A few weeks ago, I was able to get a media sneak peek and food preview of Cars Land.
While we were there, every single attendee was in awe of its landscape, then we were blown away even more when we were led into Flo’s V8 Cafe for a tasting!
Flo's V8 Cafe Signage
At that time, no photos were allowed. But, guess what? After 5 years, the time has come, the walls are down, and Flo’s is open for business!
Flo's Entrance
Flo’s V8 Cafe was modeled after a Route 66 stop called Midpoint Cafe in Midpoint, Texas.
And the backstory in Cars Land is that Flo’s caters to the growing number of Route 66 visitors and race fans coming to Radiator Springs, with a “showroom” dining area that overlooks the Radiator Springs Racers attraction. This is one of the amazing views…
Watch the Radiator Springs Racers and enjoy the view while you dine at Flo's!
Atmosphere
The minute you walk into Flo’s, you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. To me, it felt like the scene in Back to the Future when Marty enters the soda fountain to find his dad, George McFly sitting there.
You’re in complete awe of the music, the colors, the decor; everything. Flo’s is, in fact, so gorgeous that they have a Photo Pass photographer set up with a tripod out front to take pictures of people in front of the restaurant!
Here’s some of the fun outside “decor” that makes Flo’s so much fun to explore.
Flo's Outside Menu Board
Outdoor Seating & Oil Can Props
Gas Pump
Cacti Garden
Cars Land cacti outside of Flo's
The cool thing? It’s just as amazing inside as it is outside.
When you first walk in, you will notice the color changing light fixture on the ceiling, cleverly made out of tail pipes. The fancy “mood” lighting was so pretty that I couldn’t control myself and had to take several different photos of the different colors.
Ohhhh! Look it's blue!
AHHHH! Now it's purple!
WOAH! Pink now?
OK, enough time with the lights, moving on.
Seating and Dining Rooms
The cafe also is home to Flo’s personal memorabilia, collected during her glamorous career as a singer with the Motorama Girls. Half of the restaurant (the side that faces Radiator Springs Racers) is decorated with Flo’s goodies, while the other half of the restaurant (the side that faces the Cozy Cone Motel) features a Repair Shop theme.
Flo's Indoor Seating Area
More Indoor Seating
Giant Rear View Mirror & Adorable Mural in Dining Room
The Best Dining View in Radiator Springs
Fun Tail Light Chandelier
Booth & Table Seating
Flo's Gone Gold!
This outdoor patio seating can be accessed through Flo's memorabilia room. View is Radiator Springs Racers
On the opposite side of the restaurant you will find another large dining room. This one features the repair theme that I mentioned. I love the decor in this area too. So many fun details.
First aid kit, wrenches, and everything else you might need to fix yourself up!
Eye Chart
Ramone's X-Ray
Hudson Hornet Piston Cup Display
Eats
OH? You wanted to see food in this review? You got it!
Since I was very lucky to get some preview taste testing done a few weeks ago, I won’t go into too much detail about taste here — we’ll focus more on showing you the photos! Head over to our Flo’s V-8 Cafe Tasting Review here to get the full-blown food review!
Now, I was here during dinner time; there is also a full breakfast menu, which we will review in the near future. When you’re ready for food, you feed into one of three “lanes” to place your order.
The menus are posted above, but the lighting is so funky in there that I prefer to look at one of their pretty paper menus!
Indoor Menu Board
Flo's Menu Front Side
Flo's Menu Back Side
Since there are display cases in front of each one of the “lanes” that feature Flo’s “Pie-o-Ramas,” we’ll start with dessert first!
The history of these “ugly-crust” pies is actually quite interesting, and you can read all about it here!
The flavors are Apple Cheddar and Chocolate Mud Pie, which are offered daily. Blueberry Peach and Strawberry Rhubarb are rotating flavors. I also heard a rumor about cherry pie!
Apple Cheddar Pie-O-Rama
Chocolate Mud Pie-O-Rama
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie-O-Rama
Blueberry Peach Ugly Crust Pie
Now that you’ve had your fill of dessert, let’s check out the entrees! Please note that we were recently alerted to the fact that peanuts are an ingredient in the signature Coca Cola BBQ sauce used here at Flo’s. The sauce is delish, but if you or a member of your party has a peanut allergy, please be aware — as of now there is no signage to alert you.
With each adult entree, you get a choice of two sides: mashed potatoes, peas and carrots, roasted corn medley, “radiator” pasta salad, cole slaw, and vegetarian baked beans.
Here’s the Pork Loin with that yummy Coca Cola BBQ Sauce, served with vegetarian baked beans and mashed potatoes.
Pork Loin with Coca Cola BBQ Sauce
The Turkey Breast with peas and carrots, and mashed potatoes.
Turkey Breast
The New York Strip Loin with roasted corn medley and cole slaw.
NY Strip Loin
And here’s the kids’ mac and cheese meal, served with plenty of fruit and veggies!
Kid's Mac n' Cheese Meal
I can promise you, the food here is comfort food to the max, and it’s very tasty. It’s a great pit stop when you’re in Cars Land!
Night Time at Flo’s
And because I am totally obsessed with the neon lights in Cars Land, here’s a little tour of Flo’s V8 Cafe at night! I also had to take a photo of the adorable cast members at the front door. Their costumes are just great!
Overall
I am in love with Flo’s V8 Cafe. The food is great and the atmosphere is amazing. In fact the outdoor patio seating might be one of my new favorite places to dine. A view of Ornament Valley and Radiator Springs Racers while eating some Ugly Crust Pie? Heaven.
