Merridale Cidery & Distillery in Cobble Hill

Lovely Christmas display of lights and beautiful venue. Unfortunately, the food is terrible. No flavor, overpriced and lacking options. When people go out to have drinks/cider tastings, they want real hot tasty food. Dont mind going up to order, however, when I did, staff seem confused on their role and who should be doing what. I was sent to two very different locations to order and then when payment came, expected a 18-20% tip when I do all the work?! Experience could be improved by proper pub style food, server coming to the table and not closing at 7:30pm on a Saturday night. I like to support local, however they miss the mark and I wont be back for a meal. Food and drinks: Need better food options.

I am so happy I found this little spot. Great atmosphere and all the staff were friendly and welcoming. The cider was delicious and the tasting was typically priced. Great views while you are sipping as well. I would highly recommend In response to the owner: oops, the extra picture has been deleted!

These Ciders are really really good. I just wish I lived here on the island. Mind you, they are worth the trip.

Great food and cider!

This place is amazing. Our kids love it, we love it. It s consistently wonderful. Will return again and again.

Food and drinks: Went to the annual cider harvest festival. 15 vendors lots of interesting options to try. Loved that the ticket included transportation from Nanaimo. GF options at the Food tent. Will go again. Service

Great food, outstanding distillery and cidery products.

We went on a tour from the cruise ship. We loved their ciders, and customer service was great. The food was okay. It was very slow coming out. We had Orchard BBQ pizza, which was just okay. Would be better with a protein on it. Friends had the cheese soup and found it to be too rich/condensed.

After visiting vineyards all day, I was sooooo excited to get to a cidery! The location and setting of this place is amazing. Surrounded by apple trees and rolling hills, you ll enjoy crisp, tasty cider and an incredible charcuterie board. I ordered the sweet cider flight, and I would not recommend. I thought I would enjoy the Sweeter Life flight as opposed to the dryer ones, but I enjoyed my mom s New World flight much more. My dad ordered the non-alcoholic flight, with a few fancy sodas. It was fantastic! A great alternative to an alcoholic fight for designated drivers. It was amazing. Back to the charcuterie board oh my god. While the meat on the board was the Costco meat trio, that was quickly forgotten by the assortment of chutneys, nuts, amazing fresh baked bread and the BEAUTIFUL display of this board. Amazing. I highly recommend this place, and I know I will be back again and again.

Our guide Roddy was excellent and made our tasting tour so enjoyable. The cidery has so much to see and taste. Highly recommended.

Try the full tour. It s fun burger, steak pie, and apple pie were all so delicious. The tour crew were sooo nice. Food and drinks: Steak pie and burgers are great. Apple pie was good.

I always love going to Merridale and particularly their Craft Cider festival. Brought my mom this time and we had a blast. It wasnt too busy with too many people, we got to try all the ciders we wanted. Lineups werent too long, food was delicious, and the band was great! Only thing Id comment on is not all of the producers brought product to buy in the pop up shop, which is disappointing because we wanted to support them.

Ate at the pub there.

Food is great, nice genuine homestyle food. Cider is good, a little pricey but good. Yurts are super cute. Awesome getaway not too far from Victoria. Stop for a drink and go for a stroll. Just off the highway. Rooms: 1 bedroom yurt Food and drinks: Lots of great food, burgers and soups are great.

The new waitress we had, I believe her name was Sarah, was amazing. She went above and beyond. Food and flights were amazing.

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 momoro 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!

Delicious cider tasting, spirits and liqueur. Also delicious food.

Amazing service from our server allie b. She went above and beyond, not to mention she is quite hilarious, request allie for a good laugh!

Love visiting this place. A beautiful spot to have a good bite to eat. Really enjoy their ciders and bought some of the gin and brandy to bring home.

Had the tasting and tour with Graham, awesome conversation and learned a lot. Highly recommend if youre a cider/liqueur lover.

Chicken club was the best I have ever had. Got to do a tour with Roddy who was very funny and knowledgable. Toilet paper in the yurt was somehow less than 1 ply it was so thin it was see thru.

Roddy provided a very fun and informative tour! I wasn t sure what to expect, but every part of it was extremely interesting and made me realize how much there is to know about alcohol processing! Would highly recommend to anyone wanting to support a local business that is committed to making an extremely high quality, small batch product.

Beautiful spot with great food and drinks! We loved our tour with Roddy. Its fun and informative and comes with samples of the various ciders and liquors. Our pizza and salad in the restaurant were also delicious.

Great location with a very informative tour!

We will definitely be back. We enjoyed ourselves so much we were asking about their seasonal events. Staff was knowledgeable about products. The food was incredible. The menu was excellent. The orchard was beautiful. The customer base is varied which is lovely. The washrooms inside and out were very clean and well serviced.

Went on the tour with Roddy as our guide, he was an amazing host and led to an amazing afternoon.

Had a tour with Roddy and had a fantastic time! Great tour, great drinks, great food!

Had a nice seating area, friendly staff, tasty food. I love charcuterie boards so I was thrilled there were two to choose from. We went with the original one, and it had a variety of cheese, crackers and meats. Cider flight choices were also recommended via staff and they were delicious. Would love to come back if we are every back in the area

Excellent service. Delicious hearty lentil and potato pie enjoyed in a welcoming atmosphere and beautiful outdoor surroundings. Sampled the raspberry liquor (Yum) while being regaled with interesting stories. Took home a loaf of brick oven bread and cinnamon pastry. Love the sourdough bread texture. Close to home makes it easy for a return visit!

We had the best time on our tour of Merridale! Our guide was fun and so full of information and the ciders, brandies and liqueurs were all delicious:) Food and drinks: We had lunch after at the bistro and we all thoroughly enjoyed our food!

I have never had a bad experience here. The food is yummy, the staff are friendly, and it is absolutely gorgeous. Its also so nice to be able to bring the dog!

Got one drink and a four pack was $50 and I was told that once I finish my drink then I can grab my four pack out of the fridge and then go so it can stay cold when I finish my drink and grabbed my four pack. they accuse me of stealing when I was walking out.

Visited the Distillery and did an amazing tour with Storyteller Roddy followed by the most delicious lunch. Thank you so much for such a lovely afternoon. I live in Alberta or I would be visiting regularly. Food and drinks: Shared a Salad and the Flatbread. Both SOOOOO yummy!!!!

