The Best Restaurants at Disney Springs (2023 Updates)
When it comes to choosing the best restaurants at Disney Springs, the decision gets complicated. Did you know that there are nearly sixty (60) different dining options at Disney Springs?
And with so many different places, how are you supposed to know which one is the best Disney Springs restaurant?
Some of the top restaurants at the Walt Disney World Resort are located at Disney Springs. And this fact alone makes it extremely difficult to settle on which dining reservation might work best for your family.
(This review has been updated to include our recommendations for the Best Restaurants at Disney Springs in 2023.)
With those thoughts in mind, I put together a list of what I deem to be the best restaurants at Disney Springs. Because, let’s face it, the number of choices has become pretty extreme. And it wouldn’t be a Disney vacation without having a fantastic dining experience or two scheduled.
On the flip side, it should be reasonably easy to find exactly what you are looking for at Disney Springs if you have a specific food craving. Again, that’s where having this large of a venue can benefit a variety of guests.
So, below are our picks for the top restaurants at Disney Springs. The first eight are all table service restaurants. And the final three are quick-service restaurants.
Toward the very bottom, I’ll add a section for a few honorable mentions. Lastly, we’ll finish things up with a few sweet treats like ice cream, cake, and chocolate!
Best Disney Springs Restaurants
To share with you a little history, back a few years ago, Disney Springs underwent a massive refurbishment. The outcome resulted in several celebrity chefs and niche investors opening new restaurants at the Lake Buena Vista destination.
Among these well-known chefs are names you are probably familiar with, like Art Smith, Rick Bayless, Masaharu Morimoto, Wolfgang Puck, and Jose Andres. So naturally, these chefs having dining locations at Disney Springs brings even more traffic to the popular venue.
Before we get started, I wanted to point out that four of these options are considered signature dining, which is the same as fine dining. However, Disney Springs is a fairly casual place. So there’s no reason to worry about a fancy dress code at any of these locations.
Below you’ll find each location we’ve selected as the best Disney Springs restaurant. These are not in any specific ranking order other than the more casual ones toward the bottom.
#1 The BOATHOUSE
Our first stop at Disney Springs for dining is probably one of the most popular. It’s none other than The BOATHOUSE Restaurant. Here are a few of the specifics you’ll want to know:
Location: The Landing
Serves: Lunch and Dinner
Menu: Here
Type: Table Service, Disney Signature Dining
The Boathouse comes in as one of our best Disney Springs restaurants. The restaurant has nautical theming and offers a gift shop, Boatique, out front.
Additionally, this location has little boats that look like cars. They’re called Amphicars, and you can rent them. A driver escorts you on a tour around the lake.
Furthermore, The Boathouse has a waterfront dining location. Their menu includes a variety of fresh seafood, steaks, sandwiches, and burgers. This restaurant is popular for a reason and has a wonderful reputation.
Here’s a look at the filet mignon sliders, a dish that gets rave reviews.
In most cases, you’ll need to secure a Disney dining reservation in advance to enjoy a meal here. This location is considered signature dining, and it can be difficult to secure reservations here during high crowd times.
If you don’t have a reservation and want to eat a little more casually, you can always head out back to the Dockside Bar. This separate bar area is located behind The Boathouse and offers the restaurant’s full menu.
One of the fun things about dining outside here is that you can enjoy your meal while watching others drive amphicars out onto the water. Who knows? You might even end up wanting to take one of these unique vehicles out for a spin yourself.
Learn more about this restaurant in our review here.
#2 Morimoto Asia
If you like Asian cuisine, you’ll love our next pick for best Disney Springs restaurant. The famous Food Network TV Star, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, opened this location at Disney Springs a few years back. Here are a few of the specifics:
Location: The Landing
Serves: Lunch and Dinner
Menu: Here
Type: Table Service, Signature
There are quite a few reasons I love a meal here at Morimoto Asia. But the main reason is that they serve good food, prepared with quality ingredients, while consistently providing excellent service.
Below is a look at one of many entree items I’ve enjoyed at Morimoto Asia. This dish is Duck Ramen, and it comes packed with ramen and duck meat. Portion-wise it was so large. I didn’t get anywhere near finishing it.
We’ve had the good fortune of eating at Morimoto at least five times to date, and we have never left wishing we had eaten elsewhere. (Make sure to check out their dim sum menu!)
Another perk of Morimoto Asia is that the restaurant offers a variety of dining options. If you want something more fast-casual at a price that won’t break the bank, try Morimoto Asia Street Food.
Street Food has a walk-up window on the far side of the restaurant with a separate menu and outdoor seating area. It’s a fun stop for a counter-service meal at Disney Springs when you don’t have a reservation.
