Month: February 2020

According to the Food Network online, here are the best places to eat at Disney Springs. If you’re planning a 2020 visit to Walt Disney World, pencil in at least half a day to enjoy all that Disney’s downtown shopping district! And be sure to bring your appetites to sample a dish or two from one of Food Networks top picks. 

Let’s take a look: 

The Polite Pig

Starting the list is a favorite place to get BBQ in Orlando. Chefs James, Julie and Brian Petrakis serve smoked meats plated in modern ways. You’ll order, say, the Southern Pig sandwich at the counter, and wait for the pulled pork meal topped with fennel-apple slaw, mustard barbecue sauce and mayo to be brought to your table. Food Network recommends the oversized hop salt pretzel with beer cheese fondue and IPA mustard, and add on the grilled street corn with chipotle aioli.  For those looking for a drink, Polit Pig also pours the company’s own Swine Family beers, big-batch cocktails like apple-cider whiskey sours, and dozens of types of bourbon. 

4 Rivers Cantina Barbacoa Food Truck

Here you can get brisket and pulled pork cooked barbacoa-style as it is in Mexico City, then served, in some cases, in taco cones, which are a fun and easy way to eat without utensils. Those looking for plant-based options are sure to love the squash-blossom quesadilla, and all other items can be made vegetarian too. 

Jaleo by José Andrés

 Disney Springs has the largest Jaleo to date. Under the helm of Chef and Humanitarian Jose Andres, this Disney Springs eatery serves up small plates of Iberian specialities in an  upbeat dining room with high-energy music pulsing and staffers shouting “¡Arriba!”  Most guests prefer to order from the menu Tapas style which means getting a number of small dishes for everyone to try.   Another highlight are the bottles of imported wines. 

D-Luxe Burger

A burger-lovers paradise the different varieties on offer according to Food Network are “indeed a treat.”  They’re made from patties of blended brisket and chuck (non-beef alternatives are available)and wrapped in  Parker House-style custom buns baked at nearby Amorette’s Patisserie. And then there are the fries! They’re skin-on from russets made right on-site via a two-day process. Instead of ketchup, Food Network recommends dipping them in garlic ranch dressing, chipotle mayo, three-mustard honey dip, curry ketchup, horseradish or buffalo blue cheese. Finally, be sure to save room for one of the amazing gelato shakes and floats . 

Ample Hills Creamery

So this one is a “Coming Soon” but worthy of a mention nonetheless.  This beloved ice cream shop is opening a 700-square-foot second Orlando store here. Once open you’ll find location-specific flavors along with tried-and-true favorites like Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, Snap Mallow Pop and The King of Mangoes in a cone or cup. Ice creams are made from dairy, sugar and eggs that are carefully sourced and pasteurized by Ample Hills, though vegan options are also plentiful, and mix-ins are made or baked from scratch. Can’t wait for the new shop to open? Then head over to Disney’s Boardwalk to visit the original Walt Disney World location. 

Wine Bar George / The Basket

One of Disney Springs’ biggest gems, the Wine Bar George is the brainchild of Master Sommelier George Miliotes and offers 140+ pours by the ounce, glass and bottle.  It was even voted Best Micro Wine List by WBG.  But the wines shouldn’t overshadow the incredible menu where highlights include the Santa Carota short ribs which comes from cattle who first graze leisurely amid the grassy lands of Bakersfield, California, then eat mostly carrots.  The beef comes with mashed red potatoes and caramelized vegetables. You can also find grab ‘n’ go items at the adjacent  The Basket, located outside the front door. You’ll find awesome treats like a sandwich of goat cheese, fig, arugula and ficelle, and box of chorizo, manchego, almonds and crackers.

T-Rex

Though moms and dads often book this eatery with the kids in mind (as you step back to 200 million years ago to the age of the dinosaurs), the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus here are also pretty yummy.  While surrounded by roaring animatronic dinosaurs you can fuel up on the Boneyard Buffet, a dinner entrée of fire-roasted rotisserie chicken, St. Louis-style spareribs, fries and coleslaw. Whiskey-glazed shrimp with blackened salmon is available for seafood fans. Pastas, burgers — beef or Beyond are also solid choices. According to Food Network, families can probably make a meal of the Sampler Platter, including cheesy skillet meatballs, Nashville hot boneless wings, chili con queso, caprese flatbread and chicken quesadillas. 

Amorette’s Patisserie

When it comes to sweet treats, it doesn’t get much better than a visit to this classic patisserie.  Highlights include exquisite treats like the caramel sea salt eclair, New York-style cheesecake and champagne to wash it all down. For those looking for something savory, you’ll also find crepes and focaccia sandwiches.  Amorette’s is also famous for their expertly crafted dome cakes featuring colorful Disney characters which you can watch pastry chefs decorate in the open-air kitchen.  The Mickey version (pictured above) comes with a scrumptious layering of fruit jelly, mousse and chiffon cake! The shop even offers a Cake Decorating Experience where you can spend 90 minutes making a special creation of your own!

Raglan Road

Not only is Raglan Road known as the country’s biggest pourer of Guinness, but it also has a pretty scrumptious menu filled with Irish classics. Food Network recommends the potato gnocchi which is housemade for the Gnocchi Sea Gnocchi Do entrée, served with seared Georges Bank scallops, crispy pork belly, kale and tomatoes plus white-wine butter sauce.  If you’ve worked up a big appetite consider the  Lambo.  This braised lamb shank is served over mashed potatoes and comes with honey-glazed carrots and red wine jus. Diners here will also experience som mighty impressive entertainment. Traditional Irish Dancers and musicians perform center stage during dinner and brunch. 

