As invited media, Disney provided WDWNT with a gift card for food and beverages, so some of the following coverage was hosted. As always, WDWNT will still provide our honest thoughts on all below.

It’s that magical time of the year again when Disney California Adventure transforms into a foodie heaven, the start of the Food & Wine Festival! Once again, we have sacrificed our stomaches and tried every single item available at the park for the festival. Below you’ll find our complete thoughts on each dish, dessert, and drink that we tried, so you can figure out which ones to skip and which ones to snack on.

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

The fresh onion flavor is strong and reminiscent of a McDonald’s hamburger in a decent bao.

*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

This is rich and delicious. The thick marshmallow and plentiful caramel are well complemented by the ganache.

*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

This was an unsuccessful union of sweet and tangy. It just didn’t work well.

Cluck-A-Doodle-Moo

Food:

• 🆕Cheese Pizza-flavored Wings – $8.50
• BBQ Beef Brisket Slider – $9.00

Beverages:

• 🆕Tangerine Tiki Cocktail – $17.00
• 🆕Kiwi-Apple Lemonade – $7.00

*NEW* Cheese Pizza-flavored Wings – $8.50

Rank out of 7: 1

The pizza flavor comes from a powder similar to the flavoring of Pringles or Combos and it does not work with the wings. It’s gross.

BBQ Beef Brisket Slider – $9.00

with Smoked White Cheddar and Dill Pickles on Salt & Pepper Brioche

Rank out of 7: 4

This is nothing special. It has a decent amount of meat, but it’s not especially flavorful brisket. Truthfully, we don’t believe this is smoked meat, as it’s missing all of the flavors we would associate with that. The best part of the bite came from the bun, which was sprinkled with cracked pepper.

*NEW* Tangerine Tiki Cocktail – $17.00

Rank out of 7: 3

This isn’t anything special. It’s a regular tiki drink.

*NEW* Kiwi-Apple Lemonade – $7.00

Rank out of 7: 2

This is your average theme park cocktail—sickly sweet and unremarkable.

D-Lish

Food:

• Carbonara Garlic Mac & Cheese – $9.00
• 🆕Olive Oil Cake – $7.00

Beverages:

• 🆕Huckleberry-Citrus Cooler – $7.00

Carbonara Garlic Mac & Cheese – $9.00

Featuring Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Peppered Bacon

Rank out of 7: 7

We loved this twist on the classic Mac & Cheese so much so that we are willing to label it one of our favorite dishes at the festival! The savory flavor didn’t overpower, and the garlic in this sauce provides a flavorful aftertaste. The breadcrumbs complemented the texture along with the salty, smoky crispness of the bacon. We’d love to have this again.

*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 a moist and rich pound cake with a good balance of sweet and tart.

*NEW* Huckleberry-Citrus Cooler – $7.00

Gold Peak Black Tea, Huckleberry & Agave Syrups, Grapefruit Soda, Lemon & Orange Juices, garnished with an Orange Wedge

Rank out of 7: 6

This is a much better cocktail than the Kiwi Apple Lemonade from Cluck a Doodle Moo. It’s not syrupy, but rather light and tart.

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

It’s a good vegetarian option, but not a highlight. The cheese is the predominant flavor.

*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 is a better choice. The beef doesn’t get buried under the other flavors, and the pasta is cooked well with the right balance of sauce.

*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

You can rarely go wrong with watermelon and tajín, and that’s true of this drink. It’s refreshing and the flavors are perfect.

Garlic Kissed

Food:

• Grilled Top Sirloin – $9.00

Beverages:

• Guava-Lychee Mule – $17.00

Grilled Top Sirloin – $9.00

with Roasted Garlic-Gruyère Smashed Potatoes and Black Garlic Chimichurri

Rank out of 7: 7

This dish is spectacular. It looked oily, but the delicious potatoes absorbed the oil, balancing everything out perfectly. The steak is tender, while the mashed potatoes are creamy and flavorful. The garlic in the chimichurri provides a richness that becomes the heart and soul of this dish. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed this and held it among one of the best dishes available at the festival.

Guava-Lychee Mule – $17.00

Vodka, Guava Nectar, Ginger & Lychee Syrups and Lemon Juice, topped with Guava Cider and garnished with a Lemon Wheel

Rank out of 7: 5

The guava lychee mule does not taste like your typical mule. We didn’t get a lot of the ginger beer flavor at all, but the guava and the lychee flavors are prominent, making for a flavorful, fruity combination. If you don’t typically like mules, this may be a good one for you to try because there’s almost no ginger kick to it at all. We liked it overall, though if you’re expecting more of a traditional mule, you’ll be disappointed.

