A Visit to Le Petit Cafe at Disney’s Riviera

Le Petit Cafe is one of the trendiest places around the Walt Disney World Resort right now! So if you are looking for a sweet excuse to visit the new Riviera Resort, Le Petit Cafe has a delicious treat waiting for you!

I had better warn you now. It’s extremely difficult to walk by the side entrance of the cafe without stopping to glance over the delectables. Additionally, if their desserts weren’t enough to tempt you, Le PetitCafe has coffee and cocktails on the menu.

Since I’ve had the good fortune of staying at Disney’s Riviera Resort, and because I am a Resorts Gal, I’ve made it my mission to find out everything the resort offers.

Our first trip to Riviera was for the character breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace. That is hands down the best all-around character dining at Disney World, in my opinion.

And I’ve had breakfast and lunch at Primo Piatto multiple times. Primo Piatto is an excellent quick service option at the resort.

Related: Primo Piatto Review

But what about dessert? That’s where Le Petit Cafe comes in.

The cafe is located off the lobby on the resort’s first floor. If you are coming in from the back of the resort, you will need to take the stairs or elevator from the ground floor up one level to the lobby.

I mention this if you take the Skyliner over from Epcot or Hollywood Studios to visit Riviera. The drop-off is at the back of the resort, and it’s only a short walk to the lower-level entrance.

Related: Disney Skyliner Resorts

If needed, there are elevators down the hallway to the right of the staircase.

Le Petit Cafe displays a menu that includes coffee, specialty coffee, iced coffee, and hot tea in the earlier hours of the day. The cafe is the perfect spot to pick up your morning Chai Tea Latte.

At some point in the day, the electronic menu board changes to a menu that includes beer, hard cider, specialty cocktails, and wine.

Since I’m not one to indulge in too many sweets at Disney, my approach has been to try one item per visit. Back in December, when I stayed at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, I stopped in for a treat one evening to take back to my room.

The line for Le Petit was longer than I would have liked to wait that evening. However, since I had made the special trip over specifically for a treat, I decided to wait it out.

The result? I ended up with not only a pastry item but one of their signature cocktails, an Aperol Spritz.

Per the menu, the Aperol Spritz is a concoction of Aperol, Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco Superiore, and soda water.

Since a cocktail is a rare treat for me, I asked the cast member at the cafe for her suggestion.

This drink was her recommendation, and I found it a refreshing choice, with the Aperol adding a faint taste of bitterness.

Other signature cocktails at Le Petit Cafe include:

Euro Cosmopolitan
Caffe Amaro
Pomegranate Paradiso
Terrace Negroni
Mediterranean Margarita

You can view the full Le Petit Cafe menu here on Disney’s site.

Inside Le Petit Cafe, you’ll find two or three places to sit and a walk-up bar to place your order. Thankfully, there are plenty of places to sit next door at Voyageur’s Lounge. Or you could walk outside and find a spot somewhere around the resort.

While there isn’t much to the decor, I found this neat collection of tiny plates displayed on the wall. One of the great things about Riviera is the artwork displayed throughout the resort.

I’m hoping to eventually put something together detailing the collection here on the site.

Here is the part you’ve probably been waiting to see. Le Desserts. Only say it in French.

I rarely find a counter of desserts where everything looks appealing.

On all of my visits to Le Petit Cafe, I have asked the different cast members which item was their favorite.

The response is always, all of them, they are all good. Now, you probably know, it is rare for such a statement to be true.

However, I’ve had many treats at Le Petit Cafe to date, and I feel those cast members are correct.

Those Bouchon brownies under the dome are next on my list.

And after that, probably these Lemon Madeleines.

I had to go all out with the Hazelnut Profiteroles on my first dessert selection. Therefore, I recommend finding someone to help you share this dessert.

Think chocolate icing, puffy profiteroles, and hazelnut cream combined to make this scrumptious miniature croquembouche.

This tiny tower of sweet is immensely rich and flavorful. If you are on your own, I recommend cutting it in half and storing the rest in your hotel room’s fridge to enjoy the next day.

I returned to Disney’s Riviera for lunch one day in the Spring. I spent most of the day in the Epcot Resorts area, and when I returned to my car that evening, I stopped in Le Petit Cafe for a dessert.

Earlier that day, I had surveyed my choices and already had my mind made up to go with the fruit tart.

The fruit tart is probably the least rich of the desserts at Le Petit. However, it won’t leave you feeling like you’ve been hanging out in Sugar Rush with Vanellope Von Schweetz all day.

The tart consists of a simple shortbread crust, traditional pastry cream, and fresh fruits. That red circle in the middle is a raspberry mousse with a candy coating. The mousse provides the actual rich part of the dessert, adding a surprise flavor and texture.

As if the dessert wasn’t decadent enough, there are those touches of edible gold foil on top. It’s all very French.

I loved the tart and appreciated that it was topped with fresh fruit and not overly sweet. It’s a beautiful dessert to look at, photograph, and enjoy. But so far, that seems to be the case with all the desserts here.

I returned to Le Petit Cafe the following December and tried the Mickey-shaped gingerbread cookies.

The cookies were another delicious treat. They came with gold dust bearing the Riviera’s logo.

I can’t wait to get back and try another treat! But I think the real question is, what will you try on your next visit to Le Petit Cafe?

For more information, all of our articles relating to Disney’s Riviera Resort are available here. Additionally, you might enjoy the following:

Don’t miss out on our complete list of Disney restaurant reviews. They include character dining, signature dining, table service, and quick service.

In the comments: What will you try on your visit to Le Petit Cafe at the Riviera?

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