PassPorter.com Feature Article
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My Top 10 Table Service Restaurants at Walt Disney World: A Walt Disney World Dining Review

by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
Last modified 01-15-2015

As my regular readers know, one of our main reasons for visiting Walt Disney World is not to enjoy the rides, attractions or shows, although that is obviously a fun part of any vacation.

No, for us, it's about enjoying the fine dining that can be found in the Disney parks and resorts. In fact, our Disney vacations are pretty much based around our dining choices, with table service restaurants taking center stage, as they allow us the opportunity to sit down, take a break, and relax, while hopefully enjoying some good food.

There are so many wonderful places to choose from, and tough as it is, I've picked out our top 10, which features a surprising variety of cuisines and dining experiences. I hope they reflect at least some of your choices, too.

10) Via Napoli Oh wow, until I dined at this place, I really had not tasted good pizza! When this opened in Italy at Epcot, this was a real revelation in terms of just how wonderful pizza could be. Add to this a great setting – I just adore the ovens in particular – and this had to make it on to the list.

9) Tokyo Dining This is a place that we discovered relatively recently, and we just keep going back. We love sushi, and this is the place to sample huge plates of the stuff. When we’ve dined there, we’ve found it to be relatively quiet, which is a pleasant change for park restaurants, and we’ve also been lucky enough to get window seats with views over World Showcase Lagoon.

8) Flying Fish Café Interestingly, the first time we ate here, we didn’t have a good experience. After hearing so many rave reviews from friends about this place, we decided to give it another go, and we were a lot more impressed the next time around. I love the fact that the menu’s focus is on fish, as a non-meat eater, giving me lots of choice for dining.

7) Teppan Edo Now I know some people feel this is a run-of-the-mill hibachi restaurant, but they’re not that common in the UK, so eating here is a real treat for us. Not only is the food wonderful, but you get a superb show into the bargain.

6) Crystal Palace We had to have a character meal in here somewhere, and this has long been my favorite, and not just because it’s got my favorite donkey, Eeyore. Time and time again, whether we go for breakfast, lunch or dinner, we always enjoy the food, and have a great time with the characters.

5) Beaches and Cream This has long been a “must-do” for us, from the first time we dined here. I remember saying then that the veggie burger was the best I’d ever tasted, and thankfully I’ve not yet changed that view. And as for the ice cream – well, isn’t that what everyone comes here for? It also has such a fun atmosphere to it. I just wish it was bigger, as Disney really has a gold mine on its hands here.

4) Victoria and Albert’s Well, it had to be in here somewhere. Disney’s finest dining experience is absolutely out of this world, and if you’re a foodie, well what are you waiting for. We’ve been lucky enough to dine here twice, and if able (budget does come into it for this one…) I’d do it again in a heartbeat. This is the place to come to feel treated like royalty, and whatever your dining preferences are, they’ll be able to cater them. The service and food are both second to none, and it really is the way to spend a special evening. Our only criticism is that we’d love Disney to provide a car service for Disney resort guests, so you don’t have to worry about driving or (if you intend to enjoy some wine) taking Disney transportation, as you do feel a bit conspicuous on a bus, all dressed up in your best.

3) Be Our Guest Although this is a very recent addition to Disney dining, this is a superb one. The second we walked in here, I was blown away by the theming of the room. You really do feel as if you’re inside a castle, and no offence to Cinderella, but the interior of this one feels much more classy. Now as for the food, my grandmother was French, and the second I sampled the food here, I was instantly transported back in time to her cooking, that’s how good it was. No wonder it’s still stupidly popular a couple of years after its opening.

2) Boma Like Beaches and Cream, this is a restaurant that we’ve absolutely adored from the first time we dined here. We love the fact that you can get unusual flavors, and food that’s very different to anything available elsewhere on Disney property – or anywhere else we’ve been. It’s wonderful to be able to sample so many exotic and unusual dishes from the buffet, knowing that if any aren’t to your taste, plenty of others will be (although that’s not usually a problem for us)!

1) California Grill Again, this has been a firm favorite for many years, so much so that I’ve enjoyed a number of birthday dinners here over the years, and on occasion, we’ve also had Christmas dinner here, too. Although the menu is constantly changing, we always find something to enjoy on here, and pretty much every dish we’ve sampled over the years has been absolutely divine. Add in the amazing views from here across to the Magic Kingdom, Seven Seas Lagoon, and far beyond, and you’ve got a winner on your hands. Of course, many people come here to enjoy a unique perspective of the Wishes fireworks, and I’d be lying if I said we didn’t do that, but to me, that’s just the icing on the cake of my favorite table service experience at Walt Disney World.

So there we have it – my top 10, so what table restaurants make it into your favorites list?

About the Author: Cheryl is the author of the e-book, PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holidaymakers, and is the co-author of PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide: For Members and Members-To-Be. Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to Disney, and they have travelled around the world, taking in a number of Disney cruises, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Aulani in Hawai'i, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney and Hong Kong Disneyland on the way. Click here to view more of Cheryl's articles!

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Updated 01-15-2015

Check for a more updated version at http://www.passporter.com/articles/top-10-table-service-restaurants-disney-world.html