Hello from Disney World!
When it comes to Disney World, the food is one of me and my fiancé’s favorite things. Okay, fine. It’s definitely our favorite thing. Between all of the options for sit down table service meals, quick service meals, and snacking, it will be quite some time before we have “tried it all”! So while I would not consider myself an expert by any means, we have definitely found some of our favorite restaurants that we keep returning to each trip. Here are my top ten favorite places to eat and drink in Disney World!
1. Cape May Cafe
All you can eat crab legs? You just can’t beat that. Which is why Cape May Cafe is by far one of our favorite meals of each trip. My fiancé’s family has made it a trip tradition, and we have every intention of continuing this tradition! I love Cape May not only because of the crab legs, but because it has such a huge variety of food. Although buffet styles usually aren’t my favorite, I love hitting up this one. Clams, shrimp, cornbread, different types of pasta, and more. Don’t forget to check out the dessert station at the end of your meal – I promise you’ll make room for their mini cupcakes and delicious cookies!
2. Sanaa
Sanaa is a hidden gem, in my opinion. With incredible Indian-African fusion food and a peaceful location on the ground floor of Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Kidani Village, it is the perfect getaway for a lunch during a hot day at Animal Kingdom. We love coming here for lunch because it usually isn’t very busy during the day, meaning you can oftentimes get a great window table with a stunning view of the hotel savannah. In terms of the food, there are too many things we love for me to recommend them all, but definitely get a bread service with all of the different sauces. Try them all to find your favorites! I also love their salad sampler dish because the salads are all so refreshing and tasty!
3. Teppan Edo
Teppan Edo is one of our tradition meals: we always eat lunch here on the day of our arrival. We literally get off the plane, take the Magical Express to our hotel, head to Epcot, and walk right to Japan. A huge hibachi style meal is exactly what you need after a day of travel! We also love their assorted tempura appetizer and usually will get a couple of Sapporo’s to start off the vacation. (Tip: get the large sized Sapporo, not the small. It’s a much better value if you check out the prices! ;)).
4. Boardwalk Bakery
The Boardwalk Bakery is your one stop shop for delicious desserts, including cupcakes, cakes, tarts and more. One look inside their front case filled with gorgeous cupcakes and other treats will have your mouth watering! The other amazing thing here is that they serve quick breakfast dishes also. If you are staying at a Boardwalk-area hotel, just pop in here in the morning for a breakfast sandwich and an espresso before you walk over to Epcot or Hollywood Studios. And in the afternoon or evening (after you get your cupcake, of course), don’t forget to wander around on the Boardwalk and play the lobster pot game (my favorite)!
5. Trattoria al Forno
Our last trip to Disney World was in February of 2015. The weather was somewhat unpredictable, and having never travelled during this time of year before, I was a little bummed out when it was freezing outside the entire day we had planned on being a Hollywood Studios. We ended up cancelling our dinner reservation at the park and wandering over to the Boardwalk area to walk around. We happened to walk into Trattoria al Forno, a new restaurant that opened in December of 2014. We asked how long the wait would be and surprise: no wait if we sat down right at that moment! We figured we would have some snacks and vino, and maybe split an entree. That was until we opened the menu and everything sounded delicious! My fiancé ended up ordering the lamb shank and I chose the tagliatelle alla carbonara. We chose correctly! Both dishes were divine, and we were so pleased that we randomly decided to stop and try this new restaurant. We have eaten here during this trip too, and discovered that not only are the entree’s delicious but the charcuterie platter is to die for!
6. Flame Tree Barbecue
Is there anything more delicious than perfectly grilled barbecue? Yeah, I thought not. Flame Tree Barbecue will meet all of your desires for delicious, fresh barbecue and then some. The Pork Sandwich is definitely my favorite, but really the whole menu is amazing. Best of all, the prices are a nice relief on the wallet after a week filled with mostly table service meals, and they have a number of more intimate and quiet pavilions where you can sit and enjoy your meal before your next Fastpass.
(Please note that Flame Tree Barbecue is currently closed for renovations. They are, however, currently serving a limited menu from Flame Tree at the Beastly Kiosk and the Trilo-Bites food stands, so stop there to get your barbecue fix!)
7. Be Our Guest
Be Our Guest was the first restaurant that my fiancé and I ate at after getting engaged in front of the Mickey meet and greet at the Town Hall Square at Magic Kingdom in June of 2014. As such, it definitely holds a special place in our heart! For lunch, this is one of our favorite restaurants. A mix between quick service ordering and table service, it is reasonably priced and has delicious hearty meals. Plus, the decor inside the castle is breathtaking: it feels like you are literally in the Beauty and the Beast movie! Amazing 🙂
8. La Hacienda de San Angel
There is only one thing that is better than a delicious dinner in Epcot’s World Showcase: a delicious dinner that has a waterfront view of the Illuminations fireworks show at night. We love La Hacienda de San Angel firstly for their crazy yummy Mexican food, and secondly for this reason! I recommend making a later reservation, like around 8:15-8:30pm and requesting a window table, if you can get it. Then, order a couple of their refreshing signature margaritas (I recommend the avocado margarita and the mango blueberry basil margarita) and an appetizer or two and sit back to enjoy the fireworks show. What a perfect end to a day at Epcot!
9. Joy of Tea
I am always up for trying new, unique cocktails. Joy of Tea in the China Pavilion at Epcot hits the spot with its Green Tea Plum Slushies. The best part is that you can get a nice little snack to go with your cocktail also: they serve pork buns, egg rolls, and caramel ginger ice cream (I know what I’m trying next time I head here!).
10. The Hollywood Brown Derby
According to my fiancé, the Hollywood Brown Derby has improved vastly from its previous days. His family actually stopped going to this restaurant for a while because the quality of the food had declined. However, on our June 2014 trip, my fiancé and I decided to give it a shot. We are so glad we did! The gourmet food dishes are complemented perfectly by the cast members who make you feel as if you are movie stars at a famous Hollywood restaurant. They even give you a souvenir photograph of your table to take home. Such a great themed restaurant! Make sure you try the crab cakes!
At the end of the day, we are far from trying all of the amazing restaurants that Disney World resorts and parks have to offer. While the above ten restaurants are our favorite so far, we are always looking for new places to try! So tell me in the comments below, what is your favorite Disney World resort or park restaurant and what dish would you recommend trying there? Until next time, friends!