Bite Hopping

menu icon
search icon
×

California

Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival

The Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival is the ultimate foodie event. Enjoy gourmet items with options for all dietary needs!

This post covers the culinary delights of the 2023 festival, what is offered at each marketplace and which items are plant based / vegan, vegetarian, gluten friendly and kid friendly!

A hand holding a red tasting passport booklet for the Disney California Food and Wine festival with a photo of part of a ride on it.

This post was sponsored by Disney Parks but the content and opinions expressed are fully my own.

You can explore a variety of gourmet food and beverages from Disney's best chefs when visiting the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, plus a variety of other experiences!

Table of contents

What is the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival?

The Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival started in 2006. It's an annual event hosted in California Adventure that celebrates the best of California cuisine.

The festival takes place in the spring every year and features a variety of food and wine booths, culinary demonstrations, seminars, and special events. The 2023 festival runs March 3 to April 25, 2023.

The festival features gourmet dishes from California's top chefs and restaurants, with options ranging from small bites to full meals. It also offers a variety of wine and beer tastings from California wineries and breweries, along with non alcoholic beverage options.

Donald Duck dressed as a chef with three boys smiling at the camera in front of a kitchen painting.

Dietary Options

The festival offers a variety of dietary options, including gluten-free, vegetarian, plant based and vegan dishes. You can get more detailed Information on ingredients in specific dishes in the festival passport or on the Disneyland app.

Note that some items are not easily modified since they come pre-prepared. But a few simple modifications may be possible, such as leaving off whipped cream, leaving off a cracker, etc.

Most alcohol is plant based / vegan but you can always look up the brand online as most brands will be posted next to the item.

For more information check out my guides on Vegan Food at Disneyland, Gluten Free Food at Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Food!

Disclaimer- Make sure to talk to cast members and chefs at each booth about any dietary restrictions you have. Disney Parks are all very accommodating and will make sure what you are eating is safe for you.

Festival Marketplaces

There are a total of twelve marketplaces offering food an beverage items in this years festival. From sweet to savory, there is something for all taste buds!

Each item is marked with what dietary preference it accommodates, plus I have included if it is kid friendly. Items that are spicy, have alcohol or others ingredients not meant for kids avoid this label.

Avocado Time

Food

  • Impossible™ Nacho Mac and Cheese- vegetarian
  • Impossible™ Al Pastor Taco- plant based, vegetarian

Beverage

  • Blackberry Lavender Lemonade- kid friendly, plant based
A photo of mac and cheese with taco toppings on top in a turquoise bowl on a wooden stand.
Hands doing cheers with purple drinks with a lemon on top and straws inside.
Two tacos on a wooden plank topped with lettuce and mango salsa.

Berry Patch

Food

  • Kenny's Family Cheesecake- kid friendly, vegetarian
  • Blueberry Buttermilk Pie- kid friendly, vegetarian

Beverage

  • Blueberry Pancake Cold Brew- vegetarian
A pink plate with a round piece of cheesecake on it topped with a berry compote.
A mini pie with blueberries and cream on a yellow plate sitting on a stand outside on a table.

California Craft Brews

Food

  • IPA Sausage Dog

Beverage

  • A variety of beers and beer flights- (refer to specific brand to confirm plant based / vegan)

Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo

Food

  • Smoked Honey-Habanero Chicken Wings
  • BBQ Beef Brisket Slider

Beverage

  • Chipotle-Pineapple Bourbon Sour- vegetarian due to honey
  • Smoked Cherry Mezcal-iki Cocktail- (refer to specific alcohol brand to confirm plant based)
Red chicken wings in a parchment lined basket on a blue table.
photo credit to James Van Le
A blue plate with an open faced brisket slider on it topped with fried onions and drinks next to it.
photo credit to James Van Le

D•Lish

Food

  • Beef and Barley Poutine
  • Cubano Slider- kid friendly

Beverage

  • Sake Melon '75- plant based- uses dairy free coconut cream (refer to specific alcohol brand to confirm plant based)
  • Apricot Tequila Colada- uses dairy free coconut cream (refer to specific alcohol brand to confirm plant based)
Tater tots topped with meat, cheese curds and a fried cauliflower on a black plate.
photo credit to James Van Le

