My favorite places to eat in the Walt Disney World parks.

Everyone loves the culinary delights while visiting Disneyworld, and Disney does not cut any corners in their offerings! Snacks, quick service dining, table service, and even full character experiences are discovered at every park, as well as their resorts. Being a DisneyPhile, I have developed my list of favorites and musts for every park and am simplifying it into just Quick Service and Table Service. Any of these I would recommend to families and friends, they are sure to please everyone!

Magic Kingdom

My favorite table service dining is Liberty Tree Tavern. This is housed in a stately colonial-style inn paying homage to our founding fathers, located in Liberty Square. This is an all-you-can-eat, family-style dining experience, where you sit and relax, and the food just keeps coming! You begin with the salad which is served with cheese, fruit, and cranberries, then move on to a full Founding Fathers Feast. This reminds me a lot of traditional Thanksgiving fare, consisting of oven-roasted turkey, pot roast, and oven-roasted pork. Traditional sides include mashed potatoes, seasoned vegetables, herbed stuffing, and mac and cheese. Regardless of how overstuffed you become, you are certain to save room for the Oooey Gooey Toffee Cake, served warm with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. Pricing is reasonable at $42 for adults and $23 for children during lunch. They include a plant-based menu for anyone with dietary preferences, so there really is something for everybody. This is the most popular restaurant on Thanksgiving and is 100% booked up within two minutes of reservations being opened. For quality and value, this is by far my favorite at Magic Kingdom!

For quick service, you will find many options for chicken tenders, burgers, and of course we all know Casey’s for their hot dogs. My favorite, however, is still in Liberty Square, and is the Columbia Harbour House. This provides a different menu and gets you away from the typical options you will find anywhere. My go-to is the Lobster Roll, served chilled on a New England style bun. You will also find a Shrimp Boil platter with new potatoes and corn, Glazed Salmon, and of course Boston Cream Pie (yummy!!!). For veggie lovers, they offer a Plant-Based Crab Cake Sandwich. I have never tried that but it looks amazing! If you are just tired of the same fare you can find anywhere, give this place a try.

Epcot

Epcot is a tough one, because you can literally eat your way around the world with the most amazing selection of restaurants, not to mention the kiosks that are present during their festivals. I would have to say my favorite table service dining experience, though, is Space 220, for the ambience. You walk in and are transported via the Stellarvator up to a space station 220 miles above Earth, where you have the most amazing views! Astronauts will wave as they float by, and if you are paying attention, you may even see some of your favorite Star Wars characters. There are two types of dining available here, the table service and the lounge. The table service is prix fixe, and has an amazing cocktail selection. The Gamma Burst is one of my favorites, with Grey Goose Strawberry Lemongrass, Midori, and strawberry popping pearls! The lunch menu comes with your choice of appetizer and entrée. I love me some burrata, so tend to lean towards the Big Bang Burrata with watermelon and a tarragon dressing. With a price tag of $55 for adults, I don’t get excited about choosing the Gemini Burger for my entrée, but this is an option a la carte in the lounge and is truly a phenomenal burger with bacon, white cheddar, and a roasted pepper aioli. The Miso Salmon with leeks, tempura mushrooms and blood orange beurre blanc is simply amazing, and of course they offer a New York Strip with is prepared quite well and is really tasty. If you are travelling with a larger party, I would recommend reserving a table, but if you are a smaller party, I say get a reservation in the lounge and go a la carte. The food here is good, but the selling point is the ambience. I think there is more value in the lounge and getting that amazing burger!

My favorite quick service is at the other side of the park in Paris, and it is Crepes A Emporter next to Remy. You have your choice of sweet or savory crepes, complemented with a dry cider or glass of champagne. My personal favorite is the Ratatouille Galette with eggplant, tomatoes and zucchini, but my kids always go towards the sweeter side with the hazelnut and chocolate crepes, topped with ice cream!

Hollywood Studios

To be honest, until recently I have not been a fan of the table service at Hollywood. Many people love the Sci-Fi Theater, but being in the dark unable to truly have a conversation with my family does not a relaxing experience make, not for me. Thankfully, a new experience just opened up that is easily my favorite, Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Toy Story Land! This is a western-themed restaurant where you see the world through the eyes of Andy’s toys! Family-style dining is provided, starting with The Prospector’s Homemade Cheddar Biscuits with Sweet Pepper Jelly.  A tomato salad and a watermelon salad are both plant-based, followed by huge platters of bbq. For meat lovers, there are ribs, sausage, chicken, and brisket, and for plant lovers they provide an amazing Combat Carloflower with Harissa Drizzle and Walnut Gremolata. Baked beans, slaw, corn on the cob, mac n cheese and potato barrels round out the sides, some of those being plant-based. Each guest selects a dessert, choosing from Bo’s Lemon and Blueberry Cheesecake, Goat’s Apple Pie, Billy’s Chocolate Silk Pie, Gruff’s Peach-Strawberry Pie (plant-based), or Forky’s Cupcake.

My favorite quick-service is also in Toy Story Land, Woody’s Lunchbox. On hot days, they have a chicken salad sandwich that will knock your socks off, so yummy! In addition, their BBQ Brisket Melt is rich and delicious. Either of these are big enough to share, quite honestly, especially if you decide to also treat yourself to an Ice Cream Float with Barq’s Root Beer. They also have a great breakfast offering if you are rope-dropping the park on an early admission day.

Animal Kingdom

 Located in Asia is Yak n Yeti, a Nepalese-style restaurant with pan-Asian cuisine. This is by far my favorite table-service in Animal Kingdom, for the price and the quality of food. The menu is a la carte with a wide variety of choices. I love the Bang Bang Calamari on the appetizer menu and the Lettuce Cups with ground chicken, vegetables, and a sweet soy glaze for sharing. Their entrée selections include lo mein bowls, wok options, and specialties such as Miso Salmon and Chicken Tikka Masala, both of which are phenomenal and some of my favorites. I love the chicken fried rice for my littles from the kid’s menu. If you are not able to make a reservation, there is a quick service dining option with a much more limited menu, but I really prefer the table service here.

My all time favorite quick service restaurant, not only at Animal Kingdom but all of Disneyworld, is Satu’li Canteen in the Pandora – The World of Avatar. This is a build-your-own-bowl style of restaurant, with your choice of noodles, rice or salad, protein, etc. I always get the salad with the chicken and the cilantro sauce. For littles, I recommend the cheeseburger bao buns. It is a steamed bao pod stuffed with burger, cheese, pickle, and ketchup, served with chips and an orange. I never leave here without also ordering one of my all-time favorite desserts on property, the Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse. This looks like a work of art, and is beautifully complemented with a passionfruit curd. Seriously, if you are not eating here while at Animal Kingdom, you are doing yourself a grave disservice.

Knowing where to go for the best food is oftentimes overwhelming, so this is a great starting point and will not disappoint. Happy eating!