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Theme-park food is a culinary category unto itself. Though it may span different cuisines and range from grab-and-go snacks to seated meals, it’s not typically judged in the same field as culinary fare beyond the turnstiles. Turkey legs, Dole Whips and chowder-filled bread bowls are wonderful in their own right and fill a very specific need for fuel as you dash from line to line. But discerning diners (and Disney adults) might eventually want more.
Enter Napa Rose, the fine-dining concept inside the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. It has a reputation as the fanciest and best Disney restaurant, but I’d never dined there before it closed for an overhaul last March. So when I got the chance to attend a media preview dinner to experience the restaurant’s reimagined menu and brand-new design—right in time for its 25th anniversary—I gladly braved the two-plus hours of rush-hour traffic to check it out.
The first thing you need to know is that Napa Rose isn’t located within the parks itself (though from the terrace, you can spy Disney California Adventure’s bear-shaped Grizzly Peak). It’s one of the dining concepts at the stunning, Arts and Crafts–style hotel that’s situated in Downtown Disney and, in the case of this restaurant, sits mere feet from the theme park. The Grand Californian also houses additional dining concepts like the rustic Hearthside Lounge and Storytellers Cafe, which is the only place outside the parks you can hang with Mickey. But Napa Rose is in a league of its own.
Upon my arrival, I was led through the hotel lobby, around the sprawling property (which boasts a secret entrance to California Adventure) to the doors of Napa Rose, signaled by an illuminated stained-glass sign, and shown into an ambient, dimly lit but still warm and welcoming lounge.
Looking at photos of the restaurant pre-redesign, the contrast is clear. The earlier version did have a cozy appeal, but the patterned carpets and murals screamed late-’90s design. Now, the dining room emanates understated luxury, with a modern Craftsman look achieved with woods, leather and stone. Nods to wine barrels, an art installation showcasing Napa Valley history and a floor-to-ceiling wine wall—you’re actually dining amid 3,800 bottles of wine—pay homage to Wine Country. The sculptural bar is a stunner, but the standout for me was the chandelier in the main dining room, which calls to mind branches and vines, with hanging grape-like glass baubles that light up the space.
True to form, there are also Disney touches throughout, but only if you purposefully hunt for them (for example, the stained-glass panels over the decanting station are made up of “accidentals” from past Disney projects—try to find the hidden Pluto foot). It’s all done in a very tasteful and subtle way, and while the restaurant embraces its Disney identity—including through its commitment to hospitality—it doesn’t hit you over the head with it.
The menu, helmed by Disneyland Resort culinary director Andrew Sutton, has been almost completely rewritten, save for two beloved dishes—the mushroom cappuccino and the smiling tiger salad, which has evolved into the “laughing tiger”—that together have long ranked No. 1 on our guide to the best food to eat at Disneyland. The rest of the dishes are brand-new, though, but still maintain the restaurant’s emphasis on seasonal Wine Country cooking (and there’s nary a movie or character reference to be found). A four-course menu—bookended with an additional amuse bouche and “parting nibble” of handcrafted chocolates—is now slightly more expensive at $188 per person. (That goes up considerably if you opt for the wine pairing or a seat at the 18-seat chef’s counter.) The kids’ menu counterpart offers more accessible dishes and costs $48.
If you want to incorporate some fine dining into your Disney trip but don’t have the funds or the time to linger over a prix-fixe dinner, the bar and lounge areas of the restaurant will be open to walk-ins. You can order à la carte items or just enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine from the restaurant’s exhaustive collection of more than 13,000 bottles.
The three best things I tasted at Napa Rose
1. Sautéed seasonal fish with lobster toast and lemon bubble
After a mushroom cappuccino shooter to start, the first course started the night off strong. On the night of my visit, the seasonal fish was kingfish, perfectly cooked and paired with a tiny lobster-toast sandwich, with sauce poured tableside.
A close second in the selection of savory courses was the American Wagyu with grape mostarda; a checkerboard of julienned beets and potatoes was a perfect complement to the thinly sliced beef. And it’s worth mentioning that there’s also an inventive, vegetable-forward plant-based version of the menu on offer. (My fiancé raved about the first course—oak-roasted forest mushrooms—and the entrée of miso cabbage scallion crêpes served alongside green garbanzo falafel.)
2. Elevated and reminiscent Valrhona chocolate bar with hazelnut praline
In my opinion, dessert is usually the best part of any meal, and Napa Rose’s final course delivered in a big way. One of a selection of refined yet playful desserts, this interpretation of a candy bar was a nostalgic treat that looked beautiful and combined all the best elements from my favorite candy bars: hazelnut, mousse, chocolate and a crunch. The crispy bottom layer of the bar might have been my favorite bite of the whole meal.
3. Ojai Campfire
While our server thoughtfully paired wines with each course, I tend to gravitate more toward cocktails. And with the new themed menu of signature cocktails, I especially couldn’t help myself. Each is named after and inspired by a different California destination, from St. Helena and Big Sur down to Coronado and the Coachella Valley. First I tried the Fruit Stand off Highway 1 (macerated-strawberry-infused vodka, coconut-milk-washed rum, pandan tincture, pineapple and macadamia blossom honey), which was fruity, sweet, smooth and delicious. I also sampled the Huntington Debate, accompanied by a lovely little illustration of the San Marino institution’s Japanese garden, which was fittingly verdant due to the matcha-infused mezcal. But the Ojai Campfire, which promises to “conjure s’mores magic in a glass” stole the show at the very end of the night. It combines cacao-infused vodka with crème de cacao and graham-cracker dust and is topped with a thick toasted-marshmallow foam, which you sip the drink through.
The restaurant is debuting its refresh almost 25 years to the day that it first opened. After being closed for nearly a year, 100 percent of the staff—referred to as “cast”—returned, and their dedication to stellar service is apparent. While not flawless, every server was very officious and attentive—and it’s nice to visit the world of fine dining, where your cloth napkin is perfectly folded into a pyramid each time you come back to your seat, and your chair carefully pushed in for you. The restaurant team pointed out that, for many diners, Napa Rose may be their first experience with fine dining, so the goal is to make the restaurant and its cuisine approachable but not ostentatious, accessible to newcomers yet still satisfying to the most seasoned fine-dining veteran. I think Napa Rose threads that tricky line extremely well.
Even if you’re not planning a trip to the parks anytime soon, the restaurant is destination-worthy it its own right—perfect for a special occasion or celebration. Or you could always book dinner after an afternoon at Disneyland (just make sure you pack a change of clothes—the dress code is semi-formal/smart-casual). Reservations are recommended and can be made online through the Disneyland website or Disneyland app.
Napa Rose is located at 1600 Disneyland Drive in Anaheim. It’s open for dinner nightly starting February 6, from 5:30 to 9pm.