Golden Dreams

Food:

• 🆕Frozen Old Fashioned – $7.00

Beverages:

• 🆕Peach Cobbler Cocktail – $17.00
• Blueberry Pancake Cold Brew – $7.25
• 🆕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

This melts quickly but it’s worth the mess. It’s amazing. It tastes just like you’d expect from an Old Fashioned despite being non-alcoholic.

*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

The frozen peaches are the perfect touch for this milky tiki drink.

Blueberry Pancake Cold Brew – $7.25

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. Mexico Origin Coffee, Maple Syrup, Brown Butter & Demerara Syrups and Oat Milk, with a Blueberry Sweet Cream, garnished with Cinnamon-flavored Cereal Crumble

Rank out of 7: 6

Surprisingly, this was great! It needed to be stirred up to get all the flavors, but then it was delicious and refreshing, just like a plate of blueberry pancakes.

*NEW* Fig Matcha Latte – $7.00

Matcha, Soy Milk, Coconut & Simple Syrups topped with a Fig Oat Sweet Cream, garnished with Matcha Powder

Rank out of 7: 6

The matcha is present but not overpowering and it’s balanced by the smooth cream.

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 was disappointingly dry and stringy, but the macaroni salad is fantastic.

*NEW* Baja-style Fish Taco – $7.25

with Cabbage Slaw, Cilantro-Lime Crema and Pico

Rank out of 7: 6

If we didn’t know this was plant-based, we would have thought it was a great fried fish stick. The taste and texture are spot-on. The toppings work well with it.

*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 tamarind straw is weird. It’s tamarind on a paper straw, meaning you can’t eat it but it also makes the straw harder to use. It’s spiced well but too sticky and not worth the price.

Nuts About Cheese

Food:

• 🆕Big Bad BBQ Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese – $9.00
• Mickey-shaped Macaron made with SNICKERS® – $7.75

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

It’s fine but not remarkable. The pork is on the bland side and the small amount of BBQ leaves it dry. The crispy onions are great, though.

Mickey-shaped Macaron made with SNICKERS – $7.75

Chocolate Mickey-shaped Macaron filled with Caramel Ganache, made with SNICKERS bar pieces

Rank out of 7: 4

Like many others at Disneyland Resort, this macaron is rich and sweet. The peanut flavor gives this a strong character reminiscent of a Snickers bar. We enjoyed it, but it’s a heavy treat that could easily be shared between two or three people.

*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

It’s good but not as great as it sounds. There’s just something off about this.

Peppers Cali-Ente

Food:

• Chile Relleno Empanada – $8.50
• 🆕Shrimp Papas Locas – $8.75

Beverages:

• Cantarito-Style Paloma – $17.00

Chile Relleno Empanada – $8.50

with Arbol Pepper Salsa, Oaxaca and Cotija Cheeses

Rank out of 7: 5

As the name of the booth may suggest, this is a spicy empanada. The majority of the spice comes from the sauce found on top, where the inside tastes like peppers, but is much less spicy. The cheese also helps bring down the heat, which we love. For any fans of the classic Mexican dish, this is a unique take on the chile relleno and something we weren’t expecting to like as much as we do.

*NEW* Shrimp Papas Locas – $8.75

Cheddar-Bacon Potatoes with Jalepeño Cheese Sauce and Chipotle Shrimp

Rank out of 7: 7

The shrimp is perfect, the potatoes have just the right texture, and the cheese sauce complements everything well. Don’t skip this.

Cantarito-Style Paloma – $17.00

Reposado Tequila, Habanero-infused Pineapple Juice, Lime Juice, Rock Melon Syrup and Fresca®, garnished with a Pineapple Wheel and Tajín® Clásico

Rank out of 7: 5

This drink was sweet, spicy, and very fruity. It’s light and refreshing compared to other beverages available at the festival, but people may not like how spicy it is. This is one of the less syrupy options at the festival.

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

The fresh raspberry is overpowered by the artificial raspberry cream. The cake tastes fine but it was on the dry and stale side.

Springtime Bouquet Mimosa Flight – $18

This is one of the least creative or appealing presentations for a flight.

*NEW* Chrysanthemum Mimosa – $17.00

Prosecco with Lemonade and Rock Melon & Chrysanthemum Syrups

If you like floral cocktails, this is decent. It’s got a hint of tartness to it also.

*NEW* Apricot-Lavender Mimosa – $17.00

Prosecco with Apricot & Lavender Syrups

The balance in this was too juice-heavy, making it our least favorite of the three.

