Whether you’re a foodie looking for a gastronomic adventure or a family seeking a memorable meal, Disney World offers culinary options like no other. When it comes to Disney dining, the best places to eat in Disney World are easy to find, and thanks to the magic of Disney transportation, easy to to get to.
Many of you know by now that we are Disney planners, and we hope you are too, because we do not recommend picking Disney dining restaurants the day of, or even worse, meal of! The best places to eat at Disney World can fill up quickly or have long lines. So, if you have a trip coming up, it’s best to pick your restaurants as soon as possible, and we are here to help!
Without further ado, here is our list of Disney Dining best places to eat.
Benefits of Dining at Disney
Dining at Disney goes beyond merely banishing hunger. One of the biggest advantages of dining at Disney is the immersive experience you’ll find when visiting different establishments. Each restaurant is meticulously themed to transport you into the world of your favorite Disney characters or stories, rrom the grandeur of the Beast’s castle to the magic of Andy’s Backyard and even into space.
Another benefit of Disney dining is the variety of options available. With over 200 dining locations across the Disney parks, resorts, and Disney Springs, there’s something to suit every taste and budget. Whether you’re craving international cuisine, comfort food, or a quick bite on the go, Disney has you covered.
Additionally, dining at Disney provides convenience and time-saving benefits. By making advanced dining reservations, you can secure your table and avoid long wait times. This allows you to maximize your time in the parks and ensures you won’t miss out on dining at your preferred restaurant. Disney dining also offers a mobile ordering service, allowing you to order and pay for your meals in advance at quick service locations, reducing wait times even further.
Best Dining Experiences at Disney Parks
You’ll find a wide variety of quick-service and table service dining at Disney World. When seeking the best places to eat at quick service restaurants, think outside the box. While simple burgers abound, you’ll also find a number of unique and inspiring options, fit for adults doing Disney solo or families on a new adventure.
When it comes to table service, food offerings are diverse. You’ll be sure to find something for your diverse and picky eaters alike.
Best Disney Dining Counter Service: Satu’li Canteen
First on our list for best quick service dining is Satu’li Canteen located inside Pandora Land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. While this best place to eat in Disney World is a counter service establishment, the amazing food and immersive atmosphere make up for the lack of waitstaff. This Disney World Restaurant brings you into the land and culture of Pandora. The food is reminiscent of grain bowls you might find on Earth, but they have distinct Pandora twists, such as tangy sauces, boba balls, and spices.
For those with food allergies (like a few members of our regular Disney crew,) Satu’li Canteen offers an extensive allergen-friendly menu covering all of the main food allergies, which is pretty remarkable for counter service dining. This means that gluten free members like me have choices besides a salad!
Even though Satu’li Canteen is not a dine-in restaurant, some planning is still required to eat here. This restaurant often has a line going out the door. Many people have not quite caught onto the fact that Disney World restaurants have an order-ahead feature on their app. When we dined here, we used the mobile order service in the My Disney Experience app, rode a ride or two, then waltzed into the restaurant past the line and grabbed our food!
Best BBQ is in Animal Kingdom
It is not surprising that when it comes to Disney Dining, the best place to eat barbecue is in Animal Kingdom. Flame Tree Barbecue is located right across from the Tree of Life in the park, and serves up fresh BBQ, with great waterfront views.
The food at Flame Tree is served up quick, as this is counter service restaurant, but tastes more like a dine-in specialty. Food offerings range from half a chicken to pulled pork Mac and Cheese and more.
Once you pick up your food, you make your way behind the restaurant to the tables near the waterfront. You can dine with views of the water in the foreground, and Expedition Everest in the background. Dining here, especially at sunset, is a truly amazing experience.
Between food and views, this restaurant makes our list of best places to eat in Disney World.
Best Disney Dining for Adults: Biergarten
Oy! Oy! Oy! It’s Oktoberfest time! At the World Showcase, Oktoberfest lasts all year in this quaint Bavarian village. Disney’s take on German food and beer is not only delicious, it’s fun. In between trips to the buffet, relax and enjoy a live polka band, or head to the dance floor and become part of the entertainment. (the kids sure enjoy doing so!)
