The 2024 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival has officially begun! We’ve compiled a helpful guide for each new item at the festival below, with complete reviews and rankings, to help you decide which items to try!
Food & Wine Table of Contents
California Craft Brews
Food:
Cheeseburger Bao – $8.50- S’mores Caramel Tart – $7.00
Beverages:
- Frozen Mangonada Beer Slush – $18.00
- Unsung Brewing Company, Intracore, IPA – $14.00
- Stone Brewery, Ruination, Double IPA – $16.25
- Full Circle Brewing Co., Peachy Vibes, Wheat Ale – $15.25
- Eagle Rock Brewery, Golden Ale – $15.25
- Left Coast Brewing Co, Del Mar St., Dortmunder Style Export Lager – $14.00
- LA Bodega Brewing Co., Pay the Pieper, Double IPA – $16.25
- Crowns & Hops Brewing Co., Inglewood Sun, West Coast IPA – $15.25
- Russian River Brewing Company, Blind Pig, IPA – $14.00
- Bottle Logic Brewing, Watermelon Lemonade Seltzer – $15.25
- Mission Brewing, Foggy Shores, Hefeweizen – $14.00
- Brewery X, Baja Boi, Mexican Lager with Salt and Lime – $12.75
- Delahunt Brewing Co., Salvatore, Italian Pilsner – $14.00
- Spring Favorites Beer Flight – $18.50
- West Coast Beer Flight – $18.50
All beers available can be turned into a Michelada version with chile-lime seasoning and a lime
*NEW* Cheeseburger Bao – $8.50
Thousand Island Dressing with Grilled Onions, Pickle, and Tomato Relish
Rank out of 7: 5
This tastes like a McDonald’s hamburger. It has that in-your-face chopped onion flavor. The bao dough is good.
*NEW* S’mores Caramel Tart – $7.00
Graham Cracker Tart Shell filled with Caramel and Chocolate Ganache, topped with a Toasted Marshmallow
Rank out of 7: 6
The marshmallow is thick and hard to cut through, which tells you it’s good. It’s rich, and there’s a lot of caramel but it’s balanced by the ganache. This is a delicious dessert.
*NEW* Frozen Mangonada Beer Slush – $18.00
Brewery X Baja Boi, Mango Purée, Rock Melon Syrup, Grapefruit Juice, and Mango-Chamoy Glaze
Rank out of 7: 1
We don’t like this combination of flavors. Locals might like it more, but we found it a gross mix of sweet and tangy.
Cluck-A-Doodle-Moo
Food:
- Cheese Pizza-flavored Wings – $8.50
Beverages:
- Tangerine Tiki Cocktail – $17.00
- Kiwi-Apple Lemonade – $7.00
*NEW* Cheese Pizza-flavored Wings – $8.50
with Ranch Dip
Rank out of 7: 1
These are gross. There’s a dense powder that tastes like pizza combos and chicken wings that cover the wings. The wings themselves are okay but they’re ruined by the flavoring.
*NEW* Tangerine Tiki Cocktail – $17.00
Dark Rum, Vanilla-Citrus Liqueur, Tangerine & Lime Juices, and Honey Syrup, garnished with a Dried Red Pineapple Wheel
Rank out of 7: 3
This is a standard tiki drink. It’s nothing crazy.
*NEW* Kiwi-Apple Lemonade – $7.00
(Non-alcoholic) Minute Maid Lemonade, Apple Juice and Kiwi & Granny Smith Apple Syrups, garnished with a Purple Orchid
Rank out of 7: 2
This tastes like an EPCOT cocktail. It’s sticky, sweet, and forgettable.
D-Lish
Food:
- Olive Oil Cake – $7.00
Beverages:
- Huckleberry-Citrus Cooler – $7.00
*NEW* Olive Oil Cake – $7.00
glazed with Lemon Curd and topped with Vanilla Bean Chantilly, finished with Fresh Candied Lemons, Strawberry Crunch, and Lemon-Lime Gelée
Rank out of 7: 5
This is dense like a pound cake. It’s sweet, rich, and tart. The cake itself is moist.
