The Best Things to Eat at Disney, According to a Food Editor

Put on your listening ears, these are the eats worth lining up for.

After my family, I love two things above all else: food and Disney. And, when you’re walking upwards of 10 miles a day through the parks, you need to fuel up properly. While there are still plenty of theme park classic bites like corn dogs and popcorn, both parks have more than their fair share of eats that I would be more than happy to order at any non-theme park restaurant. Here are some of my favorite eats and treats that I enjoy at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure Park.

Quesabirria

Where: Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill, San Fransokyo Square, Disney California Adventure

Inspired by the bustling city in Disney’s Big Hero 6 movie,San Fransokyo Square features a ton of dining options representative of the fictional mashup of two epic real-life food cities. Order the quesabirria tacos at Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill. You can’t go wrong with well-seasoned beef slowly braised with spices, making it so fragrant and tender that you practically melt into your seat and forget how long you’ve been on your feet. You may not be in Jalisco, Mexico, where birria originates, but this combination of gooey cheese wrapped in a crisp tortilla may be the next best thing. It’s not birria without the savory consomé, so be sure your tacos take a dip.

Mickey-shaped beignets

Where:New Orleans Square, Disneyland

If you’ve ever had a beignet from the iconic Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans, you might notice that these treats differ significantly in texture. The beignets at Cafe Du Monde have a crisp exterior and a cakey interior, while these beignets are lighter in color and much airier. I am pleasantly surprised by their soft, pillowy consistency, and the amount of powdered sugar dusting is just right. Enjoy them in the morning with your coffee or as an afternoon snack or evening dessert.

Hoopla Wrap

Where:Bengal Barbecue, Adventureland, Disneyland

Simplicity goes a long way with this seasonal offering of wild boar sausage with a refreshing cucumber tomato salad, miso aioli, and grilled lavash. The sausage has the perfect snap and is juicy throughout. I could skip the lavash (mine has been a little dry and not quite pliable enough to bend into a wrap, but the umami from the miso aioli makes up for the average flatbread. I wash everything down with a creamy Thai Tea Slush with honey boba topped with cold foam (another seasonal offering), which I highly recommend.

Warm Cheesy Dip

Where: Lamplight Lounge, Pixar Pier, Disney California Adventure

Warm, bubbling ricotta and cheddar cheeses, roasted peppers, buttery caramelized leeks — this is cheese dip done right. Crisp, salty bits of pork belly layered throughout the dip set it apart. When you drag the toasted sourdough crostini through it, they are sturdy enough to get a little bit of everything in a single bite. Whether you share it with the table as an appetizer or enjoy it all to yourself as an entree, I promise you won’t regret it.

Taro Bread Pudding

Where:Aunt Cass Cafe, San Fransokyo Square, Disney California Adventure

Having grown upshopping at Asian grocery stores with my grandparents, I am excited to find a dessert featuring taro at a Disney park. It is a delightful surprise to see it paired with one of my absolute favorites, bread pudding. The bread pudding is perfectly moist without being soggy, and the taro brings just the right hint of sweetness. A luxurious coconut vanilla sauce beautifully harmonizes all the flavors. To top it off, chewy boba pearls add another level of textural intrigue in every bite.

Honorable mention: Spicy Pickles

Where:Fruit carts, Disneyland, and Disney California Adventure

If you never eat a Disneyland pickle, did you even go? Peruse any fruit cart throughout both parks, and you’ll find a plethora of pickles. Also, if you happen to be the first person of the day to pick up a pickle at the fruit cart on Main Street, you win a “first pickle” pin. Even when I’m too late to be the pickle prize winner, I stop for a spicy pickle for a quick pick-me-up. The flavor is more garlic-forward than spicy, but I still enjoy it. Make no mistake: It’s just a pickle at the end of the day. It’s juicy, briny, and packed with pickle flavor. Isn’t that what you’re signing up for?