing to offer the warm, personal service Intermezzo is known for. Happy Hour starts at 3:00, with Sips, Snacks, and some Early Dinner selections.

For times that call for an elevated meal in the comfort of your home, Intermezzo’s irresistible favourites are available by takeout or delivery through local company, Driver Dispatch.

For updates on Intermezzo’s reopening for in-house dining, follow them on Facebook.