Complete Guide to Vegan Options in Disney California Adventure Park (January 2024)

Welcome to DCA! Let’s eat some vegan food!

A few tips and notes before we begin:

If these guides are helpful to you and you would like to show your appreciation, you are welcome to buy me a Dole Whip 🙂

If you have any photos that you would like to contribute to the blog, I’d love to have them so that I can post them here, with credit to you of course! Please email to happiestveganonearth@gmail.com 🙂

I update these guides continuously, and I change the month/year in the title of the post to reflect when it has last been updated. This blog is here as a resource for anyone planning a visit to the parks, but I cannot always keep up with Instagram messages because it is so overwhelming. Please be understanding if I can’t get back to you on Instagram right away.

Please note that I am just a guest, like you, and I have no control over any decision made at Disneyland. If you would like to express how you feel about the (lack of) vegan options, please send Disneyland an email or comment on one of their official social media accounts.

For quick service locations, you can mobile order with the Disneyland app. Most locations allow both mobile ordering and standby lines, it sometimes depends on the restaurant and the day. I would suggest looking on the app about an hour before you’d like to mobile order, just to make sure that there are mobile order windows available, because it can get backed up when it’s busy.

If you would like to eat at a Table Service restaurant, you should try to make a reservation on the Disneyland app or website. You can make table service reservations up to 60 days in advance, and for some restaurants, they will get booked within minutes of becoming available. I suggest setting your alarm for 6am on your 60-days ahead day, and going on the website and trying to book. If there aren’t any times available, keep checking back in case there are cancellations, and in case they add more capacity.

Another option is to use Mouse Dining – they can send you email alerts of when reservations become available.

On the day you are in the park, however, if it’s not too busy, you can often get lucky as a walk-up. Look on the map on the app and find the restaurant, and see if it has the option to “Join Walk-Up List,” and then you can just join there. You can also go ask at the host stand. I almost always do walk-ups and I’m almost always successful, but if it’s really busy, then sometimes you have to just go for quick service instead.

By the way, nothing below is meant to be health food; rather, it is theme park food. Whenever I have access to ingredients lists, I do post photos of them, but this is not so that you can pick them apart for not being healthy enough. The point of showing the ingredients is that I’m trying to be helpful and show how the item does not contain meat, dairy, eggs, or honey. I pour a lot of time, effort, and money into maintaining this website, and I do all of this research for you for free. Also, I have no control over what goes into the food, so I do not need to hear about it when you think something isn’t healthy enough. Any health policing comments will be deleted 🙂

Table of Contents:

Table Service:

Quick Service:

Retail Locations:

Table Service:

Magic Key Terrace (formerly known as Alfresco Tasting Terrace. For Magic Key holders only)

This is a table service lounge area on the 2nd floor above the Wine Country Trattoria restaurant. Important things to know:

  • It is open to Magic Key holders only. You will need to show them your Magic Key in the app.
  • It is table service, so a reservation is highly recommended on busier days. You can make a reservation on the Disneyland website or app. On less busy days, you may have luck with the walk-up list, so it is worth a shot, but don’t count on it.
  • It is a super relaxing atmosphere and a great way to escape the crowds and recharge! I definitely recommend it on the atmosphere alone, and now it looks like they’re stepping up their vegan game even more, so the food is even more worth it. 

This menu changes relatively often. Currently, it has 3 items that are marked fully plant-based (vegan without modifications – any mention of cheese, egg, cream etc. implicitly refers to the plant-based version of that thing):

  • Caesar Salad: Little Gem Lettuce, Pepita Caesar Dressing, Roasted Garlic Crouton and Parmesan
  • Jolly Tomato-Basil Soup: With House Ricotta, Basil Pesto, Herb Croutons and Micro Basil
  • Anger Roasted Harissa Cauliflower: White Bean Hummus, Fried Chickpeas and Kale, Lemon Zest, Chili Oil and Dukkha

The photo below of the Caesar Salad is from Jennifer — thank you so much for sending this!

The photo below of the Anger Roasted Harissa Cauliflower is from @liveitupwellness. She said she really enjoyed it. Thank you so much for sending this in, Jessica!

Here is another photo of the Anger Roasted Harissa Cauliflower from @morbisela. Thank you for sending this in!

Below are some more photos and review from @auntiejesjes! Thank you for sending these in, Jessie!

On the Tomato Basil Soup: “The soup is definitely an appetizer sized portion. Really good on a chilly overcast day. The ricotta and basil pesto really elevate an otherwise basic tomato soup. The croutons were a bit soggy but I did let it sit a bit to cool while I ate my salad. 9/10 Deducted a point for the soggy croutons.”

On the Caesar Salad: “The salad can definitely be shared between 2 people if you want to try other things as well, or a good dinner sized portion for one. The flavor is pretty good, I just wish it had a little more lemon in the dressing. It was a bit gritty (which I’ve heard other say) and I couldn’t tell if it was because the lettuce wasn’t washed good enough or it’s just the seasoning. There didn’t appear to be any dirt or sand between the leaves. The crouton adds a nice crunch but didn’t think it was anything special flavor wise. Love the Pepitas and olives. I give it an 8/10 deducted points for the grittiness and I wish the dressing had a bit more lemon kick!”

And of course, they have lots of classic DCA cocktails here, as you can see on their menu.

I have been told that the Bloody Mary mix does contain fish, so it cannot be made vegan.

