In honor of the grand opening of the renovations/add-on park within Disneyland’s California Adventure theme park, I thought it was high time to continue my comprehensive guide to vegan restaurants within the Disneyland Resort!
I love Disneyland soooooo much, my fiancée and I were just there in April but I’m already trying to think of an excuse to go back! Can I justify it as a blogging research trip?
The Unofficial Comprehensive Guide to Vegan California Adventure — UPDATED!
Wine Country Trattoria
Location: Golden Vine Winery in “The Golden State” area of California Adventure
Vegan Options: Broccolini Aglio Olio – Lightly tossed with Spinach, Arugula, Tomatoes, Garlic, Chili Flakes, and Olive Oil.
Price: $13.99
Notes: Neither my fiancée nor I drink alcohol, so a winery just wasn’t our thing. We walked by the restaurant but didn’t go in. It is one of the most upscale of California Adventure’s full service restaurant (and the only one to serve a vegan option on their menu). I believe they have a full wine list (they should anyway, being a winery and all….) so if you enjoy a fine wine or just plain wine 😉 this may be the dinner place for you!
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Ariel’s Grotto
Location: The Boardwalk on the bridge going towards California Screamin’, Midway Mania and The Mickey Ferris Wheel.
Vegan Options: The chef will make an off-the-menu vegan option! Call ahead and let them know you’re vegan when you make the reservations. I hear they will even make a vegan dessert for you!
Price: ? Off-the-menu
Notes: Thank you Gary for commenting!
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Award Weiners
Location: Hollywood Pictures Backlot
Vegan Options: Portobello-Mushroom Philly – Grilled Portobello, onions & bell peppers sautéed in hefeweizen, topped with pepper jack cheese. Served with sliced apples or chips.
Price: $7.19
Notes: Not sure if this truly is a vegan option. The menu did not elaborate or give allergen information. I would love some comments on this!
If you were to try to order this, obviously you would have to ask them to hold the cheese (in which case you would get a Portobello & veggie saute on a hotdog bun). It would also be wise to ask if the hotdog buns contain milk/milk powder/casein/whey. Who knows? Milk is sneaky these days.
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Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill
Location: A bit hard to describe, but on your way to The California Boardwalk (home of California Screamin’, The Mickey Sun Wheel, & World of Color) there is a little alcove of restaurants before you cross over the bridge.
Vegan Options:
Soft Tacos Monterrey – Beef, Chicken or Roasted Vegetables with seared peppers and onions, topped with cheese served in warm flour tortillas.
Burrito Sonora – Beef, Chicken or Roasted Vegetables with refried beans, seared peppers and onions, and shredded cheese topped with a traditional Guajillo sauce.
Price:
Soft Tacos Monterrey $9.99
Burrito Sonora $10.49
Notes: “All plates include Mexican Rice and Refried Beans, Pico de Gallo, Guacamole and Sour Cream. Sauteed Vegetables may be substituted for Rice or Beans.” Substitute the sautéed vegetables since the rice is sure to be made with chicken stock & the refried beans may contain pork or other meat. If you order the burrito, don’t forget to ask about the refried beans, if they are non-vegan it’s possible they can substitute for whole beans. I’m also not sure what exactly Guajillo sauce is… any readers want to enlighten me :)? I’m picturing some kind of salsa….
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Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe
Location: Buena Vista Street, Cars Land (?) California Adventure
Vegan Options:
Food – None
Coffee – Yes!
Price: Depends
Notes: This is new since I was last at CA Adventure in April. I think this must have been part of the addition of Cars Land. Don’t let the strange cafe name fool you… this is a STARBUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So if you will just die (like I will) without your coffee & soy, you better run your butt to Fiddler, Fifer & Practical/Disneyland Starbucks. I know I will.
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Flo’s V-8 Cafe
Location: Cars Land
Vegan Options: Veggie Tater Bake – Roasted Vegetables, Cauliflower, Bulgur Wheat, Soy Crumbles and Smashed Red Skin Potatoes topped with Cheddar Cheese. Served with your choice of one side and a garlic chive roll.
Price: $10.49
Additional Vegan Sides:
Hot Sides – Roasted Corn Medley, Vegetarian Baked Beans, or Peas & Carrots
Cold Sides – “Radiator” Pasta Salad
Notes: What’s this?! Bulgur Wheat? Soy Crumbles??? Plus, look how RAD this place looks!!! Omg I have to get back to Disneyland. I’m assuming since the veggie bake is topped with cheese, that they can leave it off completely. Also, since this is a new restaurant that I have neither seen in person not eaten at (full disclosure) I am not sure if the corn or peas & carrots are prepared with butter. I also don’t know if the pasta salad contains meat (sometimes they do, but let’s hope not).
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Lucky Fortune Cookery
Location: Right before the bridge to the California Boardwalk & Midway, next to the Pacific Wharf Cafe & Cocina Cucamonga.