*NEW* Huckleberry-Citrus Cooler – $7.00
(Non-alcoholic) Gold Peak® Black Tea, Huckleberry & Agave Syrups, Grapefruit Soda, Lemon & Orange Juices, garnished with an Orange Wedge
Rank out of 7: 6
We like this. It’s tart but doesn’t have the syrupy taste of the other cocktails. It’s refreshing and light.
Earth Eats
Food:
- Impossible Chicken Parm Bites – $8.50
- Impossible Beef Stroganoff – $9.00
Beverages:
- Watermelon Cucumber Mojito – $17.00
*NEW* Impossible Chicken Parm Bites – $8.50
with Tomato and Cheese Sauces and Grated Parmesan
Rank out of 7: 4
This is vegetarian and while not a highlight, it is a decent option. It tastes more like mozzarella sticks than chicken, but it’s still good.
*NEW* Impossible Beef Stroganoff – $9.00
Egg Noodles tossed in a Mushroom Cream Sauce with Impossible Beef and Sour Cream
Rank out of 7: 5
This, too, is vegetarian and the Impossible meat imitates ground beef pretty well. The beef is plain but the pasta is great. It’s soft and cheesy.
*NEW* Watermelon Cucumber Mojito – $17.00
White Rum, Watermelon Liqueur, Mojito & Cucumber Syrups, Watermelon Purée, and Lime Juice, topped with Topo Chico, and garnished with a Watermelon Spear with Tajín Twist
Rank out of 7: 7
The sweet tajín on the watermelon is fantastic. The drink itself is not too sweet, not sticky, and refreshing. The flavors are perfect.
Golden Dreams
Food:
- Frozen Old Fashioned – $7.00
Beverages:
- Peach Cobbler Cocktail – $17.00
- Fig Matcha Latte – $7.00
*NEW* Frozen Old Fashioned – $7.00
(Non-alcoholic) Bourbon-flavored Ice Cream, Bitters Crema, Orange Zest Glaze, Cherry Spheres
Rank out of 7: 7
The “cherry spheres” are boba balls on top of the bar. It melted before we dug in so it was kind of hard to pick up. But that being said, it’s amazing. It tastes exactly like an Old Fashioned but is non-alcoholic. We love the taste and the uniqueness of this treat.
*NEW* Peach Cobbler Cocktail – $17.00
Moonshine, Peach & Amaretto Liqueur, Peach Nectar, Condensed Milk, Vanilla & Cinnamon Syrups, and Lemon Juice, garnished with Frozen Peaches
Rank out of 7: 6
This is like a milky peach tiki drink. The frozen peaches are delightful. People are going to love this cocktail.
*NEW* Fig Matcha Latte – $7.00
(Non-alcoholic) Matcha, Soy Milk, Coconut & Simple Syrups topped with a Fig Oat Sweet Cream, garnished with Matcha Powder
Rank out of 7: 6
This drink tastes like Japan. The matcha flavor is there but it’s not too profound. There’s a sweetness from the cream. Overall, this beverage is smooth and creamy. We love it.
LA Style
Food:
- Carnitas-style Pork Belly – $9.00
- Baja-style Fish Taco – $7.25
Beverages:
- Spicy Strawberry Cocktail – $17.00
*NEW* Carnitas-style Pork Belly – $9.00
with Esquites Corn Mac Salad featuring Tajín Habanero
Rank out of 7: 4
The pork belly leaves a lot to be desired, as we found it to be a little dry and stringy. But we could eat a whole tub of the macaroni salad, as it’s spectacular. It has a good amount of spice, it’s creamy, and the pasta is cooked just right.
*NEW* Baja-style Fish Taco – $7.25
with Cabbage Slaw, Cilantro-Lime Crema and Pico
Rank out of 7: 6
This is a vegan, plant-based option. It tastes just like a real fried fish stick, and we wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference. The crema, fresh tomato, and onion accompany it well. The tortilla is also nice.