On my last visit there, I tried Heimlich’s Chew Chew Juice (non-alcoholic; Minute Maid Lemonade with Granny Smith Apple Syrup, with fresh Watermelon) the other day and it was very refreshing! Definitely feels like summer! I love all the nods to past lands and attractions at this place.

On the old menu, there was a secret-menu vegan version of the sliders. I cannot say whether they are still prepared to make them since they have now changed the menu, but you can ask! They used Impossible and had chimichurri sauce and red onion. The photo below is from @vegandisneyvillain – thank you Jenelle!!

Carthay Circle Restaurant

This is a fancy table service restaurant that has a menu changes quite often, with each season.

The chefs sometimes make the off-menu dishes below when you request a vegan option, and it always changes based on the day, the chef, and availability, so please don’t come for me if you can’t get exactly this! It’s just an example of the kind of food that they serve here.

The photos below are from August 2023 from @mugwtf12! Thank you so much for sending these in!

The menu doesn’t have anything labelled explicitly vegan at the moment, but the servers are always prepared with suggestions when you ask. @mugwtf12 was told that they could make the following vegan: Celebration of Farmers Market Garden, Braised Mushroom Ravioli, and Spanish Romano Beans.

For dessert, they had a cantaloupe sorbet:

The photos below are a bit older, from March 2023, but they serve as examples of the type of things they make here. The photos are from @erinsweldon – thank you Erin! Here is her description of the 3 photos below: “The gnocchi came with pomegranate seeds, sauteed apples, brussels sprouts, and a sweet mustard sauce. The butternut ravioli were served with fennel, mushrooms, kale, more butternet, and topped with a salad of arugula and frisee. The roasted brussels sprouts side dish was vegan as is, here’s the menu description: Cashews, Mint, Sweet and Sour Vinaigrette. And the server said the seasonal salad could be made vegan too. Everything was really good, but the brussels sprouts were the highlight for me. I’m a sucker for brussels sprouts in any form though :)”

Below is the ravioli that Erin was given, it’s a custom off-menu dish. It came with fava beans, asparagus, corn, spinach, cherry tomatoes and a very spicy sauce. Erin said that the filling seemed to be spinach and mushroom.

Here is a photo of the off-menu gnocchi dish with sun dried tomatoes and broccoli stems, taken in September 2022 by @mermaid_tears. Thank you so much Jenifer for this photo!

@mermaid_tearz was also told that the there is a marinara dish on the kid’s menu that can be made vegan.

Carthay Circle Lounge

The lounge area of Carthay Circle, the “Alfresco Dining,” has a different menu from the main part of the restaurant. It has various appetizer-like items instead of entrees.

The photo below is from August 2023 from @vegancoachtenny – thank you for sending this to me! It is the Malai Kofta dish which the server said was vegan. They use coconut yogurt. @vegancoachtenny asked if they could make a vegan version of the lettuce cups, which they used to do, but they are not making those anymore.

There may be other vegan options on the menu, make sure to ask your server! This menu changes seasonally and sometimes they can make custom dishes, depending on the chef and the day.

Lamplight Lounge

For lunch/dinner hours, they have recently changed the burger. It used to be the Pastrami-spiced Impossible burger, which had grilled pineapple. Now it’s a more straightforward Impossible burger, but with In N Out characteristics:

Impossible Burger: Two seasoned patties, American Cheese, House Spread, Grilled Onions, Lettuce, and Tomato on a Potato Bun

It still has the plant-based menu icon, defined on the menu as containing no animal meat, dairy, eggs, or honey, meaning vegan without modifications. Any references to cheese, mayo, etc. within a dish with the plant-based menu icon implicitly refer to the plant-based versions of those things 🙂

The photo below is from @saltyandsweetvegan! Thank you Christina for sending this in!!

Another spectacular vegan offering at Lamplight Lounge is the Brussels Caesar, which is roasted Brussels sprouts, house-made dressing, toasted pine nuts, garlic croutons, and roasted red pepper and tomato sauce.

It now has the plant-based menu icon, so it doesn’t require any modifications.

Holy moly this thing is delicious! Everyone around our table tried a few bites and we couldn’t get enough of it; every agreed that it was the star of the menu. Not to be missed!!

Also, ask for the vegan nachos, which are an off-menu version of the lobster nachos. You shouldn’t need to describe the modifications in detail to your server, since they do this pretty often and should know what you mean if you say “vegan nachos.”

As you can see, they are the house-made chips covered in vegan cheese, beans, sauteed onions, bell peppers, and jalapeños:

They have also been doing the secret menu Vegan Potato Skins lately! These are so so good, they are crispy on the outside and beautifully soft on the inside. Love them so much. The vegan version has vegan cheese on them, of course, and then capers, etc.:

Lamplight Lounge recently added a vegan dessert to their menu! Many thanks to @aimees_vegan_eats for the photos and review below!

It is marked as plant-based on the menu, which Disney parks define as “made without animal meat, dairy, eggs, or honey,” i.e. vegan without modifications.

Brownie with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Berry Sauce and Macerated Berries

“This brownie was so decadent. It’s served warm, so with the combination of the ice cream and berry sauce on top, it’s an incredible tasting dessert! No one in the party will want to miss out on this one. One of my new favs in the park for sure. I want another one already.”

They also have assorted wine, beer, hard cider, and specialty cocktails. See the menu below for that and if you are so inclined, you can look up any that interest you on Barnivore.

Here are some of the mocktails:

Falling with Style:

2319:

Mint to Be:

Lamplight Lounge Brunch

Lamplight Lounge Brunch is offered on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (9am-1pm), and you’ll need to make a reservation or get very lucky as a walk-up.