Entertainment aside, this Disney Dining best place to eat has great food! And I mean, really great. German sausages, schnitzel, beer cheese soup, spaetzle, Frikadellen, and more. When you first get to the double-sided buffet, you start out with an assortment of salads ranging from traditional to potato salads with unfamiliar, yet delectable sauces. The selection quickly changes to tray after tray of meats and sausages, with side dishes scattered in between them all leading up to the carving station. On my first plate at the buffet I filled it up before I even made it halfway through the selection.
Biergarten is located in the Germany Pavilion in EPCOT’s World Showcase. It is open for lunch and dinner and dining seating is communal, so prepare to make some new friends if your group is on the smaller side. Reservations are not only recommended, they’re practically required for larger groups or they will not have room to seat you.
With all of the beer flowing through this place, Biergarten is the best Disney World restaurant for adults. You might even be invited to however, if you’re traveling with little ones. Biergarten is plenty family
friendly.
Best Disney World Breakfast- Tusker House
Another Disney Dining best place to eat is Tusker House. Tusker House, which is in Animal Kingdom, is a table service buffet restaurant served “all you care to eat.”
Tusker House is also a character dining experience , with classic Disney characters dressed in safari outfits. You can expect to see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and even Goofy.
Besides fun with the characters, this Disney Dining best place to eat has the best variety of food options. African flavors and spices are found in nearly every dish from eggs, breads, meats, and even desserts. There are also traditional American breakfast options for those with traditional tastes.
Best Fine Dining in Disney Parks: Be Our Guest
Okay, you all knew this Disney World restaurant would be on this list. Although Be Our Guest is still relatively new (in Disney terms,) it quickly became a must-try restaurant. In fact, getting a reservation here, many years after opening, is still almost impossible. Reservations open 60 days in advance, and you better plan on being up early if you want to snag a prime- time dinner spot!
We have been able to get into Be Our Guest for lunch, and it is phenomenal. The atmosphere transports you right into the set of Beauty and the Beast. The Grand Ballroom has elegant high back chairs, chandeliers fit for a prince (or beast,) and glass doors with a view of a winter balcony scene.
The West Wing dining area features an ominous feel, almost like you are not supposed to be there. And I suppose if the beast himself knew, he would be rather angry. This room has torn tapestries over your head, dark lighting and occasional thunder and lightning outside the window.
The third dining room has a centerpiece of Belle and the Beast dancing endlessly around, (you’d think they’d get dizzy!) and tapestries with scenes from the famous movie lining the walls. The food at Be Our Guest is what you would expect Lumiere and the other enchanted objects to serve you.
For lunch and dinner, expect a 3 course meal, including an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Appetizers include selections such as escargot (yes snails!), duck and pork terrine, field greens, or French onion soup. Main course options are filet mignon, pork chop, short ribs and more. Dessert is either a trio of goodies including the most talked about “grey stuff,” or vanilla cake with lemon curd. While dining at Be Our Guest, you may even see the Beast wandering around.
Be Our Guest is one of the the best places to eat in Disney World for ambiance and theming. If you’ve ever wanted to visit the Beast’s castle, here is your chance.
Dining Options at Disney Resorts
While the theme parks offer a plethora of dining options, the Disney resorts also boast some incredible fine dining establishments, (as well as some grab and go and counter service options.)
Boma: The Best Disney Dining for Ethnic Cuisine
Dining your way through the World Showcase is a right of passage when visiting Disney World. But you may be surprised to hear the best ethnic food we’ve tried is actually located in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It’s definitely a farther drive, but it is worth it! First off, half the experience of visiting this Disney World Restaurant is being able to walk through the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We visited at Christmas time, and it is just glorious. The large staircase leading down to the restaurant is made of large planks of rustic wood finished with care. African tapestries are hung on the ceiling and the beams look like they were handmade in Africa.
The thing that stood out most to me about this restaurant was the chef. We have food allergies in our party so buffets can be a little challenging. As many of you know from the food allergy article I wrote, (if you haven’t read it, you should! You can find it here.) Disney sends their chefs to do an allergy consult.
