WDWNTips: Our Favorite Bites Around Disney World

WDWNTips is a new column featuring WDWNT.com’s best suggestions, tips, and, of course, our favorite secrets from around the parks and more at Walt Disney World.  So of all the possibilities, what tip should we begin with?…  Food, of course!  Here are WDWNT.com’s favorite bites from around Disney World.

Sanaa Bread Service at Animal Kingdom Resort:

Our top recommendation, including from Mr. Tom Corless himself, is the bread service option at Animal Kingdom Resort’s Sanaa restaurant and lounge.

Sanaa is a fantastically African-themed restaurant that features many Indian infused options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Not only is the food some of the tastiest found on Disney World grounds, but the restaurant also features a spot right in the middle of the resort’s signature African savanna, giving diners an up close and personal view of the zebras, giraffes, and cranes.

The bread service at Sanaa is offered for lunch and dinner and can be enjoyed for $13.00.  You’ll get your choice of three breads from the Traditional Naan, the Garlic-Ginger Naan, Spiced Naan, Onion Kulcha, or the Faneer Paratha.  To accompany the bread, you’re also able to select from a Red Chile Sambal, Cucumber Raita, Coriander Chutney, Mango Chutney, Tomato-Date Jam, Garlic Pickle, Spicy Jalapeño-Lime Pickle, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, or a Tamarind Chutney. Oh the possibilities!

If you’re in a hurry or would simply rather not sit down for a full meal, you can also enjoy the bread service option at the Sanaa Lounge.

Tortilla Soup at Frontera Cocina:

Located at Disney Springs, Frontera Cocina serves all sorts of traditional Mexican cuisine from Chef Rick Bayless, an eight-time winner of the esteemed James Beard Award.  Amongst the favorites at the restaurant are the Enchiladas, Tacos, and Carne Asada, as well as the Fried Plantains and Ancho Chile Chocolate Cake. Take your pick from all these options and more but Topher Wallace especially recommends starting your meal with the perfectly spiced Tortilla Soup.  For $9.00, the soup comes with Chipotle Chicken, Avocado, Chihuahua Cheese, Tortilla Strips, Cilantro, Red Onion, and Lime, all served in a delicious Red Chile Chicken Broth.  Even on hot and humid Florida days, this soup is worth every last spoonful!

Pork Tenderloin at the Contemporary Resort’s California Grill:

The next top recommended meal from our staff is the juicy Pork Tenderloin at the Contemporary Resort’s California Grill. The restaurant can be found on the 15th floor of the resort and is well known for its observation decks and fantastic views of the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, AND Hollywood Studios.

As the restaurant’s name suggests, the dinner menu offers an excellent spread of Californian-inspired surf and turf options.  And while we recommend a visit to the restaurant in general, we especially think you’ll enjoy the Pork Tenderloin with its accompanying Goat Cheese Polenta, Baby Squash, Mushrooms, Lacquered Belly, and Zinfandel Glaze.  It’ll cost you $42.00 but when you consider the gorgeous views of the parks and how happy you’ll be after the meal, we think a little bit of a splurge is a pretty good value.

Joffrey’s Donuts:

You can’t go far on Disney World properties without finding one Joffrey’s kiosk or another.  While the quick service stops are mostly known for their huge selection of coffees and teas, they also offer some pastries, muffins, and cookies. While all these options are good in their own right, our best WDWNTip is to go for the donuts!  They’re nothing overly fancy but don’t let that fool your taste buds.  Grab one on your way in to any of the parks for a quick bite-on-the-go and you can thank us later.

Food Court Pizza!:

You don’t exactly think of fine dining and yummy food when you hear the words “food court”, but quality can actually be found at Disney, so keep an open mind.  Many of our  staff members highly recommend the pizza found at CERTAIN resort food courts and lounges. It’s casual, convenient, oozing with melted cheese, and won’t break the bank. Which resort do we suggest above all? Check out Pop Century’s Brick Oven options or the new pies at Saratoga Springs and you’ll never think of food court pizza the same. We do miss the pizza from the bus stop though…

Tokyo Dining at Epcot’s World Showcase:

Another WDWNTip food choice is the Tokyo Dining restaurant located in the Japan pavilion at Epcot’s World Showcase.  Sushi lovers will be in heaven with a mouth-watering selection of rolls, but the other seafood, meat, and vegetarian options are just as tempting.  