They offer a fully vegan meal: the Potato Flautas, which consist of Plant-based Chorizo, Dairy-free Piquillo Crema, Serrano-Tomatillo Salsa, Arugula Salad, and Escabèche.

These are very delicious in my opinion, and also very spicy. Be ready for some heat.

They can also make a veganized version of the Chilaquiles upon request! It’s not on the menu; it’s a secret menu item. This photo is a bit older, but they should look something like this:

They have a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, most of which are vegan. The last I checked, the bloody mary mix was vegan; it did not contain fish, but please double check. You may look up any of the beers or wines on Barnivore if you are so inclined.

Lamplight Lounge Boardwalk Dining

The boardwalk dining is the upstairs portion of Lamplight Lounge, and it’s the more casual version with a different (smaller) menu from the regular restaurant. It has only a few food items, but it has the full bar/drinks menu as downstairs.

Because the menus of the upstairs vs. the downstairs are so different from each other, the vegan options are different as well, but they always have at least one dish that is clearly marked with the plant-based menu icon. The new dish below recently replaced the Chorizo Nachos that had been there for a while.

Curried Cauliflower: Tzatziki, Pickled Golden Raisins, Lemon Harissa, Toasted Pine Nuts, and Cilantro

Thanks so much to @pretzelsandpirates for these photos!

I haven’t been able to try this dish myself yet, but I will as soon as I can!

Here is Isaac’s review: “It was delish! The pine nuts and golden raisins balanced the curry taste so beautifully! And the cauliflower was perfectly crunchy!”

Wine Country Trattoria

They have recently revamped this menu to be a lot more vegan friendly! Now there is a vegan starter, entree, and dessert, and they are all labeled with the plant-based menu icon, meaning “made without animal meat, dairy, eggs, or honey,” i.e. vegan without modifications. When an item is labeled “plant-based,” that means that any mention of cheese, cream, etc. will actually be referring implicitly to vegan cheese, vegan cream, etc.

Starter: Tomato Salad: Citrus-marinated Tomatoes, Housemade Ricotta, Pesto, crispy Basil and Watercress

Entree: Spaghetti Aglio Olio: Lightly tossed with Seasonal Vegetables, Garlic, Chili Flakes, and Lemon Oil

They change their plant-based dessert seasonally. It used to be the Torta della Nonna, and then it changed to a Pumpkin Crème Brûlée, and now it is a Maple Oatmeal Crème Brûlée.

Thank you to @gettinggroundedla for the photo of the Maple Oatmeal Crème Brûlée below!

And thanks so much to @emsmagicvacations for the photos below!

Tomato Salad:

Below is the Torta della Nonna, which was offered before the seasonal Creme Brulees started. Just in case it comes back, I’ll keep this photo here for reference:

The Spaghetti Aglio Olio entree has been there for many years, and I’ve had it a few times. Here is a photo from last time I had it:

Below is a recent photo of the Spaghetti Aglio Olio from @jnets_journey – thank you for sending this, Jeanette!

Also, the last I checked, they were also able to make the Rustic Bruschetta was vegan without the cheese, but make sure to double check with your server, as always.

They have a variety of cocktails, beers, wines, etc. that you may look up on Barnivore if you are so inclined.

World of Color Dessert Party

To get a reserved premium seated spot for World of Color, you can do the World of Color Dessert Party – more info about it including pricing, how to book, etc., on Disneyland’s website. The quick version is that it is $89, and the idea is that you’re not just paying for the food itself, but for the whole experience of the great seating and the convenience of not having to worry about getting a World of Color spot the normal way.

The website describes the experience as: “A delicious selection of desserts and cheeses, 2 alcoholic beverages for adults, age 21 and older, unlimited soft drinks and bottled water, reserved seating in the World of Color preferred viewing area at Paradise Gardens Park, where you can sit at a table with folding chairs or a high-top table with director chairs.”

So naturally the “desserts and cheeses” that it normally comes with aren’t vegan, but they can make you a vegan version if you let them know when you make the reservation.

They have started offering some legit vegan desserts for this, as opposed to the impromptu fruit plate that they had been doing for vegans previously. Thanks so much to @vegandisneyvillain for the photo and info below, updated recently as of May 2023!

There are two raw cheesecakes (chocolate and lemon – these look like Nat’s Raw Line to me, though I can’t say for sure), a peach berry cobbler, a coconut chia pudding, and another pudding that was sort of a creme brulee without the scorched sugar topping.

Because this is still very new, it will probably continue to evolve and get better, but it’s already lightyears ahead of the simple fruit plate from before. It’s so exciting to see them putting more effort in here! All of the emails we write seem to be working!

Quick Service:

Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats:

All flavors of Dole Whip are vegan. They are all fruit flavors. If you see a flavor like vanilla, it is not real Dole Whip; it is just soft serve by some other company. In Disneyland, all the flavors are real Dole Whip and all vegan.

This menu always has the Lemon Dole Whip, but it has been going back and forth lately between having the Mango Dole Whip (vegan) and the Vanilla soft serve (not vegan).

