Favorite restaurant at DCA?

[Pluto468]

For some reason over the years I have hardly ever eaten at DCA. I'll be trying to book dining reservations next week and I have no idea what to try. We'll be spending a couple of full days there in November and the only place I remember is Ariel's Grotto, which I believe is gone. Any recommendations for either sit down or counter service? I especially want to find a good place for breakfast.

Thanks!

 

[dieumeye]

Lots of good options at DCA. Carthay Circle and Lamplight Lounge might be the best two places in either park. Of course it depends on your food preference.

Flo’s is solid for classic diner type food.

Pym Test Kitchen has fun gimmicky items.

I love getting a bread bowl from Pacific Wharf.

Of course there’s Ghirardelli for ice cream.

There’s more to recommend but this is quickly turning into a list of all the places to eat at DCA. I can’t think of anything that I would say is a must avoid. It all comes down to the kind of food you prefer.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I think your only breakfast options are Pym Test Kitchen, Flo's in Carsland, Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe (Starbucks), and the pastries from the coffee cart. I personally have not been impressed by DCA breakfast foods though many people seem to enjoy Flo's. I have read good things about the Lamplight Lounge brunch but have not yet tried it myself. The brunch is offered Friday-Sunday I believe. I did really like Lamplight Lounge the two times I visited for lunch and would definitely go there again. Those reservations have been challenging to get lately so start checking as soon as you hit the 60-day mark but keep checking after because that seems to be one of the restaurants that doesn't always have its reservations start posting at the 60-day mark.

For counter service, we did find the gimmicky stuff at Pym Test Kitchen fun and reasonably tasty. Again, we skipped the breakfast menu and went straight to lunch. If you are a fan of chocolate and peanuts and have at least 2-3 people to share with, I would consider the choco smash bar a must-try dessert no matter the challenges in cutting and serving. Honestly, we didn't find it that big a deal to split it up and get some chocolate and nougat on our fingers so apparently that's not the type of thing our group fusses about. If the choco smash is not your thing, then Ghirardelli is the go-to dessert place in my opinion. There are also two soft serve options and a smoothie place in DCA for those who prefer that style frozen treat.

I didn't used to be much of a fan of Smokejumpers near Soarin' but that place has grown on me. I don't think their menu is as expansive as it was pre-covid but I find that there is usually something interesting there if I avoid the run-of-the-mill burger option. Also, Award Weiners has stepped up their game from what they were years ago. There are usually a number of interesting hot dog choices and I really like the film strip fries, tastier and more fun than a bag of chips.

 

[Matrixleos]

Lamplight Lounge was by far my families favorite restaurant from both parks. Since you'll be going next week, getting reservations might be tough. Maybe ask if they have any standby availability?

As for quick service, Monte Cristo from Smokejumpers and Giant Pretzel (ask for extra beer cheese sauce) at Pym's Test Kitchen are really good.

 

[pharmama]

Re: DCA Breakfast- I don't believe they have resumed breakfast at Flo's since re-opening. A shame because it was pretty good and we loved sitting there watching RSR. We thought Pym's breakfast was OK. The calculated breakfast was pretty good though nothing super special. The Cinna-Pym french toast was meh (it's a slice of a larger pan of a sort of bread pudding or french toast casserole type dish and was a bit dry for us). Enjoyed Lunch/Dinner at Pym's more. Shawarma palace also has a breakfast wrap with Impossible meat and eggs which looks interesting but we didn't have a chance to try.

In general, Lamplight Lounge (which is where Ariel's Grotto used to be) is definitely my favorite restaurant in DCA, though I have never eaten at Carthay Circle.

 

[Nonin]

I thought Carthay Circle was amazing, I actually enjoyed my meal there more than my meal at Napa Rose.

 

[l4dyj8]

Going to try the Brunch at Lamplight for the first time. I like the atmosphere of Lamplight but it's a gastropub style/elevated (good) bar food. It's good! But I'm not always in the mood for that.
I like Carthay Circle and the (now) Magic Key Terrace. It looks to be the same menu before it was an AP location. Also small bites (flatbreads/charcuterie) but good. The Trattoria is fine. Nothing memorable but may be the last available sit-down to try for a last minute reservation.

Quick service: I like the taco truck near Monster's Inc and Paradise Garden Grill near Goofy's sky school. They've changed their menu a few times. But right now it's tacos and a Bahn mi. Basically, you could say that I prefer street tacos over burgers. ha. But I do love a good burger and Disney has a lot of them.

 

[felice]

Wine Country Trattoria is definitely one to try if you get a chance to. Not too expensive either, which is a help.