Absolutely incredible experience here dining and staying over in one of their yurts. The yurts are rustic, charming, unpretentious, cozy and romantic. We dined for dinner and breakfast, and both commented on how attentive, friendly, personable, and warm the staff were. We felt incredibly comfortable and at home. The food and drinks are delicious, and you cannot beat the location and ambiance (wood finishings, live music, garden views, lighting, etc.). This is one of our favourite places to go, and you can bet we will be back again for one of their seasonal festivals, as well as a stay in their yurt. Thank you Merridale!

I came here for lunch with my family. It was a beautiful day, clear and sunny. We ate outside and it was gorgeous. You can see the Apple orchard and the growing apples. The food was delicious and the drinks were great. The service was quick and speedy.

This is a definite stop. Roddy was our tour guide/ taste guide. He is a great story teller. The cider and spirits are worth trying. I recommend this place. 5 stars all the way for service and products. You would be crazy not to come here.

Went in and did the tasting with a story. 100% worth it. Excellent host Roddy and product was out of this world. Was very knowledgeable as well. Would recommend to anyone passing through or staying nearby. Beautiful grounds and pleasant staff made the amazing experience.

It is an amazing place, we had the tasting tour and Graham as our tour guide was excellent. Also the food for dinner was delicious, I will definitely recommend this place to family and friends to come visit.

Super cool place. Lots of good options for drinks and food. Much better then your average Cidery and lots to do with kids as well

Merridale has always been a gem I am happy to have in my neighborhood and we come here often. The staff are friendly. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming. The menu has a perfect selection of food with fresh house made ingredients. Im not usually a big cider person but I always enjoy a glass or two while Im here. And theyre VERY dog friendly, the courtyard is set up with picnic tables and umbrellas where you order from your phone, the staff member brought the dog a water bowl immediately and their menu has a barcuterie box which of course I had to order him, the portion was impressive and included a beef patty, chicken, carrot, cucumber, celery, apple on rice topped with a fried egg. Make sure you have time for a stroll through the orchard and the paths around it. Keep up the good work merridale!

Booked a tasting/tour online and had Roddy as our guide. He was awesome! Super friendly and very engaging. The various ciders, spirits and liqueures were all unique and we found many types we enjoyed.

Beautiful area and friendly staff. Very knowledgeable about the drinks and welcoming. Will be back in the future!

Had a great experience with my tasting this morning. Roddy was extremely knowledgeable and easy to talk to. Well definitely be coming again soon.

When visiting victoria from vancouver we took a drive up the malahat for the tasting tour. Worth the drive. Quaint farm house/orchard feel. Clean, with friendly staff. Our tour guide Roddy was a great story teller and gave us a wonderful palette awakening experience. We are taking an assortment of ciders and spirits home and will return to enjoy lunch here next time.

Took an hour for my meal to come and they missed my husbands order completely. They comped his order which was good of them but the pulled pork sandwich was flavourless. They then served us burnt apple pie with melted ice cream . Yikes . Service : 1/5

Delicious food and exceptional staff!

We stopped in on a whirlwind bc tour from Montreal and couldn t have been received by a better host. Steve was our anchor to a memorable experience and showed us what it means when you really care about what you do. The cider tasting was top notch, his knowledge was interstellar and his attention to detail is unmatched. If you re curious and looking for a good time, just come. It s worth your time!

My husband and I had an absolutely wonderful day at Merridale. We did a tour with Roddy who was welcoming, knowledgeable, friendly and a genuinely lovely tour guide. The location is beautiful and the range of cider, gins and liquors are a lovely way to explore what BC has to offer. We already know will be back again many times and will bring our friends and family.

We visited the property and dined at the eatery. Food was good except for the beef burgers we ordered were a bit dry. Overall, food and service are good. The farm is stunning!

Food and drinks: This is a beautiful cidery with great food. I had the homemade Scrumpy Chicken pie with a side salad and it was absolutely delicious. My wife had the arugula salad with chicken which was a huge portion, fresh and delicious. We would rate this place a 5 out of 5 for ambiance, food and service. Service

We had a lovely afternoon at Merridale - Great Cider, Great Food and a relaxing stroll around the grounds. We started with a flight of ciders - actually my wife and I each got our own flight. We thought that the cider was excellent - the profile for each cider accurately described the cider. We bought a few cans for later (traveling, so we could not buy more). Now, while the cider was the main draw, I have to say that the lunch was great too. I especially enjoyed the chicken pie.

Graham was delightful to have our tasting with. He was very kind and obviously cares about his work. His knowledge was appreciated and we will remain loyal to the brand. The new seasonal flavor Summer Crush was refreshing and hit with a clean obvious note of watermelon . We also found the MOMORO sangria and that was amazing. We also tried the club and the BBQ Pizza both were hitters!

We are on vacation and just happened across this Cidery. We have both never been to one before and decided to check it out. We were both utterly surprised with the beauty of this place. We did a tasting with Roddy. He was a great storyteller/host. Very pleasant and made our experience a great one.

Friendly and knowledgeable staff! Excellent location and affordable rates for accommodations!

Very friendly and nice people, perfect food and drinks.

Allie is the best server of all time

I found this location through Google maps and it was only $10 for cleaning the car I didn t have to get out of and it did an awesome job and I think the people who gave it to stars are wrong! I m totally happy

We had an absolutely wonderful day at Merridale. We explored the grounds so that our daughter could see the faerie houses. She loved them! Then we had a great lunch and a few flights of cider. All of them were great. A new try for me was the Cowichan Dry and it was lovely. And we finished our day with a chance meeting with Roddy at the back of the store for a little taste of the of some of the spirits. He took us on a journey and even a little tour. He exceeded our expectations for the day and truely made it a memorable experience.

Really great food in a lovely setting! Will be back.

Overall a great experience. Ate in the restaurant and the food was good, the cider even better. You pay for your food at a counter and they bring it to your table. Paying for stuff in the shop is a little disorganized but nothing major. A good day out. UPDATE The store is much more organized now. I highly recommend the Steak and Mushroom pie. Delish!

Roddy did our distillery tour and he was amazing. I learned so much about what goes into the making of the cider and spirits. We really enjoyed it. The food was very good, we will be back.

