About Salt Spring Wild Cider
Salt Spring Wild Cider is owned by Gerda Lattey and Mike Lachelt, who make cider from the island's old apple trees. Salt Spring was once the largest apple producer in British Columbia, and some of its orchards were planted for hard cider in the late 1800s. Each year the company gathers more than 250,000 pounds of apples and pears from properties around the island and buys more from island growers at pressing time. The cider house sits on a sunny rise off Sharp Road, just west of Ganges, looking over an orchard and the valley below.
The ciders are made from organic fruit. The wild-fermented Dry uses more than 30 apple varieties, and the Semi-Dry uses over 20. The Farmhouse Scrumpy is made with crab and heritage apples. A pear cider uses Salt Spring and B.C. pears, and seasonal ciders have included elderberry and elderflower, hopped apricot, bitter orange with rosemary, and Saskatoon berry. Most bottles were listed at about CA$16.52 in 2026, and visitors can see how the cider is made on site.
The restaurant and cider house are open every day, year-round. The farm kitchen cooks mostly organic food from scratch, with small and large plates meant for sharing alongside the ciders, and there is a weekday happy hour. Tables can be reserved through their website, and walk-ins are seated in the picnic area when reservations are full. Children and pets are welcome, mainly at the outdoor picnic tables.
Lavender & Black, an organic lavender and helichrysum farm, is about 10 minutes away by car, so a summer lavender stop and a late lunch here make an easy island afternoon.
What to do
- Taste the wild-fermented Dry cider, made from more than 30 apple varieties
- Try the Farmhouse Scrumpy or a seasonal cider such as Saskatoon berry
- Have lunch or dinner from the farm kitchen, with shared plates
- See how the cider is made on site
- Sit at the outdoor picnic tables with kids or a dog
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Open seven days a week in all seasons
- Hours
- As listed on their website in October 2026: daily 11 a.m.–9 p.m., year-round; happy hour Mon–Thu 3–5
Good to know
- Age
- 21 or older to taste or drink alcohol
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Reservations
- Recommended
Tips for your visit
- From Ganges, head west on Lower Ganges Road past the grocery store and turn right on Sharp Road
- If reservations are full, walk-ins can still sit in the picnic area
- Dress for the weather if you plan to sit outside
- Plan a designated driver for island tasting stops
Pair it with a lavender farm
Lavender & Black · about 10 minutes away
Lavender & Black is about 10 minutes away, so a visit to its farm studio and a meal at the cider house fit together on a summer day.
Getting there
Questions
Are kids and dogs welcome?
Yes. Minors and pets are welcome, especially in the outdoor picnic table area.
Where do the apples come from?
Mostly from heritage trees around Salt Spring Island, some from orchards first planted for cider in the late 1800s.
Is it open in winter?
Yes. The restaurant and cider house are open seven days a week in all seasons, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of the Lower Mainland & Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