This chef, who’s name I unfortunately cannot remember, was so kind and so helpful. He answered all my questions and gave us a very detailed buffet tour pointing out what I could and could not eat. He then made a special effort to bring special gluten free items to the table for me even though they were not on the buffet. The food at this best place to eat in Disney World was, in two words, mind blowing! We were all beyond pleased with the items we brought back from the buffet, even though none of us were 100% sure what we were eating. The diverse African menu featured roasted and spiced meats, and an endless line of full-bodied
soups and stews, salads, and sides ranging from rice and potatoes to seasoned veggies.
For a Disney buffet, the dessert line up was plentiful, much larger than most comparable restaurants. And they even had gluten free desserts! I sampled some of the best stews I had ever tasted, enjoyed tender and juicy cuts of beef and vibrantly flavored rice.
While I was unable to attend, I’ve heard that breakfast is equally as good. Boma is now my brother’s favorite restaurant for breakfast, and he has tried just about all of them. If you’ve ever been to Tusker House and are a fan of the special juice blend they serve, you can find that here as well.
Boma is only open for breakfast and dinner and is located in Animal Kingdom Lodge in the main lobby. Their reservations do not fill up as fast as some of the in-park dining options, but it is still a good idea to plan ahead, especially for larger groups.
Best Experience: O’hana
O’hana blends the best of the Polynesian islands, both in cuisine and atmosphere, with stunning views of Cinderella’s Castle, and even some fireworks views.
This premier restaurant, located in the Polynesian Village resort, is among Disney’s most popular establishments ever, making it hard to secure a reservation.
Guests who manage to get in are treated to family style dining, featuring ohana noodles, honey coriander chicken wings, pork dumplings, and much more. The signature O’hana bread pudding dessert tops things off.
Note, while both breakfast and dinner are all you care to eat, only breakfast doubles as a character dining experience in the morning, with an entirely different menu.
Olivia’s Café at Old Key West
While we love Old Key West, its dining is not as well known as the flagship resorts, but this does not mean its not good. In fact, Olivia’s Café is a phenomenal dining option, one we hit multiple times during an Old Key West stay, its that good.
Olivia’s serves up hearty homemade cooking with waterfront views. You can expect to dine on buttermilk chicken, banana French toast, and eggs benedict for brunch.
For dinner, there’s more buttermilk chicken, burgers, mahi-mahi, prime rib, and the best shrimp scampi ever.
Uniquely Themed Restaurants in Disney World
For the Disney dining best places to eat with crazy theming, there are more options than we can list. Skipper’s Canteen lets you dine with the Skippers of the Jungle Cruise, the World showcase is full of themed dining for each country, and animal Kingdom allows you to dine in Pandora. With so many amazing themed options, we do have our favorites.
Best Places to Eat Not on Earth: Space 220
Space 220 is one of the newest Disney dining options, and it has quickly been added to our best places to eat in Disney World list. Space 220, which is located in EPCOT serves up delectable food, 220 miles above Earth.
This immersive dining experience begins with a 60 second express elevator ride which takes you outside of the Earth’s atmosphere and up to the dining area on a space platform. yes, you read that correct, dining in Space! or, at least the Disney version of space.
Once inside the space station, you will be pleased with this Disney dining experience. The ambiance is fascinating. large windows showcase what is going on in outer space. Space craft fly by, as well as astronauts in various comical situations. We were even told there was a space dog, although we did not see him.
Besides crazy views, this restaurant has crazy food portions. Every meal comes with a large appetizer and even larger entrée. We were all struggling to finish our plates.
Not only does the food come with quantity, but also quality. The food was diverse and delicious. Each member of our group greatly enjoyed our meal, and we cannot wait to go back!
Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
Dine in an active hangar at this black spire diner inside of Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios. The theming here is what you would expect on Batuu, but seats can sometimes be hard to find, so try to eat here during off times.
The quick service menu has stir fry, poke, chicken tip-yip, smoked pork ribs, and other offerings.
