California Adventure RestaurantsFinding Disney's California Adventure restaurants that your kids will like is easy, when you know a bit about what's available. When you're ready for a snack or a delicious meal after a morning or afternoon of fun rides and shows, you'll have plenty of restaurants to choose from. We haven't visited the park enough times to have tried every one, but here is a brief guide to help you decide where you'll invest your dining dollars. Visit Disney's California Adventure on-line for a complete list of dining options. Please note that prices, menus and hours can change. During the peak tourist season all of these should be available. During the value season, some locations may operate with shorter hours, or be closed. You should always check on-line before you go or with a Disney Cast Member after you arrive at the park, to find out what's currently available.
The majority of California Adventure restaurants are of the "quick service" variety. These offer snacks and meals that are tasty and affordable, yet won't keep you away from the rides and attractions for too long. Each restaurant specializes in just a few menu items, so if you can't all agree on one thing to eat, you may have to wait in line more than once. Many, like Corn Dog Castle and Pizza Oom Mow Mow in Paradise Pier, and Award Wieners in Hollywood Pictures Backlot, include their menu specialty in their name, so you can easily identify what they serve. One of our family favorites is the Taste Pilots' Grill in Golden State. Not only do they serve delicious burgers and fries, you order your meal from an easy to use kiosk that our boys loved. They also serve grilled chicken sandwiches, ribs, chili fries, salad and onion rings. The burgers are big enough to share if you don't have a monster sized appetite or you need to save a little money. We also enjoyed Strips, Dips N Chips in Paradise Pier. They serve chicken strips and fish and chips with a variety of dipping sauces. If you have small children, this is another good place to share a meal. One basket of chicken strips and one order of fish and chips was more than enough for the four of us. If you need a few more options, Bountiful Valley Farmers Market in Golden State has a similar and slightly larger menu.
For a quick snack break, I like Schmoozies in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. Their refreshing fruit smoothies are great for a midafternoon break, especially in very warm weather. If it's time for dessert, stop by the California Zephyr in Sunshine plaza and enjoy some ice cream at Bur-r-r Bank Ice Cream. We enjoyed their waffle cones and delicious sundaes. If you have more time (and possibly more money), and your children will sit still for a good meal, there are a couple of sit down California Adventure restaurants. We haven't tried any of them yet. Maybe we'll get a chance to on our next visit. Reservations are recommended for all of these. Wine Country Trattoria at the Golden Vine Winery is a casual, family-friendly California Adventure restaurant. The menu, featuring lasagna, baked pastas, grilled sandwiches and soups, sounds delicious. They have indoor and outdoor seating with a California winery feel. I look forward to trying it out sometime, when we can get our boys to sit still long enough for a real meal. I haven't eaten at Ariel's Grotto because I have sons, and they won't go anywhere near a Princess. This is the California Adventure restaurant to take your daughters to when they can't get enough of Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. Ariel's Disney Princess Celebration is Disney Character dining at its most royal. Enjoy American selections from the menu while you meet and greet the Disney Princesses. The Vineyard Room at the Golden Vine Winery is a more elegant dining option, and not one our boys would likely enjoy. When we have a babysitter along for the trip, we'll try this one out. You'll enjoy pastas, seafood, gourmet salads and fine wines in California wine country style. Reserve a table at the Vineyard Room for you and your teens, or find child care for your younger kids and enjoy a romantic dinner for two.
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