Four of us came for an afternoon tasting and bite to eat. We had a tour with Roddy and enjoyed it very much. Quite the character. We tasted four ciders and two liqueurs. Afterwards, we had a dessert afternoon tea accompanied by more cider. All very good and great staff. read more

Merridale Cidery & Distillery - The Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Cobble Hill, British Columbia

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If you're in the cobble hill, please make sure you stop here! We visited Merridale for a tasting, and what a hidden gem it is! The food and cider menus were extensive, featuring special items, mocktails, and cocktails. The service was excellent, and the spot is beautiful. It's also kid-friendly with games on the lawn and other activities. I enjoyed each of the ciders. I had the non-alcoholic flight, and my favorite was the lavender one! The fennel soda was very interesting, the ginger soda was a take on a ginger ale and the apple juice was great. Great value as well for $7. My husband had the world alcoholic cider flights and thoroughly enjoyed his selections. The farm itself is incredibly charming and offers activities for both adults and children. They also have some tours. I will definitely return for another visit and highly recommend Merridale cider and distillery read more

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This island gem is a must for everyone. The sourdough bread is made from an old crabapple recipe and is absolutely divine! Dog friendly patio is warm and covered. The ciders are non pasteurized and the food is top notch! read more

Oh my gosh! What a gem of a place Merridale was! It was so peaceful there and you can go on a tour of the cidery too! Tried out the sweeter life cider flight which was super tasty! My fav was the mo'moro one. I would definitely say their ciders are on the hop-pier side. Also ordered the brick oven bread which paired so nicely with our ciders. Highly recommend making a visit! read more

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This was a fun place to meet up and have dinner. Visiting family in Victoria, I met friends here which live further north! Yes, it's out in the middle of what seams like nowhere, but it's worth it. They even put on holiday lights for those enjoy. I ordered and had, what I proclaim, the best chicken pie I have ever had. This was excellent, flaky and buttery crust, the filling was creamy and full of flavor! The only reason this place didn't get five stars; two things I attempted to order were not available or out. I get it, supply chain issues are crazy right now, so not dinging them hard or mad. I highly recommend the bread appetizer. The tomato relish was so good I bought a jar on my way out, along with some other adult beverage items! The staff were friendly, although we had to request water refills, they were on it most of the time! read more

This cidery and farm are the real deal! Absolutely charming staff and very tasty drinks in food. The setting was idyllic and it is obvious they are completely dedicated to their craft! The walk around the orchard was beautiful and the fairy houses kept the two tweens with us most intrigued. This is a great place and it is the labour of love of a very kind bunch of fine humans! read more

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One of the best meals our whole family has ever eaten in our entire lives and it is definitely a must-see. We were all gushing over our food. Atmosphere is COZY, adorable, and SO DOG FRIENDLY! Dog water waiting, even a dog charcuterie plate! (too big, but the novelty was cute) It was so nice to have a heated patio for the dogs to sit with us. There were even blankets, although the heaters worked great so we didn't need them, but it was so considerate and cozy. Friendly and helpful service. The food was so high quality, rich, tasty! The charcuterie plate was amazing. Lentil pie and salad were so good. The breads were SO high quality. GREAT KIDS MENU! Grilled cheese and pasta were elevated, way better than a normal kid menu, but not too fancy. The kids loved this place. The bacon on the charcuterie was next level. This was the perfect place to stop for lunch driving down to Victoria. I can't way to bring family and friends back next time we are on the island. read more

A cozy farm and restaurant where we had a great meal. They have a wide selection of ciders which I would highly recommend. The chicken clubhouse sandwich was made with an excellent sourdough and the bacon was cooked to perfection. The chicken noodle was a little different, felt like there was a tomato base. My friends' got the rose penne and loved it as well! The food was good, but the ambience was better. read more

Merridale Cidery & Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Cobble Hill, British Columbia

