#28: When Do We Eat?
Every morning in the 30 days leading up to WonderCon Anaheim 2014 (from March 19 to April 18), we’re going to offer our “Toucan Tip of the Day,” a tiny tidbit of terrific information that we hope add to your enjoyment of the show. To view all of our WCA 2014 Toucan Tips, please click on the “Tip of the Day” link under Categories at the top of our sidebar on the right; all published tips will appear, with the latest at the top.
Food is an essential part of any convention experience, whether it’s during con hours or after hours. And at WonderCon Anaheim 2014, we have you covered! There are plenty of food options inside the Anaheim Convention Center and right outside of it. There are major food concession areas inside both Hall B and Hall C, which will be open during Exhibit Hall hours. There are also other options in the lobby area and in the Arena. And once again there will be food trucks outside in the plaza area in front of the Convention Center. Let’s repeat that: THERE WILL BE FOOD TRUCKS IN THE PLAZA AREA … TEN OF THEM!
The Convention Center choices include Tacos la Guerra, Falafel Cart, and The Melt in the AB Courtyard. The Hall B and Hall C concession stands are: Classix Concessions, Hearst Ranch Grill, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Delifornia (Hall B); Classix Concessions, Hearst Ranch Grille, Urban Wok, and Delifornia (Hall C). Hall B also features Pizza Fresca; Hall C has Anaheim Grill Sausages. At various locations in the Exhibit Hall and lobbies will be Java City, Coffee Island, and snack carts.
The food trucks on the front plaza are: Barcelona on the Go, Burger Monster, Tasting Spoon, Viking Truck, Devilicious, Kala, The Bite Truck, Garlic Scapes, Chunk n Chip, and Mustache Mike’s. (Please note that all Convention Center concessions and food trucks are subject to change.)
Right next door to the center are the Anaheim Marriott (our headquarters hotel) and the Hilton Anaheim. The Marriott houses a Starbucks and several restaurants, including the Café Del Sol Restaurant, JW’s Steakhouse, Pizza Hut, and Degrees Wine and Patio Bar. The Hilton features Mix Restaurant and Mix Lounge, and its own Food Court, located on the Convention Center side of the hotel, featuring Sbarro, Baja Fresh Express, Just Grillin’, and Submarina, plus a Starbucks in the lobby.
For after-hours dining, Downtown Disney features a group of shops, restaurants, and a multiplex movie theater and is open to the public without a theme park admission (although you have to pay for parking). There are numerous options for quick snacks and beverages, or enjoy fine dining in one of their many restaurants: Catal, Crossroads at House of Blues, ESPN Zone, La Brea Bakery, Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria, Rainforest Cafe, Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, Tortilla Joe's, Uva Bar, and Voodoo Lounge at House of Blues.
Right down Katella Avenue from the Convention Center is The Shops at Anaheim GardenWalk, which features Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., California Pizza Kitchen, Cheesecake Factory, Fire & Ice Grill and Bar, Johnny Rockets, McCormick & Schmick’s Grille, P. F. Chang’s China Bistro, and Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine, plus numerous shops and a multiplex theater.
The area around the Convention Center—Katella Ave., West St., Harbor Blvd., and Orangewood Ave.—also features numerous restaurants and shops.