Favorites in Lodi

Bokisch Vineyards

The view at Bokisch Vineyards, a Lodi wine favorite

Need advice for the Best Lodi Wine and Best Lodi Restaurants?  We’re not going anywhere near the “Best Lodi Zinfandel” argument, but Lodi is actually a wonderful place for wine tasting, all around.  We’re not just talking about Zinfandel: Lodi also produces many impressive white wines. On some recent Lodi wine tasting trips we discovered outstanding Albariño, Chenin Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Grenache Blanc, Moscato, Picpoul Blanc, Roussanne, Symphony, Verdejo, Verdelho, and Vermentino.   On the red wine side, our Lodi wine tasting efforts revealed tasty Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Cinsault, Grenache, Graciano, Nero d’Avola, Petit Verdot, Tempranillo, and Touriga wines.

In addition to great wines, Lodi also has plenty of food destinations for a variety of moods. If you’re looking for fast and easy, the first frosty mug of A&W Root Beer was served here in Lodi in 1919 and the restaurant on Lodi Avenue is still serving up Papa Burgers, Fries and Root Beer Floats.  If a relaxing Brunch on an outdoor patio is more your speed, the Towne House Restaurant features premium wines, specialty cocktails, and dishes such as Banana Stuffed French Toast, Loco Moco or a Smoked Salmon Scramble.  Below you will also find information on the best Lodi Scones, Salads and Sandwiches we have found.

Best Lodi Wineries (to us)

There are about 90 wineries in the Lodi area, and while we haven’t visited every one of them yet, we’ve identified about a dozen of the best Lodi wineries (to us) to recommend from the wineries we have been to. When planning your Lodi wine tasting trip, please check for operations hours as many tasting rooms are not open every day of the week:

Acquiesce Winery

Acquiesce Winery

Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards  – Acquiesce’s Sue Tipton and her husband Rodney focus on wines made from Southern Rhône varietals, with grapevines actually sourced from the famed Château de Beaucastel of Châteauneuf du Pape.  Heck, the Timptons even import the wine bottles from Southern France.  The tasting room is in a century-old barn surrounded by 18 acres of vineyards and many tastings include pairings of the wines with small bites.  Our favorite wines here are the Grenache Rosé, Picpoul Blanc, Roussanne, and the Belle Blanc (Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Viognier).  22353 N. Tretheway Road, Acampo  (209) 333-6102

Bokisch Vineyards – Markus and Liz Bokisch have been producing hand-crafted, award-winning, Spanish varietal wines since 2000 at their family owned and sustainably farmed winery. You’ll be impressed at how many different varietals winemaker Elyse Perry can craft into impressive premium wines. If you visit, consider bringing a picnic lunch so you can sit out back and enjoy a beautiful view of the rolling hills of Terra Alta Vineyard.   Recent favorites include the Terra Alta Albariño, Verdejo, Verdelho, Garnacha, Tempranillo and Graciano.   18921 Atkins Road, Lodi  (209) 334-4338 

Fields Family Wines – If you want to see what a very small family winery looks like, come here where the total production is still under 2000 cases per year.  All under one roof you’ll see wine barrels, the tasting bar, the grape sorter, the pump, and maybe even a forklift.  Our favorite Lodi wines here are the Vermentino, “Big Red” (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Barbera) and Cinsault.   3803 East Woodbridge Road, Acampo  (209) 327-6306

Jeremy Wine Co. –  Owners Jeremy and Choral Trettevik oversee our favorite downtown tasting room, featuring friendly staff and a back patio with tables and chairs for relaxation and/or picnicking.  In past incarnations, the tasting room was a bank and Mr. Trettevik’s former work studio.  The winery has a popular growler program framed around “Jeremiah’s Jug”, a blend of Tempranillo, Zinfandel and Marzemino, but our favorite wine here was an Albariño.  They also recently opened a second tasting room in Lockeford.  6 West Pine Street, Lodi, or 16750 CA-88, Lockeford,  (209) 367-3773 