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Overall a fantastic experience! The farm has so much character and makes for a superb walk (there's a map outlining shorter & longer versions), along with a number of history & process plaques which make for an educational read. Lots to look at indoor as well, with an array of take-homes & merchandise. We had a dinner reso and had a nice table by the window. Got 2 flights that basically covered all the cider offerings (5 drier, 5 sweet), all very on point as far as my limited taste in cider goes. Food-wise, we got a steak & mushroom pie plus the charcuterie board, the latter of which was far bigger than we expected and the perfect pairing with cider. The homemade chutneys were excellent. As for dessert, the strawberry rhubarb pie lacked in crispiness but was delicious otherwise. I would say the only thing that was a bit of a let-down of the "live music", for which we had high hopes that were unfortunately let down. It was a single guitarist-singer through the evening, who had a bit of a unique voice and was lacking in what might have been made up by an ensemble. As for service, we read previous comments about no service to speak of, but other than the fact that it's an order-at-counter setup, we actually got quite a bit of TLC from staff, so no complaints there. read more

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First, the cider is quite good and priced almost reasonably. (The spirits are just OK and are priced far too high.) And the staff is very friendly. However, the food was mediocre at best and overpriced. The menu is limited, which is usually an indicator of quality, but in this case is an indicator of a lack of creativity and preparation. The burger was good, but it's hard to mess up a burger. The bread board appetizer was accompanied by two kinds of chutney that weren't very good and then my wife's apple Brie sandwich was the same bread and chutney, plus the Brie that should have been included with the bread plate. Overall, I can't recommend eating here. read more

Outstanding ciders (but a bit pricey) and great farm atmosphere. The food is delicious. We had the chicken corn chowder and licked the bowl. read more

What happened to this place? I was here a year and a half ago. It was amazing. The menu was amazing. The place was humming along and busy. Today was a different story. Disappointing to say the least. The menu was extremely limited. There is no table service. One staff person was running the place. I know finding good and affordable staff is tough. Very sad. I had such a great experience last time so today was a shock. There was hardly anyone there today so I hope Merridale is not in trouble. The soup was good but the grilled cheese sandwich was laughable (and not in a funny way). No butter. No cheese. Dry. Yuck. All the good desserts are gone. Very very sad. Great cider. Yeah. At least there's that. read more

Merridale Cidery & Distillery - Chilled cheese? Yummy soup. - Distilleries Near Me - Cobble Hill, British Columbia

Made a point to stop out here since both the wife and I like cider. Fairly quiet, unassuming cidery - smaller than I expected, but still as whimsical. Has a self-guided tour that you can go on, but unfortunately we never figured out how to see the cider making process itself. Oh well. Anyways, you're here for the food review, so here goes. New World Flight - 5/5 Delicious ciders all around. $10 for a tasting flight of 4 ciders is a pretty "sweet" deal. Ciders are all very unique, and have distinct character. Don't be fooled by the comparatively small volume of the last "Apple Dessert" - it packs a punch! Apple Brie Melt - 4/5 Yummy brie melted over sweet cubed apples on a nice open faced sandwich. My wife loved this one, so this one is more for her. I liked it, but what I really liked was the... Merridale Clubhouse Sandwich - 4/5 Pretty HUGE sandwich, definitely stacked up with chicken, bacon and veggies. The toasted sourdough bread is very tasty and packs up the flavors very nicely. My only complaint is that the chicken is pretty dry and tough, but the other flavors manage to make up for it. I'd say the food here is pretty spot on, and the ciders are delicious. The whole cidery experience itself feels a bit lacking though. Oh, and I'm not really a big fan of the whole "order at the counter and we'll bring your food over" kind of experience. I was already getting up myself to go and grab napkins and water, had to go up myself to read the specials because the "servers" had no idea what they were...what's left to even tip for?? read more

