One of the things that Disney does oh so well, is food. They really take culinary arts to the next level. You will never go hungry on Disney property, with fabulous dining, quick service, and snacks always right around the corner from wherever you are. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Magic Kingdom, strolling through Disney Springs, or even just relaxing at your hotel. You will have numerous food options! It’s just a given.
Walk with us through some of our favorite Disney dining options, so that you can plan an even better dining experience on your next WDW trip. And here’s the deal: today we’re only talking about dining outside of the theme parks. Read on for our top 15 picks:
Trattoria Al Forno
Hours:
Breakfast: 7:30am-11:00am
Dinner: 5:00pm-10:00pm
(Hours may vary)
Starting off at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, is one of our recommended restaurants, called Trattoria Al Forno. This casual Italian dining option offers a various collection of amazing Italian flavors, including omelettes, polenta, pizza, and even oak-grilled steak?!
Enjoy a meal here either for breakfast, brunch, or dinner. There’s a fabulous wine list available at Trattoria. Although characters are not currently available in 2022 as part of the dining experience, we highly recommend going for the delicious Italian tastes you will encounter.
Flying Fish
Hours:
Dinner: 5:00pm-9:30pm
(Hours may vary)
If you’re staying at the BoardWalk Inn, but Italian isn’t your cup of tea, another exquisite dining experience is Flying Fish. We highly recommend Flying Fish for their seafood. Their slow-roasted pork belly and potato-wrapped red snapper are unbelievable! They do it so well. Keep in mind that there is a dress code at Flying Fish, as this is a Disney Signature Dining experience location. This basically means that it is fine dining in Walt Disney World. You won’t be sorry that you made a reservation here!
Yachtsman Steakhouse
Hours:
Dinner: 5:00pm-9:30pm
(Hours may vary)
Next, let’s hop over to Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. This is another fine dining Disney Signature Dining experience opportunity that you may not have known about, but you’ll definitely want to check it out if there’s time. The aesthetic inside the restaurant is utterly fancy and pulls from a lot of New England influence. There is, of course, a dress code, and reservations are required. Enjoy their french onion soup, the unbelievable “Chilled Admiral’s Tower for Two” (which, although pricey, includes Maine lobster, snow crab, tuna tartare, jumbo shrimp, mussels, and more!)
We can guarantee you’ll be so full and happy at the end of your meal here. Also, check out their dessert list; it’s incredible!
Paddlefish
Hours:
Lunch: 12:00pm-3:55pm
Dinner: 4:00pm-11:00pm
(Hours may vary)
Just a hop, skip, and a jump over to Disney Springs; we have some recommendations for you that will become “required eating” on your future vacations. One of our favorites is Paddlefish. Available for both lunch and dinner, we highly recommend their seafood. You’ll enjoy some delectable culinary delights such as king crab or fillet mignon, all while you’re literally on board a steamboat docked in Disney Springs. Can you imagine anything more entertaining?! We also recommend a reservation for this dining location, because people love to fill up the dining reservations fast.
(Paddlefish has even earned awards and badges for its service and flavors.)
Jaleo
Hours:
11:30am-11:00pm
(Hours may vary)
While we’re covering Disney Springs, we also want to tell you about Jaleo by the chef, José Andrés. This one is also unique and fabulous. With Spanish-influenced flavors and cuisine, this one is an experience like no other. Keeping with the theme, be sure to make a reservation so that you know you’ll have a table. Also, keep in mind that this is a nicer setting, dress code-wise. The menu is extensive, and it’s almost impossible to go wrong no matter what you order. Peruse the chef’s tasting menu or ask your server for recommendations. Jaleo‘s also has a Disney 50th Anniversary Celebration special right now as part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration across WDW. This usually varies from restaurant to restaurant, but it could mean anything from notable menu additions to a decorated atmosphere. If you go, try some compressed pineapple dessert for us, please!
California Grille
Hours:
5:00pm-10:00pm
(Hours may vary)
A true outside-the-parks Disney dining classic, and well-known for its fantastic view and attractive interiors, California Grille is one of the most sought-after dining experiences in Disney World. Located in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, you’ll have an absolutely incredible view out of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows while you dine on food so good, that you’ll be speechless. With wine pairings to complement the outstanding dishes, the experience is remarkable. Everything is thoughtfully put together, from the appetizers to the entrées to the desserts to the wines. The Florida blue crab bisque, the braised beef short rib wontons, the wild Alaskan halibut, the Florida black grouper, and the lavender sugar donuts are just a few of the absurdly good meals you can have at California Grille. By the time your meal is over, you’ll be trying to reserve your next vacation simply so you can return to California Grille! It’s that good.
