8. A feel for Cajun/Creole
You don’t need to leave Disneyland Park to get a real meal of Cajun and Creole. Just head to Disneyland Park’s New Orleans Square for an authentic Louisiana feel and experience that will have you celebrating Mardi Gras all year long. Take in the19th century southern décor and architecture, jazzy street entertainers, great attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion, and of course hearty cuisine classics. You can indulge in several such options for delicious Cajun/Creole fare. For a casual dining experience there’s French Market Restaurant, a cafeteria-style layout adorned with iron balconies, awnings, and spacious outdoor seating. Here you can enjoy myriad menu fixings, from savory sandwiches like the French Dip or Po’ Boy to hearty helpings of Cajun-style meatloaf, jambalaya, slow-roasted Louisiana beef stew, and many other “big easy” options. Café Orleans is another great pick for robust Cajun/Creole flavors. This quaint corner stop, formerly known as the Creole Café, has been around since the 1960s. Walt Disney himself even added many of the personal touches you can still find here, including the vintage Espresso machine he and his wife Lillian brought back with them from a visit to Italy.
While not always the case, Café Orleans offers full table service with available seating both indoors and out. Some of the famed favorites you can enjoy for lunch or dinner include, but are not limited to: Bourbon Street Chicken, shrimp and grits, Mickey-shaped beignets, and the highly popular Monte Cristo sandwich. You can also get this same savory sandwich along with other authentic eats at Blue Bayou—one of Disneyland’s most renowned dining establishments. Housed within the same building as the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, you can even watch the rider ships float on by while dining on well-loved New Orleans lunch and dinner fare in a twilight Bayou setting. In addition to the stunning details and interior décor, you’re experience will be serenaded by croaking frogs, chirping crickets, and twinkling lights. On one final “N’awlins” note, if you’re looking for a quick fix for traditional gumbo, a stop by Royal Street Veranda has you covered.