We followed the 'road of alcohol' and found this orchard, probably one of our last stops before heading back to the ferry on the way home. How do you rate this, do you rate it just on the drinking, the restaurant, or the whole experience of what I saw, I think I'm going to go with the entire picture. This place is definitely one, if you have a camera, to take pictures of, especially during the time we were here. You don't really see anything when you park your car. You see a few barn like buildings and a big white water tank with their logo, and an arrow pointing right, saying, "welcome"! We followed the path, and it was like opening up a storybook picture, a vast field of trees filled with apples, the first sense was to just snap away with the camera. The sights were magnificent, and that's before even going in to taste any form of liquor. The main bistro/shop has the tastings (of course) a restaurant (oh wow, there's food here) and a store selling all their stuff including pies to take home, booze and artwork (yeah, what I saw were hand painted pictures of fruit!). One thing I quickly noticed at the tasting bar was the amount of flies buzzing around, now don't get me wrong, this place is not DIRTY, it's just that the flies like the cider that is brewed here, and it took some waving of the arms to get rid of them and sip a few before they would come back. I'll admit, I wasn't too much of a fan of their ciders or their fortified wines, but taste is just that, everyone's is different, and they have a big selection here, even ending off with their vodka (which was a strong kick). Take in the sights of this place, I know they offer tours here, along with going onto the orchard, enjoy the sights, sounds and tranquility, maybe enjoy the booze and food. Just seeing these red beauties hanging on a tree was spectacular, and coming here just for pictures (not even planning to) was worth. Come take a look if your around here, might as well! read more

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Such an amazing cidery and distillery we highly recommend. We each had a flight, 2 different cider flights and 1 cocktail flight with the Charcuterie board shared between us 3 and it was delicious. Really nice products, exceptional service and a great area to enjoy the flights. Cider and then Vodka, Gin and Rhum and brandy are the different types you can try. Once again Highly recommend thanks for a wonderful visit. read more

Merridale Cidery & Distillery - Bliss G&T Caesar Tiki time - Distilleries Near Me - Cobble Hill, British Columbia

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This company is ripping off people that no longer can have their wedding due to COVID. The company is not giving back the deposit for expenses they did not incur. Shame on you Merridale. I will no longer support your business, buy your products or recommend it to anyone. I will actually put the word out there on what you are doing. Give these couples their money back and apologize, it will be best for your business. read more

Dining with real country atmosphere; where the food and drink is solidly good and the live entertainment adds to the experience. Enjoyed my cider flight and the lamb burger was very good. We have already rebooked. read more

Yes for the drinks and atmosphere. No for the food. Quality, portions and price fell short. It's a great place for drinks and fun with friends. read more

My Fiancé and I are looking for venues to conduct a wedding.. So we looked seriously into this place. We have been to a wedding here before and it was rather good. But before we invest and put down a deposit, we thought it wise to do some research and lucky thing too.. We find the story of the Merridale not refunding a couple. This is a huge mistake.. because couples talk.. and local wedding planners advise against venues that do this sort of thing. In the end.. we did not even contact the Merridale due to this story.. We booked another local venue.. When we asked this new venue their return policy they told us, a full refund if they could not honour the agreement.. Merridale should learn this lesson.. because they have lost our business. My fiance does not even want to go here to eat because of this.. What happened to you Merridale. Sad read more