Garlic Kissed

Food

  • Grilled Top Sirloin- kid friendly, gluten free
  • Carbonara- Garlic Mac and Cheese featuring Nueske's Peppered Bacon- kid friendly

Beverage

  • Raspberry Limoncello-Ade- (refer to specific alcohol brand to confirm plant based)
  • Guava-Lychee Mule- (refer to specific alcohol brand to confirm plant based)
A blue plate with mashed potatoes topped with green sauce, red pepper slices and pieces of meat.
photo credit to James Van Le
A paper basket bowl filled with creamy pasta topped with breadcrumbs, cheese and bacon pieces.
photo credit to James Van Le

Golden Dreams

Food

  • Elote Paleta- vegetarian
  • Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Flatbread- vegetarian

Beverage

  • Central California Cooler- kid friendly, plant based
A yellow ice cream like bar with corn, cream and cilantro on top sitting on a white plate.
photo credit to James Van Le
A round flatbread topped with goat cheese and beets sitting on a turquoise plate on a wooden round board.

I Heart Artichokes

Food

  • Artichoke Pizzetta- vegetarian
  • Artichoke Toast with Olive Tapenade- vegetarian

Beverage

  • Passion Fruit Rum Cocktail- (refer to specific alcohol brand to confirm plant based)
A round pizza style snack with artichokes, onion and basil on top on a wooden cutting board with a drink next to it.
A slice of bread with artichoke and olive chopped up on top sitting on a wooden cutting board outside.

LA Style

Food

  • Glazed BBQ Pork Belly- kid friendly
  • Impossible™ Gyro-Inspired Naan- vegetarian

Beverage

  • Echo Park Cooler- plant based
A grey plate with mac and cheese and pieces of meat on it.
Tan sign with 3 photos of food and text under neath and a top title that says LA style.
A piece of round naan bread with hummus, ground meat, tzatziki sauce and crispy chickpeas on a blue plate.

Nuts About Cheese

Food

  • Petite Burrata- vegetarian
  • Crackers and Cheese
  • Mickey Mouse Shaped Macaron Made with Snickers- kid friendly, vegetarian

Beverage

  • Flowers and Bees- not plant based due to honey
Tater tots topped with meat, cheese curds and a fried cauliflower on a black plate.
A mickey shaped chocolate dessert covered in nuts on top sitting on a white plate on a red tablecloth.

Peppers Cali-ente

Food

  • Chile Relleno Empanada- vegetarian
  • Camarones a la Diabla

Beverage

  • Cantarito-Style Paloma-(refer to specific alcohol brand to confirm plant based)
A turquoise plate with an empanada on it sitting above boxes with red and yellow peppers.

Uncork California

Food

  • California Artisan Cheese Plate- vegetarian
  • Celebration Chocolate Fudge Brownie- kid friendly, vegetarian

Beverage

  • A variety of wines and wine flights (refer to specific brand to confirm plant based / vegan)

Participating Restaurants

Festival Beer Garden

Beverage

  • A variety of beers and beer flights (refer to specific brand to confirm plant based / vegan)

Paradise Garden Grill- everything here is plant based!

Food

  • Torta de Chilaquiles- plant based, vegetarian
  • Bulgogi Fried Rice- kid friendly, plant based, vegetarian
  • Impossible™ Gyro Fries- kid friendly, plant based, vegetarian
  • Buffalo Mac and Cheese- plant based, vegetarian
  • Peach-Blueberry Cobbler- kid friendly, plant based, vegetarian
  • Kids Quesadilla- kid friendly, plant based, vegetarian
  • Kids Mac and Cheese- kid friendly, plant based, vegetarian

Beverage

  • White Float Cocktail- (refer to specific brand to confirm plant based / vegan)

Festival Cart

Food

  • Pretzel Bites- vegetarian

Beverage

  • Beer and Seltzer- (refer to specific brand to confirm plant based / vegan)

