A few weeks ago I went for my first pilgrimage to Disneyland. A big Disney fan, I’ve been to the Floridian Disneyworld several times, but this was my first trip to California.
My husband was at a trade show so I sampled only the counter service restaurants. I can’t wait to go again and try some of the full service restaurants in California Adventure.
Jolly Holiday Bakery Café
Located in Disneyland’s Main Street, the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe – previously the Blue Ribbon Bakery – was recently renovated and rebranded to include soups and sandwiches in addition to their vast assortment of baked goods. The name is a nod to the song in Mary Poppins – “Oh, it’s a jolly holiday with Mary …”.
I ordered the Jolly Holiday Combo – grilled cheese sandwich with tomato basil soup.

I’m not normally an eater of tomato based soups, but tomato basil soup with grilled cheese is a match for kings. They brilliantly pre-cut the sandwich for easy dipping.


French Market
The French Market is a cafeteria style spot with outdoor only seating. Set in New Orleans Square, it features delectable comfort foods from the area. Of course I had to try some jambalaya. As usual, portions were massive and I couldn’t finish my meal. The delicious non-alcoholic mint julep, on the other hand, went down like a breeze – I could have had two.

Every couple of hours, a trio performs New Orleans style blues, which I happened to catch. Nothing like an upright bass to make you feel like you’re in New Orleans.

Walk with Walt Tour Lunch
My last day I took a tour of Disneyland which included a lunch from the Jolly Holiday Bakery Café. I didn’t realize this when I ate there on my first day, although I’m still glad I went for the grilled cheese. The tour’s lunch was a cold served three-cheese sandwich with grapes and a cookie. While delicious, it was not quite as deluxe as the Jolly Holiday Combo.
A particular delight was the typical Disney gorgeous presentation. My meal was labelled with an artist’s hand. What a great surprise!
