Two New Food Marketplaces Join Disney's 2023 Lunar Festival

A new year brings in the feelings of a fresh start and a chance for reinvention. While most Western cultures celebrate the beginning of the new year on January 1, many living in Asian countries celebrate the Lunar New Year. The Lunar New Year, sometimes referred to as Chinese New Year, changes dates each year since it follows the lunar calendar. 

The Lunar New Year celebrates new beginnings, including good health, prosperity, and the appearance of spring (per Seventeen). Like any good celebration, food is a focal point. While you can cook traditional lunar new year foods, several restaurant chains also offer special lunar new year menus and events. To celebrate the year of the tiger, Starbucks in South Korea sold specialty teas and lattes while McDonald's hosted a concert featuring Chinese hip-hop artist Masiwei.

Not one to be left out, Disney California Adventure Park will host its annual Lunar New Year celebration to ring in the year of the rabbit. Foodies will appreciate the park's food marketplace, which includes stalls that sell a variety of Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese dishes. The two new stalls joining this year's lineup are Bamboo Blessings and Wrapped with Love. These new stalls join four others, so visitors will be able to enjoy plenty of options.

According to All Ears, the other stalls include Lucky 8 Lantern, Prosperity Bao & Buns, Red Dragon Spice Traders, and Longevity Noodle Co. The festival will open on January 20 and go through February 15, giving visitors plenty of time to try all of the booths. The menus for each stand are being kept under wraps until the festival officially opens. Visitors have the option to purchase a Sip and Savor Pass, which grants them bites at all participating merchants and food throughout the festival for one price.

In addition to the food stalls, guests will be able to enjoy bites throughout the park. Last year, Mashed ranked all of Disneyland's Lunar New Year foods, and while the whole fried fish from the Paradise Garden Grill ended up as the best bite, Lucky 8 Lantern's shrimp fried rice was a close second. 

If you get thirsty while strolling around eating delicious bites of food, the festival has you covered. Disneyland California Adventure allows alcoholic beverages to be sold, and last year Prosperity Bao & Buns served up the Prosperous Tiger (per WDW News Today). The alcoholic drink was made with vodka, cream of coconut, mandarin, and vanilla paste. The new and returning offerings are sure to ring in the new year in the tastiest way possible.