*NEW* Hibiscus-Rose Mimosa – $17.00

Prosecco with Hibiscus Tea and Rose Syrup

This one, however, was well-balanced and not too shabby.

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

The batch cocktails aren’t as syrupy as they used to be, but this still wasn’t great and we couldn’t taste any tequila.

Award Wieners

Beverages:

• Brewery X Sangria Hard Seltzer – $14.25

Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta

Food:

• 🆕BBQ Chicken Pizza (Available by the slice or a whole pie) – $9.49 per slice/$47.49 whole
• 🆕No-Bake Peanut Butter-Salted Pretzel Cheesecake – $7

*NEW* BBQ Chicken Pizza – $9.49 per slice/$47.49 whole

BBQ-Spiced Chicken, House-Made BBQ Sauce, Red Onion, and chopped Cilantro

Rank out of 7: 3

The pizza itself isn’t good, which is a shame because the chicken and BBQ sauce are great. That being said, the crust, tomato sauce, and cheese are disappointing, and we can’t recommend it.

*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

It’s delicious but fairly one-note. It’s a good treat, but it would have benefitted from a sauce.

Cappuccino Cart

Food:

• 🆕Chocolate-Espresso Loaf – $7.50

Beverages:

• 🆕Honeydew Milk Tea – $7

*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

The espresso flavor is present amidst the rich chocolate, and the cake is moist. It’s very tasty.

*NEW* Honeydew Milk Tea – $7

with coconut-lychee jelly topped with a creamy citrus foam

Rank out of 7: 6

The drink is good, but the lychee jelly is chunky, which we didn’t like.

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

This is a good but basic dessert, and the cake wasn’t served hot like you’d expect with an à la mode.

Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill

Beverages:

• Strawberry Horchata – $6.49
• Strawberry Horchata with Spiced Rum – $17

Strawberry Horchata – $6.49

House-made rice and cinnamon beverage with strawberry sauce

Rank out of 7: 4

The horchata is creamy and light and has a more powerful flavor than the strawberry, which is trapped in the milk. However, we found the flavors don’t really mix. It’s just regular horchata with the occasional strawberry chunk in it. Pass on this.

Strawberry Horchata with Spiced Rum – $17

House-made rice and cinnamon beverage with strawberry sauce and spiced rum  

Rank out of 7: 5

The cocktail version of the drink doesn’t have a very strong rum flavor, but it is subtly present. Overall, if you’re in the mood for a good horchata and want to mix it up a bit, this is for you. We did enjoy this version of the drink more.

Hollywood Lounge

Beverages:

• 🆕Kiwi Tequila Mule – $18
• 🆕Prickly Pear Vodka Mule – $18
• 🆕Whiskey Mule – $18
• 🆕Passion Fruit Mojito – $18
• Mule Flight – $19

Mule Flight – $19

*NEW* Kiwi Tequila Mule – $18

Tequila, lime juice, and kiwi syrup topped with ginger beer

The kiwi adds a nice touch to this refreshing, sweeter option.

*NEW* Prickly Pear Vodka Mule – $18

Vodka, lime juice, and prickly pear syrup topped with ginger beer

This was too tart and sour.

*NEW* Whiskey Mule – $18

Whiskey, lime juice, and simple syrup topped with ginger beer and a mint sprig

This was the best of the three and most like a standard mule.

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

This mostly tasted like soda water, but was fine.

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:

• Stereo Brewing Company Perfect Day IPA – $15.25
• 🆕Bottle Logic Brewing Fuzzy Logic IPA – $14
• 🆕Mother Earth Brew Co. Cali Creamin’ Peaches & Cream Ale – $14
• 🆕Noble Ale Works Naughty Sauce Stout – $14
• 🆕Victory Brewing Company Golden Monkey – $15.25
• 🆕Chapman Crafted Beer Social Butterfly Wheat Ale – $14
• Golden Road Brewing Ride On Tropical IPA – $15.25
• 🆕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
• Tacos Gobernador – $14.99
• 🆕Loaded Baked Potato – $13.99
• Cheese Quesadilla – $8.49
• 🆕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.

Tacos Gobernador – $14.99

Chipotle-marinated shrimp tacos with pepper jack served with Spanish rice and refried beans 

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* 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: 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* Pistachio Cheesecake – $6.75

New York-style pistachio cheesecake

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.

*NEW* Pineapple-Melon Cocktail – $18

Melon Liqueur, pineapple juice, and a splash of citrus

Rank out of 7:

[insert review here]

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

• Unsung Brewing Co MetaPlex IPA – $15.25

*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.

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