99 Cherry Orchards

This rating is for the ICE CREAM. Oh. My. Lord. Is this ice cream perfection or what? I get the dark cherry and it comes with a freshly made waffle over the top. She makes the waffle as you order. I adore this atmosphere, find the service is very friendly and warm.

I called today to find out if there were any cherries. The person that answered the phone stated that the farm is permanently closed, and they would not be opening for cherry picking. I went there a few seasons ago and got some really great cherries. I am sad to see them closed.

stopped by to check out the ”home made cheesecake” and the elderly woman that was behind the counter was just ”rude” stated she only had whole pies and would not sell 2 pieces. whole pie was $ 30.00? are you kidding me! we drive by all the time on our way to napa and would never stop again… you can get great cheesecake pies at nations for $ 11.00 or just keep heading up to napa, lots of friendly orchards that appreciate your business…

I originally found this place a couple months ago hoping to pick cherries. Unfortunately, because of our drought I was told there was no cherry picking. So I browsed the store some and found some local honey, which I bought. Also I saw the sign for homemade ice cream. Can’t pass that up! The ice cream came in a small container, which a warm vanilla wafer over it. Can you say amazing! I got home and tried out the honey and it was delicious. Today was my 2^nd visit there — simply for the ice cream and honey. She also bakes pies, which I do plan on trying soon!

Roula’s bked goods are excellent. Her pies, especially apple and cherry are out of this world. Her cheese cake is the best I’ve had anywhere. Don’t miss an opportunity to enjoy the homemade ice cream. Vanilla ice cream on warm apple pie can’t be beat.

This place reminds me of why I do and do not like Unilocal: so yes, the lady who owns the store is extremely curt, but personally, don’t let that keep you from coming here because they have some BOMBASS ice cream and waffles (which is more like a cookie). A serving of triple berry ice cream for $ 4? So gooooood. And you can definitely tell that it is homemade (in a good way).
Why I wish someone else wrote more recent reviews: picking cherries for/​by yourself is closed this ENTIRE YEAR, according to said lady. It’s because this year was a ‘bad year’ and I don’t think they have that much surplus cherries to spare. So yeah, don’t bother going for the U-​pick-​cherries activity, but do come by for ice cream!

Short season this year so cherries already gone. But wonderful ice cream! Great place.

I came here with my 5 year old son and 4 year old niece, my grandmother, brother and sister in law. We had a blast, the weather was perfect, the service was very friendly and the cherries were so good. We made 4 pies out of all the cherries we picked. The kids loved it, it was a great outing for a saturday afternoon. It was VERY busy that day and there was very little parking and the ladies in the back were trying hard to keep up. They were amazing!
Ice Cream is a must have, we had the cherry and the waffle on top YUM! We drove by this week but it seems to be closed, as soon as they open up we will be back. This time I am hoping to get some Rainier cherries which we didn’t find our first time there.

This place is Ok but the old lady at the small ice cream shop ruined the whole experience. She was very rude and looks like she doesn’t want to be there. Won’t be coming back here again.

The cherries here are awesome! Most of the trees with cherries are toward the end of the path, so just keep walking! The end had some pretty yummy cherries (:

Fantastic, Juicy, and Sweet Cherries. Thoroughly enjoyed taking my Toddler with me to Hand-​Pick handfulls of these beauties :-) Can’t wait to go again.

I’ve lived in the area for a few years now & just recently visited this place, and I must say this cherry picking/​bakery is great!
The gentlemen working there was lovely, very helpful but the lady who works the bakery section never smiled so I agree with the other reviewers, though she was very helpful. I personally think that’s just her.
Go early in the cherry season (I heard cherry picking is best between May & June) so there are plenty of fruit on the trees, I went in rather late so most of the fruit where gone, but luckily I found a section where there are loads of fruits still on the trees and got about 7lbs worth totaling like $ 12 so I’m not complaining about the price. Bring water for you to drink if its on a hot day as well and to wash the cherry if you want a sample. I personally forgot and just rinsed it on the sprinklers! And don’t wear slippers!
As for the bakery section, it was tiny, yet cozy; it’s such a lovely place. They have few different Greek pastries, muffins, cheesecake, dried fruit, and ice cream. I bought a few different flavored muffins and I randomly saw that they had Baklava (my personal favorite) and it was mad good.
Also, it’s wheelchair accessible. Though, it’s just tough getting around when entrance to go pick t. Don’t send grandma here on her own! It’d be tough getting around.
Overall, I’ll be back, such a great find!
BTW. Don’t break their branches when your cherry picking! It’s disrespectful and they loose money when you do. You will be kicked out and banned. I’d do the same and probably kick your ass too.