Came here with a friend the other day and Roddy gave us a great experience :) he educated us about all the spirits Merridale makes, which I didnt even know before. We loved the jalisco cider slushie with the raspberry liquor in it. The whole property is super beautiful and well taken care of. Always happy to go back :)

We had the most delicous lunch at Merridale and then took a walk around the grounds to find all the fairy houses! It is the perfect place to spend the afternoon!

What a gem. Great ciders (and other alcoholic beverages), friendly service, amazing location (the orchard is beautiful) and the food is good with alot of choices. A wonderful place to spend time and soak up the ambiance. The dining area/patio is spacious with a great feel.

Merridale is our favourite go to spot! They are great with dietary allergies and their cider is unbelievable! The atmosphere is so beautiful!

Did a distillery tour. Really interesting & informative. Delicious tasting, which helped with our selection in the store!

Quite a fairy wonderland! Many houses well maintained and scattered around for those elusive faries . If kids are lucky they might spot one or two hanging around at dusk break. Walkability: Not walkable to, but quite walkable around inside

A beautiful property with a great atmosphere. The ciders and liqueurs were all delicious, and all had different flavour profiles. The food came in very generous portions, and was also delicious.

Great place to enjoy lunch and have a pint!

We visited for a flight and lunch for the Saturday of Mother s Day weekend and it was super busy. It took a super long time to get our food and when we did they only served 2 of the 3 meals. We waited another 20 min to get my mom s meal the staff were very apologetic but it seemed the communication was a little off and we waited upwards of a hour and a half for our food. Having working in service myself I decided to chat to the shift manager and explained what had happened after the fact. He was so understanding and apologetic and I ended up getting my mom a brandy at a discount. Things happen, it was busy, someone messed up but they also made it right and were lovely the entire time so they are still 5/5 in my books.

Food was good wife like the shop

Weather forecast rain, so we went for a drive.. This place is cute and cozy orchard, has a restaurant inside with many to choose from the menu. Only stopped in to buy some ciders. They have flavored gin, too! Would be a fantastic place for small wedding Loved the fairy houses Will come back in summer when trees are blooming Edit: they do not do weddings here

We wanted some lunch and I had read about this place. Man, does this place ooze charm. After finding a table, we chose the new world flight of cider. My husband had the Chicken pie with Beef Barley soup. He loved the soup and commented that the pie was a bit dry. I tried it and thought it was creamy enough. I had the Lamb Burger with house salad. Good choice, as I love lamb. We wouldve had dessert if we werent so full. If were even in the area again, we will be back. Maybe well even do a tour and tasting.

I have been three times and have found the service consistently poor. Last time I was there, I waited over 20 minutes for a drink to be brought to the table despite it not being very busy. Once when we ordered food we waited almost an hour only to discover they had taken our payment but forgot to put the food order in.

Excellent food and service!

We visited Merridale for tasting and a lunch. What an absolute gem!! The food was delicious and filling. The menu was extensive and although we got simple items they were excellent. I enjoyed each of the ciders that I tasted. I liked how they pre-design flights or you can pick your own. They also offer a non-alcoholic flight which is a great way to ensure that even a designated driver enjoys their experience. The farm itself is also incredibly charming and offers things for adults and children alike. There is a fun faeries walk that is both entertaining and educational. I will definitely return for a visit and highly recommend visiting!

The family and I came for a spiked hot apple cider and to check out the lights with the kids. The area that was lit was smaller than expected but still lovely and we had fun. Their cold ciders are always delicious so why not try a hot cider too! WELL.... $27 BEFORE a tip for 2 luke warm alcoholic ciders is ridiculous. Didnt eat at the restraunt this time as during the summer time our food was subpar for the price. We still enjoy thier cold ciders but this definetly changed our outlook on a local business. Overall Disappointing and the cost of the hot cider is the reason for 1 star.

Great experience! My server Allie was top notch. Could not recommend more!

Great casual dining experience, tasty drinks. This is not a hotel.

Loved bringing my party of 8 to enjoy great pizzas, great service and a magical Christmas light display. Will make it an annual event! Thanks

Went to have dinner and see the Cmas decorations. Omg outside decorations were amazing, little disappointed on Xmas decorations on inside, food was amazing, I had rise penne with chicken, so yummy! Do wish there more lights on road going in. If you hadn t been there you might miss it. Will return for sure! Happy New Year to you and your staff

My family and I loved the Christmas lights and decorations of today and the past. The food is a light offering such as rhe Merridale Burger and kettle chips. Tasty but not very filling for a meal. The sweet cider flight was a great way to sample the ciders. My 10 year old had the non-alcoholic soda flight. He enjoyed the apple juice the best. Looking forward to going back and walking the orchard. The staff are attentive and do a great job.

What a lovely place! A very pleasant drive in from Mill Bay through farm land and sleepy back roads. There is a lot to see for all ages and they have done a great job with the Christmas decorations. We all had lunch and flights of drinks and it was excellent. The food is delicious! I can imagine this is a fun summer outing so we will definitely be back. Highly recommend the clubhouse sandwich, steak and mushroom pie and the chicken pie. The Merri Berri cider is my fav! (This is not a hotel)

Ive visited Merridale Cidery & Distillery multiple times, and while the atmosphere and cider have consistently been delightful, I regret to express my disappointment with the food every time. One particular item that stood out was the Margherita pizza. Comparing it to a local competitor at a similar price point, the difference was striking. A true Margherita pizza (see photo attached), as I have experienced elsewhere, typically features a thin, golden-brown crust, fresh mozzarella melted to perfection, and a tomato sauce that doesnt give the impression of being straight from a can. Unfortunately, the Margherita pizza at Merridale Cidery & Distillery fell short on these expectations. The sauce seemed lackluster and appeared as though it might have been directly from a can. Additionally, the inclusion of raw diced tomatoes on top was unexpected and deviated from the traditional presentation of this classic dish. I believe that by making improvements in the kitchen and focusing on the quality of ingredients, Merridale Cidery & Distillery could further enhance its reputation for providing an exceptional all-around experience.

I ve been buying cider from Merridale Ciderworks for years so I thought I d take my wife for supper there. I m glad I did as the supper was terrific and the staff were very friendly and helpful. We ended our evening shopping in their well stocked gift shop.

WOW!! What a great time at Merridale The lovely gal at the till, Megan, was very helpful. She gave me awesome recommendations!! I LOVE the Merry Berry! It is so yummy Cheers Megan to an awesome evening!