We also want to mention that the service here is unmatched. We know that the service is excellent all throughout the Disney parks, (it’s one of the reasons why we love WDW so much!), but California Grille really pulls out all the stops in terms of customer service. You will check in on the second floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort and then ride up an elevator to the 15th floor to be seated at California Grille.
We really can’t recommend it enough. It’s good to note that it is definitely classified as Disney Signature Dining, and there is a dress code, so be sure to plan ahead and make a reservation. We also highly recommend going around the time of the Magic Kingdom Firework Spectacular, as one of the special parts of California Grille’s dining experience, is that you can walk outside to their private viewing walkway and view the fireworks during or after your meal. All in all, a truly exceptional evening.
Chef Mickey’s
Hours:
Breakfast / Brunch: 7:30am-12:30pm
Dinner: 5:00pm-9:30pm
(Hours may vary)
Located in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Chef Mickey’s really is an outside-the-park Disney classic. Imagine an exceptional buffet, regardless of what time of day you go. With your favorite, classic Disney characters walking around singing and dancing, taking your kids on a parade around the restaurant, the fun-filled family atmosphere, and the selections of adult-appealing entrées, it’s a win for everyone attending. Your kids’ favorite part will probably be the soft-serve ice cream that they can get after their meal. Chef Mickey’s has such a fun ambiance. We highly recommend that you go if you’ve never been or if you haven’t been in a while. It’s a quick walk over to Magic Kingdom from the Contemporary Resort, so you can start your day at Chef Mickey’s and then go to the park or end it at Chef Mickey’s after a perfect day at MK.
It really is a can’t-miss dining experience.
‘Ohana
Hours:
Breakfast: 7:30am-12:00pm
Dinner: 3:30pm-10:00pm
(Hours may vary)
‘Ohana is such a fun and delicious spot located in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, it’s still a few weeks until character dining returns to ‘Ohana on September 27, but in the meantime, it’s worth going for an incredible Polynesian-inspired meal. Look forward in anticipation to ‘Ohana pineapple bread, delicious tropical cocktails, grilled chicken, broccolini, plenty of allergy-friendly options, and even Kona sourced coffee to top it all off.
‘Ohana has always been a hit and the decor around the restaurant adds to the exciting atmosphere.
Amare
Hours:
Dinner: 5:00pm-11:00pm
(Hours may vary)
Not a lot of people know about Amare. It’s an excellent Mediterranean dining option located at Disney’s Swan Reserve in the Epcot Resort Area. This is a Disney Signature Dining Experience. For those of you just getting back from the parks, just know that there isn’t really a dress code other than “resort casual” attire.
We included Amare spot on our list, because they have some impressive menu items including chargrilled pepper crostino, fried calamari, polpetti, bistecca all “fiorentina” (which is a grilled and roasted angus beef porterhouse steak), delicious mahi-mahi, and souvlaki. You’ll also want to check out their flatbreads before committing to an entrée.
Amare is underrated in our opinion, and if you want a fabulous Disney dining experience but haven’t been able to land a reservation elsewhere, you might try Amare at the WDW Swan Reserve.
Jiko – The Cooking Place
Hours:
Dinner: 5:00pm-9:30
(Hours may vary)
Okay, friends! This place is not to be skipped. Did you know that Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge also offers spectacular fine dining? Well, now you do. Jiko – The Cooking Place is a spot you’ll definitely be returning to once you try it on your upcoming vacation. The cuisine is African, Indian, and Mediterranean-inspired. You’ll smell the food before it reaches your table because of its delicious flavors and spices. One of the most memorable parts about this dining experience is that the kitchen is “open show, “ so you can literally watch your food be prepared in the incredible Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge resort. Naturally, there is a dress code, so you’ll want to match the enchanting and lovely atmosphere. Their wine list is lengthy too.
We highly recommend that you go to Jiko.
Grand Floridian Café
Hours:
Breakfast: 7:30am-11:00am
Lunch: 11:05am-2:00pm
Dinner: 5:00pm-9:00pm
(Hours may vary)
Grand Floridian Café is possibly a well-kept secret? While it seems casual in its setting and overlooks the outside of the property, some say it would rival any of their fine dining restaurants as far as quality and service go. Their entrées are flavorful, and their desserts are a delight. The Grand Floridian Café is lovely any time of year, but it is specifically near and dear to our hearts right now, while 1900 Park Fare is currently closed. (1900 Park Fare has a similar aesthetic to the café, despite being a breakfast buffet and character meal. When open, it’s not to be missed.)