*NEW* Spicy Strawberry Cocktail – $17.00
Gin, Strawberry & Tamarind Purées, Strawberry Syrup, Pineapple Juice, Chile Spices, and Tajín Chamoy, garnished with a Tamarindo Straw
Rank out of 7: 3
The tamarindo straw is tamarind on a paper straw. You can’t really eat it off the straw or easily suck the drink through it, so you can maybe stir it in — although we think there’s enough tamarind flavor in the drink already. We like the drink’s spiciness but it’s hard to get past the stickiness, and it’s not worth $17.
Nuts About Cheese
Food:
- Big Bad BBQ Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese – $9.00
Beverages:
- PB&J Whiskey Shake – $16.00
*NEW* Big Bad BBQ Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese – $9.00
with crispy Dill Pickle Onions
Rank out of 7: 4
Anybody who eats meat can enjoy this but it’s nothing special. The pork is cooked well but doesn’t have a ton of flavor. There isn’t enough BBQ sauce, leaving the pork dry. The cheese isn’t delivering a ton of flavor either. The overall taste comes mostly from the crispy onions, which are great.
*NEW* PB&J Whiskey Shake – $16.00
Peanut Butter Whiskey, Raspberry Liqueur, Vanilla Ice Cream, Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. Mexico Origin Coffee, and Peanut Butter & Raspberry Syrups, garnished with a Raspberry
Rank out of 7: 6
We thought this would be a 7 but it’s not quite there. It’s good, just not as great as the name suggests. Something about this is slightly off.
Peppers Cali-Ente
Food:
- Shrimp Papas Locas – $8.75
*NEW* Shrimp Papas Locas – $8.75
Cheddar-Bacon Potatoes with Jalepeño Cheese Sauce and Chipotle Shrimp
Rank out of 7: 7
This is fantastic. The shrimp is cooked well, perfectly seasoned, and not fishy. The potatoes have a good texture and the cheese sauce is great.
Uncork California
Food:
- Raspberry Almond Cake – $7.50
Beverages:
- Scharffenberger Cellars, Brut Excellence, Mendocino County, CA – $19.00
- Rodney Strong Chalk Hill, Chardonnay, Healdsburg, CA – $14.00
- Daou, Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles, CA – $16.00
- Fess Parker Frontier Red, Red Wine Blend, Los Olivos, CA – $17.00
- Conundrum, White Wine Blend, Fairfield, CA – $17.00
- Cline Old Vine, Zinfandel, Lodi, CA – $17.00
- Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, CA – $17.00
- Chrysanthemum Mimosa – $17.00
- Apricot-Lavender Mimosa – $17.00
- Hibiscus-Rose Mimosa – $17.00
- Rosè Margarita – $17.00
- Red Wine Flight – $19.00
- White Wine Flight – $18.50
- Springtime Bouquet Mimosa Flight – $18.00
*NEW* Raspberry Almond Cake – $7.50
Almond Cake with Raspberry Mousse and fresh Raspberries
Rank out of 7: 3
This was just okay. The cake is of good quality but not particularly moist or fresh. There are real raspberries but also artificial-tasting raspberry cream.
Springtime Bouquet Mimosa Flight – $18
We don’t like the presentation of the flight. It’s pretty boring.
*NEW* Chrysanthemum Mimosa – $17.00
Prosecco with Lemonade and Rock Melon & Chrysanthemum Syrups
This is super floral and tart. It’s not bad. You’ll probably love it if you like floral cocktails.
*NEW* Apricot-Lavender Mimosa – $17.00
Prosecco with Apricot & Lavender Syrups
This is our least favorite of the three. It has too much juice for us.
*NEW* Hibiscus-Rose Mimosa – $17.00
Prosecco with Hibiscus Tea and Rose Syrup
This one is balanced well.
Rank out of 7: 4
*NEW* Rosè Margarita – $17.00
Blanco Tequila, Rosè Wine, Lemon Juice, White Peach & Agave Syrups, and Cantaloupe Purée, garnished with a Lemon Wheel
Rank out of 7: 3
Disney California Adventure is getting better at its batch cocktails. They aren’t as syrupy as they used to be, but this is still basic. We don’t taste the tequila.
