Finding an exemplary dining experience or dish isn’t a given at a resort like Walt Disney World, where efficiency can trump flavor. But the sprawling complex boasts a wide variety of standout dishes for those willing to look for them. These are meals people remember for years, clamoring for their return should they ever disappear and stalking the recipes online. We found all of the resort’s most spectacular restaurants and dishes — from hulking pieces of meat to hall-of-fame citrus cakes, hoisin spare ribs to lobster rolls — and compiled them, Eater-style, into this Disney 38. Consider this a cheat sheet for the best and brightest across the parks.
The 38 Essential Dishes and Restaurants at Disney World and Epcot
Classic treats shaped like Mickey Mouse, otherworldly “Star Wars” themed foods, the perfect restaurant to watch the fireworks, and more of the best things to eat across Disney’s Orlando parks
Carlye Wisel is a theme park journalist and expert who reports about things like how Butterbeer was invented and Disney’s secret food lab on her podcast, Very Amusing With Carlye Wisel.
The 38 Essential Dishes and Restaurants at Disney World and Epcot
Classic treats shaped like Mickey Mouse, otherworldly “Star Wars” themed foods, the perfect restaurant to watch the fireworks, and more of the best things to eat across Disney’s Orlando parks
Finding an exemplary dining experience or dish isn’t a given at a resort like Walt Disney World, where efficiency can trump flavor. But the sprawling complex boasts a wide variety of standout dishes for those willing to look for them. These are meals people remember for years, clamoring for their return should they ever disappear and stalking the recipes online. We found all of the resort’s most spectacular restaurants and dishes — from hulking pieces of meat to hall-of-fame citrus cakes, hoisin spare ribs to lobster rolls — and compiled them, Eater-style, into this Disney 38. Consider this a cheat sheet for the best and brightest across the parks.
Carlye Wisel is a theme park journalist and expert who reports about things like how Butterbeer was invented and Disney’s secret food lab on her podcast, Very Amusing With Carlye Wisel.
Columbia Harbour House
When you need an actual meal in the Magic Kingdom but simply don’t have the time, skip the sad burgers elsewhere and indulge in grilled salmon, fried shrimp, lobster rolls, and more unexpectedly tasty seafaring fare.
The Mickey Premium Bar
Once and forever a classic, the Mickey Bar is dessert perfection. It’s indulgently sized, it stays frozen for longer than seems possible, and that dark chocolate casing’s sweet bitterness is the exact right contrast to the creamy vanilla ice cream.
Bill Addison and Helen Rosner
Turkey Leg at Liberty Square Market
An icon of the parks since it was introduced in the early 1990s, the hulking turkey leg is a smoky sodium bomb that’s almost ham-like in its flavor. Not for the faint of heart. Find it here, at Prince Eric’s Village Market in the Magic Kingdom, or at Fife & Drum Tavern at Epcot.
Helen Rosner and Bill Addison
Mickey Waffles
Small and large waffles shaped in Mickey’s likeness aren’t just a cult favorite, but an ideal pairing of fluff and crunch, done to confounding perfection every time. They’re mostly available at breakfast, making Sleepy Hollow’s version, topped with strawberries and whipped cream, a particularly indulgent way to start the day.
Walt Disney Company
Corn Dog Nuggets at Westward Ho
Imagine pigs in blankets except corn dogs. The perfect bite-sized snack.
Cheeseburger Egg Rolls
These deep-fried beef and cheese spring rolls are gimmicky, sure, but they make a divine midday snack. Find them at the cart near the entrance to Adventureland, likely at the end of a long line.
Carlye Wisel
Dole Whip at Aloha Isle
Dole Whip is iconic for a reason. The pineapple soft serve is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, and is even better as a float with pineapple juice.
Bill Addison and Helen Rosner
Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen
It’s worth praising any restaurant that strays from chicken nuggets within view of Cinderella Castle, but Skipper Canteen’s Jungle Cruise-inspired menu of braised pork cachapas, tofu curry stew, and sustainable fish is among Disney’s best.
Disney Parks
Cheeseburger at Steakhouse 71
Only appearing on the lunch menu, this diner-style burger is the ideal combo of two greasy beef patties and gooey American cheese — and a far cry from the hockey pucks you’ll otherwise get in the parks.