Hello everyone
I must tell you this place is really cozy and warm with country setting. I love the place from the entrance, the shoppette and the home made cherry ice cream and local honey. I always come here the first week they are open. I took photos every year unfolds.
I ask all my friends to come and pick their fresh cherries at 99 cherry orchards. I like chatting with the guy by the cashier. Friendly and welcoming. When you come to 99 cherry orchard bring family and friends. It’s fun to go cherry picking iwth family and friends.
I live in the area so I come to pick cherries 4 times a year. I love cherries!

We simply had a horrible experience at this place – twice over!
I will never, ever go there again!
I thought picking cherries would be a fun activity for the whole family, not to mention I love cherries. So I brought my 6 children, ages 8 to 19 with me. We arrived shortly after 4pm, about half a dozen signs on the road and in the parking lot proclaimed the place to be open. However, as soon as we stepped inside the small store you have to walk through to get into the orchard, the old lady behind the corner literally yelled at us that they were closed. I was completely taken by surprise, and said «I’m sorry, the signs all say open.» She said that they always close for picking at 4, in a tone of voice implying «how dare you not know this…» Then she asked us to leave the store, because she had to take another customer’s order to her car. She proceeded to talk to the other customer at her car, leaving us shaking our heads at the closed door.
I can’t believe after that experience that I went back another time. It just seemed close and convenient, rather than going to Brentwood or Apple Hill. So I rounded up the whole family again (which is not that easy) and we arrived well before 4pm. As soon as we stepped inside, before we had said a word, the lady yelled at us again «No picking!» Again, there were open signs everywhere, and no notice that the place was closed to picking. When I asked why, she said that it had rained sometime previously and she «couldn’t have these children drag mud into her store.» She was so rude to us, I don’t think I have ever had a store owner talk to me in that tone of voice. I found out the next day that a friend who went there with her children had a similar experience, leaving me to wonder if the owner generally objects to children? My kids gave her no reason to lash out at them, they were standing quietly behind me, equally in shock.
I can understand, sometimes fruitstands have to be closed if it’s really too muddy (although twice? Why leave up all the open signs?) What I object to was the rudeness this information was communicated with. If you treat customers like that – maybe soon you won’t have any more? I certainly will not be back. Unless you want to be screamed at – do not go here!

It’s cherry season and she has a Pick Your Own orchard with the best cherries around. Drive past the grocery stores and the stands and head straight for the trees. Nothing better than spending the afternoon with the Fam picking the ripest cherries you can get straight from the branch. Stop inside for some treats and spend the rest of the day talking about how you can’t wait to return and do it all over again. Great Food, Great people, great price and a real good time. Roula’s Baked goods and Ice cream will keep the screaming brats happy, along with anyone else who needs a fix. A must go place in our area that cannot be beat. Tell them Zac said hello and recieve 0% discount, but it will start a conversation with some great people…

This is the best little find in town. Roula is authentic and very concerned that you experience only the best. Her cheesecake is the best and you can not find NY Cheesecake any finer even In NYC!
I have not tried Cherry picking but it’s on my list to do come May. She is also well known to have the sweetest white peaches… can’t wait! This years batch was not the best due to our off weather pattern but August is the best time for her peaches.

My friend and I were so excited to go pick cherries and after the glowing review in the Chronicle we knew where to pick them. The fail starts now…
After checking the site and calling, we were shocked when we showed up and were rudely told by the older woman running the place that there was no cherry picking.
There are many ways to communicate bad news to help soften the blow but this woman was just about as unpleasant as can be. I did mention that we had checked the website and she rudely replied «Well I am not responsible for the site». She could have salvaged the situation ten different ways, including a simple «I am sorry, we have been busy and haven’t had a chance to update the site.»
It was appalling on every level. And to add insult to injury, they had cherries for sale in the shop for $ 4 a pound. I rarely complain about prices but I could have stayed in SF and bought lovely cherries in the Mission for a DOLLAR a pound.
I know they are a mom and pop place, I know they are small farmers but the situation could have been handled better on so many levels. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