So here you can see, our vegan choices are the It’s Lemon! and the It’s Mango! which are both served in a vegan cone, the Pixar Pier Frosty Parfait which is the Lemon Dole Whip layered with Blue Raspberry slushie and topped with a cherry, and the two new specialty cocktails:

It’s Chile-Lime Mango Margarita: Mango Dole Whip with Tequila, Chamoy, Chile-Lime Seasoning (Tajín) and Diced Mango ($14.00)

Pixar Pier Frosty Parfait with Blue Curaçao: Lemon Dole Whip with Blue Raspberry Swirl and a splash of Blue Curaçao ($13.00)

I’m not a drinker so I haven’t tried these new cocktails, but if you have tried them, I’d be grateful for any photos or reviews that you could send my way! 🙂

It’s Lemon!: Nondairy Lemon Soft Serve in choice of Cup or Cone (the cones are vegan) ($4.99)

Pixar Pier Frosty Parfait: Nondairy Lemon Soft-serve with Blue Raspberry Swirl ($6.49)

Award Wieners

This is one of my favorites! The Plant-Based Philly Dog: A vegan hot dog (usually Field Roast) topped with mushrooms, grilled onions and peppers and dairy-free crema, served on a toasted bun with cuties mandarin oranges or Filmstrip Fries ($10.29)

Those Filmstrip Fries!! Most satisfying shape of fry, next to waffle fries, in my opinion!

Here’s another photo of when I had it on Disneyland’s birthday in 2021. Just as delicious as I remembered!

They also have an assortment of beverages and beers.

Bayside Brews

This is a beer stand where you can also get Mickey Pretzels, which are vegan! Skip the cheese add-on and get some mustard instead.

Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta

In the Pasta section, there is an item with the plant-based menu icon:

Creamy Marinara Primavera: Rigatoni with Marinara-Coconut Cream Sauce and Seasonal Vegetables

Because it has the plant-based menu icon and is under the plant-based labeled section of the menu, it is made vegan by default, no dairy or anything, just vegan versions of everything 🙂

Below is @vegandisneyvillain‘s photo of it. Thank you for the photo Jenelle!!

In addition, on the secret allergy menu, you can get a pizza with vegan cheese. Just ask the cast members, and they will have a chef prepare you one of their allergy-friendly pizzas, which means vegan cheese on top of a vegan and gluten free crust (the brand may change, but it is usually Daiya or Follow Your Heart). It is a personal-sized pizza, and they are instructed to not do modifications. Years ago, I could get them to put vegetables on top of it, and you might want to ask, but usually nowadays they say that it has to be just cheese.

It’s a very basic option, it’s not going to be the most impressive thing in the park, but it’s nice that they have vegan cheese at all!

Cappuccino Cart / Joffrey’s

The Cappuccino Cart / Joffrey’s between Little Mermaid and Pixar Pier has soy, oat, and almond milks to make all of their coffee drinks with.

Clarabelle’s

They recently added an entire plant-based section to this menu! Such an upgrade! The items below have the plant-based menu icon, defined as “made without animal meat, dairy, eggs, or honey,” i.e. vegan without modifications. Because it has the icon, when they say “ice cream,” it implicitly refers to plant-based/vegan ice cream.

Banana Split: Vanilla and Strawberry Ice Cream, Chocolate Sauce, Oat Milk Whipped Topping, Chopped Peanuts, Banana and a Maraschino Cherry

Regular Cup – Single Scoop with choice of Vanilla or Strawberry Ice Cream

Regular Cup – Double Scoop with choice of Vanilla or Strawberry Ice Cream

The cast members have said that it is a house-made oat milk whipped cream.

The photos below of the Banana Split are from @vegandisneyvillain. Thank you Jenelle!! ❤

I hope that everyone can show up to support and show demand for this new option! So amazing that they added it after years of not having much at Clarabelle’s!

Cocina Cucamonga

Cocina Cucamonga now has a fully plant-based option that is super fun and satisfying in my opinion! I will warn you, Cocina Cucamonga tends to have one of the longest wait times in DCA – both the standby queue, and the mobile order on the app, tends to have long waits. So if you’d like to eat here, please plan it ahead of time before you get hangry!

The fully vegan item is the Tacos Dorados de Papa: crispy Potato Tacos topped with Cabbage Slaw, Dairy-free Crema and Tomatillo Salsa.

They are labeled as “plant-based” with the plant-based menu icon, which means that they are vegan without modifications.

These are two thin tacos that are deep fried and have potatoes in them, and then they are loaded high with all of those toppings. You can then pick up the taco and eat it like a giant chip as if it were nachos.

They were super crunchy and delicious. On my Youtube channel you can see me doing a taste test with these, and the crunch is very satisfying!

On the app when I ordered these, it gave me the option at add the lime-cilantro rice, which I didn’t do here, but if you wanted it to be a larger meal, then I would suggest that. Depending on your appetite, you could either get just the tacos for a small/medium meal, or add the rice for a larger meal.

They also have assorted beers and margaritas here at Cocina Cucamonga. Last I checked, the Micheladas contained fish.

Cars Land Cozy Cones

There is not much here – the Popcone cone has recently reopened and the plain butter flavor is vegan, but last I checked, the other flavors had dairy. There are a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at each cone.

Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café (Starbucks)

Here you can get basically all of the same vegan options you would expect at a regular Starbucks! Quite an extensive list, so I won’t go over them all here, but most drinks can be veganized by choosing soy, almond, oat, or coconut milk. There is usually very little in the way of vegan food, but sometimes a few packaged snacks.

Flo’s V8 Cafe

As of April 2021 they now have the burger below, which is labeled “Plant-Based,” i.e. needs no modifications:

Impossible Burger: Impossible Patty, Dairy-free American Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Lettuce and Tomato on Sesame Seed Bun with Cuties Mandarin Oranges or Steak Fries

When I tried it, I thought it was decent. Nothing spectacular, nothing to try to impress anyone with, but quite tasty, and the views of Cars Land from the patio can’t be beat!

Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop:

The most recent addition is a Non-Dairy Hot Fudge Sundae, which is made with their new non-dairy hot fudge, vanilla coconut scoops, almond based whipped cream, diced almonds, non-dairy chocolate chips, a 72% dark chocolate square, and a maraschino cherry.

I checked on all of the components of it, it is vegan without modifications. There is no dairy involved, and no carmine or anything else of animal origin in the cherry.

It is quite a masterpiece!

You can still do a create-your-own Sundae as well, which was the standard procedure before this new Non-Dairy Hot Fudge Sundae came out – choose the vanilla coconut scoops and/or the raspberry sorbet, and any of these toppings, or the chocolate sauce, strawberry puree, or pineapple pieces.

The vegan vanilla ice cream brand is Coconut Bliss/Cosmic Bliss.

Below is a sundae that we created from scratch. It has the vegan vanilla ice cream, raspberry sorbet, chocolate sauce, strawberry topping, diced almonds. I bought a bag of the 72% dark chocolate squares (this is the only vegan variety; all others have milk) and topped it with one of those:

You could do lots of variations of this, with several scoops of the vanilla, or with different toppings.

The one below has the raspberry sorbet, strawberry puree, pineapple puree, and a 72% dark chocolate square:

Note that the normal hot fudge topping contains dairy, but the chocolate sauce is that you see on the shelves is vegan. There is a non-dairy version of the hot fudge that goes on the new Non-Dairy Hot Fudge Sundae, so just be careful to distinguish between the non-dairy hot fudge, the normal hot fudge, and the chocolate sauce.

You can also get a shake with the vegan vanilla ice cream and the almond milk that they keep on hand for coffee drinks, and she said that was totally possible. I got a shake by ordering it with almond milk, vegan vanillla coconut ice cream, and chocolate sauce, and it came out delicious!!

Also, you could get a root beer float or a coke float with the vegan vanilla ice cream. I can’t wait to start trying out all of these possibilities!!

Jenelle, @the_year_of_disney / @vegandisneyvillain had the brilliant idea of creating an Affogato by asking for the vegan vanilla ice cream with a shot of espresso on top! Thanks so much Jenelle for the photo below!!

There is one variety of their chocolate squares that is vegan – the 72% dark chocolate is the only vegan one; all of the others have milk.

Jack Jack Cookie Num Nums

There are no vegan cookies here – yet! Let’s keep writing emails asking for them!

They do have both almond and soy milk in cartons, however:

Lucky Fortune Cookery

This menu was changed in July 2023, and after a long and illustrious run, the Impossible Banh Mi is now retired. I enjoyed it many times, but all things must eventually change, and this menu changed along with the area retheming to San Fransokyo Square.

The new menu features the following with the plant-based menu icon, meaning vegan without modifications:

Yaki Udon with Mushrooms, Sugar Snap Peas, Roasted Red Peppers, Bok Choy, Dark Soy and Hoisin Sauces

It comes with the noodles on the bottom layer and the veggies on top. So when you start going in with your chopsticks, you can pull up the noodles and try to get a nice action shot.

My review: I’ve long been a fan of udon noodles, so I was a fan of this, as I expected! They are so thick and chewy and satisfying. The sauce was great, mostly hoisin, as in the menu description. It was a good ratio of veggies to noodles, with lots of big pieces of bok choy in mine. Definitely got my leafy greens in for this meal! Also a generous portion of mushrooms and sugar snap peas. Overall, a really enjoyable and flavorful noodle and veggie dish.

Regarding whether it is as good as the Impossible Banh Mi from the old menu: That is of course very subjective, but I’d say that it is very difficult to live up to that epic sandwich, and this Yaki Udon is great on its own merits, but I wouldn’t say it’s better than the Impossible Banh Mi. If the Banh Mi is a 10/10, then the Yaki Udon is an 8/10 for me.

I have been getting a steady stream of messages from people telling me that they are devastated that this menu has changed, and while I loved the old Banh Mi as much as anyone, I would kindly request that you refrain from complaining to me at length about things over which I have no control 🙂 As always, you can send Disneyland a feedback email to share anything you like with them (in a polite and positive way, please) and they are happy to hear your feedback.

There is also a Kids version, the Kid’s Plant-based Yaki Udon, which is a smaller version that seems identical to me in every other way. It comes on this small plate, similar size to what you might expect as a Food & Wine festival portion.

Mendocino Terrace

This is a wine bar adjacent to the Wine Country Trattoria restaurant. They have a Bavarian Pretzel, which is vegan, but nothing spectacular. You may look up any of their wines and beers on Barnivore if you are so inclined.

Aunt Cass Café / Sourdough Bread Cart

This is the breadbowl/soup/salad restaurant near Cocina Cucamonga and Lucky Fortune Cookery.

Formerly known as Pacific Wharf Cafe, it has been rethemed to Aunt Cass Cafe along with San Fransokyo Square.

On the menu, the following is marked as “plant-based” with the plant-based menu icon (defined as “made without animal meat, dairy, eggs, or honey,” i.e. vegan without modifications):

Soba Noodle Salad: Tofu, Cabbage, Edamame, Carrots, Roasted Corn, Scallions and Cilantro topped with Crispy Shallots and Sesame Ginger Dressing

This is so tasty! One of my favorites now. Lots of flavor in the dressing and lots of tofu and satisfying noodles. I like it a bit better than the noodle dish at Lucky Fortune Cookery.