Merridale is absolutely gorgeous. Walking around the grounds, through the orchards and amongst the deer is like floating through a nature dream. It's amazing. When I arrived at Merridale for my wedding walk through, I called my then fiance BEFORE I had walked around and told him that THIS was the place to get married. That statement held true until a few days ago. This isn't a dream anymore, it's a nightmare. The province has put lots of restrictions on groups gathering and travel. Even with the recent news of considering easing up on these restrictions we couldn't possibly hold the ceremony in good conscious at this time. Let's be honest, weddings will not be high on that priority list and rightfully so. Due to COVID-19, our wedding set at the end of June is no longer able to take place. Merridale has decided they won't be refunding us at all, despite the services we have paid for are not going to be rendered on the date laid out in the contract. They have asked us to reschedule instead, which we have politely declined. Things for the future are too uncertain. I have zero concern about the deposit. Deposits are used to initially establish meetings, paperwork and hold the date and that process takes time and money to get all set up.They can keep the deposit. What we're worried about is the thousands of dollars we put in as our "second installment." While Merridale is standing by their contract and has stated that it is binding and they won't refund (for they've already spent the money,) their way of conducting business has been absolutely asinine and overlooked at this point. I had been reaching out since March to try and figure out a course of action on account of the money we invested, but also other deadlines that I had to meet with outside vendors and purchases. I wasn't getting any response but "we'll let you know, there's lots of time, we're going ahead like normal" and was only reached this week to discuss. I've had conversations where I've been told by their coordinator that if they refund us it will affect weddings for other couples. What weddings? Nothing can happen right now. I have heard from other people in my position that Merridale doesn't plan on hosting weddings for 2020 but they are still offering the dates for rebooking. Since myself and other brides have reached out to the public, we have been flooded by stories from even more people about how the owners have chosen to scream at and belittle them, forcing them to reschedule. Those individuals have invested far more than I at this point. To boot, Merridale is CHARGING them for additional venue fees of up to $300 for something that is already laid out in the contract, just because they think they can. These guys have given a refund to someone already and now they are calling that individual a "blackmailer" for speaking about her experience. I was told by the GM that they shouldn't have paid her, shouldn't have made that jump decision and waited so as to not pay her instead. They paid her to be quiet. But the real kicker was in my last conversation with the GM. He explained that once COVID passes, the establishment will consider those who have been impacted by this and find ways to refund them BUT if I went to social media and spoke about my experience with this that I would not be considered for the refund at all. That I would be promoting slander against the company. Well friends, that ship has already sailed and I am telling you nothing but the truth. This type of thing is not what I enjoy doing but at the end of the day our contract isn't being met due to things that are out of both of our control and they somehow are able to keep thousands of dollars from individuals who have decided to move on at this time. I could easily reschedule and that could make things so much easier for everyone, but it is not a nice feeling to have your hard earned cash held over your head. At the end of the day, would you reschedule and continue to pay them to celebrate something significant after what you've just read? Thanks for reading by the way. Please know that I understand that COVID is causing turmoil for people all over the world and in comparison this is most certainly small potatoes. Despite that though, some things have still had to go on as business as usual and this is what MANY individuals planning a wedding with them have been met with. I can never speak of this company in good faith again. Don't let their delicious cider and stunning grounds fool you. Find another beautiful wedding venue that will bring your day to the next level, not drag you to court. read more

An hour out of Sidney, and tucked behind the main route, is Merridale Ciderworks, a charming Agro-Tourism destination promising a wide variety of Alcoholic Cider and gourmet food. Having been revitalized in 2000, the Ciderworks features all kinds of features you'd expect at an Agro-Tourism venue, a pond and veranda for weddings, a barn-ish structure where the distilling of cider takes place, a gift shop and restaurant, and a pleasant garden. Touring the property didn't require too much time and we busied ourselves with picking something for lunch. Four flights of Cider were served, as was a delicious hummus on a whiter softer bread. I settled on a dish I don't typically order (I don't recall the entree but they were all great), though it tasted great. The desserts weren't to shabby either (mango gelato and apple strudel). The focal point of our meal were the various flavors of locally brewed Ciders produced at Merridale, everything from what you would expect of a hard apple cider, to something with a campaign like finish. Bring a healthy appetite and appreciation of truly unique and delicious spirits, and stay a while in the garden if you need a bit of time to recoup. Anyone passing by Merridale on their way towards the coast would be remiss not to stop at this wonderfully unique apple cider estate. read more

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Won't be returning. Four of us girls went to merridale for the first time yesterday Saturday June 8. The service and food were really disappointing. The worst part I should detail first is my friend who is allergic to gluten was given the wrong pizza, a wheat pizza, 15 minutes prior to any of the rest of our food coming. The waitress asked "who has the gluten free?" And gave her this pizza which we had no reason to not believe was not gluten free as ordered and again stated when placed on the table. We figured that is why her food came so much earlier to make sure it was not contaminated? We were wrong. They realized they had mixed up the pizzas when we spoke up about the toppings being wrong. The waitress then handed me the pizza with an eaten slice from my friend. During covid19 it should be even more unacceptable to give someone food that has already been partially consumed by someone else. My friend, shocked that they did this said "well can you at least what it up for her? It's been sitting out for so long" I stated that no we wanted a new pizza to which I received a sarcastic "Sure" while chapping her hands at us, a very rude gesture in my opinion. "It'll be like 15 minutes though" She said to try and talk me out of a new pizza I assume - I said that was fine I just wanted the pizza I paid close to $20 for to be fresh and not partially consumed. An hour later the fourth guest at our table stated she had still not received her meal, a salad. She said she would just prefer a refund at this point as it had been so long and we had all finished our meals. 10 minutes later they clearly made the salad even though she stated she preferred her money back if it hadn't been made yet. The final nail in the coffin for me was the growler we purchased the lid wasn't on properly and it spilled all over my seatbelt in the back of my car. The same blonde shoulder length haired girl who did the rude clapping gesture. I wonder if it was on purpose at this point. Very disappointed and feel bad for my friend who was sick all night and wasn't offered any major apology or compensation when we spent about $200 there total. Unfortunately we had to pay and tip prior to the service and I wish we could have received refunds or had the ability to tip zero to state our disappointment. read more