I went to Merridale Cidery last week and, as always, I had a fantastic time. The food is delicious, the cider is special, and the staff is as amazing as ever! I was served by a young man named Jack N-G and he made my visit an awesome one. Great times at Merridale!

Disappointing, awkward, over-priced This had to be the biggest disappointment - and ripoff - of our 2.5 week vacation in BC. We had seen the Merridale ciders in various bars and decided to make a special trip to check it out for ourselves. Everything about the experience was SO awkward. We were greeted by staff and indicated we wanted to do a tasting. We had the choice to do cider, liquor, or both. We chose cider - but were not asked any further questions. We were directed to the back tasting counter and told it would be $20 pp - plus tax - and were surprised when we were asked to pay up front. And of course, when paying by credit card the machine pushes a tip as well. So before the experience had even begun we were down $50 ..and tipping for an experience that had not even begun! To our dismay Fayth arrived with a mere 4 shotglasses each for us to try. I assumed that this was going to be round one of the tasting. Turns out those are the ONLY ciders she offered for us to try. And what made it worse was she brought a selection of very bizarre (and not very good) flavours. After the first round, when we asked about the real ciders she simply showed us cans - closed - and suggested these would be the ones we would like. But at no point did she suggest that we could even try them!!! So - to summarize - we spent $50 including a tip that was NOT deserving, we had four tiny shot glasses of weird cider that we didn t even like, and a total experience that lasted maybe 10 minutes. To add insult to injury, our $20 tasting including $5 off a purchase of $20 or more . We decided to buy 3 cans of cider so we could try the ones we wanted to try in the first place. But seriously - $7 each for a can of cider? That was just the capper on a horrible experience. Merridale needs to look at their customer experience. We compared this to a fabulous wine tasting at Church + State (4 glasses of wine for $10) and the Victoria Distillery (free tastings). There was not one positive takeaway from this experience!

Food and drinks: Recently visited Merridales and had an amazing experience. The staff were super attentive and knowledgable about their products offering us reccomendations. The Pear cider was my favorite reccomended by Fayth. She was so lovely and friendly. The space is a really relaxing a trendy environment. The craft and technique is very impressive! Will definately visit again.

Great atmosphere at Merridale, our server Clara was fantastic! Definitely recommend

Lovely food and service was amazing! Thank you Clara.

Food and drinks: The cider and club sandwich were delicious and Clara was a great server! Rooms

Such a lovely Sunday. Lunch and ciders in the lawn with our dogs. Lovely service from Clara. Will surely be back!

What a great spot! Brought my cousins and parents here and they loved it. Food was amazing, along with great live music and great service. Especially from Allie B. Will definitely be back. Service

Loved the atmosphere and friendly service. Our server Allie B made sure we felt welcome and we got our food super fast. The property was beautiful and the live music added a lovely touch. I will definitely be back and bring along the rest of my family.

The cider truly took me back to 1985 when my mom used to make me cider every morning! She served it to me boiling hot in a brainy bunch mug every morning in my indoor hammock. 38 years later, at a table at Merridale cidery and distillery I get served this exceptional cider by Allie B<3

I went to merridale this weekend and it was lovely! I had the Jalisco cider and it was to die for. Our server Grace gave us great recommendations and was super accommodating and friendly.

We came in for the cider tasting. It was a very enjoyable experience. Everyone was super friendly and answered all questions happily! The drinks were amazing. The jalisco slushie was to die for. Definitely a must. Will be back when we come visit again. Thanks for having me and my family!

I thoroughly enjoyed the tasting hosted by Fayth. She was knowledgable, friendly and the ciders, liqueurs and spirits were great - and local! Nearby activities: There is lots to do in the Cowichan Vallery in the summer.

Wonderful afternoon at a tasting of ciders ,spirits and liqueurs, led by the knowledgeable and warm Fayth.Interesting jams and sauces to take home as hostess gifts.

Spent the afternoon at Merridale Farm and had the best time. Our server, Clara, went above and beyond and provided wonderful service. She was very friendly and made our visit so fun. Would definitely recommend stopping by if you re in the area!

Rozalina was a great server, me and my partner had a lovely time Food and drinks: Delicious Service : 5/5 |

We first visited Merridale Cidery & Distillery in 2018 when we were planning to move to Vancouver Island. Since then it has been a beautiful spot for any occasion with our whole family, including 2 very young kids. The atmosphere is warm, inviting, and relaxed, and every visit is unique and memorable. One of our favourite places!

What a fantastic place to bring my grandmother! She used to have cider every morning when she was a child and could not stop talking about our delicious meal afterwards it really brought fond memories back. Our server Allie B was incredibly helpful and witty, cracking lots of jokes and constantly making us laugh! Really a highlight of our meal, will be recommending to all our friends!

Had a wonerful dinner at the cidery. Had a wonderful conversation with our server Allie B and she made the experience a night to remember.

We already loved Merridale but staying in the yurt was extra fun! The yurt is very roomy and although it was quite warm outside it was cool and comfortable in the yurt. The bed was comfortable and the room was decorated adorably.

Had a completely wonderful lunch (3rd trip here) and wondered the lovely property. Came home with some marvelous syrup and spiced Rhumb. Can t wait to try Jack s Whiskey Service was efficient and friendly.

I was pleased by how tasty the ciders were! My favourite being the MoMoro. I was even more impressed by the service. We were served by a young man named Jack. Such a polite young man. While the drinks were great, there service made it a 10/10 experience

I visited Merridale this past week and it was exceptional. It is a great place with amazing food, wonderful cider, and a beautiful atmosphere. Our server Jack was exceptional. His kindness and knowledge of the menu tailored our tasting experience perfectly to us. The ciders were exceptional! Thank you Jack and the Merridale team!

Merridale was a great experience. I enjoyed walking around the grounds, taking in the scenery, the food, the drinks, and most of all my waiter Jack. It was truly a 5 star experience. At first I was unsure what to get to drink, but Jack expertly gave me some great suggestions and I was very pleased with all of his picks. I will definitely be coming back to get another Cyser!

Merridale is a beautiful spot to have dinner and a drink. I was super impressed with my meal and the service. Our waiter Jack was nothing but helpful with recommendations and made the whole experience wonderful. I will definitely be going back!

