From fast-casual fare to haute cuisine, the menu of dining options at the Disneyland Resort offers something for every guest. Here, waffles with the Disney characters are as celebrated as the spectacular creations at Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge.
The rise in fine dining at the Disneyland Resort is often an unexpected delight. At the hotels, top award winners are Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland Hotel. A stellar wine program has elevated the quality of dining service throughout the Resort, with trained and advanced sommeliers in restaurants including Napa Rose, Steakhouse 55 and Storytellers Cafe at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge at Disney California Adventure Park.
Theme Park Eats
At Disney California Adventure, Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge is one of the premier dining locations at the Disneyland Resort. The cuisine is the star, with artisan ingredients, locally sourced produce, seafood and meats from throughout Southern California. Also found on Buena Vista Street are three spots for quick bites: Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe serving Disney baked goods and Starbucks pastry items along with Starbucks coffee and espresso beverages; Mortimer’s Market with whole and cut fruits, bottled water, juices and soft drinks; and Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream.
Cars Land has three spots for guests to fuel up: Flo’s V8 Cafe with a menu of pit stop classics including burgers, salads, fried chicken and house-made pies; Cozy Cone Motel with tasty cone-theme treats from churros to chili “cone” queso; and Fillmore’s Taste-In with whole and cut fruits, bottled water, juices and soft drinks.
Also at Disney California Adventure, guests can grab a sandwich or bread bowl at Pacific Wharf Café. Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grilloffers tacos with steak, pork, or grilled chicken.
Hearty Asian creations are served at Lucky Fortune Cookery, with beef, chicken or tofu with vegetables, rice and your choice of four sauces.
At Pixar Pier, guests may enjoy food and beverage offerings with a Pixar twist. Lamplight Lounge offers gastro-pub cuisine playfully presented, complimented by unique signature cocktails and many exciting menu items – from the carne asada roll to unique potato skins and the creamy PB&J roll for budding artists. Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats offers delicious soft serve treats in chocolate, vanilla, and non-dairy lemon. Jack-Jack Cookie Num Nums awaits guests at the exit of the Incredicoaster, with warm chocolate chip cookies inspired by the blockbuster film, “Incredibles 2.” At Poultry Palace, guests enjoy delicious chicken drumsticks and coleslaw, jumbo smoked turkey legs and corn on the cob. Señor Buzz Churros serves the popular Disneyland Resort treat with a sweet and crispy Spanish flair. Angry Dogs offers spicy and not-so-spicy hot dogs, chips and beverages.
The dining pavilion in Paradise Gardens Park provides plenty of seating and two restaurants. Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta offers something for everyone, from hearty pasta dishes to delicious salads and pizzas with flavors from traditional cheese to vegetarian with roasted seasonal vegetables. Next door, the Paradise Garden Grill transforms to reflect seasonal celebrations such as Lunar New Year and Festival of Holidays.
Corn Dog Castle serves a popular beach snack in three flavors, original, hot-link and cheddar cheese stick. Bayside Brews offers domestic and specialty beers on tap for guests 21 years of age and older, along with a selection of non-alcoholic beverages and warm, salted pretzels.
To while away a lunch or dinner, guests may dine al fresco at Wine Country Trattoria at the Golden Vine Winery, with a menu of traditional Italian appetizers, pastas and California wines by the glass. The Alfresco Tasting Terrace, on the second floor of the Golden Vine Winery, offers small plates of classic Mediterranean favorites complemented by wines from the “Disney Family of Wines,” a collection whose vintners have a personal connection to the Disney name.
In Disneyland Park, favorite quick bites include Disney baked goods and Starbucks pastry items along with Starbucks coffee and espresso beverages from Market House on Main Street, U.S.A.; cheddar broccoli soup or clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl and shrimp salad from Harbour Galley in New Orleans Square; sandwiches and sweets from the Jolly Holiday Bakery Café on Main Street, U.S.A.; easy-to-eat skewer snacks at Bengal Barbecue and the legendary Dole Whip at Tiki Juice Bar in Adventureland; Mickey-shaped beignets from Mint Julep Bar in New Orleans Square; hot pizza from Alien Pizza Planet (transformed from Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port for Pixar Fest) and a variety of Star Wars-inspired menu items from Galactic Grill in Tomorrowland Terrace, both in Tomorrowland.
For a relaxing meal, spots such as Carnation Café on Main Street, U.S.A., serve generous salads and the legendary loaded baked potato soup, along with Walt’s favorite meatloaf and fried chicken. Guests will find lunchtime favorites like chicken wings, pepper jack chili mac and ice cream sundaes, in an entertaining indoor setting at the The Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland. Enchanting Blue Bayou Restaurant in New Orleans Square, one of the most-requested reservations, offers diners specialties such as gumbo, bone-in rib-eye and surf & turf.
