Skinny Duke's Glorious Emporium in Kelowna is all right, all right, all right
KELOWNA - Skinny Duke's Glorious Emporium isn't grandma's basement; it's your cool uncle's batchelor pad that hasn't changed since 1975. Walking through the front door is like stepping back in time, down to the jukebox by the bathrooms, the old fuzzy TVs, the plants hanging from the ceiling and the original Star Wars figurines lining the shelf above the bar.
Skinny Dukes opened their doors August 6, taking over the old brick building previously occupied by Sturgeon Hall Pub and Bordello's Pizzeria. It was purchased by the owners of BNA Brewing Co. & Eatery, Kyle and Carolyn Nixon.
Everywhere you turn it's like That 70s Show, if Eric's basement was tastefully furnished and his parents let him keep a bar down there.
Downstairs, there's a casual vibe with mixed seating, including booths and couches at one end, and bar seating and long tables at the other. Down here you can find all sorts of knick-knacks and old memorabilia, like street signs, E.T. figurines, pin-up posters, vintage mannequin heads, and even a Lite-Brite (remember those?!).
Upstairs, the more formal sit down dining area opened for business Tuesday August 6th. This gives guests a chance to focus more on a full meal and sit down conversation, away from the hustle and bustle by the bar.
Because Skinny Dukes Glorious Emporium took over the space from Bordello's, there's still a pizza oven in the kitchen upstairs. The new owner decided to take advantage and make fresh pizza in house. Personal pizzas are only $10 each, some of which are named after previous owners of Sturgeon Hall.
The Debra has spicy 'nduja, mascarpone, edam and mozzarella. The Louis has proscuitto, grilled green olives, asiago and truffle honey. The Bernie has mushrooms, smoked bacon, sunny side egg, pea tendrils and parmesan. The Rhonda has heirloom tomatoes, Black Sheep mozzarella, walnut pesto and balsamic.
Skinny Dukes really hit the ground running when it comes to their drinks, as they already have a large and unique selection everyone will love, plus tiki glasses you can purchase with your drink for $20. They also have little pictures in the menu showing what each cocktail looks like, and a breakdown of the ingredients. If you're looking to try a fun, new, fruity drink, this is exactly where you need to go.
The Yogurt Pina Colada stands out, with Cuban white rum, coconut-infused Greek yogurt, pineapple and lime. The Grave Digger also sounds interesting, with a blend of dark, over-proof and demerara rums, almond orgeat (sweet syrup made from almonds), anise liqueur, grapefruit, lime, bitters and charcoal rose water.
Customers will be happy to see lots of local brews on tap, including Vice and Virtue's "Love Potion" fruity beer, BNA's "Greg" IPA and Scenic Road's "Nearly Dry" cider. Brews on tap range from $6.75 to $7 a glass.
So far, the reception to Skinny Dukes appears to be positive, with tons of good reviews on Facebook and happy feedback to the serving staff.
Located at 1481 Water Street, Skinny Dukes opens at 4 p.m. every day downstairs, and 5 p.m. for dinner upstairs.
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