Matt Stroshane
Narcoossee’s
Following an overhaul, Narcoossee’s has emerged with a more refined menu and refreshed interiors, paired with the same waterfront views of fireworks over the Magic Kingdom that have long made the restaurant so in-demand come nightfall.
- 4401 Floridian Way (Disney's Grand Floridian Resort), Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
- (407) 939-5277
- Visit Website
Carlye Wisel
Fried Chicken at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
It’s moist, crisped to perfection, and in true Disney fashion, served all-you-can-eat at a long-running vaudevillian show.
Photo courtesy of the Walt Disney Company
Classic Cocktails at Enchanted Rose
This vaguely Beauty and the Beast-inspired modern bar is at odds with the Victorian theming of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, but makes up for it by way of well-executed Negronis, Old Fashioneds, and a full martini menu.
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Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
Yes, there’s a must-see tiki bar tucked inside Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. An offshoot of Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel, this outpost is packed with just as many gags and glorious drinks as the original.
Bread Pudding at ʻOhana
The Polynesian Village’s famous pineapple-coconut breakfast bread becomes an evening indulgence baked in custard, topped with ice cream, and finished with bananas Foster caramel sauce. You can also order the dessert at Polynesian’s Tambu Lounge.
Bill Addison and Helen Rosner.
Character Brunch at Four Seasons Resort Orlando
Travel outside of the resort — you’ll have to find your own transportation there — to Ravello’s excellent character brunch, offered on Thursday, Saturday, and select Tuesday mornings at Four Seasons Resort Orlando. Goofy, Mickey, and Minnie greet guests, but the extensive buffet provides an experience far exceeding the standard meet-and-eat.
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
Liege Waffle at Connections Eatery
In a theme park known nearly as much for food as for entertainment, it’s not easy for a new item to break through the noise. This perfectly caramelized waffle, made from fresh brioche dough, is the exception and a favorite of in-the-know fans.
- 1400 Avenue of the Stars (Epcot World Celebration), Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
- (407) 939-5277
- Visit Website
Lobster Roll at the Boathouse
Though the Boathouse has garnered a cult following for its fresh seafood, firecracker shrimp, and surprisingly good bread plopped down on each table, the lobster roll is the breakout star of this restaurant’s surf and turf menu. A toasty buttered roll, modest in size, overflows with chunks of mayo-slicked lobster. No need to fill up on the mound of shoestring fries alongside.
Bill Addison and Helen Rosner
La Cava del Tequila
Spirit aficionados, look no further. With a selection of over 200 tequilas, this bar in Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion is a must on any visit. (Just don’t be surprised if those grab-and-go margaritas make you feel superior to everyone waiting in line out in the heat.)
Walt Disney World
Wine Bar George
Disney’s go-to master sommelier George Miliotes mixes approachability with elevated tastes at his namesake restaurant, where nearly the entire menu, chimichurri-topped skirt steak and all, is served as shareable plates. Just don’t let the extensive and affordable wine list lead you to believe the crispy mac and cheese bites are a pedestrian outlier. They’re utter perfection.
Disney Parks
Cookies at Gideon’s Bakehouse
With their irresistibly doughy centers and topping-speckled surfaces, Gideon’s half-pound cookies are so legendary that Disney World came calling and now serves as this local bakery’s flagship location. The wait, often by virtual queue, is worth it; you’ll need extra time to decide which delectable cakes and daily specials to add to your cookie haul.
Gideon’s Bakehouse
Spare Ribs at Morimoto Asia
Masaharu Morimoto brought Peking duck and dim sum to the world of theme park fare when he opened on property, and the ribs — crispy, sweet, and slathered in a sticky hoisin-based sauce — are a worthy highlight.
Fish and Chips at Yorkshire County Fish Shop
For England’s beloved takeaway fare, Disney serves hake encased in crackly golden batter. The thick fries alongside deliver similar crunch. Don’t forget a few dashes of malt vinegar.
Bill Addison and Helen Rosner
Croque Glace at L’Artisan des Glaces
The France pavilion’s dessert novelty is a freshly baked brioche cut in half, stuffed with one scoop of homemade ice cream and sauce, and toasted on the panini press. The result is warm on the outside, cold and gooey and wonderful in the middle.