Also, in front of the restaurant, there is the vending cart with the fresh loaves of sourdough bread made right here in the Boudin factory! These are of course vegan, and so good! And everything tastes better when it’s Mickey-shaped. You can get a Mickey loaf, or a plain round one, or sometimes they make Lightening McQueen shapes, or seasonal shapes like Christmas Trees and Snowmen.

Pacific Wharf Distribution Co.

This is a beer stand near Cocina Cucamonga that has Karl Strauss assorted hand-crafted beers. They also have Mickey Pretzels, which are vegan! See below in the section about vending carts for more information on those.

Paradise Garden Grill

Paradise Garden Grill in California Adventure changes its menu seasonally: Food and Wine Festival in the Spring, then a summer menu, then Halloween Time in the Fall, and Festival of Holidays and Lunar New Year in the Winter.

For Festival of Holidays 2023, they have the Impossible Albondigas Soup, same as last year. I love this one! Got it many times last year, and intend to get it many times again this year!

It has the plant-based menu icon, meaning vegan without modifications (“made without animal meat, dairy, eggs, or honey).

I’ll add here the other vegan item during Festival of Holidays 2023. It’s not at Paradise Garden Grill, but one of the temporary festival booths near it. At the Making Spirits Bright booth, you will find:

Impossible Chicken Curry Bites: with Lemon Raita and Coriander Chutney

These have the plant-based menu icon, which means that they “contain no animal meat, dairy, eggs, or honey,” i.e. that they are vegan without modifications.

Thank you so much for the photos below, @the_year_of_disney!!

Pym Test Kitchen featuring Impossible Foods:

Now that I’ve been to opening day of Avengers Campus, I’m updating this section! The dishes that I list below are labeled explicitly plant-based, which means that they “contain no animal meat, dairy, eggs, or honey,” i.e. that they are vegan without modifications.

Breakfast:⁣

Impossible Quantum Garden Breakfast – Plant-based folded omelet with Impossible breakfast sausage, crispy potato bites, and focaccia toast⁣


Lunch/Dinner (Blue Particle Specials):⁣

Impossible Spoonful – Rigatoni and ditalini pastas, plant-based meat-balls, tomato sauce, dairy-free Parmesan, and micro basil⁣

Kid’s Menu:⁣

Mini Pasta & Impossible Meat-balls – Rigatoni and ditalini pastas, plant-based meat-balls, tomato sauce and dairy-free Parmesan served with coconut milk yogurt and small DASANI water⁣

Rita’s Baja Blenders:

  • Rita’s Lemon-Lime Margarita
  • Rita’s Strawberry Margarita
  • Red Sangria
  • The Tropicool (Lemon-Lime or Strawberry)

Schmoozies

The Mangonada Smoothie used to be able to be made vegan, but I have learned that it comes pre-mixed with yogurt.

I believe that the two smoothies below can still be made vegan if you ask to omit the yogurt. It may be the case as above that they can’t be omitted though; I will update this as soon as I can.

Mango Madness: Mangos, Peaches, Banana, and Lowfat Yogurt blended with Pineapple, Guava and Passion Fruit Juices (omit yogurt)

Strawberry Banana Sensation: Strawberries, Banana, and Lowfat Yogurt blended with Strawberry-Pineapple Juice (omit yogurt)

They also have seasonal Lemonades.

Shawarma Palace

Shawarma Palace is a cart that has two locations: one in the middle of Avengers Campus, and one at the end of it near the Hyperion Theater. It has both breakfast and lunch versions of its wraps.

The dishes that I list below are labeled explicitly plant-based, which means that they “contain no animal meat, dairy, eggs, or honey,” i.e. that they are vegan without modifications.

Breakfast:

Impossible™ Breakfast Sha-warm-up
Plant-based Breakfast Sausage and Egg Omelet Wrap with Dairy-free American Cheese and crispy Potato Bites, served with Spiced Maple Syrup

It is with Impossible breakfast sausage that has that sort of apple/save flavor going on, and then vegan cheese and Just Egg, tater tots, and a vegan mayo-type sauce.

I’ve had this many times now and it is just so good every time! It is easily my favorite thing to eat in Avengers Campus. That Spiced Maple Syrup is no joke!! They serve it to you in a little cup, so you can dip it in, or pour it over (I had poured over just a bit of it in this photo), but test it out first, because it packs some serious heat. So so good!!

Lunch/dinner:

Impossible Victory Falafel – Plant-based-falafel and cauliflower wrap, garlic spread, hummus and coconut yogurt-tahini sauce with pickled vegetables⁣.

This wrap actually wasn’t my favorite when Avengers Campus first opened, but it seems to have changed and is better quality now in my opinion! Maybe they changed the recipe, and the pita bread seems better than it used to be. It’s really all about that super yummy coconut yogurt tahini sauce!

Smokejumper’s Grill:

During breakfast hours (until about 10:30am), they have a new item that is marked with the plant-based menu icon (defined as “made without animal-based meat, dairy, eggs, or honey,” meaning that any mention of cheese, eggs, etc. implicitly refers to a plant-based version of that item).

Chorizo Burrito: Sausage, Chorizo, Egg, Cheese, Hash Browns, and Avocado Sauce with Molcajete Salsa

Vegan sausage, vegan chorizo, vegan egg (Just egg), vegan cheese, etc.

Probably Impossible sausage, maybe a housemade vegan chorizo, probably Follow your Heart or Daiya cheese. But if the brand matters to you for allergy reasons, make sure that you check with the cast members, because the suppliers can sometimes change. That’s why they don’t list the brands on the menu, because they need to be able to switch the brands if they run into supplier issues.