Victoria & Albert’s
Hours:
Dinner: 5:30pm-8:05pm
(Hours may vary)
The Disney Signature Dining experience to end all dining experiences…Wow, did we just say that? We did. Here’s why. Victoria and Albert’s has been the proud winner of the AAA Five Diamond Award for 22 years. If that were not enough, Victoria and Albert’s has also been awarded the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award. What we’re trying to say here is that you might be so impressed, overwhelmed, and delighted by this culinary journey that you are genuinely sad when the meal ends. We know that’s how we felt!
Located at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, this luxurious culinary adventure awaits you! Look forward to the array of options you will have in front of you when you are seated at Victoria and Albert’s. The dishes are all American-inspired. The ambiance and interior décor are grand and illuminated with Victorian-esque design covering the entire dome that houses the restaurant.
In the mood for a hand-crafted beverage that will be out of this world? You’re in luck! The dishes are selected via your choice between two Chef’s Tasting Menus. Talk about incredible! Guests have a few options when choosing how to dine at V&A’s. The first option is to make a reservation in “The Dining Room,” which is the central dome we referred to earlier. Another option that we feel is unique and exciting, (we’re surprised they even offer it) is to dine at the Chef’s Table! Certainly, this option will come with a higher price tag, but ultimately. you will be eating with the award-winning chef and culinary artists in the kitchen of Victoria and Albert’s! It is a true one-of-a-kind experience to watch as the kitchen prepares the delicacies they do so well. The Chef’s Table option can last for hours. It is so awesome if you have the time in your vacation to do it.
The third and final option available to you for Victoria and Albert’s is to dine inside “Queen Victoria’s Room.” This is a more private experience, with a fireplace near the table and stunning European-inspired décor. Also expect that there will be a live harp player in Queen Victoria’s Room.
We know this goes without saying, but this is clearly a Disney Signature Dining experience. Not only are reservations required as far in advance as possible, but be sure to dress in your best for this extraordinary, sophisticated meal. Semi-formal to formal attire is required. We hope you have the best time!
Citrico’s
Hours:
Dinner: 5:00pm-9:30pm
(Hours may vary)
You might think we’re talking a lot about dining at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, but once you taste these places, you’ll totally understand.
Citrico’s, located at Grand Floridian, has recently been redecorated to emphasize aesthetics from Mary Poppins Returns. Their wine list has won awards, literally.
Perhaps you were craving a Disney Signature Dining experience with a Victorian atmosphere, but maybe Victoria and Albert’s wasn’t what you were looking for on this trip. Perhaps…you’d like the Victorian aesthetic, but a Mediterranean-inspired, Floridian meal! Try the house-made rigatoni, the butter-poached mahi mahi, the domestic golden tilefish, the grilled marble potatoes, and so much more.
The dress code is sophisticated, and reservations are recommended.
Morimoto Asia
Hours:
Lunch: 11:30am-3:30pm
Dinner: 4:40pm – 10:30pm
(Hours may vary)
Chef Morimoto, you know, from…Iron Chef America?! Yes! Him. He has an excellent Pan-Asian fine dining restaurant in Disney Springs. First of all, let us tell you, it’s outstanding. Second of all, there’s also a walk-up quick-service side!
It’s truly not to be missed. Such delicious flavors in every dish, and the stunning décor inside is quite impressive, complete with chandeliers that will amaze you. There is even a sushi bar on the second floor! Enjoy pork egg rolls, fantastic miso soup or egg drop soup, duck ramen, delicious rice bowls, a variety of sushi options, pork dumplings, Mongolian filet mignon, and so many more!
Be sure to make a reservation, or you might not get a table!
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop
Okay, okay, so it’s not technically dining, but everyone needs to treat themselves to an amazing dessert on vacation! Ghirardelli is the place of a chocolate lover’s dreams.
Ghirardelli speaks for itself. Everything they put out has the delicious and rich flavors of the high-quality chocolate that they are known for. Their milkshakes are phenomenal and have all the extras included. Try a hot fudge sundae – (best shared with two people.) It’s truly everything you hope for and more.
We hope that among the above recommendations, you have come across a few places that you weren’t previously aware of, or at least that you’re curious about trying now. We love that WDW’s delicious dining extends past the theme parks, and that you can have some unforgettable meals at many of the resorts and outside areas. Disney does the culinary arts so well. Don’t forget to come hungry!
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