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta
Food:
- BBQ Chicken Pizza (Available by the slice or a whole pie) – $9.49 – slice/$47.49 – whole
- No-Bake Peanut Butter-Salted Pretzel Cheesecake – $7
*NEW* BBQ Chicken Pizza – $9.49
BBQ-Spiced Chicken, House-Made BBQ Sauce, Red Onion, and chopped Cilantro
Rank out of 7: 3
We don’t like the pizza itself. The base crust is too crunchy, but the end is good, like a breadstick. The tomato sauce and cheese aren’t great. It’s a shame because the chicken and BBQ sauce are fantastic. We can’t recommend this.
*NEW* No-Bake Peanut Butter-Salted Pretzel Cheesecake – $7
with a Cookies and Cream crust topped with Chocolate-coated Salted Pretzels and Chocolate Ganache
Rank out of 7: 5
This is deadly and delicious, but we think it’s missing something, like a sauce. The peanut butter cheesecake is one note, despite the accompaniments. This is a good treat overall.
Cappuccino Cart
Food:
- Chocolate-Espresso Loaf – $7.50
Beverages:
- Honeydew Milk Tea – $7.00
*NEW* Chocolate-Espresso Loaf – $7.50
Chocolate-espresso cake filled with chocolate mousse and topped with dark chocolate ganache and chocolate and white chocolate curls
Rank out of 7: 6
This is a delicious, moist cake. The chocolate is very rich. The espresso taste is there, too.
*NEW* Honeydew Milk Tea – $7.00
with coconut-lychee jelly topped with a creamy citrus foam
Rank out of 7: 6
The lychee jelly is in chunks, which we don’t like, but the actual beverage is good. It has a nice flavor.
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream
Food:
- Butter Cake à la Mode – $7.99
*NEW* Butter Cake à la Mode – $7.99
Butter cake topped with vanilla ice cream, strawberries, and whipped cream
Rank out of 7: 4
The ice cream is actually on the side, not on top as the description would suggest. The cake is not hot, which would be better for à la mode. The strawberries are fresh and the flavors are good, but this dessert is basic overall.
Hollywood Lounge
Beverages:
- Kiwi Tequila Mule – $18
- Prickly Pear Vodka Mule – $18
- Whiskey Mule – $18
- Passion Fruit Mojito – $18
- Duckhorn Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc – $15
- Listel Grain de Gris Rosé – $12
- Kunde Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon – $11.50
- Mule Flight – $19
Mule Flight – $19
*NEW* Whiskey Mule – $18
Whiskey, lime juice, and simple syrup topped with ginger beer and a mint sprig
This was a good, standard mule. We would recommend these over the others.
*NEW* Kiwi Tequila Mule – $18
Tequila, lime juice, and kiwi syrup topped with ginger beer
This one is nice and refreshing. The kiwi flavor isn’t overpowering but is a sweeter option.
*NEW* Prickly Pear Vodka Mule – $18
Vodka, lime juice, and prickly pear syrup topped with ginger beer
We didn’t care for this one. It was tart and sour.
Rank out of 7: 3
*NEW* Passion Fruit Mojito – $18
Light rum, passion fruit syrup, and limeade topped with soda water and garnished with a mint sprig
Rank out of 7: 4
Our mojito was missing a mint sprig but it’s a nice drink. It tasted more like soda water than anything else.
Lamplight Lounge
Food:
- Turf and a Little Bit of Surf – $38
- Strawberry-Lychee Shortcake Donuts – $11
*NEW* Turf and a Little Bit of Surf – $38
Filet mignon, aromatic cauliflower purée, soy-glazed potatoes, grilled asparagus, mushrooms, and black garlic-red wine reduction served with a side of shrimp toast
Rank out of 7: 5
The filet mignon is served medium. It’s tender but slightly overdone with a dry exterior. The reduction goes a long way with a fantastic mouthwatering flavor. The cauliflower puree is nice and the asparagus is well-cooked.
The toast was soft. We don’t know what the seasoning is but there was a strong garlic flavor. The sauce was a bit zesty, slightly fishy but not bad. Still, if you want a full-sized entree, we would recommend one of the Paradise Garden Grill dishes over this.