Frontera Cocina

Seven-time James Beard Award winner Rick Bayless creates a menu brimming with wonderful south-of-the-border meals.  Food Network recommends the plant-based cauliflower-squash casserole with smoky morita chile sauce, or chipotle chicken snuggled within enchiladas under a deep red guajillo chile sauce. Or, for a coastal flavor, maybe achiote-grilled octopus, or spicy herb-covered grilled bass.  Mixologists are also on staff to whip up the perfect drink. This includes an important array of Margaritas! The mezcal negroni, and the old fashioned made with heritage blue-corn whiskey are also two more good options!

Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill

A little slice of the Hollywood VIP life right in Disney Springs,  Austrian celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck’s Bar & Grill was revamped in 2019 with a new dining room and a menu showcases Puck classics, like the Chinois chicken salad and the iconic chicken Wienerschnitzel.  Other noteworthy dishes include the heritage pork chop cooked on a wood-burning grill, and enhanced by peach chutney; a flat-iron steak with chimichurri; and a red snapper with mango-corn salsa. The pizza is a safe choice for picky eaters and craft cocktails are sure to please!

Morimoto Asia

Morimoto Asia is a must-stop for my family during every Disney visit so I’m glad that Food Network agrees!  Chef Morimoto presents dishes served in a grand, indulgent space that makes meals feel equally grand and indulgent. The chefs within the glass-walled kitchen or at the second-floor sushi bar will be simmering dishes that the Food Network highly recommends include a lobster Singapore laksa soup, stir-frying lo mein noodles with steak; rolling eel and avocado with rice and seaweed wrappers; or stacking chilled lobster with sashimi, raw oysters and shrimp cocktail into a tower.  There’s also Pan-Asian options including a soft-shell-crab bao, and simple treats like a Chinese Caesar salad. And let’s not forget the eatery’s most popular dish- spareribs, doused in a sweet hoisin-chile glaze.

AristoCrêpes

This kiosk is heaven for those with a sweet tooth.  A highlight is definitely the bubble waffles with strawberries, strawberry pearls, whipped cream and vanilla ice cream. Each handheld meal or treat is shaped into a cone, inserted into a sturdy holder and handed off for eating. Sit at one of the nearby tables or nibble while you window shop. 

House of Blues Restaurant & Bar

House of Blues boasts a menu that’s strong on specialities from the South. Highlights include gumbo with andouille sauce, spicy voodoo shrimp as well as shrimp ‘n’ grits and country-fried steak. One Beast of Bourbon (maple syrup, chocolate bitters) or Electric Rodeo (vodka, habanero hot sauce, orange Red Bull) and you won’t care a whit about the calories. For a meal on the go, Food Network recommends a pulled-pork sandwich or half-rack of ribs at The Smokehouse by the front door. 

Paddlefish

This is the place to go for visitors looking for a good lobster dish! Highlights include the Main lobster guacamole which is made tableside and served with housemade chili-lime tortilla chips.  You can also order lobster up in a corndog-like batter, served with sweet chile aioli. It’s also at the heart of a sherry-laced bisque, and offered by the pound – the old-fashioned way, or as part of an abundant seafood boil. At lunch, you can have your lobster swathed in lemony mayo along with celery and served on a soft roll, aka a lobster roll. 

Vivoli il Gelato

This gelato shop uses fourth-generation recipes featuring whole Italian milk and cream, barn eggs and seasonal fresh fruit, with no dyes or other additives. Flavors range from familiar to sooo Italian, like cannoli, rice pudding and hazelnut.  You can even have your tiramisu gelato built into a shake, or maybe the almond variety sandwiched between two cookies, or served with a waffle or an Italian warm donut wrapped around it. A foamy coffee or hot chocolate affogato pairs magically.

Pizza Ponte

The place to go at Disney Springs for pizza by-the-slice, guests can choose from Sicilian-style square or thinner-crust triangular pizza, then down their hand-helds from barstools in the bright and simple dining room. Made-to-order sandwiches are on offer too, with Italian fillings like tomato, mozzarella and arugula. Italian desserts, speciality espresso drinks, and wine and beer round out the experience.

The Boathouse

The Boathouse is a seafood-lovers paradise! Here you’ll find a raw bar that has as many as 14 varieties of oysters at a time, ensuring the right amount of brine for any seafood fan. During stone crab season, the crew creates a dramatic-looking platter to order that turns heads of envious diners. Swordfish steak, coconut-fried shrimp and New England lobster rolls are among the from-the-sea options.  Save room for dessert and order up the signature S’mores Baked Alaska for the table. Also be on the lookout for the vintage “amphicars” (amphibious cars) waiting right outside to take guests around the Disney Springs waterways for an extra fee! 

Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’

Celebrity chef Art Smith is a sixth-generation Floridian and has created a menu that pays tribute to the Sunshine State with ingredients locally sources. A highlight is Homecomin’s weekend brunch with a farm-to-fork menu that includes housemade sugar donuts with buttermilk-brined fried chicken, and an egg platter with pimento cheese. Start with a blueberry mimosa or a Southern Mary with pecan-smoked bacon and fried green tomato. Lunch and dinner involve daring takes on Dixie too. That begins with high-class moonshine and progresses to chicken-and-dumpling soup, Church Lady deviled eggs and hummingbird cake. There’s even a back porch, which is the ideal dining spot.

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