One of the Oldest Restaurants at Downtown Disney Is Permanently Closing, and Fans Have Feelings
Catal Restaurant first opened its doors at Downtown Disney in 2001
Major changes are coming to Disneyland dining.
Catal Restaurant, which opened in Downtown Disney in 2001, is permanently closing its doors on April 14. The restaurant was well-known for its Mediterranean bites as well as its privileged terrace view of the Downtown Disney area.
“We’re celebrating an incredible, delightful, delicious 22 years — from now until our last day of service,” the restaurant said in an Instagram post. “Sip favorite cocktails from the last two decades as we toast to the laughs, the memories, and the meals. Come cheers with us one more time.”
As the Disneyland website explained, the restaurant “will soon be closing to make way for an exciting new addition to the Downtown Disney District.” The public relations team at Disney revealed in 2022 that the space will be taken over by chef Carlos Gaytan, whose first restaurant, Mexique, received a Michelin star in 2008.
“...Gaytan will bring his inclusive vision of Mexican cuisine to Paseo and Centrico in the locations currently occupied by Catal & Uva Bar, brought to life by Patina Restaurant Group,” Kelsey Lynch, the public relations director at Disneyland Resort, wrote in a blog post. “The restaurant and central courtyard bar and dining area will offer guests a multi-sensory journey to the heart of Chef Gaytan’s homeland.”
Though we’re sure Disneyland-goers will be delighted with the changes, fans of Catal were still saddened by the news.
“This breaks my heart! Food is delicious, Service is fantastic, and Breakfast with Santa is my family’s favorite Christmas tradition,” one follower shared on Instagram. “Going to Catal at Christmas time has always been our tradition since discovering Breakfast with Santa. It’s something my son looked forward to every single year. This is sad,” another added.
The closing of Catal isn’t the only change coming to Downtown Disney. Lynch explained in the blog post that Din Tai Fung will also open in the district to “offer guests their soup dumplings handcrafted right on site.”
Still, that’s likely little solace for die-hard Catal fans, like the one who simply commented on the restaurant’s Instagram, “Please don’t go.”
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