Willie's Churros

Food

  • Pineapple-Coconut Churro- kid friendly, vegetarian

Churros Near Hollywood Land

Food

  • Tiramisu Churro- kid friendly, vegetarian

Sonoma Terrace

Food

  • Black Forest Ham Grilled Cheese- kid friendly

Cucina Cucamonga

Beverage

  • Strawberry Horchata- kid friendly, gluten free, vegetarian
  • Strawberry Horchata with Spiced Rum- (refer to specific brand to confirm plant based / vegan)
  • Seasonal Margarita (currently mango)- (refer to specific brand to confirm plant based / vegan)

Pacific Wharf Cafe

Food

  • Grilled Peach Toast- kid friendly (this is not labeled vegetarian but I am not sure why as all ingredients stated seem vegetarian)
  • Berries and Cream Bread Pudding- kid friendly, vegetarian

Cappuccino Cart- Pacific Wharf

Beverage

  • Horchata Cold Brew- gluten free, vegetarian

Lamplight Lounge

Food

  • Ribeye for Two paired with a Speciality selected Glass of Wine- vegetarian
  • Cookies and Cream Donuts- kid friendly, vegetarian

Beverage

  • Lamplight Lounge Food and Wine Cocktail- (refer to specific brand to confirm plant based / vegan)

Hollywood Lounge

Beverage

  • Margarita flight- (refer to specific brand to confirm plant based / vegan)
  • Backlot Michelada - (refer to specific brand to confirm plant based / vegan), fun fact I first thought this said BLACKOUT Michelada and thought wow this must be strong (insert LOL emoji here)
  • Dragon Fruit Soju Mule- (refer to specific brand to confirm plant based / vegan)

Studio Catering Co.

Food

  • Korean Fried Chicken Slider

Beverage

  • Watermelon Punch- kid friendly, plant based

Terran Treats

Food

  • Like a Lemon-Raspberry Pie Churro- kid friendly

Special Events and Experiences

Not only does this amazing festival have food and drinks, but there are loads of fun activities for all ages. The festival offers a variety of special events and experiences, including seminars, workshops, and cooking demonstrations.

Here are some of the highlights:

  • Family friendly programming- special activities and demonstrations focused on families.
  • Cooking demonstrations- local and Disney chefs will make their favorite recipes on stage (Friday through Sunday only).
  • Cocktails at Sonoma Terrace hosted by CORKCICLE®- eat at this fan favorite restaurant and experience an expanded menu of items
  • Live music
  • Soarin' over California- a virtual experience type ride where you get to fly over parts of the state and see it's natural and manmade wonders.
  • Bookable experiences like tastings and seminars
Four people with paper chef hats standing together smiling in front of a painting of a kitchen.

Tips for Navigating the Food and Wine Festival

Because there is so much offered during Disney's food and wine festival, it can be overwhelming. Here are my best tips to make your experience even better!

  • Purchase a festival passport to keep track of tastings.
  • Share plates so you can try more dishes.
  • Consider purchasing a Sip and Savor pass for discounts on food and drink purchases.
  • Arrive early to avoid long lines.
  • Plan ahead for all experiences to ensure they are available.
  • Make bookable experience reservations in advance.
  • Utilize the Disneyland app for wait times and ride reservations.
  • Stay hydrated, wear comfortable shoes, and bring sunscreen and sunglasses.

Festival Favorites

I am clearly a foodie at heart and love attending the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. While I could only try the gluten free items this year, between family and friends we were able to sample almost everything.

Here are some fan favorites we gathered as a collective group, including things for all dietary preferences:

Food

  • Impossible Nacho Mac and Cheese- vegetarian
  • Impossible Al Pastor Taco- plant based, vegetarian
  • Grilled Top Sirloin- kid friendly, gluten free
  • Petite Burrata- vegetarian
  • Mickey Mouse Shaped Macaron Made with Snickers- kid friendly, vegetarian
  • Impossible Gyro Fries- kid friendly, plant based, vegetarian
  • Buffalo Mac and Cheese- plant based, vegetarian

Beverage

  • Blackberry Lavender Lemonade- kid friendly, plant based
  • Chipotle-Pineapple Bourbon Sour- vegetarian due to honey
  • Apricot Tequila Colada- uses dairy free coconut cream
  • Guava-Lychee Mule

The Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival offers a unique and delicious way to experience the best of California cuisine. No matter your dietary needs, there is something for everyone to enjoy!

A signature in black with twi turquoise lines under it.

More California

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *