A new, curated collection of dining concepts is coming to Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort in the form of Parkside Market, according to an announcement shared today on the Disney Parks Blog.
Parkside Market
Parkside market will offer four new concepts under one roof at the Downtown Disney District. Check out each one below:
Seoul Sister
Seoul Sister is a fast-casual modern eatery that will serve a Korean-forward menu based on bibimbap (Korean rice bowls) with a California twist. Executive Chef Kelly Kim will showcase bold Korean flavors through marinated meats, vegetables, and savory sauces over rice, noodles or salad, plus appetizers, an Asian-inspired breakfast menu, and hand-crafted drinks.
Sip & Sonder
Sip & Sonder, from founders Amanda-Jane Thomas and Shanita Nicholas, is a Black women-owned brand that has been recognized as one of the best cafés in L.A. by the Los Angeles Times. Guests can expect to enjoy signature lattes, fresh treats, frozen drinks and Caribbean-inspired bites.
GG’s Chicken Shop
GG’s Chicken Shop, from Boka Restaurant Group, was founded by James Beard Award-winning restaurateurs Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm, alongside Michelin Star Chef Partner Lee Wolen. The shop will serve a family-friendly menu of chicken sandwiches, salads, and classic dinner table sides. The first brick-and-mortar GG’s Chicken Shop opened earlier this year in Chicago and this new location in Downtown Disney District will be its first on the West Coast.
Second Story Bar
In addition to these options, a second story bar will be an al fresco spot offering guests views while they sip signature craft cocktails and mocktails. Refreshing selections will include frozen lemonades, frozés, espresso martinis, shareable cocktails and spirit-free elixirs.
Later this year, Downtown Disney will open a new stage and lawn for special events, activities, musical entertainment and more on the west end of the district. In this brand-new area, you’ll also be able to see a soaring new sculptural tower designed by Nikkolas Smith. This new tower will pay tribute to the sublime work of pioneering architects of color in Southern California during the mid-20th century with unique geometric patterns in the sculpture, evoking the famed mid-century buildings they created.
Other future plans for the District include Din Tai Fung, a world-renowned Chinese restaurant known for its soup dumplings and noodles; Mexican cuisine by Michelin-starred Chef Carlos Gaytán at Paseo and Céntrico; and the California-Cuban cheese rolls and pastries from Porto’s Bakery and Café.
Downtown Disney District Reimagining
These updates are part of the larger reimagining of the Downtown Disney District, which is inspired by the mid-century space age look, which was popular in California during the 1950s and ’60s, when Disneyland first opened.
This project has been ongoing for the last few years; however, Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock announced this year an 18-month completion timeframe, which roughly sees the District embracing its fresh face by the end of 2024.
This project included the refurbishment of the Downtown Disney District Monorail station, which was completed in September 2023.
All of this work on the resort’s entertainment, shopping, and dining hub is merely one minuscule portion of larger plans connected to the DisneylandForward initiative — a multi-year public planning effort that seeks to map out the next thirty years of vision with the City of Anaheim and Orange County.
DisneylandForward primarily aims to obtain more flexibility for land the resort received approval to develop in the 1990s, ideally adding a mix of theme parks, hotels, retail, dining, and entertainment on the eastern and western edges of the resort. Currently, Disneyland has used less than half of the millions of square feet already approved for development, according to the Orange County Register. All plans stay within the existing 500-acre property in Anaheim with no physical expansion or additional acreage.
Most recently, new concept art was released by the City of Anaheim showcasing a potential new parking structure as part of the project. In September 2023, the DisneylandForward documents were updated, sharing a variety of proposed uses for the allotted land, including a third gate space, a potential PeopleMover or Disney Skyliner guest transportation system, and more.
What do you think of these new plans for Parkside Market? Let us know in the comments.
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