48 Hour Guide: Anaheim Edition
Looking for a foodie inspired getaway? Well you gotta Visit Anaheim ! We truthfully had no idea they had so many foodie inspired hidden gems! It’s now one of our favorite spots for a weekend getaway — whether we’re going to Disney, catching an Angels game, or just exploring all the breweries, restaurants, and neighborhoods— Anaheim really has a little something for everyone. Check out our recommendations below!
Where to Stay
Anaheim has so many hotels to choose from. But we personally love staying at the Anaheim Marriot! Every time we visit this property we are blown away by the cleanliness, ambiance, and the kindness from each and every staff member!
The view from the Anaheim Marriot
The team at the Anaheim Marriot is so attentive to our needs — whether it’s an extra towel or a late night bite to eat (or bottle to drink) — we have never been disappointed with our stay at the Anaheim Marriot. The beds are comfortable, the room is spacious, and the bathrooms are beautiful. We highly recommend getting a room with a balcony, if they’re available. Watch the fireworks, or enjoy the sunset — either way, it’s a great spot to relax after a fun day in Anaheim!
What to Do: Day 1
There’s a lot of different things to do in Anaheim. You can always go to Disneyland, yes. But have you had a chance to really explore all the ins and outs of Anaheim? There’s a lot of different communities throughout the city of Anaheim, all serving some delicious bites from various cultures.
We highly recommend checking out The Little Arabia District! While exploring this hidden gem of Orange County, we learned that Little Arabia District is the center for Orange County’s Arab-American community. This area has a long history dating back all the way to the 1950’s, and continues to build momentum and recognition today.
If you’re looking for a bite to eat, you should visit Koftegi , a Turkish grill serving up some insanely delicious eats! The decor feels like you’re stepping into chef’s home country of Turkey — it’s beautiful with so much to look at and explore.
Dining Room at Koftegi
We ordered a traditional Turkish coffee, which happens to be one of Chris’s favorites. It’s served in a lovely cup that resembles those they use in Turkey! We also ordered the Chef’s Platter, which gave us the opportunity to try various meets and yummy bites. I am not always a huge fan of Hummus, but their hummus was SO delicious. Definitely recommend!
After lunch we were looking for something sweet, so we decided to walk next door to get a traditional Palestinian desert known as Knafeh. With crumbled pistachio on top, and cheesy gooeyness in the middle — it’s a really delicious balance of both sweet and salty!
Perfectly Prepared Knafeh at Knafeh Cafe
After some yummy bites, we decided to go to a local Market to pick up some aleppo, one of my favorite spices! I actually it them to my Avocado Toast, funny enough. I highly recommend! They also had a beautiful array of fresh produce, as well as a vast array of meets and yummy treats you wouldn’t find at a regular grocery store.
After a delicious afternoon in the Little Arabia District, we decided to grab a beer. Did you know that Anaheim has the most breweries in all of Orange County? They definitely have a lot of great ones to pick from, so we started off with Everywhere Beer!
Outdoor Patio at Everywhere Brewing
Once we arrived at Everywhere Brewing we immediately saw why this place was recommended. The branding and vibe was so modern and cute — it was a perfect spot for friends to get together and enjoy a beer. The beer was also really good — Chris got a pilsner and I got a fruited beer, both very delicious!
happy chris and good beer!
After a long day, we went back to the hotel to relax for a bit. We had one more spot we had to hit up for the night —- but we heard it was the most “popping” at night time… so we waited a bit.
Once the sun went down, it was the perfect time — Don Churros Gomez here we come!
The famed Don Churros Gomez
With 50 years of churro making, Don Churros Gomez is a local legend crafting up some of the tastiest bites for foodies. These made from scratch churros are freshly piped, fried, rolled and topped with ice cream and sauce. We poked our head in and took a behind the scenes look into how Don Churros Gomez makes their famous churros!
freshly fried churros at Don Churros Gomez
We chatted with their team to learn how it works. From their custom made churro gun that pipes their 50+ year old recipe into bubbling hot and clean oil, to the spiral design that they make creating a singular piece that is removed, cooled, and cut to order — they got this process down! These churros coudln’t be made more carefully. Once they are cooled a few degrees and cut they are quickly doused in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar , but not too much in order to keep the careful combination of sweet and doughy right in the middle. These tasty bites are now ready to serve to the hungry masses of foodies!
For those looking for a sweeter combo they have quite a few options ranging from vanilla ice cream, powered sugar, and carmel sauce. As well as my favorite, the strawberry ice cream, powdered sugar and strawberry syrup. Be sure to try the OG “El Churro Gomez”, a thicker more donut like churro smothered with Cajeta (a Mexican Carmel). Its a unique and classic option worthy of a bite…. or three.
This spot gets busy and there was a line forming at least 30 minutes prior to opening. So if you are interested in going, be sure to get there early and be ready to wait! The atmosphere is fun though, they have music playin and its steps from the Anaheim Marketplace, the largest indoor swap meet. It’s a perfect place to kill some time, while you wait for your order!
Churros Con Nieve (w/Ice Cream)
What to Do: Day 2
After a relaxing night at the Anaheim Marriot, we got ready for our day and headed out for breakfast at Pour Vida. This spot is known for its over the top creations - especially their Chilaquiles and Concha Bread Pudding French Toast. After ordering a mimosa and a cafe de olla, we dove into these dishes and fell in love! Chris is kinda picky about his chilaquiles and mentioned that these were very very cheesy…. which he loved!
After our delicious breakfast, we had one more spot on our list to visit this weekend — Rad Beer Co. This fun and casual spot features a great tap list of west coast IPAs, pilsners, as well as a massive selection of pinball machines. Chris loves classic arcade games, especially when he has a beer! So we definitely had a good time! After sipping our beers, and picking up a 4 pack to go, we headed back down to San Diego. Hadn’t even hit the 405 yet, by the time we started talking about the next trip back to Anaheim!
