Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe reopened this weekend at the end of Disneyland Park’s Main Street, U.S.A. and we couldn’t be happier. With its great menu and vast seating, it was definitely missed. We visited on opening weekend to check the place out and try some of the new menu items.
From what we could tell, there weren’t many major cosmetic changes to the restaurant or the seating area. There may have been some minor tweaks, but the vibe is still the same.
The only troublesome change is hopefully temporary, and that is to the marquee, which now just reads Jolly Holiday (without Bakery Cafe). It looks bad in the daylight, and even worse at night.
Here is a pre-refurbishment picture for comparison. You’ll notice that the penguin is also missing from the current sign.
Now, on to the food. We tried the four new items and, while in reality we started with dessert, I’ll start with the lunch here.
The Jolly Holiday Chopped Salad [$12.99] was served with a creamy Italian vinaigrette and a fresh breadstick. There was so much variety in this salad that it’s almost easier to tell you what wasn’t on the plate, but I will do my best (from notes…not memory). On top of a bagged iceberg and red cabbage salad mix, the chefs placed (in no particular order) pepperoni, deli turkey, deli ham, Swiss cheese, green olives, pickled red onion, tomatoes, chickpeas, and pepperoncinis. The dressing was served on the side.
To me, this felt like just a chef’s salad with some Italian ingredients. It was a little confused. Also, with “chopped” in the name, I expected smaller pieces and perhaps the items tossed together.
Still, the salad was tasty and a reasonably good value for the $12.99 price. The breadstick, however, was not “fresh” and added nothing to the meal. I had one bite and didn’t need another. My companions saw my face and declined to try it. It was dry and flavorless.
The first new pastry is the Donald Macaron [$8.29], filled with cherry buttercream and vanilla bean cream. I typically find Disneyland macaron’s overly sweet and this is no exception. I am also not a huge fan of artificial cherry flavoring. It was definitely cute and a must for Donald Duck fans, but at $8.29, I won’t be getting it again. A better choice might be the Mickey-shaped raspberry rose macaron which is a staple at the restaurant.
The winner of the day was the Pineapple Bundt Cake [$6.79], topped with pineapple mousse and a cherry. This was a substantial dessert and perfect for sharing. The cake was dense, and there was a pineapple flavor throughout. It was so delicious that my companions purchased another one on their way out of the park to enjoy back at their hotel room.
Finally, we washed it all down with the seasonal coffee, a Toffee-Nut Cold Brew [$6.79]. While I don’t order coffee on a regular basis, I do enjoy an occasional iced coffee. This was actually very good, with a strong toffee flavor. If you’re looking for a cold brew and don’t want to brave the Market House line, this is a great option.
I do want to pass on some ordering tips for Jolly Holiday that are still in play after the refurbishment. Mobile Order for this restaurant tends to have an unreasonably long wait. The actual line at the restaurant is typically the better option.
If I’m in the parks and you’re looking for me just after rope drop, you’ll likely find me people watching from one of the tables around the edge of the restaurant enjoying my breakfast of a Diet Coke and an equally unhealthy pastry. Welcome back, Jolly Holiday!
