The 7 Best Eats at Disneyland That Will Knock Your Socks Off
You’re finally ready to head to Disneyland, but what do you eat? We have compiled a list of the top dining at Disneyland to help you make your decision. Everyone is looking for something different, so we’ve broken down the choices by category.
Whether you’re looking for the best Disneyland restaurants for kids or the best Disneyland snacks, we’ve got you covered!
Best Breakfast at Disneyland
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so it’s important to make sure you don’t miss it! We’ve had a lot of food and settled upon these as the best places to eat breakfast at Disneyland. Each restaurant named can be clicked to a direct link to their menu for your convenience.
Steakhouse 55:
It seems crazy that a steakhouse would top the list of breakfast options in Disneyland, but this is a hidden gem! While it is more expensive than other options, we don’t think it can be topped. They take common breakfast options and elevate them to fine dining standards.
Their stuffed brioche French toast is our absolute favorite. Because people rarely think of steakhouses when they’re looking at breakfast options, you can often walk in without a reservation, which is pretty convenient.
Plaza Inn:
The Plaza Inn offers a fixed price breakfast buffet. They serve a lot of traditional breakfast favorites, including made to order omelets. The big draw here is that this is a character breakfast. As you are dining, Rafiki may come say hi. You can take pictures with Minnie Mouse, but be careful or Captain Hook may just steal your breakfast. He is a pirate, after all. A lot of the characters that come by for breakfast are for in the parks, but just as many aren’t.
Carnation Cafe:
This restaurant offers one of the best breakfasts in Disneyland. Hang out on their patio on Main Street USA while you dine on traditional fare. We recommend their Mickey shaped waffles and Oscar’s All American breakfast.
Fiddler, Fife, and Practical Cafe:
This is a great option for people who want a quick bite of breakfast on a budget. They serve a Starbucks coffee menu and will accept payments from your Starbucks cards. On top of this, they also offer a ridiculously delicious cinnamon roll. You must try it! Nothing will ever be quite as good again.
Donut Cart:
We can’t link directly to a menu because this place is constantly rotating their offerings! These are mouthwateringly delicious sweet treats offered at the Coffee House in the Disneyland Hotel and the Coffee Cart on Main Street by Sleeping Beauty Castle.
These are great to share because of how rich and indulgent they are. They’re a great budget breakfast item, but be warned – these disappear quickly! They make fresh batches twice a day and sell them until they disappear.
Red Rose Taverne:
This is a great place for breakfast! The internal decorations are fantastic, with one side themed like Gaston’s Tavern and the other themed like the Beast’s Castle.
Their breakfast platters are really filling for a really great price, too. They’re definitely a great budget breakfast option. This place also serves the famous Mickey pancake breakfast that will be a surefire hit with kids.
Flo’s V8 Cafe:
Flo’s offers one of the most affordable breakfasts at the Disneyland Resort. They are definitely the most bang for your buck. They have French toast, waffles, fruit platters, tamales, and a traditional American breakfast inside Cars Land. We love their breakfast.
Best Snacks at Disneyland
When you’re walking around all day at a theme park, you burn way more calories than usual. Because of this, you get hungry more often. Good news – getting so many steps in means it’s okay to go ahead and indulge in the amazing snack food options available! These are the best things to snack on while you’re walking around the park.
Churros, churros, churros!
The one thing nearly everyone agrees on is that Disneyland knows how to do churros well. These fried and sugar coated snacks are located all throughout the resort, and every stand offers different flavors depending on the theme.
Flavors rotate throughout the year to match special events and new movie releases, too, so be sure to look into what each stand offers using the Disneyland app’s Dining tab. Just scroll down to Churros for all the options.
Fruit Whips:
Disneyland has some great options available for cold refreshments. Most foodies know about the famous Dole Whips available near the Enchanted Tiki Room, but you can also grab different flavors at the nearby Tropical Hideaway.
If you’re all the way in Disney California Adventure, don’t worry – the Adorable Snowman’s stand offers lemon flavored treats that you can top with chocolate! Adult versions of the Dole Whip that come with a shot of rum can also be found at the Tangueroa Terrace in the Disneyland Hotel.
Mint Julep Bar:
This is the best snack option in Disneyland. Not only are their nonalcoholic mint juleps delightfully refreshing, but the beignets are to die for! The classic beignets are offered all year – fried batter shaped like Mickey and covered in powdered sugar. They also offer a rotating seasonal flavor. Our favorite seasonal is the peppermint beignet they offer around Christmas.