LangeTwins Winery & Vineyards– Yes, there are actually twins in charge here: Randall and Brad Lange, 4th generation farmers who are now starting to get help from 5th generation family members in the business.  They make about 25,000 cases of wines per year themselves but also do a lot of business providing growing, crafting and bottling services to other wineries.  Our favorites here have been the Moscato, Gewürztraminer, Nero d’Avola and Petite Sirah.  We also enjoyed the MVP, a non-vintage multiple varietal port made from Tannat, Teroldego and Zinfandel grapes.   1525 East Jahant Road, Acampo (209) 334-9780

McCay Cellars – Michael McCay and his family have farmed in Lodi for over 20 years and the wide range of wines here are primarily Rhône varietals or Zinfandels. The tasting room also contains a fridge offering wines, salumi, cheeses, olives and peppers for sale to help with your snacking needs. We recently enjoyed (a lot) the Très Blanc (Vermentino, Verdelho, Muscat, Pinot Noir), Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Carignane and “Lot 13” Faith Zinfandel.  18817 East Highway 88, Clements  (209) 759-3980

Michael David Winery  – Have you tasted wine made from the Symphony grape?  That’s a varietal patented by Dr. Harold Olmo at UC Davis in 1983, a hybrid between Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris producing a highly aromatic, slightly sweet wine.  We really enjoyed the Symphony here, as well as the Incognito Rouge (Tannat, Tempranillo, Grenache, Carignane, Mourvedre), Michael David AV Cinsault, Michael David Carignane and Inkblot Petit Verdot.  The property here has a lovely outdoor area in addition to their Tasting Room to enjoy.  4580 West Highway 12, Lodi  (209) 368-7384 

Oak Farm Vineyards – This estate dates back to the 1860s when it was formerly a cattle ranch.  During a recent remodel, the owner insisted on the result having room for about 100 people to be able to sit for their tastings so come here to relax and savor your tastes.  The property and buildings are just flat-out gorgeous and the focus is clearly on well-made, small lot wines.  Our favorites here include the Albariño, The Corset (Grenache, Alicante Bouschet, Zinfandel), and Petit Verdot.   23627 North DeVries Road, Lodi  (209) 365-6565 

Peltier Winery – Rodney and Gayla Shatz are third generation grape growers in charge of this innovative winery and custom crush facility. Grandparents on both sides of the family were growers in the 1950’s and the family now farms over 1,200 acres of wine grapes.  The Peltier wines are made from grapes grown in their sustainably farmed, certified green, estate vineyards. Our favorites here were a Black Diamond Vermentino, Peltier Teroldego Reserve, and Peltier Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.  22150 North Kennefick Road, Acampo  (209) 367-4882

St. Amant Winery  – Founded in 1979 by Tim and Barbara Spencer, St. Amant prides itself on producing handcrafted, food-friendly wines of superb quality from Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian varietals as well as California’s own Zinfandel. They even make 4 different port wines.  The winery name comes from Ms. Spencer’s maiden name, and finding the tasting room may be a challenge but it’s well worth it (yes, keep going north on Guild past Turner and then make an immediate right).  Our favorites here were the Verdelho, Vintage Port, and Touriga.  1 Winemaster Way, Lodi (209) 367-0646 

St. Jorge Winery  – This charming Lodi winery focuses on Portuguese varietals and some tastes are accompanied by small bites artfully selected to pair well with the wines, such as the 2014 Verdelho and a Topo cheese imported from the island of San Jorge in Portugal.  Our favorites here were the Verdelho, Tempranillo, Souzáo, Vinho Tinto Doce (Port-style Wine) and Maria (Madera).  22769 North Bender Road, Acampo  (209) 365-0202   

Scotto’s Wine & Cider – The Scotto family are 5th generation winemakers who operate wineries in Lodi, Amador County and Napa Valley. They recently opened a tasting room in downtown Lodi that offers samples of their wines and ciders by the glass or in flights. We haven’t tasted their wines yet, but can definitely recommend their hard apple ciders.  Our favorites were their Dry Apple, Dry Apple with Pinot Grigio and Dry Apple with Wild Cherry.   14 South School Street, Lodi  (209) 224-8590    

The Lodi Wine and Visitors Center (2545 West Turner Road, Lodi, 209-365-0621) is open from 10 am to 5 pm daily and can offer additional assistance with the area and its 90 wineries (with about 110,000 acres of vineyards).  The Center has an expansive tasting bar featuring regional wines, a demonstration vineyard which can provide education about grape growing and a gift shop featuring handcrafted products and Lodi giftware.  They can also share what they consider the best Lodi wineries.