https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/04/17/couple-forced-to-cancel-wedding-celebration-denied-refund-by-vancouver-island-venue/amp/ This article says it all, I'm here in solidarity with the couple that you have stolen from. Withholding a refund for a service you cannot provide on the scheduled date is wrong. I wouldn't blame them for not wanting to postpone, your "small business" is a joke. I use the term "small business" because that the excuse your using before deleting Facebook comments underneath your poor grammatical statement that was put I'm under your Facebook page. Since you deleted myself and at least 20 other comments I'll review your crappy establishment. As a small business you should know how you treat your existing customers is how you get future ones. Stick to growers people, this place is trash! read more

Apparently every other person in my family knows the family behind Merridale Ciderworks quite well, and apparently I met them many times years ago, but I have no memory of this! (Were they joking?) We were checking out the Kinsol Trestle and needed somewhere to eat lunch, so my family suggested the Merridale Ciderworks. I popped into the... rustic... bathrooms and then met the rest of my group at a seat they'd chosen on the patio, which is all wood with sweeping views of the gardens and grounds. Gorgeous scenery, not for those with a phobia of wasps, hornets and bees! Not having been before I opted for the cider flight along with my lunch. Six mini glasses of their different ciders, arranged with love and a description of each. They were all great, though it was disappointing that when I went inside to the shop, the salesgirl didn't know anything about the drinks served as part of the sampler (you'd think that would be kind of important for making sales?). She had to go find a menu to educate herself about what I'd had! My food was fine. I ordered a vegetarian dish of spinach and cheese crepes. They were very spinachy and cheesy, though they'd been baked in their light tomato sauce just a few minutes too long, making them a bit too crunchy for my tastes. Everyone else enjoyed their meals of burgers or salads (we're a family of carnivores, dieters and vegetarians it would seem). I'd go back- maybe with a designated driver- for a light lunch on the patio! But only in the summer! read more

Merridale Cidery & Distillery - Cider Flight - Distilleries Near Me - Cobble Hill, British Columbia

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Loved that they were able to keep the Christmas decorations and we loved that we could end our evening with a drink sampling

Was directed one person was to go up to till and order. Was not told that that person would be paying the bill. Ordered a hamburger and came with a side soup for $18. For that price I expect an exceptional burger. Most boring burger ever though the meat was ok. They had listed a quite delicious burger in the description. They forgot one of the sauces. I had to get up to ask for something to give it some zing ...then a red sauce came. No one came by to ask how our food was ever. At the end, I looked at the menu. Dill pickle. Where was the dill pickle? Oh, only then did they tell me they were out of dill pickles. I expected to be compensated somehow. No, I was told by a manager that they had apologized. Actually, a waitress I spoke to just told me she would tell the kitchen to remember to put it on. Will not be back. read more

Such a beautiful place! Great variety of alcohol to buy and try. The staff was super knowledgeable, and very friendly. Went for the bbq and had a blast! Highly recommend! read more

Merridale Cidery & Distillery - Spiced Rhumb in front, the Rhumb and finally Gin. - Distilleries Near Me - Cobble Hill, British Columbia