I recently went to Merridale and enjoyed a lovely lunch. I was served by a nice young man named Jack. The food and drinks were amazing as was the service. 10/10 recommend

I had an absolutely splendid time at merridale the other day. The location, food, and service provided by our server Jack was top notch! Highly recommend and ask for Jack if he s there!

I grew up here in the cowichan valley and have always enjoyed Meridale and all of the food and cider you offer. However I recently had an experience above and beyond my previous visits! My server Jack provided excellent service which made the evening even more special - his hard work will have me coming in more regularly!

It would be better if they put salads in bowls. Greens drop off the plates

our experience at merridale was lovely! The service was amazing and Jack, our server was very attentive to our needs and a very friendly guy. The food and drinks were delicious, we will definitely be coming back soon!

Rooms: Glamping yurts available Food and drinks: Delicious food and drinks Hotel highlights Great view, Quiet, Great value

We enjoyed a lovely lunch today at Merridale. Our servers Rosa and Jack were exceptionally friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We ordered the Jalisco and Summer Crush ciders and they were super refreshing and perfect for a summer lunch. The selections of house-made bread and chutneys were yummy. My husband enjoyed it so much, he ordered a jar of the apple/onion chutney for home. I recommend the fig and prosciutto pizza and my husband enjoyed the apple and melted brie sandwich. The setting is idyllic... kind of country rustic with a smidge of glam and in a beautiful, peaceful, pastoral setting. Jack and Rosa topped off our visit with their attentiveness and friendly service. Will definitely go again!

Allie was awesome! Great service and awesome ciders!

What a pretty place. My Daughter and I visited today, sampled 3 different cider, ate a cinnamon bun and a brie cheese on apple chutney sandwich. Very tasty. The garden area has a water feature. We saw several bride-to-be and their friends. Dog friendly... Inside, a delightful room of product. Bottles of ciders, gins, jams, etc available to purchase. It was a very nice experience for me.

Review for Yarlington yurt- highly recommend. We were able to check in before 8 pm on the weekend and it was spacious and beautiful. The water is potable and there s a small fridge outside. It is a good idea to load up on groceries since the restaurant closes at 8 pm and opens at 11 am. And body wash/shampoo since it s not provided. The yurt gets hot during the day and cold at night, but they have a fan, fireplace and blankets. For $400 for two nights it was the perfect mini getaway.

Fayth did a fantastic job of walking us though the various liquor offerings as well as the history of the distillery. Thanks for a special experience!

A friend and I went to Merridale the other day. The food and drinks were amazing but I must say our waiter Jack was amazing. He made our experience so much better. He made us feel welcomed and gave us great recommendations. I will definitely be returning.

We were warmly welcomed by Grace & Hannah. Plus, Jack was an exceptional server and took time to ensure we had everything we need. And the girl in charge of tastings came by to chat I think her name was Chelsea. 5 stars all around! Will be back

Waiter wouldnt give a straight answer when asked what the tasting consists of and they ask for payment up front. It ended up being $20 for 4 shot glasses of cider, lots of better places in the area

We had a wonderful experience at our cider tasting with Fayth! Super friendly customer service and lots of knowledge about cider. Thanks for making our visit so memorable, Fayth!

I really like the beautiful environment here. It feels like being in a beautiful manor, tasting delicious food, chatting, and having a happy vacation.

Meridale was an amazing experience for me! Jack, Hannah, Roza, and Bonnie make the place feel very welcoming. The Cider and food are both amazing. Meridale has a great location and I love walking through the orchard. The service is always exceptional and I have nothing but positive things to say about this place

fayth and chelsey were wonderful! they were super informative and gave us the best experience:)

My family and I found this cidery while in the area visiting and we were super excited to try it. We did a tasting with Kyla and the cider was delicious. Kyla was super informative and sweet! After the tasting we sat in the dining area and ordered food. I had the gluten free margarita pizza which was very good. I just wish they didn t upcharge gluten free so much. Afterwards we walked the grounds which were beautiful. I would highly recommend visiting :)

Food and drinks: We did the tasting tour and Fayth was our guide. The experience was fantastic. Rooms

Tasting not worth it, just buy a flight

We had an amazing experience at the cidery! Allie B, you rock! Thank you for taking such great care of us. Your lovely demeanour and knowledge on the project ducts were fantastic. Thank you so much. Tina Food and drinks: Great drinks

Fayth was a fabulous tasting guide, sharing a lot about the history and process of the cider-making here. All of the drinks were fabulous, but the Jalisco cider was a favorite!

Rosa, the cutest server had excellent recommendations and outstanding service, going above and beyond even providing fantastic photography skills for us !! 10/10 would dine here again!!

What a great experience! I was not a cider or gin enthusiast when I arrived but thanks to Fayth, our story teller and an incredible product, my palate has been expanded. Thanks for a great experience!

Rooms: The room is designed very beautifully, delicately and luxuriously. Safety: Very safe

Did a tasting with Fayth and truly enjoyed it. The ciders were very good... bought a box.

We stopped by for a guided tasting and a small snack. Our guide Fayth explained clearly how the different cider varieties were made and walked us through the harvesting and pressing process. Cider was amazing, good range of fruity and dry. We had bread with tapenade and it was delicious, too. You can walk around the orchard, which on a late summer day is completely beautiful, and the outdoor seating is roomy, shaded, and warm. Absolutely worth the trip.

I absolutely love this Cidery! Food is amazing and the location is just incredible. The ciders are absolutely wonderful! We had such a lovely time here. Easy enough to spend all day here. The only thing is that the service is atrocious. We had no cutlery and asked the server who dropped our food off for it, but he forgot within 2 minutes hand walked by us multiple times without any cutlery. Anyways, besides that, great spot, just dont expect much from the servers.

Went for lunch at the cidery after visiting the local quilt store(Troll Brothers)-food was yummy and the weather was great and it was parklike and relaxing.Had a club sandwich on sour dough-bread was pretty good!Cinnamon bun was great-we shared as it s quite big! Food and drinks: The food was really good and the setting is beautiful!

