Anaheim Convention Center – Foodie Guide

Anaheim welcomes millions of visitors every year. Many of those visitors are headed to an event at the Anaheim Convention Center or off to Disneyland Park. While the venue and the park have great food options on site, you don’t want to make the mistake of not venturing out into Anaheim to eat.

Anaheim has some amazing restaurants. Whether it’s Latin-inspired dishes, Asian cuisine, or vegan bites, this city has something everyone can enjoy. To help you find something you’ll love, here is the ultimate Foodie Guide for the best eateries near the Anaheim Convention Center. Mark your maps, get out there, and dig in!

 

Olive Tree Restaurant

Anaheim Convention CenterA 10-minute drive from the Anaheim Convention Center will bring you to Olive Tree Restaurant, an eatery serving authentic Middle Eastern food. It’s so well-loved that OC Weekly placed Olive Tree in its top five restaurants in Orange County. To understand the praise and experience true Arabian culture and cuisine, visit the Little Arabia District of Anaheim and enjoy homestyle Middle Eastern food at Olive Tree.

The food at Olive Tree is served fresh each day. Try one of their most popular dishes, mansaf, which is lamb cooked in a hot yogurt broth and served over rice. Mahashey is another dish worth trying, particularly if you are a vegetarian. It is made of stuffed squash, eggplant, and grape leaves. For dessert, you don’t want to miss out on their baklava.

 

Zankou Chicken

The Iskenderian family opened their first restaurant in Lebanon in 1962. Upon traveling to Los Angeles, they brought their passion for food to the United States, opening Zankou Chicken. Over the years, they’ve expanded their eateries to other parts of California, including Anaheim. You’ll find Zankou Chicken four miles from the Anaheim Convention Center.

With a goal of serving delicious food made with high-quality ingredients at a fair price to the community, you’re bound to fall in love with Zankou’s flavorful dishes. There is a selection of rotisserie chicken dishes made with their famous garlic spread. You can also choose from traditional Mediterranean food, such as tri-tip shwarma or vegan falafel. Zankou also listened to their customers and added various kabobs to the menu as well. Much like Olive Tree, save room for their tasty baklava.

 

Pour Vida Latin Flavor

Located on West Center Street Promenade, which is about an 11-minute drive from the Anaheim Convention Center, is Pour Vida Latin Flavor. Owner and chef, Jimmy Martinez, grew up immersed in both Puerto Rican and Mexican cultures. His passion for cooking emerged at a young age. As his skills and experience grew, he eventually opened Pour Vida to bring fresh and flavorful Latin dishes to his community.

There you can enjoy handcrafted tacos that will please your taste buds without hurting your wallet. They’ve got plenty of tacos to choose from. If you’re a meat lover, try the mango pork, fried chicken, or pineapple skirt steak taco. There’s also a section of seafood tacos, including spicy ahi tuna and tempura oyster.

If you’re vegetarian, Pour Vida didn’t leave you out. They’ve included a “From the Garden” section of tacos that are meatless. Options for meatless tacos include carrot potato, cauliflower, quinoa, and Brussels sprouts. No matter your choice of taco, pair it with a seasonal fresh-pressed juice.

 

Healthy Junk

Healthy Junk is also located on Center Street Promenade, making it about 11 minutes from the Anaheim Convention Center as well. This is a vegan eatery, but carnivores and veggie lovers alike rave about it just the same. It’s the perfect spot to eat out without fast food guilt.

There’s a lot to choose from at Healthy Junk. Start off with a snack, such as a half order of Skinny Fries. Then move on to either a Junky Mex like the wet burrito, which is a mix of sauteed vegetables and mushrooms, or a Hot Bowl like curry. Sandwiches are also available, including a portobello burger and the Cripsy Chik Burger. Save room for some sweet junk too. Indulge with decadent carrot cake or dairy-free ice cream.

 

PokiNometry

Anaheim Convention CenterIn the same area as Pour Vida and Healthy Junk is the Hawaiian- and Japanese-inspired eatery, PokiNometry. Since it is only about 10 minutes from the Anaheim Convention Center, it is worth the drive to see what makes this poke spot so unique.

Poke is a Hawaiian term for a thin slice, and a poke bowl typically consists of different types of thinly sliced fish, such as tuna, shrimp, salmon, or octopus. What makes this restaurant special is the way it combines Hawaiian tradition with the essence of sushi.

Diners choose from seven bases, such as sushi rice, chips, wraps, or harusame, eight types of fish, and 15 toppings. If you can’t decide on just one base, you can ask for half and half. PokiNometry wants its patrons to make a poke bowl the exact way they want it, so customize away!

 

Blake’s Place

This final stop is the farthest from the Anaheim Convention Center, but well worth the 16-minute drive if you want real barbecue and smoked meats. Blake’s Place opened in 1996, and since then they’ve served over one million guests. Their high-quality ingredients and state-of-the-art wood-burning barbecue pits make this eatery stand out above the rest.

Blake’s Place is truly a haven for barbecue enthusiasts. The menu is filled with dishes like pork spare rib plates, baby back ribs, beef brisket, and a barbecue chicken sandwich. If you are up for a challenge, take on The Beast. This massive sandwich comes piled high with smoked pulled pork, pulled barbecue chicken, chopped beef brisket, coleslaw, pickles, sliced red onion, and Blake’s barbecue sauce all served on an oversized, freshly baked bun. It’s a major feat to be able to demolish this two and a half-pound sandwich. If you don’t think you can handle the whole thing, take a stab at the Lil’ Beast instead.