Be honest: Theme Park Food doesn’t have the best reputation.
But Walt Disney World is not appealing. Between four parks, dozens of hotels and the free input Disney Springs Entertainment Complex, there is a solid fare if you know where to look.
As someone who’s been eating there for decades (here I’m from Orlando!), I’ve seen the food and drink scene change for the better. Here are some of my favourite spots to grab a bite while on vacation at Mouse House.
Morimoto Asia
Ten years ago, in September this year, I traveled to a brand new restaurant in Morimoto Asia, a newly rebranded Disney Springs. The spot is one of the first famous restaurants to debut in development in 2015, and its grand opening celebration introduces the amazing chef Morimoto Rooftop Forest (you may know him from “Iron Chef”), a giant tuna carving in front of autumn leaves. This two-storey Pan Asian restaurant still holds its own restaurant and serves powerful dishes in a fashionable environment. The A-5 Wagyu Burger Bao features a great way to get started with a meal featuring a small pate sandwiched between bao bread along with lettuce, cucumbers and delicious sauce. Mongolian filet is a great dish to share. The 10 oz Angus Beef Tenderloin is served in a piping hot frying pan with sauteed green onions, bean sprouts, mixed mushrooms and sweet Sichuan sauce. If you feel like noodles, choose one of the ramen bowls or for a more casual approach, find a street food table outside the restaurant and are open daily from 12 to 8pm
If you’re going: 1600 E. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista. 407-939-6686
Edison
One of the best bars in Disney Springs is Edison, a two-storey restaurant that nods in the 1920s. A great place to come for cocktails (we have happy hours Monday through Friday from 3pm to 6pm!) or for intimate air-conditioned rest from busy streets outside. From whiskey flights to fun zero-proof concoctions to standby drinks like tiki-inspired Vic’s wooden legs (Appleton Estate Jamaican Rum, Dry Curacao, Orgeat, Lime Juice, Angostura Bitters), there’s something everyone drinks. The playful dishes in the “Share and Nibble” section are some of the best options here, including giant pretzels served with mustard and cheese sauce, bacon strips hanging from mini clotheslines, and very solid deviled eggs. Circuit boards are a must: Country ham, handmade buttermilk biscuits, hatch pepper cheese, pickles, ranch pretzels, seasonal fruit butter, and barrel-aged maple butter are perfect with a strong rebate.
If you’re going: 1570 E. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista. 407-560-9288
Maria & Enzo’s Ristorante
This Disney Springs restaurant boasts a fun and engaging theme (the golden age of air travel) and a luxurious dining room that complements Italian cuisine. A spectacular staircase leads to the seating area. It offers natural light and views of the charming waterways of Disney Springs. Sleek starters such as Prosciutto E-melon (prosciutto dipalma, melon, balsamic, beer cocola, extra virgin olive oil) and Focaccia de la Casa (sleek starters such as whipped rosemary lemon focaccia, whipped ricotta, olive oil, sea salt, sea salt, sea salt, clapper pepper, and more). But the pasta is outstanding. Get a Rigatoni Ala Bolognese and enjoy a deliciously rendered classic dish, or similarly good Pacheli al rag di Cabulfiore, cauliflower rugs with Cauliflower ragu with Caulibrary Chile and Pecorino Romano. A paper airplane cocktail riff made from Enzo’s Eagle Rare 10 Years Bourbon, splurge on first-class tickets, along with the theme.
If you go: 1560 E. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista. 407-560-8466
Epcot Food Kiosk
This requires a little extra effort (and money), but if you’re already park hopping, you’ll need to save on food at Epcot. Long known for its international food and wine festivals in autumn, the park is now mostly home to festivals with food kiosks, and they have good food. If you’re a pastor like me, I’d appreciate the idea of buying 4 or 5 small plates instead of one big meal. Earlier this summer, I had some great dishes when I visited the International Flower & Garden Festival, including memorable carrot roe flower dishes in the bee kitchen and a panzanella salad with marine tomatoes and balsamic pearls. The Food and Wine Festival begins in about two months and will run from August 28th to November 22nd this year.
If you go: 200 Epcot Center Drive, LakeBuenavista
California Grill
All of Disney’s Top Tier Hotels have pretty great restaurants, but one of the best is the California Grill, located above the Modern Resort. A short ride on the monorail, away from the Magic Kingdom, this sophisticated restaurant is a wonderland for adults. There is a 3 course Prix Fix Menu ($89 per adult). It serves appetizers such as Sonomagote Cheese Ravioli with mushroom ragu and tomato fennel brodo. A main dish that looks like a fillet grilled beef oak with jumbo asparagus and a full cognac truffle sauce. And for desserts, options like pistachio chocolate mousse with pistachio crown and cocoa nib tiles. The food is great, but the real appeal is how you look. From the floor to the city windows, you can get a glimpse of the magical kingdom, the surrounding lagoons, and if it’s just the right time to spend, every night’s fireworks. Tip: If you’re not eating a full meal, sit at the bar and get the atmosphere over a cocktail.
If you’re going: 4600 World Drive, Lake Buena Vista. 407-939-5277
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