Downtown Disney is stepping up its culinary game from burgers, pizza, coffee and pretzels with a new level of fine dining offering steaks, hand-made dumplings and gourmet Mexican food from a Michelin-starred chef.
The outdoor shopping mall next to Disneyland has already brought in a trio of Mexican restaurant concepts from celebrity chef Carlos Gaytan with plans for a Din Tai Fung dumpling house later this year and a new steakhouse in the near future.
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In early May, Gaytan opened his new Paseo restaurant, Centrico courtyard bar and Tiendita grab-and-go stand that focus on his signature style combining Mexican flavors with a French haute cuisine culinary style.
Gaytan’s Mexique restaurant in Chicago was awarded a Michelin Star in 2013, making him the first Mexican-born chef to earn the coveted honor. That same year, Gaytan joined Bravo’s “Top Chef” reality competition show as a contestant. This week, Gaytan’s restaurant HA’ in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo received a Michelin star, among the first awarded to eateries in that country.
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The new Paseo, Centrico and Tiendita eateries run by the Patina Restaurant Group take over spaces formerly occupied by Catal restaurant, Uva bar and Sprinkles cupcake bakery.
“Part of the overall vision of Downtown Disney is to be able to elevate the existing spaces and concepts,” Patina Restaurant Group President John “JK” Kolaski said. “We worked with our partners in Disney to understand what their vision is for the future of Downtown Disney, the parks here and the near future of what they’re working on. It’s about elevating the food and beverage offerings.”
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Din Tai Fung will start serving its internationally acclaimed Shanghai-style Xiao Long Bao soup dumplings this summer in Downtown Disney.
The family-owned restaurant chain has locations in Southern California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Korea.
The Taiwan-based restaurant has been awarded a Michelin Star five times at its Hong Kong location.
The Orange County Register named Din Tai Fung in Costa Mesa to its annual list of the 75 Best Places to Eat in Orange County and called the chain’s famous soup dumplings that have spawned countless imitators “still the ones to beat.”
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Disneyland will once again be home to a steakhouse after shuttering Steakhouse 55 in the Disneyland Hotel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
New steakhouse and barbecue concepts are planned for the former Tortilla Jo’s location in Downtown Disney.
No name, operator or opening date have been announced for the new Downtown Disney steakhouse.
Morton’s, Fleming’s and Ruth’s Chris are unlikely contenders — unless one of them can be lured across Katella Avenue from their locations near the Anaheim Convention Center.
Patina operates Nick + Stef’s Steakhouse by James Beard Award-winning chef Joachim Splichal in downtown Los Angeles and Midtown Manhattan.
New entrant Levy Restaurants — which is behind the new Parkside Market coming to Downtown Disney — runs NBA legend Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse at a casino in Washington state.
