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Since its opening just 3 years ago, Anaheim Packing House has quickly become one of the major spots to eat in Orange County. Featuring a wide array of gourmet eateries, restaurants and shops, the Packing House offers a wide variety of eats for a group of friends or family with distinct palates.
Aside from food, Anaheim Packing House also has craft beer, bars, groceries, and even live entertainment on the weekends. This place has become such a popular hangout spot for people to bar-hop, eat and hang out with friends.
Despite numerous options, this place can quickly turn into a money pit of a meal. Dishes can range anywhere from $10-$30, making dining alone an arduous task, especially when wanting to try foods of different restaurants.
My solution? Bring several people with you and split the dishes! I have visited the Packing House several times with just one buddy to four or more, and we always get our fill when enlisting comrades to eat.
Our usual strategy: we split up and buy a dish from each place and then regroup to split our spoils with each other. This way, we can taste all the offerings of the Packing House, save money, and prevent getting a major food coma.
Read below for my favorite places to eat.
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The Kroft
The Kroft‘s poutine fries are a must-have when visiting the Packing House. With twice-fried fries, a special gravy and cheese curds, this is an incredibly indulgent take on the American french fry.
Also popular are their craft sandwiches. Loaded with meat and poutine, finishing this off with a side of beer is sure to hit the spot.
Must-try:
- Chicken Pot Fries: $8 – Chicken pot gravy, cheese curds, parsley
- Braised Short Rib Melt: $10 – Braised short rib, monterey jack cheese, pickled red onions on ciabatta
- Porchetta Sandwich: $10 – Pork belly, loin, cracklings, salsa verde, seasoned arugula, caramelized onions on ciabatta
- Fried Cheese Curds: $4 – Panko crumbs, cheddar and dipping sauce
Orange Tei
If you’re crazy for sushi and traditional Japanese food, Orange Tei will satisfy all your Asian cravings. They have an impressive ramen, poki bowl and delicious sake cocktails that make for a perfect summer lunch.
Must-try:
- Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen: $11 – Pork broth soup and noodles topped with chashu (pork or chicken), green onion, white onion and mamuru
- Crispy Spicy Tuna: $4 – Crispy rice, spicy tuna, jalapeño, citrus spicy paste
- Orange Tei Steamed Pork Buns: 2/$5 – Pork chashu, mayo, mizuna
- Sweet Iced Green Tea: $2
- Peach and Pineapple Sake Cocktail: $5 – Sake-infused pineapples in a peach tea
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Popbar
Image: Popbar
Popbar‘s popsicles aren’t your ordinary popsicles. Made from gelato or sorbet, their custom “pops” (as they call it) are more from hormone-free milk, real fruit, and no high fructose corn syrup. Simply pick your pop base and then choose your dippings and toppings, or “poppings.”
An additional bonus? For just an extra $0.50, you can get unlimited dippings or poppings. Popbar’s pops are a way to enjoy gelato on the go while exploring the rest of the Packing District.
Menu:
- popSorbetto: $3.49
- popGelato / yogurtPop: $3.99
- Unlimited dippings: $0.50
- Unlimited poppings: $0.50
- My favorite pop: Green Tea Kit Kat – green tea pop with a white chocolate drizzle, dark chocolate dip, and waffle cone poppings
Mini Monster
Mini Monster boba drinks come in cute reusable containers and cotton candy toppings upon request. Although they are priced a bit higher than most boba shops, their $4 bobas can be placed into a huge mason jar for only $2 more. This is a huge serving of delicious milk tea and a generous helping of boba.
Must-try:
- Rainbow Cloud: $5.75 – your choice of milk tea, fresh boba and fresh cotton candy sprinkled with fruit pebbles
- Freshly Brewed Thai Tea: $4
- Strawberry Lemonade: $4
The Iron Press
The Iron Press is a holy matrimony of all things delicious sandwiched between waffles. From cereal-topped ice cream to buttermilk fried chicken, this is heaven for those who love waffles with an ice-cold beer.
The Iron Press also has a “Hoppy Hour” from Monday-Friday 3-6PM. With $5 beers, $3.50 special drafts and $10 flights, you’ll be able to get your fill of beer and waffles without fighting the weekend bustle.
Must-try:
- The Fried Chicken Sandwich: $12 – Buttermilk fried chicken, spicy slaw on a jalapeño cheddar waffles with a side of jalapeño maple syrip. Comes with a choice of tater tots, waffle fries, mixed greens salad or caesar salad
- The Count of Monte Cristo: $12 – Two fried eggs and choice of bacon, ham, hot polish or smoked bratwurst on a cheddar waffle with smashed tater tots and garlic aioli.
- Beer Flight: $13
- Ice Cream Wammy: $7 – Maple bacon ice cream sandwiched between a vanilla waffle
- Are You Cereal?: $7 – Choice of Cap’n Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, Reese’s Peanut Butter Puffs or Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal infused waffle with milk drizzle and vanilla ice cream
The Blind Rabbit
The Blind Rabbit is a secret speakeasy bar that’s hidden away from the public eye. Find crates full of Japanese kegs downstairs to the left of the Rolling Boil, and pull down on the bunny on the middle shelf. True to a speakeasy, you also need a password, which you can find on their Instagram page. Without the password or reservations, waits can be anywhere between 1-2 hours, so make sure you plan ahead.
Keep in mind that they do have a dress code, too – no baseball caps, short, sandals or logo T-shirts. They also have a few rules to abide by when you enter to keep the atmosphere as true to an old speakeasy as possible.
The Blind Rabbit has a wide variety of craft cocktails and food. Although drinks around usually priced between $10-$13, it’s fair to say that you definitely pay for the speakeasy experience.
Must-try:
- Duck Confit Mac & Cheese: $12 – shredded duck confit, three cheese béchamel sauce and truffle essence
- Bone Marrow: $14 – Smothered in garlic confit, topped with buttered brioche crumbs, served with crostini
- Bacon Old-Fashioned: $12 – Bacon-infused bourbon, grade B maple syrup, angostura bitters
- Berry Peachy Tea: $12 – Peach tea-infused vodka, cane syrup, lemon juice, lime juice, strawberries, lemon lime soda
- Pear Blossom: $12 – Green pear tea-infused vodka, elderflower liquor, lemon juice, lime juice, cane syrup, club soda
The Anaheim Packing district is located on the corner of Santa Ana St. and Anaheim Blvd in Downtown Anaheim. Valet parking is $3.
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