Vegan Options: Asian Rice Bowl – With Tofu, Mandarin Orange Sauce, Teryaki Sauce or Spicy Korean Sauce (The Thai Curry Sauce is NOT vegan). Each bowl contains steamed rice and seared Asian vegetables.
Price: $9.79
Additional Vegan Options:
Edamame – slightly salted and served chilled $2.99
Fresh Mango Slices $3.69
Notes: I ate here while waiting for the World of Color show to start. It was super tasty, reasonably fresh and worked great for a grab-and-go meal. Rice bowls are served in a little chinese takeout box so they’re great for eating while standing or walking around. No mess!
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Pacific Wharf Cafe
Location: San Francisco Area, California Adventure
Vegan Options: Vallejo Vegetarian Chili – Medley of tomato, bell peppers, onion, carrots, zucchini, pinto & black beans, simmered in a rich tomato broth, with just a hint of jalapeno and chile pepper.
Price: $9.29
Additional Vegan Options: BREAKFAST! Oatmeal – Hot bowl of oatmeal served with brown sugar, honey and raisins. $3.99
Notes: I didn’t eat here since I live in San Francisco & I can get sourdough anytime (lucky me!) ….but I’m sure their chili is tasty and I always appreciate clear labeling ‘Vegetarian’/’Vegan’ it takes the guess-work out.
If you’re doing the breakfast here, just ask and make sure the oatmeal is cooked with water and not milk 🙂
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Paradise Garden Grill
Location: A little bit hidden… It’s in Paradise Pier (California Boardwalk) passed Midway Mania (the Toy Story 3d ride) and the Mickey Sun Wheel… it’s nearer to the small children’s rides in the Boardwalk…. I’m confusing you. Just ask someone, that’s what I did. It’s worth it!!
Vegan Options:
Mediterranean Skewers – With Tofu & Veggies, and Moroccan Chili Sauce (A Spicy Sauce with Tomato, Harissa Chili, and Garlic) or Chimichurri (Fresh Herbs, Citrus, Garlic and Olive Oil). The Tandoori Spiced Yogurt and Tzatziki Sauce are NOT vegan.
Each platter includes Rice Pilaf, Cucumber Salad and Pita Bread
Price: $10.99
Notes: Delicious!!! I had the skewers with the Moroccan Chili Sauce and it was DEEEE-LISH! The counter clerk was kind enough to pull out his huge 3-ring binder of allergen information for me to make sure that everything was vegan! Thank you!
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Taste Pilot’s Grill
Location: Golden State Condor Flats, near Soarin’ Over California
Vegan Options: Flyby Fries – barbecue sauce, hot sauce, salsa, or jalapenos available from the toppings bar.
Price: $2.99
Additional Vegan Items:
Oatmeal – Hot bowl of oatmeal served with brown sugar, honey and raisins $3.99 (Again, ask if the oatmeal is prepared with milk)
Fruit Cup $3.49
Notes: Burgers are the primary menu item here, veggie burgers are “available upon request” however I’m not sure what kind of veggie burger they are using (Gardenburger? Boca? Housemade?) Some veggie burgers are vegan, others have eggs. Would one of you lovely readers out there find out and comment? Thanks!!!
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Fairfax Market
Location: Hollywood Studios Backlot
Vegan Options: Fairfax Market is a little market offering healthy snack such as, fresh fruit, coconut water, humus & chips and more.
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Schmoozies!
Location: Hollywood Studios Backlots
Vegan Options: Schmoozies offers made-to-order smoothies which can be easily be made vegan.
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Explicitly Non-Vegan Restaurants:
Nothing to see here folks…
Ariels Grotto
Carthay Circle
Hot Dog Hut
The Cove Bar
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta
Corn Dog Castle
Cozy Cones
Al Fresco Lounge
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop
Paradise Pier Ice Cream
The Very New Vegan 
Thanks for the update! However I have heard the chef at Ariel’s grotto will make you a vegan/gluten free/etc meal upon request and I hear it’s quite good. Also I know the vegetarian meal at the carthay is officially whatever the chef wants to make up so I’m sure it can be vegan as well.
Wow! That’s great news! I’ll do an update and change this!
I visited in 2008 and the chef at Ariel’s grotto did make a special vegan noodle dish for me. I wasn’t expecting any dessert, but he suggested on his own a blood orange sorbet, which was not a part of their menu.
The customer service at Disneyland is usually excellent. I’m sure most, if not all the chefs there, will do their best to make it the happiest place on earth for vegans. We went to Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland hotel (Dec 2012) and the chef offered to walk me through the entire buffet line to show me what I can eat.
Thank you! We’ll be visiting Southern California in a couple months. It’s always good to have an updated veggie list in your pocket!
Thanks for writing this! My family and I (all vegan) are at California Adventure right now and this has been very helpful. I just wanted to throw in my two cents if that’s ok.
