Ginny Lee Café at Wagner Vineyards in Lodi, New York, offers affordable lunch, delicious wine, and a lovely view! Visitors to the Finger Lakes region won't want to miss it.
By: Alisha Trenalone
There's no shortage of wineries in the Finger Lakes!
In fact, when you start to search for them on Google Maps, you might be overwhelmed by the sheer number.
Along the shores of Seneca Lake alone, there are around 30 wineries! And that's not even counting the wineries around the other lakes.
On our recent getaway to upstate New York, we had only enough time for a fleeting visit to the Finger Lakes region, so we had to narrow down our choices.
Looking for other things to do near the Finger Lakes? Don't miss the waterfalls at Watkins Glen State Park, and the excellent Six Nations Camping Area!
We were looking for a winery that served lunch at a reasonable price, preferably with outdoor dining and a view of the lake.
Wagner Vineyards and the Ginny Lee Café were exactly what we were looking for!
Located along Seneca Lake at Lodi, New York, Wagner Vineyards is open every day, year-round.
The Ginny Lee Café, which is housed in a separate nearby building, serves lunch from spring through fall. Check the website for seasonal hours.
Dining at the Ginny Lee Café
We arrived for a fairly early lunch. There was a bus group in the process of being served lunch, but the facility is pretty large, and it seemed like the staff could handle all different sizes of groups with no problem.
The inside of the Ginny Lee is a beautiful and spacious room that's well suited to special events. (They frequently host wedding receptions in the evening.)
The wraparound deck, where we preferred to sit, was not crowded at all at this early lunch time. It started to fill up by the time we left.
The menu consists mainly of appetizers, salads, wraps, sandwiches, and personal pizzas. There are also daily specials.
And, of course, a wine list!
The pizza of the day, with its garlic chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and balsamic glaze, was too tempting to pass up.
It was wonderful!
Our party also tried the crab rangoons, cream of mushroom soup, and chicken, bacon + bleu wrap.
The crab rangoons were served with a tasty sweet ginger soy sauce.
It was a delicious lunch with a beautiful view of Seneca Lake.
We tried two different white wines with our meal. The Chardonnay (Unoaked) was dry, and the Riesling Select (my personal favorite) was sweet.
Both wines were great options for a light lunch.
The Winery
Just across the lawn from the Ginny Lee Café is the winery itself. After lunch, we strolled over to browse the shop.
Wine tastings can be reserved online, and Wagner also brews craft beer!
Wagner Vineyards produces a wide range of wines for every palate. They even make the famous (ultra-sweet) ice wine that's unique to northern regions.
We made sure to pick up a bottle of the Riesling Select we'd enjoyed so much, as well as a couple of other varieties to take home as gifts.
To fill your whole itinerary with food and drink spots, consider other Seneca Lake destinations like Ardenne's Brewery and Taproom.
Are you visiting in the fall? A visit to Wager's Cider Mill for some donuts and apples might be another good idea!
About Alisha Trenalone
I’m Alisha and I live in eastern Kentucky. Discovering good food is one of my joys in life, but you will also find me doing lots of reading and dreaming of travel. Having worked at a local newspaper for several years, I’m avidly interested in the written word and the art of sharing stories. Now I help Sarah out in various ways here at Champagne Tastes!
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