 

[Pluto468]

Thank you so much for all the great ideas! I'm a big brunch fan so I'll try to get in to Lamplight. So many of these places I've never even heard of, I'm going to look up the menus later today. I definitely want to try Flo's and it would be wonderful to get a Monte Cristo without going to BB.

 

[PirateBrigade]

Hmm...toughie, but I'll have to go with Lamplight Lounge on this one, mostly because I can get lobster nachos with carne asada added on for a gastropub-like surf-and-turf. My close second would be Wine Country Trattoria, I've only eaten there once as part of a parade package (I think), but it's a nice/quiet space and actually kind of reminds me of quiet weekends in wine country.

I don't remember the food, but it was apparently good enough to not remember it for being bad.

 

[PirateBrigade]

Thank you so much for all the great ideas! I'm a big brunch fan so I'll try to get in to Lamplight. So many of these places I've never even heard of, I'm going to look up the menus later today. I definitely want to try Flo's and it would be wonderful to get a Monte Cristo without going to BB.

Might not fit your schedule, but Flo's outdoors is a nice place to have a bite to eat while the lights come on (shoo bop time? someone correct me before I butcher it even more, lol)

 

[tlovesdis]

Lamplight is my favorite sit down at DCA and my favorite quick service is Corn Dog Castle!

 

[Epicnemesis]

Not a fan of carthay. Don’t know why it gets the love it gets. Never ate at lamplight because I loved ariels grotto and it took my love away from me. (Although in the later years ariels grotto did kind of fall off.)

They have birria tacos at the Mexican place in pacific wharf that are crazy good. Maybe the best quick service item on property. Be warned that they are extremely greasy. If you have a heart condition they might be the straw that breaks the camels back.

Haven’t been to award wieners since the parks reopened, but that was always solid. Corn dog castle is the same corn dog as Disneyland, but they also have hot links on a stick and cheese on a stick. Hot link is as advertised.

Smoke jumpers has allegedly the same monte cristo as Disneyland. Haven’t had it yet though.

 

[Pluto468]

Might not fit your schedule, but Flo's outdoors is a nice place to have a bite to eat while the lights come on (shoo bop time? someone correct me before I butcher it even more, lol)

I'd love to see that! We have never actually been to carsland. Flo's looks great!

 

[GoingSince1990]

Lamplight. Such a great atmosphere sitting outside near the coaster and Ferris wheel. And the food is a huge step-up in quality from Ariel’s Grotto, which I suffered through for years because of my daughter’s love for the character. We also really like Wine Country Trattoria.

 

[Epicnemesis]

And the food is a huge step-up in quality from Ariel’s Grotto, which I suffered through for years because of my daughter’s love for the character.

 

[Pluto468]

New question for this old thread — How is mobile ordering at DCA these days? Our trip is in early May.

I really want to try Flo's for breakfast (and dinner when the lights come on in Carsland). Definitely want to try Pym's on one of our days, and I bet my son will want to try a burger at Smokejumpers. Also Award Wieners. I have almost too many places I want to try at DCA.

I did end up getting Lamplight Lounge brunch, but at 9am the day we leave. I'm not sure I can pop over to DCA for 9, eat brunch and still have time to pack up and leave Disneyland Hotel by 11:00. Our flight isn't until evening but I haven't been able to get a brunch time after checkout. I'll keep trying, though.

 

[pharmama]

I really want to try Flo's for breakfast (and dinner when the lights come on in Carsland).

Flo's still has not resumed breakfast service. Who knows if they ever will. Pym's seems to have taken over the QS breakfast role at DCA.

 

[CeCe0906]

New question for this old thread — How is mobile ordering at DCA these days? Our trip is in early May.

I really want to try Flo's for breakfast (and dinner when the lights come on in Carsland). Definitely want to try Pym's on one of our days, and I bet my son will want to try a burger at Smokejumpers. Also Award Wieners. I have almost too many places I want to try at DCA.

I did end up getting Lamplight Lounge brunch, but at 9am the day we leave. I'm not sure I can pop over to DCA for 9, eat brunch and still have time to pack up and leave Disneyland Hotel by 11:00. Our flight isn't until evening but I haven't been able to get a brunch time after checkout. I'll keep trying, though.

I'm planning on doing a brunch our last day also(princess at Napa Rose). Since we are staying until around 8 pm, I plan to check out and leave my suitcase at bell services before going to eat.

 

[Pluto468]

I'm planning on doing a brunch our last day also(princess at Napa Rose). Since we are staying until around 8 pm, I plan to check out and leave my suitcase at bell services before going to eat.

That's a good idea. If I can get a later reservation I'll do that. If I can't get Lamplight I might try Storyteller's. I wish my DD was still into princesses! The princess brunch looks great