Knott’s Berry Farm sets opening date for new chicken and boysenberry restaurant

Usa today news

2 hours ago

A new Knott’s Berry Farm restaurant serving a pair of fan-favorite foods that made the Buena Park theme park famous — fried chicken and boysenberry pie — will be run by a mischievous coyote known for stealing pies on the dark ride next door.

The new Crafty’s Kitchen self-service restaurant will open on Friday, Aug. 7 as a replacement for the former Johnny Rockets burger stand in the Charleston Circle area of Knott’s Berry Farm.

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The new restaurant will expand upon the whimsical backstory of Crafty Coyote — the pie-thieving crook from the nearby Knott’s Bear-y Tales dark ride who has hung up his outlaw ways to open the new eatery next door.

Crafty’s Kitchen will take over the shuttered Knott’s Beary Factory cafeteria with chef/owner Crafty Coyote developing a menu of quirky culinary concoctions, according to the backstory.

The chicken tenders and sides available at Crafty’s Kitchen restaurant at Knott’s Berry Farm. (Courtesy of Knott’s)

The walls of the restaurant will be covered with Crafty’s police mug shots, wanted posters and blueprints for his wacky fryer inventions.

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The thieving Crafty Coyote is known for pilfering pies on the nearby Knott’s Bear-y Farm dark ride and it appears the Knott’s culinary team has borrowed a few menu ideas from Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and Portillo’s Cake Shakes.

The fried chicken sandwiches on brioche bun or biscuit available at Crafty’s Kitchen restaurant at Knott’s Berry Farm. (Courtesy of Knott’s)

The Crafty’s Kitchen menu offers twists on a pair of Knott’s classics by serving fried chicken tenders using Mrs. Knott’s chicken dinner restaurant recipe and boysenberry pie shakes made with slices of boysenberry pie baked daily in the Knott’s bakery.

The Crafty’s Kitchen menu features fried chicken tenders, hot wings and fried chicken sandwiches ($19.99 to $20.79) with a choice of sides including fries, mac & cheese, coleslaw and potato salad.

The hot wings and sauces available at Crafty’s Kitchen restaurant at Knott’s Berry Farm. (Courtesy of Knott’s)

The wings are available in four sauce flavors: Boysenberry barbecue, garlic & parmesan, buffalo and sweet chili.

The sandwiches are served on a biscuit or brioche bun.

The strawberry shortcake available at Crafty’s Kitchen restaurant at Knott’s Berry Farm. (Courtesy of Knott’s)

The dessert lineup includes personal boysenberry pies ($6.49), strawberry shortcake ($6.99) and vanilla, chocolate or boysenberry pie shakes ($9.99 to $10.99).

The cocktail menu features a bourbon cream soda ($21.99), mudslide ($21.99) and beer, wine or cider ($13.99 to $16.49).

Concept art of the Crafty’s Kitchen coming to Knott’s Berry Farm. (Courtesy of Knott’s)

Johnny Rockets closed in April to make way for construction of the new Crafty’s Kitchen.