Welcome to the Food and Wine Festival of 2020 in Disney California Adventure! Here are all the vegan options that I was able to find.

A few notes about the festival before we begin:

1. The Festival runs from February 28 to April 21, 2020, and takes place at various locations in Disney California Adventure (DCA) and Downtown Disney
2. The portion sizes at the Food and Wine Festival are relatively small, with the idea that you try many of them, with the exception of those at Paradise Garden Grill, which offers full size meals. You can also use a Sip and Savor Pass, however, to get a smaller version of the entrees offered at Paradise Garden Grill.
3. You can order any food item at any booth, and then take the receipt to the counter of the booth that actually serves that item. For example, you could go to the Avocado Time booth, and order a Poke-Style Watermelon (which is actually served at the One in a Melon booth), and then take your receipt over to One in a Melon, give it to the cast members inside the booth, and then they will give you your Poke-Style Watermelon. This means that you can save time by choosing the shortest line, no matter what that particular booth is serving.
4. The Sip & Savor Pass costs $51 for annual passholders, and $56 for non-passholders. It contains 8 tabs that can be used on anything from the booths, on smaller-sized versions of the dishes at Paradise Garden Grill, and at the outdoor vending cart with the empanandas. It says on the menu board “Sip & Savor Eligible” for those. It can be used on all non-alcoholic drinks, but not on drinks with alcohol. You can run the numbers and see if the pass would make sense for you, but for me personally, I don’t get one. There aren’t enough vegan options to warrant it yet in my opinion. If you share it between two people, it might be worth it.
5. For information on the permanent menu vegan items throughout the parks, please see my other guides: Disneyland, California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and the hotels.
6. I have also made an accompanying Youtube video guide to the Vegan Options at the Food and Wine Festival, so if you prefer that format, here it is:

Table of Contents (Jump to a location!)

Paradise Garden Grill
Festival Food and Beverage Cart (Outdoor Vending Cart near Paradise Garden Grill)
One in a Melon
Avocado Time
I ❤ Artichokes
Cluck A Doodle Moo
Garlic Kissed
Off the Cob
Golden Dreams
LA Style
Nuts about Cheese
Sonoma Terrace
Uncork California
California Craft Brews
Berry Patch
Peppers Cali-ente
Festival Beer Garden
Pacific Wharf Coffee Cart
Burton’s Maplewood Farm
Rinse Bath & Body Co.
Ballast Point (Downtown Disney)

Paradise Garden Grill

The Impossible Meatball Submarine with Marinara Sauce topped with Soy Cheese and served with Kettle Chips is clearly labeled with the new Plant-Based Symbol, meaning vegan with no modifications!

I’m getting hungry again just looking at the photo. It’s every bit as good as last year! So glad they brought it back.

Here’s the menu board for your reference:

Here is the info from Barnivore on the drinks offered at Paradise Garden Grill. Since many of the breweries and wineries throughout the festival are too small or local to be on there yet, they need to be added to the database still. Please consider sending the winery an email to ask if you have the time! Barnivore has a guide on how to email a company to ask if their wine/beer is vegan.

• Matanzas Creek, Sauvignon Blanc-Fume Blanc, Sonoma County: Not vegan
• Deschutes Brewery, Pacific Wonderland, Lager, Oregon: Vegan
• Sudwerk Brewing Co., Märzen, Amber Lager, David: Vegan

Festival Food and Beverage Cart (Outdoor Vending Cart near Paradise Garden Grill)

Here they have the Apple Empanadas that you may recognize from the Halloween Menus! It was the Plaza de la Familia/Coco-themed food back there then, and now they have the same apple empanadas. Note on the sign that they are Sip & Savor Eligible.

The only difference is that they now come with a caramel sauce, which contains milk, so ask to omit the caramel sauce.

One in a Melon

The Poke-Style Watermelon and Cucumber is clearly labeled with the new Plant-Based symbol, meaning vegan with no modifications. It is described on the menu board as “Watermelon Cubes marinated in Citrus Soy Poke Dressing on White Rice, topped with Cucumbers & Red Onions, with Furikake.”