Café Orleans, also in New Orleans Square is the perfect spot to people watch and grab a bite; fan favorites include the bourbon street chicken and famous Monte Cristo sandwich. Casual, family-friendly eats are on the menu at Plaza Inn on Main Street, U.S.A., and RiverBelle Terrace in Frontierland, a table-service location serving up barbecue favorites. For authentic Mexican, Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante in Frontierland dishes up tacos and burrito platters for lunch and dinner. Hungry Bear Restaurant, nestled in the shady trees in Critter Country, is a favorite for Disney fans who recommend the burgers and funnel cake.
Mobile Ordering through the Disneyland app
In both parks, guests may choose to order food and beverage from select quick-service restaurants through the Disneyland app with Mobile Order. This new feature allows guests to choose a participating location, select an arrival time window for pickup, choose items and place an order. When guests arrive at the chosen location within their arrival time window, they simply hit “I’m here” and the food will be prepared. Some favorite spots for mobile ordering are Bengal Barbecue, Red Rose Taverne and Flo’s V8 Café.
Dining with Characters
For a leisurely way to enjoy a delicious meal plus time with Disney characters as they stop by each table for photos and autographs, guests may reserve a Character Dining Experience. These include:
- Disneyland park: Plaza Inn on Main Street, U.S.A., daily Minnie & Friends – Breakfast in the
- At the hotels: Mickey’s Tales of Adventure at Storytellers Café, located in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, offers a delicious breakfast buffet, while Goofy and his pals entertain at Goofy’s Kitchen at Disneyland Hotel for daily brunch and At Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, Donald and friends entertain at Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast at Disney’s PCH Grill.
Advance Dining Reservations are recommended, and can be made by visiting Disneyland.com/dine or by calling 714-781-DINE (714-781-3463).
Downtown Disney District
Diverse flavors offer a variety of choices for any palate in the Downtown Disney District, from pasta jambalaya and blackened salmon at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen to steelhead salmon and suckling pig at Catal Restaurant. The Downtown Disney District is conveniently located just outside the theme parks and near the hotels.
The new Splitsville Luxury Lanes is not only a go-to destination for bowling and entertainment but delicious dining as well, serving an eclectic menu that includes pizza, sushi, salads, burgers and more. For California-inspired cuisine, guests may take a seat at La Brea Bakery and try a grilled panini or homemade soup.
For Mexican, it’s Tortilla Jo’s handmade tortillas; for Italian, Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria and adjacent Napolini for thin-crust pizzas, pastas, soups and sandwiches. The Starbucks location at the Downtown Disney District brings one of the coffee company’s most engaging experiences to guests with technology and content designed for this store, including an interactive touch screen and 10-foot video installation. In addition to its regular beverage and food selection, the store offers some of the rarest coffees available.
Healthful Initiatives
Even though vacation may be a time for indulgence, Disneyland chefs also provide healthful options. For lifestyle dining options, or for requests from guests with food allergies or intolerances, there are a wide range of choices, from kosher to gluten-friendly and sugar-free.
For families, the Disney Check makes it easy to identify healthier food options in the all of the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, part of an ongoing program that launched in 2006 with nutrition guidelines. Choices that receive the Disney Check must meet Disney Nutrition Guidelines that limit calories, saturated fat, sodium and sugar. For example, Blue Bayou Restaurant in Disneyland Park offers sustainable fish or chicken served with pasta, seasonal vegetables and fresh fruit for kids. (Kids’ Complete Meals must be ordered without substitutions.)
The Disney Check also appears on some Disney-licensed food products sold at retail locations, and on menus at restaurants at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts.
Vegetarian and Vegan Choices
At the Disneyland Resort, vegetarian and vegan guests can munch on much more than leafy greens. Chefs flaunt their creative side with a wide selection of dishes to please any palate. From corn with a cayenne kick to veggie gumbo in a bread bowl, these breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings range from light to hearty. Highlights are:
At Disneyland Park
Plaza Inn on Main Street, U.S.A.
- Vegan: golden hash browns, vegan mini Mickey waffles
Carnation Cafe on Main Street, U.S.A.