Tasting experience very good. Kyla very informative about the cidery. Would definitely recommend

An absolute standout on my self-cider tour of BC!! Not to be missed if you are a apple lover. These folks know their stuff, have studied in Europe, are an established orchard with organic-method production and have absolutely taken cider and distillery production to the next level. All of the ciders I sampled were crisp, clean, with a spectacular mouth, feel and apple bouquet. I am not a hard, liquor drinker, but ended up walking away with two bottles because the flavor was next level. The Apple cultivars are old world, varietals, the trees are Hardy and established, and you can taste the difference in the brew. Some unusual offerings for your flight would be this scrumpy and the cyser, which I learned are quite rare in North America. I took the $20 tasting and got a full array of spirits and siders with my hostess Kyla, who was incredibly knowledgeable and happily fielded my technical brew and hort questions. Whenever I would geek out a bit on the chemistry, she lit up with a smile and if she didn t know the answer, she said she d get me an answer before I left! So much fun to have this conversation with someone passionate about apple craft! Yes, the tasting is in shot glasses, because it s a tasting. I read a few reviews slamming this experience not realizing they are paying for the staff time and knowledge, and not getting a full flight of brew. If you are interested in the craft, the $20 for this experience is very, very well with it!! After your tasting get a flight poured with your new knowledge and sit out and enjoy the grounds. The gift shop is filled with all sorts of apple products, honey, and practical housewares. Don t miss it! Just go! Noteworthy details: Dog friendly. Great outdoor space

I may be a bit biased as I love their cider. But between the tasting, self guided tour and the food you can spend a wonderful afternoon here.

Cider guided tasting is fantastic! Fayth is a gem! We are so glad we stopped along the way to our destination. We weren t sure what to expect but it sure did exceed any expectations. Want a great experience? Then stop for sure! Want a great product? This will not disappoint! Thank you Merridale and thank you Fayth!

Each time that I have been to this absolutely lovely place with my family & friends it is always such a special treat! The food is legendary & the ciders are delicious! My favourite cider being the Merri Berri. I would like to point out the amazing service that I have received from Rozalina...she is an absolute delight! She was very polite & always wanted to make sure that we had what we needed. Rozalina is an absolute asset to Merridale & we will surely be back again & again! I hope to be back next week with my sister to enjoy their incredible hummus & naan bread as well as the ciders & other such delicious food!

Had the lamb burger with the ciabatta bun. Highly recommend it! Our server was Nelson, such a kind and polite young man. Service : 5/5

Nelson was a delight!

We stopped at Merridale Distillery this morning for brunch. The setting is quite beautiful and the day was perfect to sit by the large open windows. Everything on the menu sounded delicious. I had the chicken curry soup and a sandwich. Yum! Best of all was our server Nelson, friendly and helpful, it was my first visit and he helped me feel welcome. Answered my questions about the food and cider and I was happy with my selections. Definitely will return, and recommend. Noteworthy details: Beautiful location

Wonderful family time spent at Merridale! Food and atmosphere are always a pleasure! Our host Nelson was polite, prompt and a lovely young man!

We went for brunch and the food was amazing! Great views and great service. Thanks Nelson!

Fayth was an amazing tasting guide! My partner and I came in for a tasting of cider and spirits and were pleasantly surprised with the amazing history, agricultural, and social knowledge she had of Merridale. The atmosphere of the Cidery and distillery was unmatched. Will definitely be back for some more! Thank you Fayth for the amazing guidance and tasting. We very much enjoyed the experience.

Absolutely fantastic!!! Came to do a tasting with friends and was blown away!! Our tasting guide Fayth went above and beyond for us and the restaurant was just as outstanding, recommending to anyone I know travelling in the area :D Food and drinks: Best cider!

I did a tasting with Fayth and she was amazing! Very informative and had a very welcoming attitude.

Food and drinks: I had an amazing experience at merridale today! The staff were friendly and the food was delicious. While looking around all the amazing things in the retail store I spoke to Fayth who was very friendly and knowledgeable about all the products. I was even able to try the spiced Rhumb and had to take a bottle home. The atmosphere here is unmatched and I am so happy I was able to stop in!!

Went to merridale today while travelling across the island and was pleasantly surprised! I did a guided tasting with Fayth and not only were the products amazing but she was very knowledgeable and I am very impressed with this business. Their variety of ciders is outstanding and there is truly something for anyone. Fayth was able to recommend multiple products to me based on what I typically enjoy and she nailed it, I left with a variety of ciders even though I never thought of myself as a cider drinker. Definitely coming back next time I drive through!

Tucked away amidst apple orchards, the cidery and distillery is a delightful retreat that pleases the senses. The backdrop of thriving apple trees immerses visitors in natures charm. The food offerings were satisfactory, though theres room for improvement. The pizzas flavors were enjoyable, but it needed more oven time for that desired crispness. Similarly, the burgers were decent, yet they didnt reach their full potential. However, the real standout was the beverages. The drinks available were truly remarkable. The cider flight introduced guests to a range of flavors, showcasing the ciderys skill. Yet, the true highlight was the Apple Liqueur. Its extraordinary taste lingered, creating an unforgettable experience. In fact, it outshone all previous similar indulgences. Beyond the culinary experiences, the atmosphere underscored the venues commitment to sensory enjoyment. The combination of lush surroundings and inviting rustic decor established a warm and cozy ambiance. The friendly staff further elevated the experience, providing attentive and informed service that improved every aspect of the visit. To sum up, the cidery and distillery, while having room for culinary growth, excels in offering a blend of natural beauty and exceptional drinks. The unforgettable Apple Liqueur alone is worth the trip, and combined with the charming ambiance, makes this a must-visit for enthusiasts and those seeking a peaceful escape.

Great spot for an afternoon tasting!

Great meal and drinks, our server Allie was wonderful we will be coming back soon!

Allie Bell was the most friendly and kindest waiter I ve ever had. She s also super funny. Food and drinks: It was amazing

Amazing experience!! The tasting experience with Kyla was awesome, she was so knowledgeable and fun, we cant wait for our next visit.

The location is beautiful and the food is amazing, the pies are delicious. Our server Grace was able to answer all of our questions and was very attentive to our table. I would definitely come again.

Amazing food! Great Atmosphere. And the service was amazing, our server Grace was exceptional.

Delicious food/cider and lovely atmosphere with stunning view! Our waitress Roza gave excellent service and the greeter at the door was very cheerful too. Overall it was a really nice brunch experience!

