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The lively City of Buena Park, California, may be well known as a premiere location for theme park fans and entertainment seekers, but you may not know that this town has its roots in food.
Buena Park’s Boysenberry
Rudolph Boysen and Knott’s Berry Farm founder, Walter Knott, created the boysenberry here in 1932 through an experimental mixing of a loganberry, raspberry, and blackberry. The delightfully tart treat inspired Walter’s wife, Cordelia, to begin churning out her delectable fried chicken with a side of boysenberry pie at their restaurant, Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner. Its popularity eventually led to building Knott’s Berry Farm Theme Park just next door, with many other award-winning dining locations popping up throughout the city over the years. In the springtime, the theme park celebrates its culinary history with the Boysenberry Festival, a boysenberry food and wine extravaganza—from stuffed churros to funnel cakes and even savory items like mac and cheese or BBQ.
Award-winning Restaurants Await You in Buena Park
A household name in the area is Porto’s Bakery & Café, known throughout the region for their Cuban sandwiches and potato balls. The Los Angeles Times recently named Porto’s the Best of the Southland. Ramen & Tsukemen TAO garnered the honor of a MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand for their savory ramen and tsukemen dipping noodles. They come in a broth that takes over 40 hours to prepare.
Those looking for more of a white tablecloth experience can dine at Gaucho Grill, an Argentine steakhouse with wagyu ribeye and warm empanadas. Portillo’s Hot Dogs is a local hot spot that serves up Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, and cake shakes. Portillo’s has won 5 Silver Platter Awards for Best Restaurant in the Country. Korean food enthusiasts are encouraged to visit The Source OC. Foodies can munch on soufflé pancakes at Basilur Tea, shabu shabu at DPot, and pistachio donuts at Old Ferry Donut. For some of the best Korean BBQ outside of Korea, Buena Park boasts spots to choose from in every corner of the city. Notable options include Gangnam Station, Kyung Bok Kung, and M Korean.
Dinner and a Show
Visitors looking for dinner and a show can find two of the world’s most interactive dinner shows in Buena Park. They include Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, and Pirates Dinner Adventure. Buena Park is also host to lively nightlife with themed bars, craft beers, and specialty cocktails. Enjoy a late-night beverage at The Cauldron, a witchy lounge that serves French cuisine with a twist. Or, choose a themed cocktail like the Knotty Kid, which comes topped with boysenberry cotton candy. If Soju is more your speed, visit Misoolkwan OC. You will have a Korean style pub experience of every flavor of Soju you can imagine.
For more information on first-class dining, go to VisitBuenaPark.com/Awards.
—Photos provided by Visit Buena Park—