- Vegetarian: apple-granola pancakes; huevos rancheros (corn tortilla, poached eggs, jack cheese and fire-roasted salsa with avocado-black bean pico del gallo)
- Vegan: Chef’s Vegan Burger
Royal Street Veranda in New Orleans Square
- Vegan: vegetarian gumbo served in a sourdough bread boule
Harbour Galley in Critter Country
- Vegetarian: broccoli cheese soup in a sourdough bread boule
French Market in New Orleans Square
- Vegetarian: corn chowder with roasted corn and black-eyed pea maque choux in a sourdough bread boule
- Vegan: “N’awlins” salad without pecans (lettuce, julienned yams, granny smith apples, lentils and tart cherries with a sweet citrus vinaigrette); vegetable jambalaya
Blue Bayou Restaurant in New Orleans Square
- Vegan: Portobello mushroom and couscous maque choux (marinated in a balsamic vinaigrette with roasted corn and bell pepper couscous and sautéed spinach)
Cafe Orléans in New Orleans Square
- Vegetarian: three-cheese Monte Cristo, N’awlins Vegetable Ragoût
- Vegan: N’awlins Vegetable Ragoût without cheese, Crescent City Salad without meat and cheese
Village Haus Restaurant in Fantasyland
- Vegetarian: garden vegetable burger
Edelweiss Snacks in Fantasyland
- Vegetarian: chile lime corn on the cob
Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante in Frontierland
- Vegetarian: soft flour tacos filled with onion, red and green bell pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots and cheese; vegetable burrito; enchiladas filled with cheddar cheese, cilantro and red onions
- Vegan: All vegetarian items can be made vegan except enchiladas.
Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country
- Vegetarian: fried green tomato sandwich (cornmeal-crusted fried green tomatoes with fresh heirloom tomatoes, Havarti cheese, remoulade and jicama-mango slaw on a multi-grain roll); watermelon salad
Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port in Tomorrowland
- Vegetarian: cheese pizza, vegetable pizza
- Vegan: tomato-basil pasta without cheese, spaghetti with “Mars-inara” sauce without cheese
At Disney California Adventure Park
Flo’s V-8 Cafe in Cars Land
- Vegetarian: Veggie Tater Bake (roasted vegetables, bulgur wheat, soy crumbles and smashed red potatoes with cheddar cheese)
Paradise Garden Grill on Paradise Pier
- Vegetarian: vegetable and tofu skewer with Moroccan chili sauce, chimichurri or tzatziki
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta on Paradise Pier
- Vegetarian: pesto ravioli, vegetarian pizza
- Vegan: Boardwalk field greens without pecans or blue cheese (fresh greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, Craisins Dried Cranberries, golden raisins and basil vinaigrette)
Cove Bar on Paradise Pier
- Vegetarian: nachos with black beans, pico de gallo, serrano peppers, cilantro, chipotle cream and jack and cheddar cheeses; spinach and artichoke dip
Ariel’s Grotto on Paradise Pier
- Vegetarian: fire-roasted corn cakes with sautéed spinach, onions and shiitake mushrooms
Wine Country Trattoria near Pacific Wharf
- Vegetarian: Tuscan salad without shrimp or chicken (romaine and radicchio, red and yellow grape tomatoes, celery, green beans, cannellini beans and roasted peppers tossed in creamy Italian dressing); roasted vegetable Panini (zucchini, eggplant, red peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and lemon-goat cheese spread on multigrain bread); Quattro Pomodoro Pasta; Broccolini Aglio Olio; vegetarian panini; roasted vegetable bruschetta
Carthay Circle Restaurant on Buena Vista Street
- Vegetarian: garden vegetable risotto
- Vegan: vegan pasta or vegan tower featuring seasonal produce, customized for each guest
Award Wieners in Hollywood Land
- Vegetarian: Portobello mushroom Philly (grilled Portobello mushrooms, onion and bell peppers sautéed in hefeweizen beer and topped with pepper jack)
At Disneyland Hotel
Steakhouse 55
- Vegetarian: wedge salad with vine-ripened tomato and gorgonzola dressing
- Vegan: baked potato, broccoli with roasted garlic, sautéed spinach, sautéed mushrooms with Madeira sauce
Tangaroa Terrace
- Vegetarian: grilled cinnamon-spiced oatmeal cakes; egg white, vegetable and tofu bake with spinach, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and cheese topped with a mushroom-tomato vinaigrette
At Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Storytellers Cafe
- Vegetarian: California omelet (egg whites with diced plum tomatoes, fresh basil and baby spinach); banana-stuffed french toast
- Vegan: vegan omelet (thick layer of hash browns with mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and bell peppers)
At Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel
Disney’s PCH Grill
- Vegetarian: Santa Monica Flatbread; roasted red pepper hummus; Muir Woods Roasted Pepper and Mushroom Pasta
For more menu details and location refurbishment updates, guests may check Disneyland.com.