Did you spend all day in a Disney Park and are now looking for late-night dining? Then, visit Morimoto’s Forbidden Lounge.
It’s located on the restaurant’s second floor, offers a full menu, and is open late. There’s even a separate entrance if you want to avoid walking through the main restaurant.
In addition, there’s a pretty nice spot to eat outside on the balcony. Oh, and if you are a sushi fan, you won’t want to miss the offerings here. It ranks high on our list of the best sushi at Disney World.
To learn more about this best dining location at Disney Springs, read our full review of Morimoto Asia here.
#3 Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’
Fried chicken sandwich, anyone? That’s where Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ comes into play at Disney Springs. This Disney dining location serves up a menu offering everything Southern from moonshine to various fried chicken dishes.
Location: The Landing
Serves: Lunch and Dinner
Menu: Here
Type: Table Service
The menu at Chef Art Smiths boasts Southern favorites like Church Lady Deviled Eggs and Thigh High Chicken Biscuits. There’s even a country-fried steak dish.
For dessert, a few tough choices come into play, between the Hummingbird Cake, Hamilton County Chocolate Pecan Pie, and the Shine Cake.
By Shine Cake, we’re talking moonshine, and there’s plenty of that on the menu. A few of their specialties include the Blue Hooch and Sweet Tea Shine.
And don’t be surprised if you run into Chef Art Smith himself. He frequents his Disney Springs restaurant.
On our last visit to Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, I tried the popular Thigh High Chicken Biscuits. Here’s a picture.
They were amazing and a must-try item if you’re interested in fried chicken.
A few other things about this location, the restaurant usually offers a brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays between 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Also, if you want to order a vegan item and think chicken probably wouldn’t work, think again. They’ll fix you right up with a “Chik’n” sandwich by substituting the real deal for Gardein crispy tenders.
Make sure to visit this restaurant after you’ve spent a few days in the theme parks. After logging all those miles on Disney property, you won’t feel guilty at all about these indulgent menu items.
Related: Thigh High Chicken Biscuits at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’
#4 STK Orlando
STK Orlando is listed solely on this list of best Disney Springs restaurants because of one thing, steak. They offer some of the best steaks around, and it’s worth the visit if you enjoy a hearty slab of meat.
Location: The Landing
Serves: Lunch and Dinner
Menu: Here
Type: Table Service, Signature
Unfortunately, I haven’t dined here in the evening. But I do think it’s a great place to enjoy an al fresco lunch. As you can see in the picture below, the restaurant has a covered outdoor eating area.
STK is known to offer more of a nightclub feeling after dark. However, Disney Springs is more of a family-friendly venue. So, I imagine it doesn’t get too loud here in the evening.
Additionally, this location offers a separate brunch menu on the weekends. And they generally take walk-ups based on availability.
Here’s the burger I had on my last visit to STK Orlando. It was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had, and I wouldn’t say that about any burger.
STK is a steakhouse and prides itself on offering quality cuts of meat that are expertly prepared. The food has yet to disappoint.
You can read my full review of STK Orlando here if you’d like to learn more.
#5 Wine Bar George
While I haven’t had the opportunity to have a full meal here yet, I would be remiss to leave out Wine Bar George as one of the best places to eat at Disney Springs. This restaurant serves lunch on weekdays and offers a popular brunch on Saturdays and Sundays between 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Here are the details:
Location: The Landing
Serves: Lunch and Dinner
Menu: Here
Type: Table Service
Dinner service is available nightly, beginning at 4:00 p.m. Like the name, Wine Bar George is most popularly known for its extensive wine selection.
You might pair a glass of wine with one of their famous charcuterie boards. I doubt there’ll be any complaints by the end of the meal.
Additionally, Wine Bar George has a second stop for counter service attached to the side of the restaurant. The Basket offers several sandwiches, picnic baskets, french fries, and more.
I’ve even stopped here to pick up one of their famous cookies! This Rosé cookie is quite a tasty treat. I recommend getting one to go and sharing it! (Unfortunately, it wasn’t available on my last visit.)
The Basket is also where you can pick up a Corkcicle or Dole Whip Frozcato when available. You can check their website here to see if they are offering a complimentary drink with the purchase of a Corkcicle.
At the time of this last update, they were offering several popular frozen drinks in addition to the Frozcato. Flavors include Frose, Frequjolais, and Frozcato Mimosa. Several of these drinks are made with Dole Whip.
#6 Frontera Cocina
Our next stop on our journey to discover the best restaurants at Disney Springs is a personal favorite. It’s Frontera Cocina, and the food is fabulous!