Mickey Cookies:
Trolley Treats inside Disney California Adventure (Buena Vista Street) offers a ton of delicious snacks and treats. Candied apples, fudge bars, and cupcakes are on display in glass cases. Our favorite here is one that is overlooked a lot.
The Mickey head shortbread cookie is ridiculously delicious. It’s rich without being over the top and perfect for that indulgent snack that won’t set you too far back!
Ice Cream:
Disneyland has tons of great ice cream. The classic Mickey ice cream bar is perfect for walking around and not too rich for most people. Gibson Girl on Main Street in Disneyland has a rotating seasonal menu featuring tons of delicious ice cream sundaes.
In Downtown Disney, Salt and Straw offers a variety of adventurous flavors so feel free to try a few of them out on your next visit. They also offer seasonally rotating menus.
Popcorn:
Disneyland also has popcorn carts all over the resort. In fact, you can’t walk through any land without smelling it. This popcorn is always fresh and deliciously buttered, but the real draw is the container! For those of you who want an extra special souvenir, consider buying your popcorn in a Disneyland popcorn bucket!
They frequently make new buckets depending on the season and newly released movies and these are great for decorations at home. A lot of clever people use them as planters for flowers.
Fresh Fruit:
If you are searching for healthy options, then Disneyland has you covered. They offer fresh fruit throughout the park at outdoor stands. The Tropical Hideaway has some great options, both Main Street and Buena Vista Street have fresh fruit stands, and Adventureland has another fruit stand.
Be prepared for theme park markup on these fruits, though. They aren’t sold at grocery store prices. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, ask for Tajin – a local favorite seasoning spice that you can add to your fruit for a little kick.
Beat Meals for Kids
Most people coming to Disneyland are traveling with kids. Often times, kids can have very specific diets and a limited amount of foods they will eat. We think these options will be very popular with children.
Refreshment Corner:
This is a fantastic option for kids. The menu consists of hot dogs: plain hotdogs, chili cheese dogs, and a hands-down favorite Mac-n-Cheese Hotdog. Kids will love this combination of 2 of their favorite foods! They also offer Walt’s favorite chili.
If you time your visit right, you can watch the parade from their patio. They also offer live music from a ragtime pianist and once a day, Alice and the Mad Hatter swing by for a visit to play Musical Chairs with your kids.
Hungry Bear:
This place has a great menu for adults while still keeping it kid friendly with burgers, chicken nuggets, and mac-n-cheese. One of the reasons we recommend this place is because they offer viewing packages for Fantasmic.
If you reserve an on the go dining package from here, you get a reserved spot in a great area to watch Fantasmic instead of having to grab fast passes early in the morning or arrive super early to snag a stand by spot in the back.
Goofy’s Kitchen:
In the Disneyland Hotel, there is no better spot for kids than Goofy’s Kitchen. This is a more expensive option than the budget-friendly listings in this category, but we think it is worth the splurge. All of the meals here include character visits while you eat.
The entire restaurant is colorful and designed to be exciting and fun for kids. Goofy may even stop by in his chef’s hat to take pictures and see how you’re enjoying his food.
Daisy’s Diner:
Toontown has a lot of great experiences for kids, and this is no exception. If you’re looking for a quick meal for your picky eaters, then grab a slice of pizza and juice box from Daisy’s Diner.
Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta:
This place offers free refills for your drinks and tons of options for kids. They have meatball and turkey sandwiches, multiple types of pizza, and pasta. If you take your food outside, you can hear the Mariachi Divas playing and maybe see some characters walk by depending on the time of year.
Alien Pizza Planet:
This place is awesome for kids! It got a Toy Story themed overlay and is filled with adorable friendly green aliens. Located in the heart of Tomorrowland, this has a lot of larger tables for bigger groups and offers refills on drinks. They have deals on ordering full pizzas for the family, great pasta options, and some of the best desserts anywhere on property.
Galactic Grill:
This is another great spot to eat with kids. If you catch the right time of day, kids can watch the exciting Jedi Academy show while they eat. Kids just like them will battle enemies, including Kylo Ren and Darth Vader. They offer kids meals that come in special souvenir lunchboxes, too. Parents may be interested in the Han Solo in Carbonite design if their kids aren’t.
Best Budget Friendly Meals
Vacations are expensive, especially with large families. We want to make sure that eating won’t cost you an arm and a leg so you’re not left eating your arm and your leg by the end of the trip. These are the best places to eat when you have a modest budget or want to spend more money on souvenirs than hungry bellies.
Plaza Inn:
Once again, Plaza Inn makes the list. This place is a great option to sit and relax for a bit. Unlike most of the quick service restaurants in Disneyland, the Plaza Inn offers free refills on your drinks while you dine.