Great experience wonderful history story about the start up of the company and heritage of trees as well as the process very helpful and made the tasting experience great

Unfortunately the server at Merridale was racist the last time we went there for dinner. We have white people and people of colour in our family, and it was obvious that the server we had the last time we went to Merridale was giving preferential treatment to the white baby in our family, over the baby who is a person of colour. This included numerous comments about how cute the white baby was, and also asking is there anything else your baby needs? None of this was offered to the baby in our family who is a person of colour. It s pretty awful that a server would be racist to a baby. We have been coming here for years, including on our honeymoon trip, but unfortunately we can no longer support this business.

Not very keen on the cider they make but the food and the food service was very good.

Merridale Cidery & Distillery is a beautiful place to have a wedding. I photographed a wedding here years ago, and the photos turned out so beautiful.

We had pizza in the restaurant and tried four ciders. The farm is very beautiful and the staff is very friendly. You can also find delicious things in the shop.

Excellent food and amazing cider!

Thank you Rosa for the great service and attention!!

Our tour of 40 people were treated well but next time we will come to the winery first as we were all a wee bit tired out from being on the bus since 8:30 am. Great day exceptional staff. Thank you.

Beautiful place, great and friendly staff but Cider isnt my thing.

We attended the 5th annual cider Festival today and it was absolutely amazing. It was our first time visiting the cidery and it was picturesque gorgeous. We got to sample 15 different provincial cideries and found a few new favorites. We tried the scrumpy chicken pies for lunch and they were fantastic. I hope they put the event on next year, we will definitely be attending!

I had a liquor tasting with Kyla, she was amazing, so knowledgeable. She interested me in all the products I had to opportunities to try. I am very excited to come back in yhe future. Walkability: Walking around the property was a lovely experience.

Great location and tasty food. It s fun to explore the grounds if you have a chance to take a walk in the orchard.

Had a great time at the 5th annual Cider Festival...great venue, great food and a wonderful showcase for some pretty amazing ciders!

The festival was great, a lot of fun and delicious ciders! We definitely will do it again next year !

Been a few times, but figured Id give it another review! The setting is fantastic. Beautiful grounds and facilities. We did a guided tasting, which was very informative and we all enjoyed the offerings. Would likely have been a 5 star review, but was disappointed in the service In just one way. We wanted to sit on the open air patio but were told that all of the empty tables were reserved. The issue was that I had called in to reserve our tasting and a table for lunch but was informed that reserves were only available after 4pm. Not completely sure how these other parties were all able to reserve tables at 1pm, but this was disappointing. To make matters worse, a table opened up outside just after we sat down and we requested to move... denied. Apparently it was booked by someone else. The staff tried to make it up to us with some samples - the apple liqueur tasted really nice. Really feel the hostess could have done better here. Everything else was very enjoyable. Food was great, as were the cider and cocktail flights. We will return... hopefully for a 5 star experience!

This is a must visit!! It s gorgeous farmhouse and it s just extremely beautiful around the fall season! About ciders and menu - They do offer a few different varieties of cider flights! We tried the sweet cider life flight. We loved it!! The ciders are delicious and the varieties are quite impressive to be honest!! The food menu is good too.. we had rosè pasta that was just delicious!!! I would go back just for that in-house pasta!! The ambience in the farmhouse eatery is pretty descent! Most of the seatings overlook right into the beautiful orchards! Honestly, it s perfect place for a sunny fall day!! The orchards itself is beautiful and you could take a walk around. Of course they have a small gift store! Worth a quick look! Also, they have bottles of unpasteurized ciders to go, which is what we got and that s great!! In short.. this is an amazing place to visit! We will definitely visit again!! We heard they decorate the place around Christmas so it seems like a great time to visit as well :)

We booked for the tasting tour and our stroy teller, Kyla, was informative and very animated! Loved the way she explained the history of the cidery and how each drink was made! Lived on the island my whole life and always heard great things about the cidery. Should have visited sooner!

Had lunch here September 2023. Absolutely breathtaking spot to visit! The ciders are delicious and the food is very good.

Such a beautiful location! We love Merridale Cider and our dinner experience was lovely. We sat on the covered patio and listened to live music while eating at a harvest table. The food was good and all seven of us, including two children, had a fabulous time.

We had a great evening at Merridale Cidery! Great atmosphere on the nicely lit patio, delicious food, attentive and friendly service -- and those flights of ciders! We thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment, Kelly Fawcett on guitar and vocals, playing the perfect background music for an upscale casual meal.

Steve was awesome! Super knowledgeable about the different type of ciders, great host for the tasting; had a great time.

Indulge in the authentic flavors of food and beverages at this place.

Merridale has such a warm and inviting atmosphere. I was there around the winter holidays last year and it was just magical! While booking an event to attend again this year, I was met with fantastic service. Their event management team is organized and thoughtful. The best part? The menu is food is amazing. If you are looking to get swept up somewhere cozy and romantic or have a memorable night out with your loved ones, give Merridale a visit!

I had a wonderful experience and amazing food last weekend thanks to our friendly server Anikka. I will definitely be coming back here again.

Loved the live music, the scrumpy cider and the service from Steve

Cider was great but expensive. I had the lamb burger with a side salad. The burger was tasty. What I was disappointed in was the portions of both the burger and salad. Literally a 2 bite salad and a burger that was extremely small. Not great value for the price. Food and drinks: Cider was great but expensive. I had the lamb burger with a side salad. The burger was tasty. What I was disappointed in was the portions of both the burger and salad. Literally a 2 bite salad and a burger that was extremely small. Not great value for the price.

Picturesque property, amazing cider and great food!

Able to eat in a heated environment while watching the sun disappear was fantastic. Food and beverages were great. Our only hiccup was the fact that we were seated with out a hostess, so waited 20 mins or so before we realized we had to order from entrance area. On a good note the food and service made up for that.

Merridale cidery is beautiful and has a very warm and inviting environment. The staff were all very attentive and friendly. The drinks were also fabulous. The reason for the low review is due to the very unfortunate issue that the food was not good. For the prices, which were not completely unreasonable as all food is expensive these days, we were very disappointed. We got the pizza to start with, which came out looking wonderful, but it was more bland than any pizza I ve ever had before. We had to add our own salt just to taste any flavour as I think they use just plain tomato paste for the sauce. Hoping that this was just a one off, we got two entrees- the scrumptious chicken pie with soup and the pene pasta. Again we couldn t believe how bland they were (the exception being the meat pie). Thinking maybe this was just us imagining things or going on an off night, I asked some local friends who have been there before as well and they expressed that they experienced the same thing and thought they also just happened to be there on an off night due to the high reviews. I don t want to bash on this place as they are a cidery first and they are local and so the food is not the main part, but I just felt I had to share for anyone else planning on coming here for dinner.