This was surprisingly savory, salty, and spicy! It wasn’t sweet at all. It’s interesting how the watermelon can really absorb different flavors from a marinade and doesn’t end up tasting much at all like watermelon. It’s an interesting and creative dish. It’s not really indulgent or decadent, so I’m curious how it will sell compared to some of the more calorie-dense foods. Let me know what you think if you give it a try!

The two drinks at this booth look delicious! I wanted to get a Watermelon Agua Fresca, but they had run out at the moment I was at the booth, so I’ll have to do that next time.

If you get the Berry Mule, let me know what you think by tagging me on Instagram.

Avocado Time

Just like last year, there is the Petite Impossible Burger, but the bun contains dairy unfortunately, according to a chef that I asked. So even without the cheese, this item is not vegan.

I’m so glad that Impossible has its new official partnership with Disneyland, though! Hopefully, as we see more progress, we will get a vegan version of this slider for next year.

That Mezcal Cocktail looks interesting! Let me know what you think if you get it.

Here is the new signage from Impossible. It’s super encouraging to see this partnership!

I ❤ Artichokes

Last year, the Artichoke Toast with California Olive Tapenade was able to be modified — without the cream cheese, it was vegan. This year I asked again, and had the cast members call a chef and then call back to the kitchen, and they told me that the bread is not vegan this year, that it contains dairy. It’s a baguette — French bread — so I’m pretty skeptical of what they said. I think it’s probably vegan, but for some reason they weren’t getting that I was asking about ordering it without the cream cheese, and merely asking about the bread. In any case, I’ll err on the side of caution and say it’s not vegan for now, but I strongly suspect that it is the same bread as last year, and that it is vegan when you omit the cream cheese. Below is the photo from last year for reference. If you go and have a moment to ask, maybe you can probe them further.

The Lolea Red Sangria is not listed on Barnivore.

The Brooklyn Brewery Special Effects Lager is listed vegan on Barnivore.

Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo

The name of this booth is pretty morbid and grotesque. But there are some vegan drinks here.

I asked what was added to the beers to make the Micheladas — usually it is some form of tomato juice, which sometimes contains fish/clams — and the cast member told me that it is actually just Chamoy that they are adding, and that they don’t add any other juice. I asked several times because that is unusual, but she seemed very confident that there was no other juice involved. Chamoy is vegan, so if the beer is vegan, then the Michelada of that beer is also vegan.

• Pizza Port Brewing Co., Honey Blonde, Golden Ale: Not vegan
• Golden Road Brewing, Pineapple Cart, Wheat Ale: Not specifically listed as vegan, but Golden Road beers are generally vegan unless milk or honey is indicated
• Lost Coast Brewery, Watermelon Wheat Ale: Vegan
• King Harbor Brewing Co, Cerveza Hermosa: Vegan
• Kronenbourg 1664, Blanc, Witbier: Vegan

Garlic Kissed

Here they have the Aperol Cocktail, which is Aperol, Vodka, Ginger Liqueur, Simply Grapefruit, Simply Orange and Ginger Beer.

Wither Hills appears to use isinglass.

Off the Cob

Vegan drinks here:

• Fields & Orchards: Elderflower Liqueur, Artichoke Liqueur, Simply Orange, Fresh Lime Juice and Orgeat
• Farmstand Punch (Non-alcoholic): Simply Orange, Pineapple Juice, Peace and Grenadine

Golden Dreams

Nothing vegan here unfortunately. The Strawberry-Rose Lemonade has honey in it, the Fig & Lavender Cold Brew has dairy whipped cream. I did ask whether the cream was dairy or perhaps coconut or something, just to know for certain, and a chef told me that it is in fact a dairy cream.

LA Style

Here they have the Blue Angeleno Cocktail, which is White Rum, Blue Curacao, Orgeat, Sweetened Coconut Cream, Pineapple Juice and Simply Orange. It replaces the Tiki Cocktail that was at this booth last year, and it also looks very tropical. Let me know what you think if you try it!

