Pizza + Wine + Live Music = A Very Happy Tots Crew! Ankeny Vineyard delivers some wonderful family fun in a beautiful setting just south of Salem, OR.
A winery with something for everyone!
The Tots Crew ventured out to Ankeny Vineyard in search of some yummy wine and even yummier pizza. We are happy to report that we were successful in our quest. Our cousins were in town visiting from Arizona and Tot #3 was a mere six days old. We had a feeling that Ankeny would be a crowd pleasurer for our whole group (spoiler alert - it was!)
Ankeny Vineyard was divine and we can't wait to go back. This is such a lovely venue and so worth the (beautiful) drive to get there. Unlike most wineries, they operate much later into the evening so if you get a hankering for some great wood-fired pizza and a wonderful flight of wine after a long day at work (or home or wherever) then Ankeny is the spot for you!
Ankeny is just a great winery all-around. All their staff have these huge smiles on their faces and their energy was super contagious. The grounds at Ankeny are sprinkled with picnic tables and sweet little alcoves to accommodate the unique needs of your party and your tots! Ankeny has a TON of different outdoor seating options. They also have a lovely indoor tasting room, which we opted for on this 100 degree day.
For tasting flights, $12 is a very fair price to pay to try their delicious selection of wines. When we visited, there were three whites, one rosé, and one red on the tasting menu - smart line-up since it was a scorcher of a day! All very refreshing. The rosé was the crowd favorite. You can also purchase by the glass or by the bottle. For those not into wine, they have Gilgamesh beer products and local ciders available. For the tots, they have soft drinks.
But the real star of the show at Ankeny is their pizza. Their al fresco pizza oven is located outside on the generously sized patio so you can watch as your food is being made, which is always entertaining (for grown-ups and tots alike!) Their pizza menu have a variety of main stay selections as well as a build-your-own option. They do have a gluten-free crust option as well. All their ingredients are oh-so-fresh, most of which are grown right on-site in their beautiful garden! I don't think you can go wrong with any of their delicious pizza options - even the four cheese pizza was pretty darn sensational.
Pro-tip: Be sure to ask about their weekly pizza and dessert specials. We were lucky enough to visit when they were slinging their Sweet Summer Pie (garlic white sauce, chicken, bacon, sweet peppers, mozzarella, feta, fresh rosemary, with a drizzle of honey) as well as their Lemon and Lavender custard. WOWOWOW. We also couldn't pass up their Chocolate Turtle Cobbler which was out of this world.
Ankeny does not require reservations to visit, aside from during their Saturday evening music series during the summer. What a great line-up they have! Be sure to check out their Events page, call the winery to make your reservation, and bring the whole family for a rockin' good time. Is there anything cuter than a bunch a sweet Tots dancing the night away? Not that we can think of!
What to expect when you visit:
Great variety of indoor and outdoor seating options
PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA
Great wine at a very approaching price point
Amazing line-up of live music which makes for a super fun family night out
Lots of walkable garden area for tots to explore (supervised, of course!)
Bring table top activities for the tots or a picnic blanket and some toys
Their outdoor area is dog-friendly. WOOF!
No outside food please
No changing table or high chairs so just plan ahead with a back-up plan
More Info:
Open Wednesday & Thursday 11am - 7pm, Friday & Saturday 11am - 8pm,
Sunday 11am - 6pm
Closed Monday & Tuesday
Address: 2565 Riverside Rd S, Salem, OR 97306