Your Guide to the Best of Disneyland Dining
Disneyland Resort is a food-lovers paradise. If you’re planning a visit to the theme parks in the weeks or months to come, we guarantee you’ll be impressed with the eclectic array of snacks from Dole Whips to Churros, fine dining, incredibly theme restaurants, crafty cocktails and a countless array of delicious sweet and savory dishes. If you are a Disneyland newbie, knowing where to start when it comes to Disneyland dining can be a bit of a daunting task. That’s why we thought we’d share with you this Best of Disneyland Dining list…
Best for Disney Theming – It’s only been open for a few months but we’re already in love with the Lamplight Lounge at Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Park. This eatery offers gastro-pub style cuisine and the decor tells an incredible story of the process behind the making of some of Pixar’s most beloved films. Other fantastically themed restaurants include the Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square at Disneyland where you can watch the passing boats from the Pirates of the Caribbean. It is the only restaurant that looks into a dark ride providing a very special sort of ambiance.
Best Place to Add a Bit of Fun and Entertainment to Your Meal- Splitsville Luxury Lanes located in Downtown Disney offers a fun-filled combination of dining, drinks, bowling and live music and entertainment.
Best Place for Instagram-worthy Treats – For colorful Instagram-worthy treats that are almost too beautiful to eat, head over to Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure. Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff offers a playful array of colorful confections from caramel apples, to saltwater taffy to their speciality frozen drink dubbed the Memory Refresher each treat is sure to delight. Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats is another great spot for a delicious lemon soft serve.
Best Restaurant for a Romantic Meal – This is a tough one. It’s really a toss-up between Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland Hotel or Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (pictured above.) At both, you’ll find elegant meals, decadent desserts and a variety of wines and cocktails. The beautiful surroundings of both restaurants make them the ideal location for that intimate night out.
Great Spots for Al Fresco Dining – Our favorite go-to spot when it comes to eating outdoors at Disneyland Resort has to be Wine Country Trattoria. Located on Pacific Wharf you’ll feel like you’ve been whisked away to a vacation in the Mediterranean. Other great al fresco dining options include the back patio at Flo’s V8 Cafe in Cars land, Carnation Cafe on Main Street U.S.A, the front porch of Plaza Inn and River Belle Terrace which is now serving breakfast!
Best For Kosher Dining – For those looking for Kosher meals, you’ll find that they are available at most table-service restaurants and select quick service options at Disneyland Resort. Guests may call 714-781-3463 up to 24 hours before your vacation to request Kosher meals. Visitors also have the ability to bring your own preferred Kosher products into the parks.
Best Buffets: Fill up during your Disneyland trip with a visit to one of these buffet-style restaurants. Our favorites include Plaza Inn at Disneyland Park, Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel where they serve up both brunch and dinner buffets, Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast at the PCH Grill at Paradise Pier Hotel and Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast at Storyteller’s Cafe in the Grand Californian.
Best Restaurant for Those Looking to Dine With Mickey – Fans of Mickey Mouse will definitely want to make a reservation at Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast at Storytellers Cafe at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa where he’ll be on hand to greet guests and pose for photos.
Best Place to Go for a Steak Dinner – When it comes to dining on succulent steak, there is one restaurant that immediately comes to mind- Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland Hotel. We recommend the bone-in-rib-eye. Another great spot is Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa where the Creekstone Farms “Prime” New York Strip Steak is sure to please.
Best Spot to Grab a Coffee – We are pretty smitten with The Coffee House at Disneyland Resort where you’ll find a nice array of coffees as well as sweet treats. Other great places to grab a cup of joe include Starbucks at Market House on Main Street U.S.A and at Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe at Disney California Adventure Park.
Best Vegetarian- If you follow a vegetarian diet than you’ll find options at all table-service restaurants at Disneyland. However, some of our favorites include Catal Restaurant and Uva Bar at Downtown Disney and Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
Top Spots for Family Dining – A favorite amongst families visiting Disneyland Resort, head to Goofy’s Kitchen at Disneyland Hotel for breakfast or dinner. There are lots of fun character interactions here that will your little ones dancing around the room in no time. Other favorites include Blue Bayou Restaurant at Disneyland Park, and Storytellers Cafe at the Grand Californian.
Best Spots to Grab a Snack – Top of this has to be the Tiki Juice Bar at Adventureland where you’ll find the most iconic of Disney treats – the delicious Dole Whip! A great alternative is Clarabelle’s Hand-scooped Ice Cream at Disney California Adventure Park.
Top Spot for WIne-lovers – If you like a good glass of wine or red we highly recommend Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Here you’ll find a selection over 80 wines by the glass from an award-winning list of more than 450 international wines. The restaurant also boasts a 17,000 bottle wine cellar!
Best Lounges – For those in the mood for a nightcap we recommend Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Room where you’ll find creative cocktails and a bit of theatricality. Other great options include Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland Hotel or Hearthstone Lounge at the Grand Californian. There’s also a wonderful outdoor patio at the Lamplight Lounge where you can watch the world pass by.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this look at some of our favorite Disneyland dining spots! Now to try some of these amazing eateries for yourself! Disneyland packages are currently available to book through until the end of 2019. Fill out our form below and a MickeyTravels agent will be in touch with your FREE, no obligation quote.
Image credit: Disney.