Picture of the Wild Pear. Photo under Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 (No changes made)
Wild Pear has been a staple of downtown Salem since they opened in 2000. This restaurant was founded by Cecilia and Jessica Ritter. They were cleverly nicknamed the other “wild pair”. The sisters combined their expertise in cooking and hospitality to create the restaurant and catering brand that has served Salem for more than 25 years. The two also own and founded other restaurants in Salem: ACME Cafe and Ritter’s Housemade Foods.
Along with being popular throughout Salem, Wild Pear also is well known for students in Salem-Keizer. Wild Pear is a popular pick for pre-Prom or Homecoming for South students. It provides a good atmosphere and meal before school events.
Student Thoughts on Wild Pear
“I went there for homecoming with my friends, and we split the lobster and shrimp melt and the Jessica burger, with a side of truffle fries,” Audrey Willmschen ‘26 said, “The food was really good but it was quite a wait. It was nice to use that time to converse with my friends more though.”
Being a family business, Wild Pear prioritizes community. One of the founders, Jessica Ritter, passed away in 2020. Since then, Cecilia Ritter has taken over the restaurant solo, however she continues to serve the community.
“Cecilia Ritter is committed to carrying on what she and her beloved sister began decades ago—a legacy of family and community around tables full of quality food, made with care, and served with gratitude—in other words, superb hospitality from Wild Pear Restaurant and Catering.” -Wild Pair “About Us”