Best Lodi Restaurants (to us)

We’ve had a lot of great food in Lodi, and the best Lodi restaurants (for us, so far) are below.

Avenue Grill – This old-school diner is crowded with locals who have been coming here for years.  They are open for Breakfast and Lunch only, but if you’re interested they serve their Breakfast items all day.  Offerings include Eggs, Hot Cakes, French Toast, Omelets, Biscuits and Gravy, and a Breakfast Quesadilla.  We’ve happily enjoyed the Hot Cakes and the large, fluffy omelets.  506 West Lodi Avenue, Lodi  (209) 333-8006 

A&W– The first A&W Root Beer was served on June 4, 1919, at a homecoming parade for Lodi’s returning WWI soldiers.  The East Lodi Avenue store opened in 1954, and in June 1999 store employees joined forces with other community members to create the world’s largest Root Beer Float (using 2,562.5 gallons of root beer).  Burgers, Chicken Strips, Hot Dogs, Corn Dogs, Fries, Onion Rings, and freshly made Root Beer are all ready for you here.  216 East Lodi Avenue, Lodi  (209) 368-8548  (commemorative plaque is at 13 West Pine Street, downtown)  

Dancing Fox Winery, Brewery, Bakery & Restaurant – This busy establishment is run by Greg Lewis, his wife and three sons and if they weren’t busy enough they have plans to add a distillery to their portfolio. When the children were young, Mr. Lewis would entertain them by making up stories about the foxes on their property including a dancing one so that’s where the name comes from. You’ll find plenty of large salads on the menu including a Greek Salad, a Cranberry Walnut Salad, and our personal favorite: the Mandarin Almond Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette.  The wood fire pizza oven (from Barcelona) is constantly busy turning out restaurant specials or whatever custom assembly you design to top your own pie. The kitchen also offers a variety of Burgers, Sandwiches and Home Made Sausages.  203 South School Street, Lodi (209) 366-2634

Farm Café at Michael David Winery – Michael and David Phillips are brothers whose family has farmed fruits and vegetables in the Lodi region since the 1850s.  On the same property as their namesake winery, the Farm Café is a popular destination for farm-style breakfasts and lunches. The breakfast menu offers generous portions of the usual suspects:  Pancakes, Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Omelets, Oatmeal, Eggs Benedict, Biscuits and Gravy and Chicken and Waffles.  You can also buy baked goods or other food products in the store to take home with you.  580 West Highway 12, Lodi  (209) 368-7384 

Fiori’s Butcher Shoppe and Deli – Joe and Barbara Fiori founded this place in 1983 so they’ve been serving the community for over 30 years.  Back then, Joe cured his own pastrami and corned beef, smoked salmon and home-made bratwurst, and that tradition continues. The extensive sandwich menu here is rounded out with soups and chili, fresh salads and a daily changing selection of quiches.  You can also place your order in advance for either inside pick-up or curbside pick-up (just remember they’re closed Sundays and Mondays).  400 West Lodi Avenue, Lodi  (209) 334-4121 for inside pickup, (209) 334-0333 for curbside. 

