Expert Article

 Dishing Out Magic

My Perfect Day of Eats at Disneyland, Ranked

When you think of Disneyland you think of rides, screaming kids, and of course Mickey Mouse. While Disney dishes up classic theme park dishes like churros, and corndogs, over the last decade, they have positioned themselves as a culinary powerhouse. All over the property you can find hand decorated pastries, gourmet tacos, bao buns, and delicious cocktails. 

Why am I qualified to speak on this topic you may ask? Well, I was born into a Disney family and have done everything from Disneyland, Disney World, Disney Cruises, and even stayed at the Disney Resort in Hawaii. I have been an annual passholder ever since my family moved to Los Angeles and go about 10 times a year. That being said, I have tried countless snacks, meals, and drinks and have tried almost every restaurant on the property. In the following article I will be ranking some of my favorite, and not so favorite foods you can find in Disneyland. I will be ranking these foods on 3 specific conditions; presentation, taste, and price.

Presentation: This section will be ranked on the way the food is packaged, theming, and ease of eating.

Taste: This section will rank taste on a scale of 1-10. 1 being I would never get it again, and 10 being I would get it every time I go to the park. 

Price: Lastly, I will be ranking prices. Some of the items I am reviewing are from luxury sit down restaurants located on the property, and others are from classic walk up stands. While I will be ranking on a scale from 1-10 (bad value to good value), these rankings do not necessarily mean the food is good or bad, but I believe taking price into account is an important factor. 

The Craftsman Bar & Grill: Charcuterie Pizza 

Located in the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the Craftsman Grill sits poolside with teak tables and a stone bar. With only about 15 tables, the small restaurant boasts a flavor filled menu. The charcuterie pizza is a stand out item on the menu coming out fresh from their pizza oven, covered with pepperoni, prosciutto, sausage, arugula, fire roasted tomatoes, and a house cheese blend. The tomato base perfectly compliments the blend of cheese with the salty addition of meats and is all balanced out by the bitter flavor of arugula. It is an elevated meat lovers pizza that is the perfect mid-day meal to share. You can sit back “order a cocktail, split a pizza, and unwind before heading back into the chaos” (La Eater). While this meal is delicious, it will cost you $29.00 pre tax and tip. If you do not want to sit down, they have the same items available next door at the cafeteria style restaurant also called the Craftsman.

Presentation: 10/10

Taste: 8/10

Price: 6/10

Overall: 8/10

Bengient Express: The Dip, Drizzle & Sprinkle Bengient Box 

Looking for a sweet treat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The beignet express is a new edition to Downtown Disney that only serves beignets, dips, and drinks. When you walk in you are surrounded by the smell of fresh dough and can watch workers rolling and cutting the dough through the glass windows. The dip, drizzle, and sprinkle box is a mix and match option for the selection of flavors they offer such as rainbow crunch, banana foster, strawberry shortcake, and original glazed. The fluffy dough is unlike any other beignets on property and the fruity flavors are the great level of sweetness. They are fried to order, but are produced quickly after checking out. Anytime of the day, you cannot go wrong with any flavor of this warm pillowy delight when you're looking for a sweet treat on property. 

Presentation: 9/10

Taste: 10/10 

Price: 8/10

Overall: 9/10

Lamp Light Lounge: The Brunch Burger

Walking around the park early in the morning can work up an appetite quickly. The Lamp Light Lounge overlooks the Increicoaster and Ferris Wheel with their over the water terrace, the perfect setting for a boozy brunch. The Brunch Burger is a burger patty with american cheese, one egg sunny side up, hash brown patty, roasted green chile, lettuce, caramelized onion, and paprika aioli on a toasted bun. The crunch of the hash brown with the tender patty on the soft bun made for an amazing blend of textures. If you are looking for a hearty meal to fuel the rest of your day and that pairs great with mimosas, look no further. 

Presentation: 8/10

Taste: 8/10

Price: 6/10

Overall: 7/10

Maurice's Treats: Cheesy Pretzel Bread

A new snack that was brought to my attention by viral TikToks is the Cheesy Pretzel Bread that you can find at Maurices Treats in Disneyland Park. The small and unassuming stand is where you will find the soft, hot pretzel bread filled with a garlicky cheese spread. The handheld snack is perfect for sharing  as it is pre scored into 3 sections, and can easily be carried around in its foil wrapping. The pretzel bread was soft with a creamy, cheesy filling that tasted like an elevated garlic bread. Additionally, “the garlic isn’t overwhelming at all — it’s a subtle flavor that just adds to the whole snack” (Disney Food Blog). You might want to grab napkins to bring along because it is not the neatest snack. With a price tag of $7.49, I was definitely glad I tried it, but it was not all the hype that TikTok made it out to be. 

Presentation: 6/10

Taste: 7/10

Price:8/10

Overall: 7/10

Taqueria: Burritos 

One of my favorite places to eat on property is a small and unassuming restaurant with the simple name of “Taqueria”. It is connected to the larger restaurant Tortilla Joes in Downtown Disney and serves as its quick service version of the restaurant, even though they do not sell any of the same menu items. The taqueria has a build your own business model where you get to walk down the line and choose what you want, making ordering simple and quick. With a wide variety of options and large portions, this is a great place to grab lunch or dinner. They are even open for breakfast during weekdays where they cook up delicious breakfast burritos. With a burrito costing $11, it is almost impossible to find anything else so delicious, quick, filling, and cheap on property. If you are going to Disneyland anytime soon, I would definitely recommend checking this place out. 

Presentation: 9/10

Taste: 10/10

Price:10/10

Overall: 9.5/10

Works Cited 

“We Found Our Favorite NEW Disney Pretzel, But NOT Where You Might Think.” The Disney Food Blog. https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2023/08/12/we-found-our-favorite-new-disney-pretzel-but-not-where-you-might-think/ 

“The 38 Best things to eat at Disneyland.” Eater Los Angeles. https://la.eater.com/maps/best-food-dishes-disneyland-eats-anaheim-los-angeles

“The Best Food At Disneyland, Ranked.” The Infatuation. https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/the-best-food-at-disneyland-ranked (February 6, 2024).

“The Yummiest Places to Fill Up on Breakfast at Disneyland.” Undercover Tourist. https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/breakfast-disneyland-parks/ (December 6, 2023).