Character Dining Experiences
No visit to Disney would be complete without a character dining experience. These meals allow you to meet and interact with your favorite Disney characters while enjoying a delicious meal and also include some of Disney’s best Dining.
Character dining in Disney is as diverse as the characters! Here are a few we think are the best.
Disney Dining Best Places to Eat with Characters: Chef Mickey’s
This might just be the most beloved and talked about character experience inside Disney World. In fact, we have been going here for close to 15 years, and have fun each time.
Chef Mickey’s is located inside of the Contemporary Resort. This means you can hop on the monorail to Magic Kingdom right from the resort once you finish your meal.
At this buffet, you will be visited by Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald and more.
The buffet is always fully stocked for breakfast, and dinner. For breakfast be sure to grab one of the iconic Mickey waffles, as well as scrambled eggs, sweet and savory breads, a carving station and more.
orange chicken, NY strip, pork pernil, mac and cheese, and stir fry noodles are just a few of the delicious dinner options.
Cinderella’s Royal Table
Cinderella’s Royal Table is located inside of the castle, right on the second floor. This restaurant is the only way you can enter the castle. But a reservation is pretty much required.
The Royal Table is a fine dining character experience. While enjoying delicious plates of your choice, various Princesses will come to your table for a meet and greet. Additionally, you’ll meet Cinderella as you are brought to your table, and pose for a keepsake photo with her.
Cinderella’s Royal Table is some of the best dining in Magic Kingdom, and the dinner menu includes: pork tenderloin with couscous, beef tenderloin with potato Pave and veggies, Parisian gnocchi and more. Breakfast choices are: Shrimp and Grits, beef tenderloin and egg, and caramel apple stuffed French toast, among other delicious things.
Disney Dining Best Snacks
Dole Whip
Disney’s famous Dole Whip had humble beginnings, but is now one of the most popular and beloved snacks to grab during your vacation. Dole whips now come in a variety of flavors, some of which change based on the season.
You can always find Dole Whips at the Polynesian resort, as well as at Aloha Isle, and Sunshine Tree Terrace in Magic Kingdom and at Tamu Tamu in Animal Kingdom.
Lastly, Dole Whips can be found inside Disney Springs at Swirls on the Water. Here, you can get a Dole Whip Flight which features many different flavors, which change often.
Cinnamon Buns and Lefou’s Brew
Gaston’s Tavern in the Magic Kingdom is another one of the best places to eat in Disney World for snacks. Here, you can munch on giant, ooey, gooey, cinnamon buns and sip on Lafou’s Brew.
This must have non alcoholic drink is a frozen apple cider drink with a hint of roaster marshmallow, and topped with mango,/ passion fruit foam.
Cheeseburger Spring Rolls
The cheeseburger spring rolls have become a cult classic inside of Magic Kingdom. You may not have noticed the Adventureland Spring Roll Cart, but odds are you’ve noticed the long line forming behind it.
The quickly beloved cheeseburger spring roll found there has become a favorite for all visiting Magic Kingdom. Next time you’re there, give it a try!
Tips for Dining at Disney
Dining at Disney can be a magical experience, but it does require some planning and preparation. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your culinary adventures:
- Make dining reservations in advance: Many of the popular restaurants book up quickly, so it’s important to make your reservations as early as possible. You can do this online or by calling Disney Dining.
- Consider the dining plans: Disney offers various dining plans that can help you save money and make the most of your meals. Be sure to research the different options and choose the one that best suits your needs.
- Be flexible with your dining times: If you’re unable to secure a reservation at your preferred time, try being flexible with your dining schedule. Sometimes, dining at off-peak times can increase your chances of getting a reservation.
- Keep an eye out for special dining events: Throughout the year, Disney hosts special dining events that offer unique experiences and menus. Keep an eye out for these events and consider adding them to your itinerary.
- Don’t forget about the snacks: In addition to the sit-down restaurants, Disney also offers a wide range of delicious snacks and treats. From the iconic Dole Whip to the mouthwatering Mickey-shaped pretzels, be sure to leave room in your itinerary (and your stomach) for these tasty delights.
