Downtown Disney continues to add compelling food options as it follows along the rest of Disneyland Resort’s overall journey toward brand-name restaurants. Yesterday, the Disneyland blog shared renderings of the incoming Parkside Market, which will include fast-casual Korean restaurant Seoul Sister, Sip & Sonder cafe, GG’s Chicken Soup, and a second-story bar area with strong midcentury modern design. Parkside Market will be operated by Levy Restaurants, which manages food and beverage operations at Crypto.com Arena and numerous other sports venues.
Parkside Market will join the new two-story Earl of Sandwich with a quick service outlet on the ground floor and a full-service bistro upstairs. Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney currently occupies a prime space just near the entrance to Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure that was for many years a location of La Brea Bakery. That structure will be demolished to make way for an incoming Porto’s Bakery and Cafe — easily one of Southern California’s busiest and most beloved restaurants.
Finally, the blog shared some more hints about Carlos Gaytán’s forthcoming trio of eateries: Paseo, Céntrico, and Tiendita. They will encompass a second-floor dining room, first-floor bar and courtyard restaurant, and a grab-and-go spot — all serving modern Mexican food. Gaytán’s Chicago restaurant Mexique earned a Michelin star in Chicago before closing in 2018.
Flor y Solera quietly closes
Opened in February 2023 by chef Mònica Angelats as part of the Factory Place Hospitality Group, Flor y Solera has appeared to have closed in Arts District in the past few weeks. The restaurant took over a gorgeous warehouse space lined with colorful tiles as part of a wave of Spanish places washing over the city. Eater reached out to Factory Hospitality CEO Matteo Ferdinandi, who is traveling in Europe, about the closure and received no comment.
Menu trends in the U.S.
The New York Times published an interactive feature that catalogs menu design trends happening across the U.S. and at least three LA restaurants are featured. Poltergeist’s bold menu was mentioned for its striking design, Pijja Palace sports very small fonts on a basic laser-printed sheet, and Baroo’s menu lists every staffer in the kitchen and front of the house.
The Jolly Oyster’s safety statement
As over 200 people in Southern California have come down with norovirus attributed to raw oysters served in restaurants, the Jolly Oyster, which sells products from Baja California, shared on Instagram that its source in San Quintin has not been closed. The oyster purveyor and Culver City counter said it conducts non-required tests at all levels of production and distribution and complies with FDA regulations. LA County officials have told the public to avoid oysters until they’re declared safe to eat again.
A Grammy-winning restaurateur
Grammy award-winning performer and producer Marc Anthony announced on Instagram that he is one of the partners backing Wes Avila’s new Monterrey-influenced restaurant MXO opening with SBE on La Cienega Boulevard.