*NEW* Strawberry-Lychee Shortcake Donuts – $11
Lychee-glazed donuts with strawberry shortcake crumbles served with vanilla bean ice cream and lychee dip
Rank out of 7: 2
We usually like the donuts at Lamplight Lounge, but these were dry with an artificial strawberry flavor. The accompaniments were good and helped the donuts, but couldn’t completely revive them.
Mendocino Terrace
Beverages:
- GoGi “Goldie” Chardonnay – $21
- Château Margüi Rosé 1784 – $21
- Silverado Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon – $21
- Disney Family Wine Flight – $24
Pym Tasting Lab
Beverages:
- Pint-sized Pints Mini Flight – $39
*NEW* Pint-sized Pints Mini Flight – $39
Oversized Ruler Flight Board with Mini Beer Steins and choice of select Beers or Cocktails
The Pym Tasting Lab has reinvented its flight so you can now get not only beers, but also cocktails. It’s so customizable and isn’t really exclusive to the festival, so we decided not to give it a rating, but we recommend it if you want to try multiple Pym Tasting Lab drinks. Plus, you get to take home the ruler flight board.
We got the Fuzzy Logic beer, Honey Buzz 2.0 cocktail, X-Periment cocktail, and Ashland Hard Seltzer. The X-Periment was too sticky-sweet but we enjoyed the other three. Also note that the flight version of the X-Periment didn’t include boba and the Honey Buzz 2.0 didn’t include a mint sprig.
Paradise Beer Garden
Beverages:
- Bottle Logic Brewing Fuzzy Logic IPA – $14
- Mother Earth Brew Co. Cali Creamin’ Peaches & Cream Ale – $14
- Stereo Brewing Co. Perfect Day IPA – $15.25
- Noble Ale Works Naughty Sauce Stout – $14
- Victory Brewing Company Golden Monkey – $15.25
- Chapman Crafted Beer Social Butterfly Wheat Ale – $14
- 2 Towns Ciderhouse Strawberry Lemonade Cider – $15.25
- Fun & Fruity Flight – $19
- Build Your Own Flight – $19
Paradise Garden Grill
Food:
- Sisig Burrito – $13.99
- Chicken Musakhan – $18.49
- Loaded Baked Potato – $13.99
- Pistachio Cheesecake – $6.75
Beverages:
- Pineapple-Melon Cocktail – $18
*NEW* Sisig Burrito – $13.99
Seasoned pork, onions, serrano peppers, garlic fried rice, scrambled egg, and marinated tomatoes with a side of chicharrones and vinegar dipping sauce
Rank out of 7: 6
This is a phenomenal burrito. It’s packed full of rice and pork. There is a nice amount of spice and a kick from the garlic. The pork is tender, juicy, and flavorful. This is a big portion that two people could share and it will fill both of you up. The chicharonnes weren’t bad either but we weren’t given the vinegar dipping sauce.
*NEW* Chicken Musakhan – $18.49
Roasted spiced half chicken and sumac stewed onions on flatbread with a Mediterranean salad and a garlic yogurt dipping sauce
Rank out of 7: 7
The seasoning on the Chicken Musakhan is unbelievable, offering a spicy, lemon flavor with pine nuts on top. The bread is fantastic. The yogurt sauce is typical but offers a garlic flavor, though we don’t think the chicken needs it.
The spice of this dish isn’t hot, and we found the overall serving to be tender, juicy, and cooked perfectly.
*NEW* Loaded Baked Potato – $13.99
Seasoned steak tips and BBQ baked beans topped with cheese sauce, tangy slaw, and green onions
Rank out of 7: 6
This is a vegan dish, so the steak tips and cheese aren’t real steak and cheese. That led to some mixed reactions, with not everyone liking the reproductions. However, it’s one of the most interesting baked potatoes we’ve ever had. We love the tang of the slaw on everything. It has a nice overall sweetness.
*NEW* Pistachio Cheesecake – $6.75
New York-style pistachio cheesecake
Rank out of 7: 5
This isn’t as high-quality as the entrees but it’s still great. It has a nice graham cracker crust, and is rich and sweet with a hint of pistachio.
*NEW* Pineapple-Melon Cocktail – $18
Melon Liqueur, pineapple juice, and a splash of citrus
Rank out of 7: 4
This is worth a try if it sounds good to you, but don’t go out of your way. $18 is a lot for a cocktail and this one’s just fine. It isn’t watered down but it does have a stickiness that comes with pre-mixed drinks. It would be good for a hot day.
