What to Eat (and Instagram) at Disney’s New Pixar Pier

Dear reader: I could say I did it for you. But let’s be real. I did it for the ’gram.

There I was over by the Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure’s new Pixar Pier, standing under the Incredibles arch, grasping a Jack-Jack chocolate chip cookie, positioning myself for the exact picture I craved. The plan was to hoist the cookie up toward the silhouette of Jack-Jack in the middle of the arch. And then I would take some photos before getting my Num Num on.

I didn’t get the perfect Instagram shot. I didn’t even get to eat that cookie. What I got instead, because these cookies are served fresh out of a conveyor-belt oven but mostly because I’m an idiot, is warm chocolate and crumbs all over my hands and shirt when I dropped the cookie on myself and then on the ground. It turns out that, even in the wondrous land of The Incredibles, gravity is more powerful than me precariously holding a soft oversized cookie with a thumb and forefinger while working my iPhone with the other hand. Lesson learned.

Thankfully, this was as messy as it got when I ate around Pixar Pier. Yes, there was bright red-hot cinnamon dust on my fingers after I visited the Se?or Buzz churro stand. But I’m proud of managing to photograph and eat some great soft-serve before anything melted.

Pixar Pier, which opened in June, is full of tasty, fun, and extremely photogenic treats, including some Inside Out-inspired delights that might really give you all of the feels, especially when you realize that Bing Bong ended up with his own magical candy store. Let’s make some memories, shall we?

Here’s your guide to eating your way around Pixar Pier:

Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff

This treats emporium/gift shop has Inside Out “cake pops” that actually have cookies inside. There are Incredibles krispies treats and Bing Bong caramel apples and rainbow cotton candy and flavored popcorn, among many other sugar-rush-inducing options. But we’re really here for the Memory Refresher frozen drinks, especially the highly Instagrammable Rainbow Unicorn slushie that tastes like berries, grapes, and lime. In keeping with the cheekiness of this store, we were told that the flavors in this icy beverage are red, purple, blue, green, and yellow. Bonus: The Bing Bong plush toys here smell like cotton candy.

Jack-Jack Cookie Num Nums

There’s no reason for cookie-obsessed Incredibles baby Jack-Jack to get agitated at Pixar Pier. He’s got his own cookie kiosk. The warm and gooey chocolate chip cookies (which, despite my personal disaster, I do suggest you try to Instagram under the adjacent Incredibles arch) here are made with two kinds of chips, including dark chocolate featuring 55 percent cacao. There are also shortbread cookies and totally satisfying jam-filled gluten-free cookies made with potato starch.

Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats

It’s understandable why people are saying that the non-dairy lemon soft-serve here is the new Dole Whip. The lemon flavor is slightly sweet, pleasantly sour, and totally refreshing. Plus, the Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats kiosk is built for Instagram. You can hold a cone up toward the grinning monster atop the stand, or pose for selfies in front of a cool-blue backdrop. Order a Pixar Pier Frosty Parfait and you’ll get the lemon soft-serve with a blue raspberry swirl and a cherry on top.

Poultry Palace

You’ll probably want to Instagram your box of chicken before you open it. The box is a miniature version of the kiosk, so you’ll have plenty of photogenic options holding the box next to the kiosk. And the purple and yellow colors at Poultry Palace make it appealing to Lakers fans. But instead of LeBron, Poultry Palace features an ominous-looking baby Zurg. Fortunately, this Zurg is immobile so you can pose for photos without worrying about him turning his blaster gun on you. Anyway, the chicken drumsticks here are breaded and baked, delicious and juicy without being greasy like fried chicken. You can also get jumbo smoked turkey legs.

Angry Dogs

Whether you get a spicy Angry Dog or keep things mild with a Slightly Annoyed Dog, you’ll likely want to have some fun at the serve-yourself sauce station. I enjoyed mixing Raging (buffalo hot sauce) with Keeping It Together (ketchup) on my all-beef hot dog, and other options include Displeased (yellow mustard), Agitated (brown mustard), and Seething (sriracha ketchup).

Se?or Buzz Churros

Sweet and chewy churros are one of the most dependable treats all over Disney’s theme parks, and Pixar Pier is of course taking things to another orbit. The Cinnamon Sugar Galaxy churro amps things up with some edible glitter, while the Caliente Churro brings the heat with red-hot cinnamon.

Lamplight Lounge

Pixar Pier’s sit-down gastropub is where you can eat lobster nachos, crab-and-tuna sushi rolls, burgers, or ratatouille (of course) while you drink cocktails and enjoy lovely views of Paradise Bay and the Ferris wheel. For a family-friendly mocktail, or if you’re just feeling thirsty for Instagram likes, the Infinity Fizz starts with a bartender blasting carbon dioxide into the glass before mixing apple juice, apple syrup, Mountain Berry Blast Powerade, and cherry pearls. (It somehow tastes less sweet than you might think.) Thanks to the magic of dry ice, the whole concoction will fizz for more than a minute before it’s served, so you’ve got plenty of time for photos and videos. This is one of the best and easiest things to Instagram at Pixar Pier. You don’t even have to hold it.