You especially can’t go wrong with the Ramen Soup or Bento Box.  The Ramen is served with Grilled Shrimp and Asari Clam in Yuzu-Seafood Broth while the Bento Box is an excellent option to sample many foods at once. Specifically, the box comes with Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura, New York Sirloin Steak with Garlic-Ginger Sauce, Chicken Teriyaki, a Tuna and Salmon Poke Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing, a Tuna Roll, Salmon Roll, Shrimp Nigiri Roll, and a Vegetable Roll. WOW! 

But even with all that food, be sure to save some room for dessert.  Between the Ginger, Mango, and Green Tea Mousse Cakes, as well as the soft serve ice cream, you simply can’t go wrong!  (The Green Tea ice cream is a personal favorite if you’re feeling a little adventurous).  Or, for something extra special, let your friendly servers know that you’re celebrating an event.  They’re known for spoiling you with truly “note-worthy” delights.

Ohana Dinner at Disney’s Polynesian Resort:

If you’re in the mood for a full-on dining experience, WDWNTips recommends the buffet dinner at the Polynesian Resort’s Ohana restaurant.  Not only is the atmosphere fun and energetic with it’s Polynesian flare, but the food is excellent and moderately priced for all that’s included.  We particularly suggest you try the potstickers but also don’t pass on the skewers your servers will bring by with Sweet and Sour Chicken, Oak-Grilled Shrimp and Steak.   

Fajita Platter at Pecos Bills:

For a day spent at Magic Kingdom, our own Pete Carney suggests stopping in at Pecos Bill’s Inn and Cafe for the Fajita Platter.  The always refreshingly cool restaurant is located in Adventureland, just kitty-corner to Splash Mountain.  The $15 Fajita Platter is not only super tasty, but it can easily be shared, making it a great way to get a bang for your buck.  The meal comes with Spicy Barbacoa Beef and Seasoned Chicken, Yellow Rice, Beans, Grilled Vegetables, and Flour Tortillas.  Add in a stop to the Fixins’ Bar for the Diced Onions, Guacamole, Salsa, Shredded Cheese, and Corn Salad, and you’ll be left satisfied the rest of the day.

Smoked Mushroom Bisque at Artist Point:

It may be off the beaten path, but a stop over to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is well worth the trip for the Smoked Mushroom Bisque.  Whether you’d like to sit down for a meal at the Artist Point restaurant or make a quick stop at the Territory Lounge, either way you’ll find an extremely satisfying bowl of this flavorsome, earthy soup.  For $13, the dish is also prepared with Nettle Pistou, Sunflower Seed, and Salsify (a type of root vegetable that looks like a parsnip in case you didn’t know like me).

Chocolate-Hazelnut and Fresh Fruit Waffle at Sleepy Hollow:

Located just to the left of Cinderella’s Castle in Liberty Square you’ll find the easily-overlooked Sleepy Hollow refreshment station. But the secret’s out now!  If you love waffle treats and want one that you’ll never stop dreaming about, you MUST get the Fresh Fruit Waffle Sandwich served with a delictibly smooth Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread.

Ribs, Chicken, and Pulled Pork Sampler at Flame Tree Barbecue:

When you find yourself at Animal Kingdom, do NOT pass on the Ribs, Chicken, and Pulled Pork Sampler at Flame Tree Barbecue!  The trio of juicy, fall-off-the-bone meats are charred to smokey perfection and come with sides of Baked Beans and Coleslaw (try asking for the Watermelon Salad in place of the Beans though if you’d rather have real and not musical fruit, if you catch my drift).  This seriously delicious sampler comes with plenty of food to share between 2-3 people, making the $19 meal super cost friendly as well.

The Hollywood Brown Derby’s Famous Cobb Salad:

A final meal WDWNTips recommends at Disney World is the Cobb Salad at Hollywood Studio’s Brown Derby Restaurant. Offered in appetizer and entree portions, the Cobb Salad comes with Turkey Breast, Bacon, Egg, Tomatoes, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Avocado, Chives, and a creamy Cobb Dressing.  Aside from just being a light and delicious option, the salad is also fun to eat for its history at the original Hollywood Brown Derby in California.  It’s believed that the Cobb Salad was created in 1937 for the restaurant’s owner, Robert Howard Cobb.  Good food AND good history… there’s always more than meets the eye when you spend a day at Disney!

From fine dining at the California Grill to fruit-filled waffles at Magic Kingdom, these are wdwnt.com’s favorite bites at Disney World.  What other favorites would you add to our list?