During lunch and dinner hours, they have Double Impossible Cheeseburger with vegan cheese and vegan thousand island sauce.

I’ve had it a few times now and it’s great! I do wish they would melt the cheese of course, but the fact that they have vegan cheese at all is still miraculous to me. To have such a big hearty burger with a vegan sauce and everything, I’m still in shock that this is where we are now as vegans eating in theme parks in 2023!

Smokejumper’s also has various beers and cocktails, which you can look up on Barnivore if you are so inclined.

Sonoma Terrace:

Here they have the same Bavarian Pretzel that they had before. It’s nothing too exciting, but it’s still there. Also:

  • Assorted wine, beer, hard cider, and cocktails 
  • Assorted Coca-Cola beverages

Studio Catering Co. Truck / Hollywood Lounge

The Studio Catering Truck changes its menu very often now, often to coincide with the seasonal food festivals (Food and Wine Festival, Lunar New Year, etc.)

At the moment, under the plant-based section of the menu (defined as “made without animal meat, dairy, eggs, or honey,” i.e. vegan without modifications), there is this new dish:

Sopes de Chorizo con Papas with Refried Beans, Lettuce, Pico de Gallo with Nopales, Cilantro Crema and Pickled Red Onion

I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, so I can’t review it for you, but I’ll try it as soon as I can!

The Hollywood Lounge, just across the way from the Studio Catering Co. Truck, has an assortment of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. You can also order the Studio Catering Truck’s food from the registers at the Hollywood Lounge, and then go over to the truck to pick it up. Otherwise, the truck is only mobile order.

Vending Carts throughout DCA:

At the various vending carts throughout DCA, you can get popcorn (the fresh popcorn from the carts is vegan; it is made with canola/coconut oil, and not butter).

Here are the current popcorn cart locations:

  • Buena Vista Street (see below for more on this one)
  • Popcone Cone (Cozy Cone Motel) in Cars Land
  • Grizzly Peak Airfield (near Soarin’)
  • Pixar Pier (near Toy Story Midway Mania)

The Buena Vista Street popcorn cart is different from all of the others because it also has Caramel Popcorn that is accidentally vegan!

Look for the cart on Buena Vista Street, just behind the Storyteller Statue (of Walt and Mickey) on your way into Hollywood Blvd.

Below is a photo of the caramel popcorn from this cart followed by the ingredients list of the caramel glaze. As you can see, there is no dairy, which is often in caramel otherwise. But this one doesn’t happen to have dairy!

Be careful to distinguish this from the caramel popcorn that is pre-packaged and that you will find throughout Disneyland/DCA/Downtown Disney (Main Street Candy Palace, Pooh’s Corner, Trolley Treats, Marceline’s Confectionary, etc.). The packaged caramel popcorn from all of these retail locations does indeed contain dairy, while the fresh popcorn from the Buena Vista Street popcorn cart is vegan.

Not vegan! See ingredients list on the back, pictured below

At the ice cream carts throughout Disneyland and DCA, you will find a few options: the Olaf Frozen Lemon Strawberry Bar, the Outshine Fruit Bar, and the Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana!

The newest and most exciting one is the Chocolate dipped frozen banana with peanuts! Many years ago, when I was a kid, they had these frozen bananas, but I think they weren’t vegan back then. Then they disappeared for many years, and now they have finally reappeared, with a new vendor, and the chocolate is dairy-free!! I tried one of these for the first time since my childhood and it did not disappoint! Highly recommend, especially since vegan sweet treats are few and far between in Disneyland/DCA, and this one is great for when you have a sweet tooth but want something other than Dole Whip!

Mickey Pretzels are vegan as long as you hold the cheese, which is an add-on anyway. Grab some mustard packets!!

Find your Mickey Pretzels at the following locations in DCA:

  • Bayside Brews (near Silly Symphony Swings)
  • Pacific Wharf Distribution Co (near Cocina Cucamonga)

The larger snack stands where you will find the bigger assortments (pickles, fresh fruit like apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, pineapple, mango, lots of beverages, some vegan varieties of chips [check ingredients lists], etc.) are:

  • Mortimer’s Market on Buena Vista Street
  • Fairfax Market on Hollywood Blvd
  • Fillmore’s Taste-in in Cars Land

I am a big fan of the Spicy Pickles in particular.

At various carts throughout the park, you will also find cotton candy and some accidentally vegan packaged candy (for example, Red Vines).

By the way, I am often asked if the churros at Disneyland/DCA are vegan, since many churros out there in the world are accidentally vegan. Unfortunately the churros at Disneyland/DCA are not vegan; they contain both milk and egg. Hopefully one day, they will change vendors and this will not be the case anymore – please write a polite email requesting this if you have a moment! But until then, here is the current ingredients list for your reference:

Retail Locations:

Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff:

Here they have a few slushie flavors. There is usually a bit of candy in the store, a smaller assortment of the same things that you find at Trolley Treats.

Trolley Treats

It has never happened yet that anything in the bakery case is vegan, though maybe one day it will happen!

The plain kettle corn is vegan, but the other varieties have milk (e.g. caramel, cheddar, etc.). Back in the day there was a Sriracha flavor that was vegan too, but I haven’t seen it in a while. For now, just look for the regular kettle corn:

On Fridays and sometimes Saturdays, they have the plain candied apples, the ones with just the red candy glaze and nothing else, and those are vegan.

