Let’s be honest: theme park food typically isn’t very good (or healthy). Fortunately, Disney World has a variety food options both in and outside of the parks, so if you know where to look, you can eat a great meal. Here are the things to know about the dining at Disney World and the best food on property.
Signature Dining
Disney World’s signature restaurants offer a fine dining experience with high-quality ingredients. Hands down you’ll find the best food at these locations. Be sure to get a reservation as soon as possible via the Disney World website or the My Disney Experience app. Otherwise, you may be able to join a walkup list or sit at the bar if bar seating is available.
Out of the list of signature restaurants, Cinderella’s Royal Table in Magic Kingdom tends to be expensive and a lower quality than the other options, but the perk is that you get to eat inside the Magic Kingdom castle. Besides that restaurant, you really can’t wrong with any on the list. Here are some of our favorites that all have table service and bar seating:
Table Service Restaurants
In general, you’ll find better food at table-service restaurants that take reservations vs quick service locations. Note that EPCOT has the most and best table-service restaurants out of the Disney World parks and is always a great place eat.
Here are some of the best table-service restaurants that aren’t signature restaurants:
- Biergarten (EPCOT)
- Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge)
- Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ (Disney Springs)
- Grand Floridian Café (Grand Floridian)
- Ragland Road Irish Pub (Disney Springs)
- Sanaa (Animal Kingdom Lodge)
- Spice Road Table (EPCOT)
- Steakhouse 71 (Contemporary)
- Story Book Dining at Artist Point (Wilderness Lodge)
- Teppan Edo (EPCOT)
- Tokyo Dining (EPCOT)
- Trattoria al Forna (Boardwalk)
- Tutto Italia Ristorante (EPCOT)
- Wine Bar George (Disney Springs)
- Yak & Yeti (Animal Kingdom Park)
Lounges
There are several walkup lounges around Disney World with great drinks and food. These locations are a bit under the radar, making them a fantastic option when you don’t have a dining reservation. Here are our top picks:
- Ale and Compass Lounge (Yacht Club Resort)
- Crew’s Cup Lounge (Yacht Club Resort)
- Dahlia Lounge (Coronado Springs)
- Geyser Point (Wilderness Lodge)
- Il Mulino Lounge (Swan Resort)
- Nomad Lounge (Animal Kingdom Park)
- Saana Lounge (Animal Kingdom Lodge)
- Shula’s Steakhouse Lounge (Dolphin Resort)
- Steakhouse 71 Lounge (Contemporary)
- Tambu Lounge (Polynesian)
- Three Bridges (Coronado Springs, pictured above)
EPCOT Festival Food
Another option for good food at Walt Disney World is the EPCOT outdoor kitchens that are available during festivals. These booths sell small portions of food and alcohol from around the world, so you can try a variety of items instead of having one big meal. Luckily, EPCOT festivals are almost year-round, but be sure to plan your trip during one of the festivals if you want try the food.
Links to the four EPCOT festivals are below (click to view dates and menus):
- International Festival of the Arts (Jan-Feb)
- Flower and Garden Festival (March-July)
- Food and Wine Festival (July-Nov)
- Festival of the Holidays (Nov-Dec)
Counter Service
There are many quick service/counter restaurants at Walt Disney World, and most of this food is overpriced and subpar. However, there are a few hidden gems if you know where to look.
Here is the list of the best counter service restaurants at Disney World:
- BaseLine Tap House (Hollywood Studios)
- Docking Bay 7 (Hollywood Studios)
- Earl of Sandwich (Disney Springs)
- Les Halles (EPCOT)
- Primo Piatto (Riviera Resort)
- Regal Eagle Smokehouse (EPCOT)
- The Polite Pig (Disney Springs)
- Satu’li Canteen (Animal Kingdom)
- Via Napoli (EPCOT)
- Yorkshire County Fish Shop (EPCOT)
Disney World for Adults 