Unfortunately, the corn on the cob is not an option. 😦 It seems like it should be, but at all the stands in both parks (we’ve asked at 3 so far), all the corn is prebuttered and wrapped up, so you can’t get it without butter.
I just got done eating the portabello Philly and looked at the ingredients list for the bun and it IS vegan. The server even verified for me that the veggies are cooked in oil, not butter. So just hold the cheese and it’s vegan. Yay!
Thanks for the wrap up! I’m excited to try some of these new places. I had the tofu and veggies rice bowl at Lucky Fortune and they also got the allergen book out for me. I was hoping there was a soup to eat at the Pacific Warf so that’s for compiling this together!
I am always sad when I think of Ariel’s Grotto and the food their serve there… it’s just like in the song “Under the Sea”…
“The fish in the bowl in lucky,
They’re in for a worser fate…
One day when the boss get hungry…
Guess who’s goin’ be on the plate?”
Uh oh!
Thanks for the comprehensive list. Disney has been so accommodating to our vegan lifestyle. Most of the chefs will come out of the kitchen with a list of ingredients. The veggie tater bake at Flo’s V8 is not vegan. I can’t recall the exact ingredient that made it that way. I did find a greek restaurant that had a veggie, tofu skewer and if you ask the cashier, she has an ingredients list at the register and it was most certainly vegan. Love the vegan options at Disney. Hopefully it will only get better. By the way, I usually bring in my own fruit and have never had an issue with that.
HI Laura!
That’s great news about the Disney chefs being so accommodating! Thanks for sharing!
Once again thank you! Having dinner at Carthay so we’ll see what the chef cooks up. Hope they don’t spit in my food when I also ask for no oil! lol
Hehe, lets hope for no spit OR oil 😉
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Thanks for the recommendation on the Mediterranean Skewers at Paradise Garden Grill! I tried the Moroccan chili sauce and it really was delicious! I think it’s the sauce that made it so great.
Look for the Golden Zephyr, which can be spotten easily from anywhere near there, and then the Jumpin’ Jellyfish next to it. It’s right across the Jumpin’ Jellyfish.
The Veggie Tater bake is NOT vegan. Even if you leave off the cheese. I spoke with the chef 😢.
Also the bun at Award Weiners has milk in it.
If you ask for a vegan patty at Test Pilot’s Grill they have one now!
I asked for vegan and they knew what that was. Amazing!
The Roasted Corn and the Peas & Carrots at Flo’s V-8 Cafe have butter. Also, the Pacific Wharf Cafe no longer has the chili. Now they offer a tomato bisque.
I went to Adventure Land today, and used this blog as a guide to eat! It was very helpful, but I’d like to throw in my two cents:
We had lunch at Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill, and ordered the veggie burrito, sans dairy. The beans are made with vegetable shortening, and the rice is NOT made with chicken stock. My burrito came out with no sauce, so I’m assuming it’s not safe. My meal wasn’t spectacular, but it served the purpose of filling my belly.
Later, we ate at Flo’s V-8 Cafe, and the potato bake is also NOT vegan, at ALL. The potatoes have dairy, as do those soy crumbles. The chef came out to talk to me, and I was told that their only vegan options are the coleslaw, corn, and peas and carrots. That’s all, so that’s what I ordered. Again, it was definitely nothing impressive.
Over all, Adventure Land has left this particular vegan longing for the comfort of home, and being able to cook in my own kitchen. We are going to Disney Land tomorrow, and I’m seriously hoping for better fare there.
I went to california adventure today and ate at the Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill as well. I hadn’t seen the previous comment so I went and asked about the beans and rice as well, they are still good to go and vegan! My burrito also didn’t come with sauce even though I hadn’t requested that specifically. My friend who ordered the burrito meat&dairy style said the sauce wasn’t that great anyway, so not much to be missed. They have ‘hot’ (mild) sauce in packets by the napkins which was all the sauce I could want.
Having eaten at Disney many a time, I was pretty impressed with my meal. It was no authentic mexican food by any means but it was generally tasty and offered a lot of bang for your buck. Its one of the few places you can get a complete and filling vegan meal without omitting half the dish. Excepting the finer dinning options, none of the food at the Disneyland parks, vegan or not, is really that amazing. So, I was pleased with what I ate!
Thank you for putting these lists together. I take it you consider honey to be vegan because you include a few items that contain it with out mentioning, I think a special note would be helpful for people quickly skimming through, many people do not consider honey vegan.
When I asked at the Lucky Fortune Cookery, I was told that ALL of their sauces are made with chicken stock. That was awhile ago, though, so it’s possible it’s changed or I got some bad information, but I’d recommend asking at least. You can still order without sauce, though, and there are little packets of soy sauce with the condiments that you can use to add extra flavor. Tofu, veggies and rice isn’t a bad meal.
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