Nuts about Cheese

You would think with a name like “Nuts about Cheese,” they would include some actual nut cheese on the menu, for example a nice cashew cheese like Miyokos! But no, it’s just cow’s milk cheese unfortunately. And the one drink on the menu here has honey.

Sonoma Terrace

They still have the Bavarian Pretzel that is there year-round. The pretzel itself is vegan, and the cheese sauce is an extra add-on.

They also have some cocktails and beers/wines The Catalina Island cocktail appears to be vegan: Vodka and passion Fruit with flavors of Raspberry Lemonade and Lime.

The Sandy Beach looks a bit suspicious, but I didn’t have time to ask about it. It looks like there might be a caramel sauce involved, which might contain milk. Let me know if you ask about it!

The Sparkling Greyhound and Pineapple Passion look vegan.

• Firestone Walker Rosalie Beer Rosé: Vegan
• Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Sofia, Brut Rosé, Monterey County: Not vegan
• Chandon Brut, Sparkling Wine, California: Not vegan
• Calidad Cerveza: No entry
• Bottle Logic 714 Blonde Ale: No entry
• Unsung Brewing, Carina Hazy Double IPA: No entry
• Refuge Brewery, Grapefruit IPA: No entry
• North Coast Brewing, Brother Theolonious: Vegan
• Hangar 24, Orange Wheat: Vegan
• Anaheim Brewery,  Hefeweizen Wheat Ale: Vegan
• North Coast Brewing, PranQster Golden Ale: Vegan
• Left Coast Brewing, Hop Juice Triple IPA: Vegan
• ACE Hard Cider, Seasonal Selection: All of their ciders are are vegan except for when they specifically list honey in the name.

Uncork California

Here is the info on the wines at this booth, according to Barnivore.

• Malibu Rocky Oaks, Sauvignon Blanc, California: No entry
• Rombauer, Chardonnay, Carneros: Vegan
• Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Sofia, Rosé, Monterey County: Not vegan
  Red Wine Flight
• Erath, Pinot Noir, Oregon: Not vegan
• The Prisoner, Red Blend, Napa Valley: Vegan
• Quilt, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley: No entry
• Chandon Brut, Sparkling Wine, California: Not vegan

California Craft Brews

Barnivore info on the beers offered here:

• Triple B Cocktail, which contains Golden Road Balboa Blonde Ale: Not specifically listed as vegan, but Golden Road beers are generally vegan unless milk or honey is indicated
• Backstreet La Calleja, Mexican Style Lager: No entry
• Boomtown Ingenue, Belgian White: No entry
• Mother Earth Orange Vanilla Cali Creamin’, Cream Ale: Vegan
• Black Market Cucumber Sour: There is an older entry for this brewery on Barnivore saying that all their beers are vegan, but sour beers are sometimes made with lactose, so it’s hard to say on this one.
• Divine Science Event Horizon: No entry
• Aftershock Guavaaah!, Juicy Pale Ale: No entry
• Bootlegger’s Rocco Red Ale: Barnivore has an older listing that says that Bootlegger’s is vegan.
• Stereo Perfect Day, IPA: No entry
• Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing, Hazy IPA: Vegan
• Karl Strauss Wreck Alley, Imperial Stout: Barnivore has an older entry saying that Karl Strauss beers are vegan except for “cask conditioned” ones, but Stouts often have milk, so I can’t say for sure, but this one is probably not vegan.
• JuneShine, Acai Berry Hard Kombucha: Not vegan (contains honey)
• Meiomi, Rosé: Not vegan
• MacMurray Ranch, Pinot Noir: Not vegan
• Joel Gott, Cabernet Sauvignon: Not vegan

Berry Patch

There are two vegan drinks here:

• Blue Marble Hard Seltzer with Premium Vodka & Sparkling Water, and choice of flavor: mixed berry, or tropical pineapple & lime
• Ruby Citrus Sparkler (non-alcoholic): Simply Grapefruit, Agave Nectar, Raspberry and Topo Chico Mineral Water

Peppers Cali-ente

Here there is a drink called the Cantarito-style Paloma: Reposado Tequila, Cantaloupe, Habanero-infused Pineapple Juice, Fresh Lime Juice and Agua Fresca. Let me know if you get it and what you think!