Bill Addison and Helen Rosner
Takumi-Tei
With its omakase-only menu, impeccable service, and elegant decor, this refined Japanese eatery is the epitome of transportive Epcot dining. If you have the time — and the budget — don’t skip it.
Kakigori Shave Ice at Kabuki Cafe
This shave ice is the most refreshing treat you’ll find at Epcot on a hot day, hands down. Choose from a selection of fruit flavors, and don’t say no to the sweet milk topping, which is worth the upcharge.
Carlye Wisel
Caramel Popcorn at Karamell-Küche
Candymaker Werther’s Original hosting a branded shop in Epcot’s Germany pavilion seems suspect until you get a whiff of Karamell-Küche’s made-before-your-eyes caramel corn, a far cry from the bagged stuff for sale around the parks. (You can now find it at Magic Kingdom’s Big Top Souvenirs as well.)
Wood-Fired Pizza at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria
Made with Caputo flour, San Marzano tomatoes, and specially sourced water to emulate Italy’s finest, Via Napoli’s wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas are irrefutably perfect. The entire conceit of Epcot is a facsimile of global cultures, but these pies are the real deal.
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Shiki-Sai Sushi Izakaya
Featuring an extensive menu packed with sashimi, udon, small plates like okonomiyaki, and even DIY sushi for the kids, this izakaya in Epcot’s Japan Pavilion is the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
Carlye Wisel
Grapefruit Cake at the Hollywood Brown Derby
Tangy and sweet, this cake is the one reason to visit the Hollywood Brown Derby.
Bill Addison and Helen Rosner
Bavarian Pretzel at Baseline Tap House
Buttery, doused in salt, and served with gooey beer cheese, this not-your-everyday theme park pretzel is a consummate match for Baseline’s 16-tap wall of California beers.
50's Prime Time Café
If it’s a themed meal you’re after, then 50’s Prime Time Café is a must. The food is fantastic; don’t miss the PB&J milkshake or the pot roast. Servers are hilarious (and sometimes mean), the decor is A-plus, and the restaurant has a lengthy list of cocktails.
Bill Addison and Helen Rosner
Tiffins
Created as an ode to Imagineers’ trips around the globe while building Animal Kingdom, the space features art gallery-inspired decor, and the menu could rival those of nationally regarded restaurants. Signature items include a whole-fried sustainable fish served teeth and all.
Tiffins
Churros at Nomad Lounge
Since Animal Kingdom’s Avatar-themed expansion, the bar attached to Tiffins has become an ideal spot to take a load off. Grab a cocktail — Jenn’s Tattoo, a vodka-watermelon concoction, is perfect on hot Florida afternoons — and a round of fresh churros with chile-strawberry-guava sauce for the table.
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Satu'li Canteen
Never mind the vaguely Avatar-linked backstory. Here, protein-topped bowls of grains and greens provide sustenance you’ll need on those long, hot days, with enough quirky finds — cheeseburger bao, orb-shaped blue cheesecake — to keep it interesting.
Num Num Cookie at the Market
Don’t think twice about this brown butter chocolate chunk cookie, served warm. It’s a must.
Disney Parks
Sanaa
At Animal Kingdom’s Sanaa, dunk varieties of naan, kulcha, and paratha into a rainbow of spreads and dips, some of which hold surprising heat. Request a window table for spectacular up-close views of animals on the adjoined savannah.
Sanaa
Ronto Wrap at Ronto Roasters
A Portuguese sausage topped with Sichuan peppercorn sauce wasn’t likely to become a cult favorite, but Disney fans can’t get enough of this open-faced pita sandwich. If the smelter droid out front “roasting” meat isn’t your speed, a vegetarian Zuchii wrap pairs tahini-slathered grilled zucchini with a chickpea slaw for a similar effect.
Disney Parks
Oga’s Cantina
Sure, the cocktails are sweet and colorful, but you’re inside an intergalactic cantina in Disney’s Star Wars-themed land drinking blue wine next to a robot DJ. Don’t turn back now.
David Roark
