New restaurant AT 509 making its debut in downtown Kelowna
There's a new restaurant coming to downtown Kelowna, and you'll never forget where to find it.
It's AT 509, so named because the restaurant is located at 509 Bernard Avenue, formerly the home of the Grateful Fed.
"We want to be a little bit more upscale, more of a funky good place to get really good food, good drinks," executive chef Kevin Negoro said.
Negoro is the mind behind the menu and concept of AT 509, and he also had a hand in the opening of FSH on Saint Paul Street.
He describes the AT 509 menu as cutting edge gastropub food with a serious twist. When creating the menu, he stayed away from dishes that have already been done in other local restaurants. He adds that their chicken and waffles is going to be a fan favourite, with rosemary waffles, mascarpone butter, tabasco honey and bourbon maple syrup.
"If we’re going to do daily features, they have to be stuff that people are going to come in for that nobody else is doing," he said.
There's a different feature for all six days that AT 509 is open, Tuesday to Sunday. The first feature, on opening day, will be Baja Beef, Kimchi Chicken, Tijuana Prawn or Kali Vegetable Tacos.
"Our six day a week features are meant to target people to come in at 3 o’clock," he said. "After work come by and have a really good, affordable happy hour kind of food."
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When it comes to pricing, Negoro said they tried to keep it as reasonable as possible.
"We’re really trying to make it affordable, a place you can come every day," he said. "The most expensive thing is 28 dollars, and that’s steak and crab. You can get a really good meal there for like 20 bucks."
Negoro put together a team of Kelowna mixologists to develop the drink menu, and whenever possible he chose local.
"For our wine list, I’m really trying to source all B.C. wines," he said. "I’m really trying to support local companies, to source out as much locally as I can."
AT 509 will also serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"I’ve done quite a bit in Kelowna, but I’m excited to join this team," Negoro said. "I think it’s a great concept, it’s definitely food Kelowna doesn’t have."
Opening day for AT 509 is September 1.
For the first two weeks, the restaurant will be open at 3 p.m. until 11 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, and until midnight Friday and Saturday. They're open Sundays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
After two weeks, AT 509 will open at 11 a.m. instead of 3 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday to serve lunch.
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