This is really a one star review but I“ll give it a 3 so they will stay open next year. I looked long and hard for a no spray type of farm. (No spray farm might also have less yield in their crop, which means less $)
When I drove by, signs outside the farm was not clear what farm they are. When I arrived they only have PICKED cherries to sell not U PICK. UPICK season ended at June 16, but their voice mail said «We got Cherries» I called 4 times during business hours, I was not able to get a live person to confirm if UPICK is available. the voice mail said they do not return calls.
When I arrived the lady did not look happy until I started to buy stuff from her. She said «this will really help the farm».
I can sense something is not right.
Overall I was very upset I drove all the way up here for nothing.
I went to visit another farm-​business. They said for the past few years, it cost more to have the business OPEN than CLOSED. Meaning the price of their goods will not cover all the expenses like workers comp etc.
*sigh* I hope more farmers will do well especially those who are stubborn enough not to spray. we need to support farmers like that so we can benefit also
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Sunday, May 23, 2010 (SF Chronicle)
Fairfield has spot for a Bing fling
Aleta George, Special to The Chronicle
GREAT article, this is one reason why UPICK sold out. This should of been a great year for the farm, but not sure if it is.
Any details pls post to Unilocal or privately to me.
The place is a family affair. Owner Theo Knopp-​Pistiolas bought the
25-​acre orchard in 1986 when it had pears. When the local cannery was
closed a few years later, he ripped out the pears and planted 3,500 cherry
trees (70 percent Bing, and 30 percent Rainer and Brook for pollination).
«We love cherries,» says Spirow, Theo’s son who helps work the farm.
«There’s no passion in pears.» The other members of the family who work
the farm are Roula, Theo’s wife, who runs the bakery, and Ana, Spirow’s
wife, who paints the handmade signs that give the place an Old World
charm.
The orchard isn’t certified organic, but the Knopp-​Pistiolas haven’t
sprayed in seven years.
–
Don’t leave without treating yourself to something homemade in Roula’s
bakery. She uses cherries to make homemade ice cream served with a waffle
on top, the best cherry muffins in the world (sorry, she refuses to
divulge that old family recipe), cherry biscotti, jam, and a
cherry-​chipotle sauce. She also makes an array of traditional Greek
desserts such as kourabiedes, kataifi and koulourakia

This was my first time fruit picking at an orchard/​farm. it was a nice enough experience, especially if you have never done such an activity before. after this experience, i don’t have a strong urge to come back here to do more cherry picking on a frequent basis but i’m glad i was able to do it.
after our nice hour cherry picking, we ventured into their little shop for ice cream since we worked up a nice sweat. i wanted to try their bing cherry ice cream but they were all sold out (along with strawberry & vanilla). i ended up trying the apricot — vanilla ice cream in cup size (cost was about $ 3ish dollars). It hit the spot since it was so warm but I didn’t think the ice cream was anything special… it just seemed like vanilla ice cream with pieces of apricot fruit.
need to know:
— $ 3.75 for entry
— $ 1.95/lb (or was it $ 1.99?)
— they provide the buckets for picking your cherries
— they provide the cardboard boxes or bags so you can take it home with you
— watch where you are walking when you are in the orchard (i.e. branches, mounds of dirt)
— ice cream comes with fresh & warm waffle on top
— a small jar of jam is around 10 dollars O_​O
— don’t call that phone number during non-​business hours. i think it’s tied to their home phone? in any case, my bf called around 10:30 PM because we were just expecting to hear a voicemail about when cherry picking season would begin since we thought it was just a business/​office line, but instead he got chewed out for calling at 10:30 PM… whoops i guess –_​–
useful tip:
not really the best place to walk around in with flip flops on. i would suggest old, worn sneakers you don’t mind getting dirty in. bring a bottle of water ‘cos it gets pretty warm in fairfield, especially when you’re walking around picking fruit. also the water is good for washing the cherries if you want to taste some as you are picking them

A cute combination of organic fruit stand and café, this little farm company takes its own organic produce and turns them into the most Delicious things. Plus you can pick your own Cherries!
Kiwi, strawberry, cherry, apricot and plum jams and jellies.
Baklava and other cookies and cakes and pastries with their almonds, walnuts and pistachios.
Homemade strawberry ice cream freshly made. (THIS WAS AMAZING!!!)
Espresso
Dried fruit.
This place was great and the ice cream alone was worth the trip.
Ask for Roula if you want to order a batch of things.
Please note: I’m not sure what’s up with google maps, but the café/​bakery is on the north side of 80 on Rockville road.