REVIEW: An Iconic Disney Hotel Restaurant Reopens This Week and We Tried the NEW Menu!

Disney dining keeps getting more ambitious — and this is proof!

Over the years, Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort has helped redefine what fine dining can look like at a Disney destination. With the newly refreshed lounge and evolving menu offerings, the restaurant feels like it’s entering its next chapter while still holding onto its California wine country roots — and we’re here to try it all!

Background

The story of Napa Rose really starts with Disney wanting to change what dining at Disneyland could be. When the restaurant first opened in 2001 inside Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, it was designed to bring true fine dining to Disneyland, something that largely didn’t exist for everyday visitors before that point. Napa Rose focused on California wine country cuisine and quickly became known for pairing high-quality seasonal food with an extensive wine program, helping set a new standard for what theme park resort dining could look like.

From the beginning, Disney brought in respected culinary talent to help build credibility in the food and wine space. Founding chef Andrew Sutton helped shape the restaurant’s vision of elevated California cuisine, working alongside Disney teams to create a signature restaurant that felt rooted in the state’s wine culture, ingredients, and culinary craftsmanship. Over time, Napa Rose built a reputation as one of Disneyland’s top dining destinations, earning industry recognition and awards for both its food and wine program.

Over more than two decades, the restaurant has evolved with dining expectations, expanding beyond strictly wine country flavors into a broader global culinary perspective while still staying grounded in seasonality and ingredient quality. Today, Napa Rose is often considered one of the flagship signature dining experiences at Disneyland, helping prove that Disney dining can compete with high-end restaurants outside the parks.

Here’s what you need to know about dining at this restaurant.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere at Napa Rose has always leaned toward upscale California wine country rather than traditional theme park dining, and that feeling is deepened with the reimagined lounge space. The restaurant blends warm Craftsman-style architecture with rich woods, soft amber lighting, and subtle wine country touches that make it feel refined without feeling overly formal. It’s the kind of space where you can celebrate something special, but also still feel comfortable settling in for a relaxed evening meal.

The lounge area specifically tends to feel a little more intimate and social than the main dining room. It’s designed to encourage conversation, slower pacing, and a more casual way to experience the menu, whether you’re stopping in for cocktails and small plates or waiting for a full dining reservation. Between the cozy seating, warm lighting, and the quiet hum of activity around you, it feels like stepping out of the theme park rush and into something much more relaxed and grown-up, while still keeping that polished Disney-level attention to detail.

But enough about that, what are we eating?!

Food & Drinks

The amuse bouche was the Signature Mushroom Cappuccino. 

This is a cappuccino with the flavor of a cream of mushroom soup. It was very earthy and flavorful with a strong mushroom taste. It was such a fun presentation, too.

First up, we tried the American Wagyu N.Y. served medium rare with a grape fennel mustardo. 

The meat was well-cooked at medium rare, but needed more seasoning. The mustardo was very nutty, which contributed to a richer taste. It’s topped with radish and a citrusy garnish that brings a lot of flavor.

We also had the Roasted Boneless Colorado Rack of Lamb with Fried Fig-Orange Gremolata.

The lamb had a very gamey taste, but it was well seasoned, and we really enjoyed it. The fig-orange glaze was very citrusy and flavorful; we just wish it had more so we could enjoy even more!

The Sorpresine Pasta served with Dungeness crab and Santa Barbara uni butter was huge!

The portion size for this pasta was very large, and we really enjoyed its presentation. The pasta was cooked al dente, and the large amount of crab stole the show. We thought the broth was a bit too salty on its own, but it paired beautifully together for one bite.

We also tried the Elevated and Reminiscent Valrhona Chocolate Bar.

This chocolate bar was like an elevated Twix. The wafer at the bottom had a great crunch and was covered in rich chocolate frosting. The top is hazelnut praline, which made for some great flavor variety.

Last was our Parting Nibble.

These are bite-sized salted caramel and white chocolate candies. They were so much better than your typical mint or chocolates from other restaurants.

To drink, we picked up both the Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic Wine Pairing. The alcoholic pairing has four wines that pair with each course, while the nonalcoholic pairing has two zero-proof drinks and two non-alcoholic drinks. 

For the non-alcoholic, first was the Copenhagen Sparkling Green Tea.

We loved this drink – it’s a sparkling green tea with a pleasant aroma and a smooth aftertaste. Anyone who likes green tea should try it.

Next was the Copenhagen Sparkling Jasmin White Tea.

This had nice, subtle jasmine flavors with great carbonation. It was fruity, soft, and sophisticated.

Then we tried the Kollone Nulle 0 Verdejo. 

This is a zero-proof wine, so it has a wine flavor without the alcohol. It tasted like a light apple cider with a smooth, juice-like texture.

Last was the Pierre Zero Signature Grenache.

We weren’t a big fan of this last one. It tasted like church grape juice but with a milder flavor. It just didn’t compare to the other 3 standout options.

For the Alcoholic Wine Pairing, the first was the Arotz Txakolina Basque Wine.

This was very light, very light, and dry. It had great citrus notes that we loved!

Next was Alban Vineyards Viognier.

There was a strong aroma with prominent citrus notes and a very robust flavor, but we felt like there were too many flavors going on.

Then we tried The Terraces Chardonnay.

This was our favorite! It was crispy and not too sweet, but it was so fruity that it tasted more like a juice than a wine.

Next was L Chardonnay. 

This was dry, crisp, and fruity. It paired great with the fish of the day!

Magic or Tragic?

This Disneyland restaurant is a must-visit if…

• • You want chef-driven cuisine. The chefs are dedicated to their craft and deliver phenomenal food. The dining room has an 18-person bar where you can sit at the counter and watch the chefs in action! The dishes also change seasonally for new options every time you visit.
  • You want something special. This is the perfect spot for a high-end, luxurious spurge meal or celebration. The dishes had amazing attention to detail, and our service was stellar.
  • Wine isn’t your thing. We loved the nonalcoholic wine pairings, and nonalcoholic options are rare in the fine dining world, but this experience might not be worth the money to you if you don’t care about wine.

You should skip this Disneyland spot if…

• • You’re headed straight from the parks. Napa Rose has a dress code that strongly discourages hats, tank tops, shorts, ripped jeans, athletic wear, and crop tops.
  • You have kids or picky eaters. The menu is very flavorful and adventurous. While they have a kids’ menu, it’s not the Disney chicken nuggets they’ve lived off all vacation.
  • You’re watching your budget. Napa Rose is a leisurely, premium experience, but there are cheaper, elevated dining experiences in the area.

 

We loved the new Napa Rose Restaurant menu. It’s sophisticated and luxurious with options for everyone. It’s truly an experience – the new dining room is gorgeous, the service was stellar, and the food is some of the best in Anaheim. It’s a must-visit if you’re looking for your next fine dining experience!

In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for more restaurant updates from Disneyland and beyond. Make sure you stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney news and more!

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Have you eaten at this Disney World restaurant before? Tell us in the comments.

Disclosure: We were invited by Disney to attend a media preview of Napa Rose’s reopening. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.

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