Downtown Disney coffee shop closes after less than a year

Usa today news

2 days ago

A Downtown Disney coffee shop that took over a spot once home to a Starbucks has closed after less than a year of operation in a new $8 million food hall at the outdoor shopping mall next to Disneyland.

The Sip & Sonder coffee shop that opened in January along with the other eateries in the new Parkside Market food hall has closed its Downtown Disney location.

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Downtown Disney District guests can continue to enjoy coffee and small bites at the former Sip & Sonder location within Parkside Market, according to Disneyland officials.

The Levy Restaurant Group that runs Parkside Market and subcontracted the space to Sip & Sonder as a tenant continues to operate the coffee shop as Parkside Market Coffee & Tea.

The Disneyland resort thanks the Sip & Sonder team for being part of the Downtown Disney District, according to Disneyland officials.

Shanita Nicholas and Amanda-Jane Thomas, owners of Sip a& Sonder, take a picture with Mickey and Minnie during the opening of Parkside Market inside Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA, on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Parksdie Market is a food hall with coffee shoo Sip & Sonder, fried chicken from GG’s Chicken Shop, Korean rice bowls and salads at Seoul Sister, and cocktails with a view at Vista Parkside Market. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Los Angeles-based coffee house features Caribbean-inspired bites and frozen drinks from founders Amanda-Jane Thomas and Shanita Nicholas. Sip & Sonder still operates its flagship location in Inglewood and a second outpost at the Los Angeles Music Center.

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The new Parkside Market Coffee & Tea menu is very similar to Sip & Sonder with a selection of specialty coffees, cold brews, iced lattes, kombuchas, cinnamon rolls and cake pops, according to WDW News Today.

Two of the specialty drinks — a vanilla dirty chai latte and a honey lavender latte — remain unchanged from the Sip & Sonder menu, according to WDWNT.

Cake pops in three flavors; funfetti, cookies & cream or red velvet from Sip & Sonder during the opening of Parkside Market inside Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA, on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Parksdie Market is a food hall with coffee shoo Sip & Sonder, fried chicken from GG’s Chicken Shop, Korean rice bowls and salads at Seoul Sister, and cocktails with a view at Vista Parkside Market. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Seoul Sister, GG’s Chicken Shop and the Vista rooftop bar remain open at Parkside Market after Sip & Sonder’s departure.

The 11,000-square foot Parkside Market replaced the former AMC Theaters building demolished in 2022 that included the Starbucks West location.

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Another Starbucks location continues to operate in Downtown Disney next door to the World of Disney store.

Sip & Sonder struggled to compete with the popular Downtown Disney Starbucks, according to Theme Park IQ.

“Sip & Sonder in Downtown Disney is no more,” Theme Park IQ wrote on Instagram. “This location has seen very little traffic since it first opened. Competing with Starbucks with higher prices is a losing scenario.”