The Annabella winery is listed as vegan on Barnivore.

Festival Beer Garden (near Paradise Garden Grill)

Info on Barnivore:

• Smog City Little Bo Pils Unfiltered Pilsner: Barnivore lists all of their beers as vegan except for the Amarilla Gorilla. So this should be vegan, but it is an older entry and there isn’t one specifically for this beer, so it’s unclear.
• Ayinger Bräuweisse Hefeweizen: Vegan
• Chihuahua Guava Lime Suprema Low-Cal Lager: No entry
• 2 Towns Outcider Hard Cider: Some of their ciders use honey and other’s don’t, and there isn’t a specific entry for this one.
• Karl Strauss Practice What You Peach Sour: No entry, but sours often contain lactose, so proceed with caution
• Bottle Logic Enegren Marceline Muffin Blueberry Imperial Blonde: No entry
• Enegren Valkyrie Alt Bier: No entry
• Figueroa Mountain Point Conception IPA: Vegan
• Lost Winds Whirlpool Galaxy Double IPA: No entry
• Allagash Black Stout: Allagash lists its beers as generally vegan, but stout often contains milk, so this particular one is probably not vegan.
• Twisted Horn Raven’s Claw Apple & Boysenberry Mead: No entry, but I would assume it is not vegan because Mead typically contains honey
• Founders Brewing Co., Backwoods, Bourbon Barrel-aged Scotch Ale, Michigan: Vegan

Pacific Wharf Coffee Cart (Gourmet Coffee Stand)

Here they have two vegan drinks:

• Tropicalifornia Tea Cocktail with Berry Vodka, Green Tea, Pineapple and Orange Juices (Alcoholic)
• Fruitful Green Tea with Berry, Pineapple and Orange Juices (Non-Alcoholic; Sip and Savor Eligible)

I haven’t tried either yet. Let me know what you think if you get them!

Burton’s Maplewood Farm

These are fancy maple syrups. They’re new to the Food & Wine Festival this year — they’re actually in the spot where Saucy Lips was last year, and Saucy Lips has not returned.

I talked to the employees as the booth and they said that all of their syrups are vegan — there is no honey or other animal ingredients involved.

They gave me a sample and it was very fancy-tasting syrup. I picked up a bottle of the classic maple syrup. Now I have an excuse to make some pancakes this week!

Rinse Bath & Body Co

Rinse has been vending at Food and Wine and Festival of Holidays for a few years as well, so I’ve had the opportunity to try out many of their products so far! They can also be ordered on their website. They make soaps, essential oils, moisturizers, shower bombs, etc.

They also have a permanent location in Downtown Disney, just past security, between Earl of Sandwich and the Disneyland Hotel. Definitely check out their shop there, because they have more variety there since they have more space. But there is a lot at the Food and Wine Festival cart as well! They didn’t have anything specific to Food and Wine on the first day when I went, but they said in a few days they should be getting some more scents just for the festival.

Most of their products are vegan; a few contain beeswax or dairy. The vegan products are all marked on the labels as vegan, and everything has an ingredients list you can read.

Soaps and Handy-tizers:

Shower bombs:

The Beard Soap and Beard Oil are vegan, but the Beard Balm is not (contains beeswax):

Dead Sea Mud soaps; squalane oil:

Body Spreads:

Ballast Point (Downtown Disney)

A few locations in Downtown Disney are participating this year, including Ballast Point, which is the only one offering anything vegan. They’re serving their Impossible Lettuce Cups appetizer along with a designated beer pairing flight:

These Impossible Lettuce Cups are on the menu year-round as well, but what is different about this Food and Wine version is that it is with the beer flight as well. Here is the regular menu:

Those are all of the vegan options I could find! Please let me know if you discover anything else. Messaging me on Instagram (@happiestveganonearth) is the quickest way to contact me.

I hope that this has been helpful for you to plan your trip and that you have a magical time if you visit the Food and Wine Festival this year! Until next time, see ya real soon!