Had a pint of the Traditional cider, which was very tasty, although they could have filled it a bit more. My issue, like the previous review was the food. If an establishment is going to charge $19 for a Margherita pizza, don t serve it to me barely cooked from a freezer with raw tomatoes and balsamic reduction to cover up the lack of any flavour. As the manager/owner reading this, don t respond back with a long paragraph citing reasons why like inflation, supply chain issues, staff shortages etc. If you have integrity, find a solution for it instead of robbing your clientele.

Marriage Cidery was recommended to us by some locals. I am glad we listened, because we would never have found this place on our own. I tried a flight of the Drier Ciders. I paired that with a lamb burger. It was a delightful meal. We also loved the views of the countryside.

Nice venue and good selection of ciders and cider cocktails. Not the best place for food though. Every time we come and eat here we are disappointed. This time we ordered a pizza with substitute vegan cheese. The upcharge was $3 and there was hardly any on it. Neither of our pizzas had much flavour either. Good drinks not great food.

Wonderful location - very sweet girls serving but the food? Dreadful.

My daughter and her boyfriend went for a dinner here and he proposed to her, knowing ahead of time because he asked me if it was ok I called earlier in the day and put a credit card credit with explicate directions to apply it to the bill, this was NOT done. :-(

The property and restaurant buildings are beautiful and cozy. This was a great place to have a festive family dinner. The food and drinks were delicious. We will be back.

Amazing place! The kindest and most welcoming helpful staff! tasty food and crafted beverages!

We had the chance to celebrate Christmas at Merridale this year and WOW it was so magical and festive! We absolutely LOVED walking around with a glass of your delicious spiced rum. This is a must see at Christmas! Thank you Merridale for sharing with us!

This was our second year having our Christmas staff party here. Planning was easy, service was excellent, and the food was delicious. We quite enjoy the family style dinner they provide rather than individual plates. It s a great atmosphere for these kinds of events. We will be back!

Merridale is one of my favourite cideries to go to and Steve consistently makes the experience so much better! Personable, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about what he does. The food and ciders are always delightful. Highly recommend the experience!

Where to begin!! Location - 5 stars, restaurant building - 5 stars and from there we go down hill fast. Made our reservation for 7:30 p.m., arrived and sat down on time, the room was lovely and warm with an overhead heater. We ordered our drinks and food - so far so good. The drinks arrived, 2 of the orders were wrong but hey, we were meeting up with friends we havent seen for a long time, so we didnt mind. Three of the meals turned up together, an average lamb burger with kettle chips, a microwaved chicken pie and a sandwich, I had to wait for my steak and mushroom pie - you must only have one microwave. The pastry was both tough and soggy (standard for microwaved food), there was only one mushroom in my pie and the meat was grey and tough. My kettle chips obviously came from the bottom of the bag as they were a bowl of crumbs with a few chips on top. Then the heating was turned off - were they trying to freeze us out? and the staff started putting their coats on, it was a bit cold so we grabbed some blankets. We had ordered 2 apple pies with ice cream and whipped cream for dessert, the microwaved apple pies turned up but we could not distinguish between the cream and the ice cream as they were both like soup and had obviously been sitting out for quite some time - had the kitchen staff gone home? did a server have to microwave the apple pies? The only thing holding the ice cream together was the caramel sauce drizzled on top. The bill for our microwaved food was insane and did not seem justified given the standard of our meals, our tip reflected our disappointment. I guess we should be grateful they left the lights on. We were informed by a lady in her coat that last call for drinks was at 8:00 p.m., our friend wanted to fill his growlers so he went to do that and was informed he couldnt pay with cash as they had closed the register, but could pay by card. We headed out around 8:20-8:30 and were saying our goodbyes in the parking lot when we were informed that they wanted to lock up and we needed to leave. Totally disappointed, 2 stars was generous. Dont have a provision for people to reserve tables at 7:30 if expect them to leave by 8:00.

Lovely place. Beautifully decorated for the holidays. Made reservations so sat inside in the warmth and everyone was so nice. Great cider, food. Will go again

Out family dined at Merridale Cidery on Dec.11,2023. The grounds before you even enter are beautiful and very welcoming like an old fashioned Christmas Welcome with so many twinkling lights and delightful decorations.Then you step inside and are greeted by genuine smiles and the aroma of delicious food. The restaurant was filled with laughter, smiles and excellent service. Everyone dining was relaxed and happy as the place filled with warmth and feeling of being welcomed home . Even though the restaurant was full everyone was pampered at each table and treated like they were the only ones there.We will absolutely go back and encourage people to treat yourself to the very best of what the Cowichan Valley has to offer great atmosphere inside and out,,delicious food and truly happy and attentive staff. It doesn t get any better. If your children haven t seen the decorations yet or you are just a kid at heart take the time to tour the decorations and lights because it truly makes you feel like It s a Wonderful World at Merridale Cidery. Merry Christmas Everyone Walkability: I am in a wheelchair and everything was accessible.

We had our staff party and it was great! We sat in both areas and got to stay a little longer which was so nice of the staff. Everything was fast and delicious and staff was amazing! Walkability: Nice lighted walk around the area. Very seasonal and great little walk. Food and drinks: Food was delicious good variety and very fast

Great food and lovely atmosphere

We were unfortunately quite disappointed in our visit. We came from Esquimalt to see the lights with our toddler and have dinner. Dinner was pretty upsetting since we both ordered the expensive special dinners at 31 a piece (Turkey dinner and Ham dinner) the ham was okay but the turkey was a complete disappointment. Very dry and tasteless gravy and the stuffing was very dry and chewy. The veggies on both were very overcooked and the portions were small for the cost. The apple pie was tasty and my son loved his pizza. The cider was good as well. And the service was very friendly. It was also disappointing to see that a good portion of the lights display was not on and a lot of the decorations are quite dated and dilapidated. Im sorry to say I dont think it was worth the cost or the drive. Maybe we will try again in a couple of years.