Downtown Disney Dining Guide (Where to Eat at the Disneyland Resort)
Downtown Disney dining has changed more in the last year than in the decade before it, and honestly, it’s hard to keep up even for me. This specialty district connects the Disneyland Resort together with a wide range of shopping, dining, and entertainment, and the best part is that you don’t need a park ticket to enjoy any of it.
I’ve completely overhauled this guide to reflect what’s actually open right now, what just closed, and what’s still on the way, since the district has been in the middle of a genuine transformation.
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What’s New in Downtown Disney Dining
The biggest news is Earl of Sandwich, which finally opened its new, permanent, much larger location on June 26, 2026, near the Downtown Disney LIVE! Stage, after years of bouncing between temporary spots. This is a genuinely different Earl of Sandwich than the one you may remember, with a carvery station and a full pub attached. Gordon Ramsay at The Carnaby, a 1960s British-themed gastropub, will occupy the second floor above it, though no opening date has been announced yet.
Jamba closed for good on July 6, 2026, after 23 years in Downtown Disney. It’s being replaced by Bopo Go!, a boba tea concept from the team behind Bopomofo Café, though an opening date hasn’t been shared. Happy Ice, a Los Angeles-based Italian ice cart, opened in its place nearby on June 19, 2026.
Parkside Market, the district’s first food hall, opened in January 2025 and brought several concepts under one roof, including Parkside Market Coffee, Seoul Sister, GG’s Chicken Shop, and Vista Parkside Market. And Din Tai Fung, the internationally beloved Taiwanese restaurant known for its hand-folded soup dumplings, opened its first freestanding restaurant here as well.
Table Service Restaurants
These are the sit-down spots in Downtown Disney, and I’d strongly recommend making a reservation for any of them rather than hoping to walk up, especially in the evenings.
Din Tai Fung
$35 to $59.99 | Lunch and Dinner. This is the restaurant I get asked about most, and it lives up to the hype. Known worldwide for its Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings), Din Tai Fung serves everything family-style, and there’s a dumpling expo kitchen right in the dining room so you can watch the 18-fold dumpling-making process while you wait. Reservations are recommended and go fast.
Paseo
$35 to $59.99 | Dinner. Paseo is one of the more upscale additions to Downtown Disney, with a menu built around elevated Mexican dishes like lamb barbacoa and chicken mole. I’d treat this one as a slower, more intentional dinner rather than a quick stop between shopping.
Céntrico
$15 to $34.99 | Lunch and Dinner. Céntrico has more of an open-air restaurant and bar feel, with a menu of tacos, quesadillas, and shareable Mexican small plates. It’s a great pick if you want somewhere stylish to sit and enjoy the energy of the district for a while.
Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio
$15 to $34.99 | Lunch and Dinner. Jazz Kitchen leans into Gulf Coast and New Orleans-inspired dishes, from jambalaya to crab cakes, with live jazz music providing the backdrop most evenings. It’s a fun, lively spot if you want dinner and entertainment in one stop.
Splitsville Luxury Lanes – Dining
$15 to $34.99 | Lunch and Dinner. Splitsville pairs a full menu of pizza, sushi, and burgers with luxury bowling lanes, which makes it one of the better picks when your group can’t agree on what kind of meal (or evening) they want.
Vista Parkside Market
$14.99 and under | Lounge. Located upstairs inside the Parkside Market building, Vista Parkside Market is more of a cocktail lounge than a full meal, with inventive drinks and beautiful views over the district. It’s a nice spot for a pre-dinner drink.
Ballast Point Brewing Co.
$15 to $34.99 | Lunch and Dinner. Ballast Point was the first brewery to open in Downtown Disney, and it’s still a solid pick if you want a casual meal alongside a serious beer list. Baja-style fish tacos and a good burger menu round out the food side.
Quick Service Restaurants
Earl of Sandwich
$15 to $34.99 | Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Earl of Sandwich’s brand-new permanent location opened June 26, 2026, and it’s a significant step up from its old spots, with a carvery station serving fresh-carved pastrami throughout the day alongside its classic hot sandwich menu. It’s open daily from 8 AM to 11 PM, making it one of the more reliable breakfast options in the district.
GG’s Chicken Shop
$14.99 and under | Lunch and Dinner. Part of the Parkside Market food hall, GG’s serves globally inspired chicken sandwiches and classic sides, and it’s a solid, no-fuss choice if you’re dining with picky eaters.
Seoul Sister
$14.99 and under | Lunch and Dinner. Also inside Parkside Market, Seoul Sister serves Korean-inspired rice bowls with a California twist, built around bibimbap-style bowls of beef, chicken, pork belly, or tofu.