You will also find these lollipops and other various candies that are at several locations around Disneyland, DCA, and Downtown Disney:

It has been a while since I have seen the Snacks with Character pictured below, but hopefully they will return soon, so I’m keeping them here just in case. Many of them are repackaged Enjoy Life allergy-friendly products. Most of them are vegan, for example the ones below:

Some of the Chip & Dales snacks are vegan, but some contain dairy. Below, I have photos of each of the ones that are vegan, but make sure to always double check the ingredients lists before purchasing, since they can sometimes change.

There are also a variety of packaged candies, and while some of them have gelatin, beeswax, or other animal products, there are a few that are accidentally vegan, or vegan as far as is discernible. There are no obvious animal products in them. I discuss obscure ingredients like dyes, etc., in my FAQ here on my website, but please make your own decision about them.

Heads up on the Cocoa Dusted Dark Chocolate Almonds pictured below: for many years, they were vegan, with no dairy involved, but now (as of November 2022), they are showing milk in the ingredients list, no longer vegan. Maybe one day they’ll change back, but for now, they’re not vegan anymore!

That’s going to do it for now! I’ll update this post whenever I get more info.

If these guides are helpful to you and you would like to show your appreciation, you are welcome to buy me a Dole Whip 🙂

I hope to see you in the park real soon!

If you’re looking for vegan options in other parts of the Disneyland Resort, please see my most recently updated Complete Guides for those!

34 comments

  1. Thank you for getting these updates! I recently started making the change from vegetarian (20 years) to vegan and your blog has been immensely helpful as I incorporate my new commitment with my existing passion for Disney parks.

    You wrote that “because the whole dish is labeled ‘plant-based,’ that means we are dealing with a vegan cheese there when it says ‘American cheese,’ and a vegan mayo when it says ‘mustard aïoli’. ” Did you verify this with a Disney chef? I’m just curious because they don’t explicitly say “plant-based cheese” or “plan-based mayo” and that makes me nervous (I’ve seen other venues put dairy products on plant-meats) 😰 Also, can we be certain that the buns used for the “plant-based” burgers are vegan, or should we ask when we order?

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    1. Congrats on going vegan!
      It is a plant-based logo/menu icon that Disneyland and Walt Disney World introduced in 2019. It is defined as “contains no animal meat, dairy, eggs, or honey.” If you see the logo, it means that the entire dish is plant-based, according to that definition – so no animal dairy, but rather, plant-based dairy. The cheese on this burger is Follow Your Heart 🙂 You can read more about when they introduced this menu icon here: https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2019/09/hundreds-of-plant-based-dishes-are-coming-to-walt-disney-world-and-disneyland-resorts/

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  2. Lisa, I just want to say thank you for publishing this! I can’t wait for Disneyland to adopt even more plant-based options. All the food looks amazing.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Hi Lisa. Do you know if the horchata at Cocina Cucamonga is vegan? The description just says rice and cinnamon drink but I know a lot of people put dairy in theirs. Thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Thank you for your posts and updates! We went to Lamplight Lounge Lounge yesterday (June 14) and asked about the vegan nachos. They were able to make them for us! We also asked for them gluten free so they were pretty basic but still good. They had vegan shredded cheese (tasted like Follow Your Heart parm), Pico de Gallo, and jalapeños. It looks they are starting to restock vegan items for modifications. I’m so glad we asked!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh my goodness, that is so exciting!!! Thank you for letting me know!! I’ll put that in the post! That was a good idea to ask! I think it might have to do with the brunch starting again soon, they are stocking the kitchen up more for that. I hope you had a wonderful time in the park!!

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  5. We literally cannot thank you enough for this amazingly thorough post about vegan options at Disneyland, California Adventure and Downtown Disney. It has been a godsend. We have been vegan for nearly 2 years, but this is our first time back to Disney, and we have saved so much time and trouble because of you! What tremendous work and research you put into this, and it truly truly is appreciated. It has improved our overall Disney experience tenfold. Thank you again!

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Thank you so very much for these guides! They have saved us so much time and have been great suggestions! We are in DL now…still no vanilla at Ghiradelli and I was told it’s not returning. I’ve sent an email to suggest finding a replacement.
    Thanks again!!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Thank you for the guide! It has come to be extremely helpful to me! But ugh I wish Disney made more of a push towards vegan handcrafted baked goods. Seems like most of the vegan options are savory. With a major sweet tooth myself, I would love some vegan cookies, Rice Krispy Treats, or cupcakes! Hoping they will make more changes in the future!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. I just ordered the sundae at the Ghirardelli store in California Adventure. The gentleman taking my order, said he can’t guarantee the cocobliss is vegan. Because they don’t make it in house. Just an fyi!

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      1. I figured as much. The guy said he can’t guarantee it’s vegan. He kept saying that to me. I have no idea why haha. Just preparing people to hear this same thing. I’m guessing that maybe he’s a manager?

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  9. Thank you for all you do! Just a heads up, the Mangonada Smoothie at Smoozies can no longer be made vegan. I asked if the yogurt could be omitted and they said it comes already mixed and cannot be omitted.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Thank you for always posting updates and the *date* that stuff is changed or added!! I love that you point out the obvious stuff on the menu but also the items that can be modified easily, I wish Disney would put a little more effort into letting people know that it can easily be made vegetarian or vegan! I love that I can swing by here and get a rundown on the latest stuff compared to some other Disney food blogs which will act like it’s a new 2022 version of an article and then just reprint all the info that was from 2021 or before! Keep sharing the great info and tips and hopefully Disney will continue to add options and comments to help non-meat eaters out! 🙂

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