LEGO bricks rule the floor of the Frog Pond. Tad and Lily are avid builders, so it's no surprise that LEGOLAND California is one of their top parks. It's hard to go wrong in a park built on memories made with the famous bricks. While Leap and I aren't builders, we have our fun by filling our stomachs. LEGOLAND California Resort in Carlsbad, California, offers some of the more diverse theme park food and healthier choices we have seen in our travels. The park includes food grown locally, and it makes its own fresh pasta. Of course, their familiar theme park staples and treats are pretty tasty too! And we like that some of the food choices are of an international flavor and foods you don't normally find in U.S. theme parks.
Keep in mind that following the LEGOLAND California reopening period, there are more limited food options in the park than usual. Use the LEGOLAND California app to locate the open restaurants and their hours. Most of the locations covered here are open.
Here’s a Look at the Best LEGOLAND California Food
Whether you want a quick bite or a big meal, there is plenty of yummy LEGOLAND California food to enjoy.
Ninja Kitchen
In Ninjago World, you can fuel up for battle by eating street food at Ninja Kitchen. This quick-service outside eatery has a bit of a food truck feel with seating and standing areas. Try the Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwiches filled with crispy pork belly or lemongrass chicken or sweet chili tofu on a freshly baked baguette. Other options include a steamed Bao Bun or rice bowl.
Everything is Ramen!
Another Asian option that is healthy and made fresh is located in the new LEGO Movie World. You’ll find no mass-produced fast food sitting under a heat lamp here. The food is custom-made to order. Choose from ramen, rice bowls and salads. Lily loved her orange chicken. We loved the ramen.
Ocean Journey Café
After visiting the Sea Life Aquarium, you’ll end your journey in this indoor air-conditioned café. They offer locally sourced food in a market-style restaurant. You can also access the restaurant without going through the aquarium. Choices include gourmet mac and cheese, Angus beef sliders, salads, and havarti and cheddar grilled cheese sandwiches.
Knights’ Smokehouse BBQ
Meat lovers will be drawn towards the wafting smoke of the Knights’ Smokehouse BBQ over on Castle Hill. Feast on some Texas BBQ that was cooked slowly in a smoker. Enjoy pulled pork, chicken, pork ribs and beef brisket. Adults can enjoy craft beer. They also have burgers and hot dogs. Lily enjoys the kids meal, which comes in a bag we keep to reuse.
Pizza Mania
We really like the pizza at Pizza Mania. Each person gets a fresh, hot personal pizza. Kids can share or get a meal that includes half a pizza, juice and fruit snacks. Or maybe they are hungry enough for their own whole pizza. Pizza lovers with a big appetite like Tad might get the most for their money with a family combo meal. Our family loves the Pizza Mania pizza the best. It fills us up for the best price.
Pizza and Pasta Buffet
The Pizza and Pasta Buffet offers all-you-can-eat pasta and sauces, pizza, salads, breadsticks and soft drinks. If you have really hungry bellies to fill and want salad and pasta (and refillable drinks!) with your pizza, this might be the right ticket.
Urban Kitchen
This market-style restaurant in Fun Town offers fresh food that is prepared in front of you. They offer Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, Asian chicken stir-fry and a full salad bar. Save some room for Breyers ice cream, toadally cute baked goods or their Create-a-Shake counter where you can create your own custom shake recipe.
Best LEGOLAND California Treats
LEGOLAND offers some unique treats to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Granny’s Apple Fries
Oh, those apple fries. Granny's Apple Fries on Castle Hill are a unique treat that was invented at LEGOLAND. They look like French fries but are apples dusted with cinnamon and sugar and topped with a vanilla cream dipping sauce. Yum! Definitely high on our list of the best LEGOLAND California food and treats.
Churros con Chocolate
Did you know that LEGOLAND makes its churros from scratch using an authentic Spanish recipe? You can get them dipped in Belgian chocolate for an even sweeter treat.
Benny's Rocket Fuel
If you need to stop for a quick fuel-up, you can get blue Space Quest popcorn and other treats such as ice cream, frozen lemonade and slushies in LEGO Movie World!
Cloud Cuckoo Crepes
After you finish your ramen in LEGO Move World, hop by Cloud Cuckoo Crepes for dessert. You can enjoy different flavors such as Nutella, sugar and berries.
There are plenty of other places to get your traditional theme park burgers, hot dogs, pizza and sandwiches throughout the park (especially if your froglet is not an adventurous eater). But we enjoy trying something a little different each time we visit LEGOLAND. We find that they offer enough diversity to satisfy all the members of the Frog Family.
We often end our day with a Magic Swirl flavored ice cream near the park exit. It somehow makes leaving the park a lot sweeter for the kids (who we often need to bribe in order to leave). You can also pick up locally grown strawberries (in late winter through spring) and other healthy treats at the market near the entrance/exit before leaving.
If you have any food allergies or dietary needs, hop by the LEGOLAND California dietary guide for a list of options at each location.
If your mouth is watering after reading about the best LEGOLAND California food and treats, let us know what your favorite bite is in the comments. Did you know you can save money on LEGOLAND California tickets including hoppers? That means more money left over for treats! Brick appetite!
Related: Building A Perfect Day At LEGOLAND California
Related: Our Awesome Guide to the All-New LEGO Movie World at LEGOLAND California
Hoppy planning!