Parkside Market Coffee
$14.99 and under | Breakfast and Snacks. This is your best bet for a proper coffee and pastry stop in Downtown Disney, serving signature lattes, teas, and breakfast items inside the Parkside Market building.
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes
$14.99 and under | Lunch and Dinner. Black Tap is best known for its over-the-top CrazyShakes, but the burger menu genuinely holds its own too. If you just want a shake without committing to a full meal, the separate CrazyShake Window next door lets you skip the burger line entirely.
Beignets Expressed
$14.99 and under | Lunch and Dinner. This quick-service counter serves fresh beignets alongside a few New Orleans-style bites, and it’s a fun, easy stop if you want a sweet treat without sitting down for a full dessert course.
Blue Ribbon Corn Dog
$14.99 and under | Snacks. A simple, satisfying corn dog stand with a few fun variations, including a golden dragon dog. Good for a quick bite on the move.
Napolini Pizzeria
$14.99 and under | Lunch and Dinner. Napolini serves solid, straightforward pizza by the slice or whole pie, which makes it an easy, kid-friendly choice when you want something familiar.
The Pizza Counter
$15 to $34.99 | Lunch and Dinner. A step up from Napolini, The Pizza Counter serves 10-inch pizzas with more specialty topping combinations, still quick and casual but with a bit more variety.
Tiendita
$14.99 and under | Breakfast and Snacks. Tiendita serves Mexican street food staples like tacos, burritos, and breakfast quesadillas, and it’s one of the better breakfast options if you’re heading into the parks early.
Sweets, Snacks, and Drinks
Downtown Disney has become a genuine dessert destination in its own right, and these are worth building a stop around even if you’re not looking for a full meal.
Salt & Straw
$14.99 and under | Snacks. This Portland-based ice cream shop is known for genuinely unusual, small-batch flavors, and it’s one of the most popular stops in the entire district. Check their current monthly flavors before you go, since the lineup rotates often.
Happy Ice
$14.99 and under | Snacks. Newly opened in June 2026, Happy Ice serves handcrafted Italian ice from a colorful cart, and it’s a nice lighter, fruitier alternative to ice cream on a hot day.
Kayla’s Cake
$14.99 and under | Snacks. A sweet little stop for French macarons and cake jars, good for a small treat that doesn’t require committing to a full dessert.
Wetzel’s Pretzels
$14.99 and under | Snacks. A classic, reliable pretzel stand with plenty of sweet and savory options, plus a few fun dip pairings.
Sip & Sonder
$14.99 and under | Breakfast. A cozy coffee and pastry stop for espresso drinks and baked goods, worth knowing about if Parkside Market Coffee has a line.
STARBUCKS
$14.99 and under | Snacks. A reliable, familiar option if you just need a quick coffee fix before heading into the parks.
Coming Soon to Downtown Disney
There’s genuinely a lot still on the way. Bopo Go! will take over the former Jamba space with authentic boba tea, though no opening date has been shared. Gordon Ramsay at The Carnaby, the gastropub above the new Earl of Sandwich, is expected sometime in 2026 but also doesn’t have a confirmed date yet.
Porto’s Bakery & Café, the beloved Southern California Cuban-inspired bakery chain, has been under construction on the old La Brea Bakery site for a while now, and while it’s been a long time coming, Disney hasn’t announced an opening timeframe. Arthur & Sons Steak and Bourbon, a new steakhouse from Michelin-starred Chef Joe Isidori, and its neighboring quick-service barbecue spot Pearl’s Roadside BBQ are both under construction in the former Tortilla Jo’s location, with an expected 2026 opening but no firm date. Big Boi Lumpia Co., a Los Angeles-based Filipino comfort food concept, is also planned, with the team hinting it’s coming “very soon” as of a June 2026 update.
I’ll keep this section updated as these open, so check back if any of these are on your must-try list.
Tips for Dining in Downtown Disney
If a restaurant offers reservations, I’d genuinely recommend making one rather than hoping to walk up, especially for Din Tai Fung, Paseo, and Céntrico, which can get busy fast in the evenings. Mobile ordering is available at select quick-service locations through the Disneyland app, and it’s worth checking before you get in line, since it can save real time during peak meal periods.
Parking for Downtown Disney is in the Simba Lot. The first hour costs $10, and you can add three additional hours with a $20 minimum purchase and validation from any Downtown Disney location, or up to five additional hours with validation from a table service restaurant. If you’re a Magic Key Passholder, some locations offer discounts, so it’s worth asking.
Keep in mind that menus and hours can shift, especially with so much change happening in the district right now, so I’d always confirm current details on the official Downtown Disney dining page before you go.
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