Towne House Restaurant (at Wine & Roses Hotel) – Led by Executive Chef John Hitchcock, the Towne House culinary team utilizes fresh and seasonal ingredients from local and regional farms in their delicious presentations of American Classic cuisine.  Recent options have included Pear and Endive Salad, Summer Melon with Duck Prosciutto, Grilled Niman Ranch Pork Loin, Seared King Salmon, and Warm Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream. The wine list features over 70 wines from the Lodi appellation.  Towne House’s Weekend Brunch is from 8 am to 2 pm and we recommend their Smoked Salmon Scramble or Open Faced Omelette.   2505 West Turner Road (209) 371-6160

Best Lodi Food Purveyors (to us)

A Moveable Feast – This food truck offers “Fine Grub and Sandwiches” and it’s easy to find thanks to the bright green paint job.  The menu includes Steak, Chicken Caesar, or Cajun Shrimp Sandwiches or Beef, Black Bean or Salmon Burgers.  You can also order Fries with your choice of Spices and Dipping Sauces.  Our top recommendation?  Their Chicken Pesto Sandwich with Romaine and Tomato on a Toasted Bun.  A Moveable Fest has also been awarded “Best Lodi Food Truck” by local voters several times.   1000 West Kettleman Lane, Lodi  (209) 642-1877

Cheese Central  –  The best Lodi cheese store, from owner Cindy Della Monica has a world-class selection of cow, goat and sheep cheeses as well as charcuterie, crackers, and craft beers. In fact, the friendly folks here can prepare a basket of treats for you to take into any of the local wineries so you can arrange your own wine-and-cheese pairing Lodi wine tasting experience.  The cheeses here include Bucheron, Cambozola, Garrotxa, Hornbacher, Le Roule, Manchego, Ossau-Iraty, and more from producers such as Bellwether Farms, Cowgirl Creamery, Fiscalini, Point Reyes Farmstead and Vella.   You’ll also have about a dozen different Cheddars each day to select from.  Cheese Central also offers cooking and cheese education classes, with recent courses including Bread Baking, Sushi, Pestos and Summer Pastas.  11 North School Street, Lodi, (209) 368-3033

Lockeford Meats and Sausage – The extensive menu of high-quality sausages and meats here is the reason why there always seems to be a line.  Come here to get Apple, Basil, Bavarian, Garlic, Jalapeño, Mild Italian and Hot Italian Sausages, or classic Old-Fashioned Franks to take home for your own BBQ party.  You’ll also find Andouille, Bratwurst, Chorizo, Kielbasa, Linguica, Slab Bacon and Marinated Tri-Tips ready to go.  So far, our favorites have been the Smoked Dakota Bratwurst and the Hawaiian Luau Sausage.   19775 North Cotton Street, Lockeford  (209) 727-5584

Olive Drop – The charming Karen Chandler heads this olive oil company and while we are big fans of her Original olive oil she also makes 6 flavored versions, leveraging other local products for the infusions where possible.  Our personal favorites are the Orange, Basil and Garlic olive oils.  If you schedule an appointment, you will taste the Mission Olive-based products in a quaint 1895 house surrounded by olive trees that are over 100 years old. You should also ask about her chocolate chip cookie recipe substituting her oils in place of some of the typical butter.  511 West Sargent Road, Lodi, (209) 369-6868  [reservation required] 

Sweet Mel’s Dutch Bakery – This old-fashoned bakery is run by (we kid you not) an 82-year old former military officer who is a self-taught baker. The baked goods here include Pies, Pastries, Turnovers, Breads and Cakes.  The cookie collection sounds like a return to grandma’s house because Mel makes Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, Peanut Butter, English Tea and Macaroon cookies, among others.  623 East Oak Street, Suite C, Lodi (209) 329-0918

Best Lodi Lodging?

If you’re planning a Lodi wine tasting trip and need advice on Lodging, we suggest you reach out to the Downtown Lodi Visitor Center (800-798-1810) or explore their website for ideas.  They can help you with Hotels, Motels, Bed and Breakfasts, RV and Campground spots, and/or Vacation Homes.

Personally, we’ve found the Hampton Inn & Suites on Beckman Road near Kettleman Lane comfortable and convenient, with great customer service.  Free parking, free internet access, breakfast included and there’s even an onsite pool.  1337 Beckman Road, Lodi  (209) 369-2700