Here are a few details:
Location: Town Center
Serves: Lunch and Dinner
Menu: Here
Type: Table Service
Frontera Cocina is one of those restaurants that many mistakes to be just another Mexican restaurant. And it’s anything but that!
You can expect unique Mexican cuisine made from high-quality ingredients with attention to detail. Frontera is one of the first places you will run into at the Disney Springs Town Center entrance from the Lime parking garage.
This restaurant serves Mexican food like you probably haven’t had, and it’s just plain ole good. If you are looking for a tasty salad at a reasonable price, try their Taqueria Ensalada. It’s perfect how it comes, but you can top the salad with carne asada, shrimp, or chicken if you like.
Here’s a look at one of our recent meals, the pork belly tacos. When is the last time you had pork belly tacos?
Another thing worth mentioning is that Frontera Cocina does an excellent job of providing allergy-friendly meals. Chef Rick Bayless keeps his staff well-informed, and the regular menu lists common allergens under each item.
For more about dining at Frontera Cocina, check out our full restaurant review here.
#7 Jaleo by Jose Andres
Jaleo is somewhat of a newer dining location at Disney Springs in the overall scheme of things. You might be familiar with the popular restaurant as they do have several locations in larger US cities.
And if you’re not familiar, it’s time to get familiar!
Location: West Side
Serves: Dinner
Menu: Here
Type: Signature Dining
Chef Jose Andres is the chef and owner of Jaleo and is to be commended for his effort in providing meals for those in need. For that reason alone, a meal here is worth your patronage.
Not to mention the fine Spanish cuisine and tapas menu that Jaleo is known for serving. So make sure to try a fancy cheese plate! And you’ll also want to try something Jose’s Way (it’s the only way.)
Regarding dining at Jaleo, I don’t think anyone familiar with the proprietor can disagree that it belongs in this best Disney Springs restaurant category. It probably belongs here more than any other option.
To learn more about this outstanding restaurant, try here for our full dining review of Jaleo at Disney Springs.
#8 Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill
Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill is my last table service recommendation for the best Disney Spring restaurants. If you are leaning toward Italian cuisine, this is more than likely where you’ll want to secure a reservation.
Location: West Side
Serves: Lunch and Dinner
Menu: Here
Type: Signature Dining
The menu at Wolfgang Puck boasts California cuisine with Mediterranean influences. You’ll find items here like calamari, pizza, pasta, steak, and seafood.
Fans of this celebrity chef will surely enjoy a meal here. However, if you aren’t that familiar with the famous chef, Disney+ has a documentary that foodies will enjoy on their next movie night called Wolfgang.
Related: Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill Review
#9 The Polite Pig
Our next stop transitions from table service to quick-service dining at Disney Springs. The Polite Pig is a contemporary barbecue joint, but you probably already picked up on that from the name, right?
Location: Town Center
Serves: Lunch and Dinner
Menu: Here
Type: Counter Service
I’ve had the pleasure of eating at The Polite Pig several times over the past few years. And while I’m probably a harsher critic of their menu than most, I couldn’t leave it off our list of best Disney Springs restaurants.
Below is their cedar-planked salmon with two market sides. You can probably tell there’s a lot of food involved. So you might want to consider sharing something depending on your hunger level.
At Polite Pig, you’ll find a variety of barbecue dishes with distinctive sides. The restaurant doesn’t require reservations and will come in a little less in price than the table service options we’ve previously discussed.
Try the full review of The Polite Pig here for help deciding whether you should share a meal or not.
#10 D-Luxe Burger
What can I say about D-Luxe Burger? If you want a little fries with that shake (or onion rings), you will enjoy this best Disney Springs restaurant.
Location: Town Center
Serves: Lunch and Dinner
Menu: Here
Type: Counter Service
D-Luxe Burger has a variety of different burgers, including some with turkey meat, a chorizo mix, and a plant-based option. This restaurant is family-friendly and has great options for kids’ meals and chicken fingers.
This is one of my favorite places to mobile order food at Disney. Often I’ll leave a theme park like Magic Kingdom and order food on the way. Then, when I arrive, I’ll select the “I’m here, prepare my order” and pick it up.
Additionally, they have indoor dining and a pleasant outdoor eating space that looks out to the springs part of Disney Springs.
If you are in a burger mood, you will be more than happy you ate here. Read our full review of D-Luxe Burger here.
#11 Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza
Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza is the perfect quick-service restaurant at Disney Springs. Not only that, the food is so good that we knew we had to include it on our list of best restaurants. So here are the specifics for picking up a quick meal:
Location: Town Center
Serves: Lunch and Dinner
Menu: Here
Type: Quick Service
Blaze Pizza allows you to order custom individual pizzas or create your own. Blaze’s variety of options and quality makes this a wonderful stop for anyone, especially when dining with picky eaters.