Smokejumpers Grill
Food:
- Pastrami Fries – $8.49
*NEW* Pastrami Fries – $8.49
Crinkle-cut fries topped with cheese sauce, pastrami, Smokejumpers Grill sauce, and pickles
Rank out of 7: 6
The crinkle-cut fries were hot and crispy. The pastrami is decently tender. The sauce plays well with the cheese and the result is a well-constructed combination that most people will likely enjoy.
Sonoma Terrace
Food:
- Charcuterie Flatbread – $7.25
*NEW* Charcuterie Flatbread – $7.25
Chef’s selection of deli and cured meats, mozzarella, caramelized onions, and chopped pepperoncini served with pepperoncini dip
Rank out of 7: 3
This is not what we thought it would look like. It’s not a flatbread, it’s a taco. It tastes like a cheap fast food pizza. It also doesn’t go with the theming of Sonoma Terrace so it seems odd.
Studio Catering Co.
Food:
- Chicken Lollipop – $7.99
*NEW* Chicken Lollipop – $7.99
Beer-brined chicken with poblano mashed potatoes, caramelized fennel, and fried carrots
We thought this would be something weird or interesting-looking but it’s just a chicken drumstick. It’s a good piece of white chicken with a nice flavor from the beer brine. The chicken itself is juicy and tender. The poblano mashed potatoes were hot (temperature-wise) but delicious. We weren’t excited about this, but it’s great.
Select Outdoor Vending Locations
Food:
- Loaded Carnitas Pretzel Bites – $7.75
*NEW* Loaded Carnitas Pretzel Bites – $7.75
with cheese sauce, salsa verde, cilantro, and onion
Rank out of 7: 5
The pretzel bites in here are not your typical Disney pretzel, they’re nice and doughy. The meat is a little flavorless and underseasoned, but still juicy and tender. It weighs down the pretzels a bit. The salsa verde, which is served as a separate dipping sauce, has a hard kick. All served together, this dish is not bad, but somewhat disjointed.
Churros at Hollywood Land
Food:
- Cannoli Churro – $7.25
*NEW* Cannoli Churro – $7.25
Churro rolled in cinnamon-sugar topped with cannoli cream, chocolate chips, and puff pastry
Rank out of 7: 4
The toppings were kind of in the middle of the two churros and fell off when we lifted one churro, so we ended up using it like a dip. The “cannoli cream” didn’t taste like the cream you would usually find in a cannoli. It’s not bad but there’s nothing cannoli about this.
Churros near Goofy’s Sky School
Food:
- Spice Shortbread Churro – $7.25
*NEW* Spice Shortbread Churro – $7.25
Spiced shortbread sugar with cookie butter drizzle
Rank out of 7: 6
This isn’t our favorite churro of the festival but it’s good. Without the sauce, it tastes just like a sugar cookie. The cookie butter sauce elevates it, adding sweetness.
Señor Buzz Churros
Food:
- Unforgettable Bing Bong Churro – $7.25
*NEW* Unforgettable Bing Bong Churro – $7.25
Shortbread cookie sugar and strawberry jelly with sprinkled icing
Rank out of 7: 4
This tastes like a sugar cookie with fresh strawberry jelly and icing on it, which is what you would want from a churro with this description. It has an artificial flavor, kind of like a Pop-Tart. Ours felt a bit stale even though we saw it come out fresh.
Willie’s Churros
Food:
- Butterscotch Banana Churro – $7.25
*NEW *Butterscotch Banana Churro – $7.25
Churro rolled in banana sugar topped with butterscotch icing, butterscotch drops, and banana chip crumble
Rank out of 7: 7
This was amazing. You can see these churros being baked fresh right there at the cart, which immediately shows you the difference between Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The flavors are incredible and the texture is perfect. The butterscotch is a little stronger than the banana flavor on these, but the banana chips really help the dish.
The Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival is running from March 1 through April 22, 2024. Check out the Tasting Passport and this year’s festival merchandise collection.
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