Before my recent trip I had never ever been to Disney World in Florida. I don’t know about you but the first thing that I think of when I think about Disney isn’t the food. Having now been the food is one of the things I will never forget. Across the multiple resorts there is a huge variety of places to eat at and I was fortunate enough to try a wide selection of them. Plus who said dining at Disney had to be all hamburgers and hotdogs? There’s plenty of choice for fine dining here too.
I’ve stuck to breakfast and dinner recommendations and lunch you will probably want to enjoy in whichever theme park you find yourself in. Here are my top picks:
California Grill, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Dinner – Dining at Disney
Situated on the 15th floor of the Contemporary resort and with two outside terraces The California Grill gives beautiful sweeping views across the Disney World estate. As with most of the restaurants there is an extensive cocktail and wine menu and the service, as I came to expect across the whole of Disney, was exceptional.
As the name suggests the food offering is very much a grill with excellent steak and delicious tuna as the main course (or as they like to say in America, the entrees). We chose sushi starters to share for the table and these were well prepared and delicious, I would particularly recommend the Dragon Rolls.
The most exciting thing about the restaurant though is heading out onto one of the terraces at dinner time (I’d suggest the one closest to the entrance) as at 8pm they give an amazing view of the fireworks across the Magic Kingdom with the accompanying music played out onto the terrace, or if you prefer you can stay and watch from your table through the floor to ceiling windows. Truly Magical.
Boma, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Breakfast – Dining at Disney
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is stunningly put together with wooden beams, high ceilings and lots of glass looking out on to the savannah it is situated in where you can spot wild animals such as giraffes and zebras. This is where we stayed on our trip and I would highly recommend it, there’s nothing quite like having your morning coffee on the balcony of your room looking at the animals wandering just feet away.
The breakfast buffet at Boma not a place to go if you are on a diet. There’s a nice mixture of some classic African fare such as… as well as the usual suspects of egg, sausage bacon and the rest. But the stand out mention has to go to the French toast bread and butter pudding with vanilla crème an candied maple pecan sauce. It is quite simply incredible and possibly the best breakfast/dessert I have ever had. Worth a visit for this alone.
Morimoto Asia, Disney Springs – Dining at Disney
Set within the Disney Springs shopping area Morimoto Asia serves delicious oriental food in an up-market environment. The restaurant is set over multiple levels with lots of glass and a real hustle and bustle feel about it. Lovers of Tao in Vegas and New York will not be disappointed. The chef in charge is Masaharu Morimoto famous from the TV show Iron Chef. The cocktails are delicious here and give the Mango Match Punch a go, it’s fabulous.
The sushi again is incredible and the spicy tempura prawns are a must try. I had Kung Po chicken for my main and it was deliciously spicy and sweet at the same time and the portion was gigantic. If you’re there with a group the private dining room that overlooks the restaurant is a great place to eat.
Trattoria al Forno, Disney’s Boardwalk Resort, Breakfast – Dining at Disney
Dining at Disney throws up some difficult questions like which would you prefer – a breakfast pizza or a breakfast calzone? Well no need to decide because they serve both of these at Trattoria al Forno. Yes you heard that right, a breakfast pizza and a breakfast calzone.
My personal favorite was the pizza which came complete with sausage, tomatoes and a fried egg on top, make sure you ask for the delicious gravy (which is actually marinara sauce) to dip your crusts in too. Then wash it all down with a boozy iced coffee with whipped cream and your choice of Sambuca, Frangelico or Amaretto. Pure indulgence.
Flying Fish, Disney’s Boardwalk Resort – Dining at Disney
Of all the gorgeous restaurants that dining at Disney has to offer, the Flying Fish was the most elegant that we visited. Beautiful glass fish hang from the ceiling and you know that you are in a classy establishment from the second that you set through the door.
As the name suggests there is a wide selection of fresh fish dishes but as I’ve found to be the case across all of the restaurants there is something here for everybody with delicious steaks, grills and pasta that will appease even the fussiest of eaters. Incredible.
After our trip to Disney we went on a Disney Cruise. Why not check out my post on what it’s like?