They have fried chicken that even southerners approve of, and healthy options for kids include pasta and roasted chicken legs. One little known secret is that you are able to order a la carte here. If you want some great fried chicken but don’t need al the sides, then you can order a la carte for significantly less money than the full meal listing.
Corndog Castle:
This place is fantastic. They offer a very simple menu of a few different types of corndog. A lot of people who don’t usually enjoy corndogs still love this place. There’s something special about the batter they use that makes them delicious.
Maybe they’re sprinkled with some of that Disney magic. If you’re all the way over at Disneyland, the Little Red Wagon sells corndogs right on Main Street. Walk towards the Plaza Inn from the front gate and you should see it to the right of the restaurant.
Earl of Sandwich:
This is a great place to eat in Downtown Disney. Catch the monorail from the back of Disneyland and grab a quick bite here. Their sandwiches are delicious, with lots of varieties to choose from. We love the Holiday Turkey and the Earl’s Club.
French Market:
They offer a great balance of indulgent and healthy options for great prices. The best part is that no matter what you order, it is extremely filling. We recommend their signature French Market Chicken with a refreshing mint julep.
The Golden Horseshoe:
Time your trip right and you can enjoy a Saloon show with your meal. This place offers mobile ordering through the Disneyland app, so you can skip the wait in line. Their menu rotates seasonally, but usually includes Fish and Chips and chicken. The Stage Door Cafe is right next door and also has a great menu, including some healthier options.
Jolly Holiday:
This place is located right on Main Street. They are open for breakfast – although, be warned that theirs is all pastries and sweets. Along with delicious desserts, they also offer some great sandwiches. We love the Jolly Holiday combo – grilled cheese sandwich and tomato basil soup hits the spot without being overly indulgent. Their turkey sandwich is also pretty wonderful.
Red Rose Taverne:
If you have adult tastes but a moderate budget, then we recommend the Red Rose Taverne. They offer some great options for foodies, including a couple different poutine flavors and a cauliflower sandwich that is so delicious even carnivores love it. You must try the grey stuff; it’s delicious. Don’t believe us? Look at the empty dishes!
Best Fine Dining
Sometimes, you just want to leave the kids behind and have a romantic getaway. We know this, and so does Disneyland. While they have vastly more options for moderate budgets and family-oriented character experiences, they do still have a few fine dining options that we think are amazing. Because of the limited options for fine dining in the resort, we decided jut to go with a Top 3 this time so you know the ones that made the list are well worth it.
Steakhouse 55:
This is one of our favorite places on property for dinner. This is not the most kid-friendly dining option, but they make absolutely perfect steaks. It’s a really great romantic getaway, with plush seating and impeccable service. We recommend ordering the truffle macaroni and cheese with your food. It really elevates this indulgent favorite. Have a glass of wine with your steak, too. We really enjoy the Federalist Zinfandel.
Carthay Circle:
This is an extremely romantic dining option. Their menu rotates seasonally, but the pork chop is consistently our favorite no matter what time of year. If you time your reservation right, you can be on the balcony for the fireworks at Disneyland.
It offers a fantastic view!
This is also an ideal place to propose. Make sure to let your host and server know about your proposal and ask for help with a “magic moment” and they will go out of their way to make it perfect!
Napa Rose Chef’s Counter:
While Napa Rose is certainly fine dining, our experience proved less than delightful in terms of price compared to offering. We weren’t thrilled with the tiny portions or lack of customization offered. Then, we discovered the secret: eat at the Chef’s Counter. Someone will ask for all your favorites and aversions, allergies and preferences, and the chef will customize a perfect menu just for you!
Everyone in your party will get a completely different plate during every course based on their specific favorites and allergies that takes into account any special dietary needs. If you are planning a perfect foodie splurge, then make sure to reserve this counter well in advance of your trip. Reservations can be made 60 days ahead of when you plan to eat and there are only 28 available seats per day, so make sure not to wait or you’ll miss out on this.
Remember to check the menus for seasonal offerings as you draw closer to your trip. Disneyland is constantly innovating and introducing new and exciting menus for every occasion, from summer refreshments to winter comforts. If you time your vacation right, you can enjoy extended offerings from small market booths.
The Food and Wine Festival happens every March with tons of gourmet foods, Christmas introduces some specialty foods, and if you love Asian cuisine, then be sure to visit the food booths for the Lunar New Year festival!
We hope this list has prepared you for your Disneyland foodie adventure. We decided to only list places and items that are offered year round so that you can reference this list no matter when your vacation is planned.
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