Last week, we shared a list of our five favorite cocktails at Walt Disney World - because a Disney vacation can mean more than meeting characters, riding roller coasters and finding your stroller among the 500+ that look just like yours! What’s a vacation without a little liquid happiness?
Along those same lines, we at Beyond Imagination Vacations cannot imagine a vacation without enjoying some incredible meals. And because Walt Disney World is the ultimate in family travel, it is easier to partake in fine dining here than at other destinations. Children are welcome at all restaurants, excluding Victoria & Albert’s which only allows children 10 and older. (Our kids have sophisticated palates, but we’re not sure we would want to spend close to $200 on a meal for a seven-year-old!)
On today’s blog, we’re sharing our five favorite table-service restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort. And yes, you can bring your kids (if you want)!
California Grill
Located in the Contemporary Resort, California Grill puts the spotlight on the diverse and innovative flavors of the Golden State. The menu is never static, changing to showcase the finest ingredients of each season. If your kids aren’t into Cali-cuisine, you can always find top-of-the-line sushi and brick-oven fired pizza on the menu.
The freshest start at California Grill - heirloom tomato and stone fruit salad
The service is unsurprisingly on point - courteous, not intrusive and incredibly helpful. You’ll find a sommelier on site to find the perfect wine to complement your meal among the 300 hand-picked wines, 50 of which are available by the glass.
As a Signature restaurant, guests on the Disney Dining Plan will redeem two table-service credits per person. Guests are required to adhere to a reasonable dress code. Don’t fret - jeans in good condition are allowed, and men can wear collared shirts and dress shorts. You don’t want to show up to California Grill in your swimsuit cover-up or ripped jean shorts, anyway. It would diminish the overall experience for you and fellow restaurant patrons.
Advance Dining Reservations are hard to find, particularly after the 180-day booking window opens. If you don’t luck out, you can always enjoy dinner at the California Grill Lounge - it serves the same menu as the restaurant. We scored a table by the window with gorgeous views of Magic Kingdom.
And the views are as spectacular as the food. If you time your reservation just right, you can watch Happily Ever After from the restaurant. California Grill even dims the lights and pipes in the music for a multi-dimensional experience. If you dined earlier in the evening, save your receipt and check in with the greeters on the second floor. You’ll gain access to the restaurant again to view the show. You’ll be able to watch from the lounge or observation deck. Guests with reservations after the fireworks can also watch the show after checking in on the second floor.
Hollywood Brown Derby
Hollywood Brown Derby is the reprieve we need in Hollywood Studios. It’s a frenetic park for us with the abundance of intense thrill rides like Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n Roller Coaster. Not to mention the cardio involved when trying to be among the first to sign up for Jedi Training or to queue for Slinky Dog Dash.
In the height of the afternoon, you can find us relaxing at Hollywood Brown Derby, a polished nod to the Tinseltown culinary landmark. You’ll find sketches of famous faces hanging on the walls, just like the original eatery in California. The menu is reminiscent of what starlets and producers would dine on during Hollywood’s Golden Age - Cobb salad, beef carpaccio and a light, moist, delectable grapefruit cake. We usually prefer to allot our calories for savory items, but trust us, save room for the grapefruit cake. It’s unbelievably delicious.
The grapefruit cake at Hollywood Brown Derby - save room for dessert!
A Signature restaurant, guests on the Disney Dining Plan will utilize two table-service credits at Hollywood Brown Derby. To avoid using a FastPass+ selection for Fantasmic!, you can book a dining package which includes a two-course meal and reserved seating for Hollywood’s Studios nighttime show. Or guests 14 and older can share a four-course meal with a Disney Imagineer, the most creative minds responsible for the wonder found throughout the parks and resorts. The Disney Dining Plan cannot be used with the latter package.
Jiko - The Cooking Place
Located in Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jiko - The Cooking Place introduces Walt Disney World guests to African-inspired fare. It isn’t a restaurant for folks with timid palates. The flavors are bold and intense. Many of the ingredients are exotic, like chakalaka, a South African vegetable relish; calabaza, a West Indian pumpkin; and harissa, a spicy North African paste. But it’s delicious, of course! Wine aficionados will relish the extensive South African wine collection from which to pair the perfect glass of red with perfectly-cooked lamb.
In addition to consistently remarkable food, Jiko offers guests unique culinary events like wine tastings, dining with Disney animal specialists, and a private, 90-minute safari for up to 12 guests before a multi-course meal.
Like other Signature dining experiences, guests must adhere to a minimum dress code and utilize two table-service credits at Jiko. Totally worth it!
Even if your kids aren’t into African cuisine, they’ll love the paint-your-dessert at Jiko - the Cooking Place.
Tiffins
Tiffins is the best restaurant inside any of the Walt Disney World parks - hands down. Like Jiko, Tiffins is for adventurous diners. Unlike Jiko, Tiffins showcases cuisine from Latin America and Asia in addition to Africa. Think chargrilled octopus for an appetizer; tamarind-braised short rib as your entrée; and guava mousse for dessert. If you want to sample small bites from the Tiffins menu and not commit to a lengthy seated dinner, check out the adjacent Nomad Lounge.
The Tiffins atmosphere is as eclectic as the food. The walls are veritable galleries, showcasing incredible pieces of artwork. And the overall décor pays homage to exploration and environmental conservation.
As with other Signature restaurants, Disney Dining Plan guests will redeem two table-service credits at Tiffins. Because it is located inside Animal Kingdom Park, there is not a dress code as you’re not likely to wear dress shorts to ride Expedition Everest!
Diners at Tiffins can choose to add onto their dining experience with an exclusive show package. After enjoying a three-course meal, you’ll receive a voucher for premium seating at Animal Kingdom Park’s nighttime show, Rivers of Light. Or pick from one of two Festival of the Lion King packages. The VIP experience includes a three-course meal, premium seats to the musical theatre live show, and a specially-guided safari tour!
We may have taken a few bites before this photo of our lunch at Tiffins Restaurant was snapped.
Via Napoli
You can have a great meal at Walt Disney World using just one table-service credit. Via Napoli at Epcot is proof! Serving iconic Southern Italian food, Via Napoli might be the most kid-friendly restaurant on our list. The youngsters in your group will feast on the wood-fired pizza, and spaghetti and meatballs. Adults will savor the zesty salads, seafood pasta and Italian-influenced cocktails.
Advance Dining Reservations are strongly encouraged at Via Napoli. But don’t stress if a table doesn’t open up before or during your Walt Disney World visit. Check out the neighboring Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar. Although it’s not on the dining plan, it’s a hidden spot to nosh on small plates of Italian meats, cheeses, pasta dishes and panini sandwiches. We love heading to Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar in the late afternoon to escape the Epcot crowds. Shhhhh. Don’t tell anyone.
Can’t find a reservation at Via Napoli? Check out Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar for Italian favorites!