In the area for a hockey tournament and took full advantage of a break in games. We stopped in for some fresh cider and a "farm-fresh" lunch. This place didn't disappoint. The "taster-flight" of cider was excellent. I especially like the sweeter options, including an "apple-pie" version. As well, the lunch was excellent...fresh greens and some brie cheese. There were plenty of staff members on a Sunday afternoon, but it definitely has the "family-run" feel, which is nice. I'd definitely stop in again! read more

Went for a tasting - we were charged $5 each for a selection of 5 ciders to taste. The confusing part was that the the couple who came behind us weren't charged... To say that they were being economical with the tastings was an understatement, barely a mouthful of each variety, you would think they were pouring malt scotch, not cider... read more

Merridale is an awesome place to relax and enjoy a cold glass of one of their amazing ciders. It's setting is pretty great being that it is situated in the middle of their Apple orchard. The food was good and tasted very fresh. Our server was awesome, but the bartenders came off as quite cold and weren't too helpful. Overall, the prices are great, the cider tastes amazing and it has a really great atmosphere- I would really recommend giving this place a try! read more

Merridale Cidery & Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Cobble Hill, British Columbia

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Allan G and I recently returned from a 2-week trip to BC, mostly Victoria, but Vancouver and Kamloops too. One of our favorite vacation days was the trip we took to Merridale. On my bucket list, I had wanted to visit several wineries, but when I saw Merridale's variety and the fact that we could grab a bite there, we decided to see a little more of the island. For some reason, we had both figured the western part of the island would be flatter, but it isn't. You head out of Victoria on Highway 1, and follow the (I think...) Mill Bay inlet, so you have a lovely view of mountains out the drivers side and cliffs and water out the passenger window. I printed a mapquest map before we went, which helped quite a bit. There are signs to Merridale, but one was missing at one of the strategic turns, so we missed the turnoff and had to turn around. When you begin pulling into the area around the cidery, you see a pen full of goats, which was fun for a look. I can only assume they are providing the goats milk for the cheese they sell at the cidery gift shop. The cidery is not far up the road past that. When you park, you'll see the little fairy vignettes they have set up around the grounds, which are very charming. The one at the front is the gatekeeper, and his name is Scrumpy. You learn later during the course of the tour that Scrumpy is also one of their cider names. The name comes from "scrumping," which was when peasants used to filch apples from land owners' property, making their own roughly-made but strong cider of their own. We skipped the entire orchard tour due to my disability, plus it was pretty warm when we were there. I didn't think I'd make the whole thing. But we did the self-guided tour of the main areas to see how they make their cider. Then we entered the main building to have a tasting before our meal at the bistro. They start with the driest variety and then work their way up to the sweetest, which is a winter cider-- almost like a port-- very syrupy and fruity. We got a fabulous table on the patio, enjoying the breezes over the orchard and letting the tasting hit us (we didn't spit...tee hee!). Allan got a flight of the ciders we'd just tried, and I had a Merri Mimosa, which featured the Merri Berri (my favorite) mixed with one of the drier varieties. Then we ordered a Merridale Platter for the two of us. It was utterly perfect. The platter was composed of roasted meats (I remember the chicken; can't remember the other), 2 cheeses, chicken liver pate', house chutney, onion marmalade, and olives. They also bake their own bread, so that was served alongside. Al has never been a pate' person, but even he was inhaling this stuff. When we checked out, we left with a 6-pack of Merri Berri (which we finished before we left BC, thanks to B & Bs with mini fridges!), a bottle of the winter cider, a jar of chutney, and some Merri Berri jelly. You have to be very careful about keeping everything refrigerated, or the cider re-ferments. So we worked hard to get the chutney home, since they don't sell in Alberta. They are very scrupulous about keeping the cider micro-brewed and fresh, so you have to go to the source. They do sell at a few other places in BC. This was one of the best meals we had on our vacation, and when we ate at places that weren't as great afterwards, our refrain became "Not everything can be Merridale." Treat yourself. You won't be sorry. read more

Wow! - To keep a newlywed couple's deposit in times like these! Unacceptable! This is now all over the news, and I hope you change your ways! read more