You can get anything from a veggie pizza to a gluten-free crust at Blaze. It will also be one of your best-priced meals while you’re on that Disney vacation. Sound like a win-win?
Honorable Mentions (Best Restaurants at Disney Springs)
While they didn’t make our top picks, there are still a few restaurants that I feel guilty about leaving out. For instance, Raglan Road, an authentic Irish pub, offers nightly live entertainment and delicious food items. (Menu here.)
Those looking for the best places to eat at Disney Springs for families (with smaller children) might consider a restaurant with theming. For instance, there’s Disney’s Springs Rainforest Cafe and T-REX Cafe, which are both geared toward children.
Neither of these restaurants is going to offer the highest quality of food. However, they should be similar to your local neighborhood chain restaurant. And the overall experience is usually fun for the family.
Unfortunately, when it comes to dining with children, there are no character dining locations available at Disney Springs.
Related: Disney World Character Dining
Fans of Indiana Jones will want to check out Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar. This is a great stop for an appetizer-style meal or prelude to a later supper! View the menu here, and don’t miss their happy hour specials.
Looking for another quick-service restaurant that isn’t pizza or burgers? Well, look no further than Chicken Guy! This is Guy Fieri’s (Food Network) chicken finger location. And there will be plenty of sauce.
Related: Chicken Guy Review at Disney Springs
Speaking of Guy Fieri, the Planet Hollywood Observatory offers his exclusive menu at the Disney Springs location. (Menu here)
Additionally, Earl of Sandwich is a tried and true classic at Disney Springs for picking up a sandwich. This is another great option if you want to take something to eat back to your hotel room.
Lastly, for those of you who want to throw something different in the mix, try Splitsville Luxury Lanes on the West Side. It’s a retro bowling alley with a full dining room. You can check out their menu here.
Reservations for these Best Disney Springs Restaurants
Securing reservations at Disney Springs is often challenging when using the My Disney Experience app. And while the app is the main option, I prefer another way.
I have found over the years that I have much better luck securing reservations on a website called OpenTable. They have an app, but I usually visit their website from my mobile phone’s browser.
Often when you search the My Disney Experience app, there won’t be an available reservation. However, from my experience, when I use OpenTable, I can typically have my pick of preferred time for most of these best Disney Springs restaurants.
Here’s how to use OpenTable:
- Step 1–Visit the Open Table Website here.
- Step 2–Select how many are in your party, the date, desired time, and the location. If you are already in the area and have location services turned on, Disney Springs restaurants will automatically come up.
- Step 3–Select the desired restaurant and preferred time for your reservation. You will then be instructed to confirm your reservation.
- Step 4–After confirming your reservation, OpenTable will email you a copy. One of the things I like about OpenTable is that if you don’t hit the signup button, they won’t continue to email you.
I’m usually wary of many things like this because companies tend to bombard customers with emails. Thankfully, that has not been my experience with OpenTable.
Final Thoughts on the Best Restaurants at Disney Springs
Before wrapping things up, I felt I should add a few spots to pick up sweet treats. Sometimes you might enjoy a meal and wind up to full for dessert. But after you walk around and do a little shopping, you might decide to pick up something sweet after all.
Amorette’s Patisserie is my go-to for bakery items like cake or pastry-style desserts. You really can’t go wrong here, no matter what you choose.
Gideon’s Bakehouse is now open, providing out-of-this-world cookies! Warning, there is usually a line, or you can request to join their virtual queue if you get there early enough. This location has become so popular it’s not uncommon to see guests waiting hours to pick up a treat here!
Additionally, The Ganachery is THE place to visit for chocolate. Good luck deciding which flavors you want to try. I’m a sucker for the coconut and orange ones. We usually pick up a box of six selections and savor one each evening of the trip.
This concludes our list of the best restaurants at Disney Springs. Hopefully, this review has provided you with the information needed to make that next reservation.
If you are uncertain of the best route to reach one of these dining venues, make sure to check out my complete guide to using Disney Springs transportation. It includes how to get to Disney Springs and how to get around after you arrive.
Additionally, you can read every Walt Disney World Dining review here on the site. Each Disney restaurant review is listed in order of its location.
Planning a Disney vacation? You might want to browse our Disney Resort Reviews. Resorts Gal specializes in providing updated information about resorts, characters, and dining at Disney World.
In the Comments
Now that we’ve wrapped up our look at these restaurants, what do you think? Do you agree with these choices? Or have you had a chance to dine at them?
Make sure to leave a comment below and tell me what you think is the best restaurant at Disney Springs.