This place gets my first 5-star rating!!!! The setting is charming... relaxing... cute! Four of us made reservations to come up for a Saturday lunch. I love their setup.. the garden fairy treehouse is kinda cute and the waterfall outside is a nice touch. Two of us ordered the daily feature of seafood pot pie, one ordered their scrumpy chicken pot pie, and another ordered the lamb burger. We also tried their cider flights, which lets you try out 6 of their ciders. I liked being able to taste the progression of each... from dry to sweet. The food presentation for each dish was really great. The salad was colorful and simple.. the dressing also incorporates apples! At the end of our meal we were full, but couldn't help ordering a berry crumble dessert for all of us to share. Afterwards, we also couldn't help buying croissants, croissant sticks, and cinnamon buns for our trip to Tofino -___- What a relief to get outta there, away from the tempting food. LOL. I love La Pommeraie Bistro, I hope they keep doing what their doing. Their price point is perfect. Service was good. I'd like to go back again when they start up their brick-oven and make pizzas in the summer. read more

If you are a fan of cider then this is the place to go on Vancouver Island. It is set up very much like a Vineyard with a tasting room and all the little gifty sort of things, but instead of grapes they all have apples. The tasting is free and educational. Do yourself a favor and take sometime to sit and have lunch in their cafe it is amazing! Every option on the menu was delicious looking. On this day they were serving a chicken pot pie. Wow is all I have to say! It is another one of the stops I will make on my future visits to the island. read more

The bistro is a solid average - make sure you snag a place on the patio. Great for watching the sun go down over the orchard. This place isn't about the food though - it's about the cider. Try the flight and then settle on your favorite. Make sure to save time for shopping in the cidery gift shop. read more

Well, it was certainly a beautiful day. We spent a few minutes walking around the grounds and reading the increasingly snooty billboards before heading in for a tasting. From their branding and marketing I've always seen Merridale as uninspired, and their ciders have always come off as simultaneously pretentious and forced... So despite my hopes I wasn't too surprised when their food was so similarly disappointing. I'm glad I haven't booked tables at any of the enticing special events so far. If you want scrambled eggs in a pie shell look no further then Merridale, though chances are you have traveled far to get there. Thankfully there was a generously poured glass of vodka to wash it down. Soup was under seasoned. The stew served in a bread bowl was heavy on bread, light on stew. Caesar salad obviously came out of a bag, wilted lettuce. For a bistro that touts its bakery, we expected homemade croutons. The one bright spot was the burger. This place has so much potential - the chef needs some fresh inspiration and motivation. As it stands, the bistro reflects very poorly on the rest of the operation. read more

If you like proper cider this is the place! Several flavours to try and very knowledgeable staff. I have tried their gin but it is not as special as their cider. It is truly a world class cidery, and not to be missed. read more

I had the Braised Lamb lunch and Cowichan Gin and Tonic. Staff were great and accommodating. They were knowledgable about the menu and helped with finding alternatives for dietary restrictions. I had the Lamb with roasted potatoes instead of the corn bread and it was delectable. Lamb was tender and not too large a portion. We also had flights of 6-7 different ciders. All unique and interesting. My favourite was the Scrumpy's, their driest cider. The ciders were quite high in alcohol content, which was surprising (17-19%). If you've never been here before, I recommend doing the flights. Great way to get oriented and see what you like. After lunch, we wandered around the orchard and the pond. We'd love to come back and rent a yurt too! Lovely place and lovely time. read more

Visit the Merridale Estate Cidery during good weather. Sample every cider and brandy they have to offer before making a selection to pair with an order from the bistro menu. A guided or self-guided tour around the cidery is very interesting. read more

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My niece got married on the Labor Day weekend just passed and had the most beautiful wedding I have seen in years. It was their dream wedding I was told! The staff was fantastic, the food was above and beyond delicious and the venue was perfect! It's a beautiful natural setting in the orchard with a gorgeous wedding area down by the lake, and a large cozy dining venue for the celebration after the ceremony. Another beautiful area for dancing as well as the many seating areas all with a differ view of this wonderful property! I think Merridale is a perfect venue for anything; a wedding, a party, an intimate meal or just for tasting great cider! It really is a lovely spot which has a lot to offer. Thank you to all the Merridale staff for creating the perfect wedding for my niece. It was awesome! D. Robertson read more