Will you be heading to Flo’s when you visit Cars Land? Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner? It’s a tough call if you ask me!
Heather Sievers is the Disney Food Blog’s Dining in Disneyland columnist. See more of her columns here!
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Cars Land looks to be imagineering at its absolute best! The theming appears to be incredible. I was blown away by your post on Sally’s Cozy Cone Motel and now I’m even more blown away by Flo’s (not to mention that the food pics from Flo’s have had me drooling all morning)! You’ve made me want to pack my bags and head to California!
I CANNOT get over the views of radiator springs racers.. it’s like you’re looking at a painting or at the movie.. it just doesn’t look REAL! It definitely takes you someplace else and you don’t feel like you are at Disneyland, you know? That’s one of the things I love about the Disney parks.. they really can immerse you in a completely different atmosphere.
I also love all the neon! I think i’d have to eat at Flo’s for breakfast and dinner.. so I could get both atmospheres! Great review.. thanks! Too bad it’ll be a while before I get out to DLR.. I’m trying to talk my husband into going early next year though! 😉
The details in this restaurant looking amazing. Between the decor of upholstered banquettes and the “real” dinnerware it certainly has a table service feel about it. And are there better views at any other Disney restaurant?!
While everything on the dinner menu looks very appetizing, honestly I am looking most forward to the brioche french toast at breakfast. Salted caramel and bananas are calling my name.
This review alone makes me want to make the three thousand mile trek to sit down and enjoy this old timely cafe. For such a short menu, everything looks great. What a great looking place. I can remember when almost every town had a place like this. Alas, they are few and far between now.
My husband and I had the pleasure of eating dinner at Flo’s during last weekend’s AP Preview event. We were both just as entranced with the decor as you were!
I had the Veggie Tater Bake, something I’d had my eye on since I first saw it previewed on the Disney Parks Blog. It absolutely didn’t disappoint. It was very flavorful, the veggies definitely stood out on their own, and the mashed potato topping was very tasty. The cole slaw I had with it was just as excellent. Neither creamy nor vinegary, more something in between. Oh, and the chive roll was fabulous too!
I’ve been so pleased with the newer food options at DLR. Us Westcoasters are finally getting the quality of food that WDW denizens have long enjoyed!
@Stude A. Baker – First of all, awesome name. Second of all, start packin’ it’s totally worth a trip!
@Marcellina – The views are unlike anything I have ever seen. Totally breathtaking.
@Pudge – I can’t wait to get over there for breakfast either!
@Alan – Come on over!
@Amber – I love the Veggie Tater Bake too!!!
Great pictures! I have been to Disneyland only once and I was by myself on a business trip 🙁 Now I have a great reason to talk my husband into going to Disneyland.
Three awesome reviews about the new eats ovet at DCA, Heather. Between the Gold Rush sundae, chili cone carne, and apple cheddar pie….. my diet is in real trouble! Can’t wait to be there in 3 weeks!
@Beth – You should definitely come back out!
@Andrea – AND there’s still MORE to come!!!
OMG!!! It’s looks amazing…why does it have to be sooo far away from me!!!
Emma — this is exactly how I feel!
We had breakfast and dinner here on June 15th. Breakfast was good, but since I don’t eat eggs very often, next time, I will just ask for a side of bacon & a side of potatoes (or 2) they were that good. 🙂
As for dinner, my husband & I both had the pork loin. Since I didn’t want gravy on my potatoes, they misunderstood & didn’t give me the bar-b-que sauce either. I swiped some from my husband’s plate & it was enough to flavor my pork without overpowering it.
He said by the time he got to the bottom layer of pork, the sauce was overwelmingly tangy. I might ask for it on the side next time, as I hate any kind of sauce that overpowers the meat. A little sauce can go a long way.
We liked the corn medley, the pasta salad (except for the ton of dressing at the bottom), the potatoes & the coleslaw. A friend liked the kid’s mac and cheese, but wasn’t a fan of the carrots & peas (a personal thing – the veggies tasted fine). He also thought the plate needed a roll to go with it, like the adult plates had. (I used mine to make a pork loin sandwich & it was wonderful.) Next time, hopefully I’ll have room for dessert or maybe that will be lunch one day.
We were pleasantly surprised at how fast the line moved. We got in line for dinner at about 7:30 & only waited 15 – 20 minutes to order. This was on opening day with the crowds pouring in. Of course everyone was headed for Radiator Springs Racers & it may change once the crowds decide to eat first then head over to that wonderful ride.
ok – I lied – it might have been closer to 8pm, now that I think about it. But, dinner was still great.
@Janet – Thanks for your review!!! I can’t wait to get over there for breakfast! Haven’t had the chance. Hope to soon!
Heather, I believe they serve breakfast until 11am. So that might help you out.
Lunch looks AMAZING! I must say though breakfast was just as good if not better. I don’t usually eat breakfast but my friends and I were in line for Racers since 9 on Opening Day so I decided to get them something to eat and that I can nibble on it too. I took the breakfast tamale (I forgot the whole name sorry!) to go* and when I took my first bite, I wished I would’ve bought one for myself! It was amazing with the light salsa and salsa verde like sauce that is was topped off with! If I ever get a chance to head to DCA early in the morning ever again, I’m going to book it to get a fastpass for Racers and then breakfast at Flo’s.
*Note: They’ll give you the black Disney plastic box with the clear lid to you if you ask but you have to run over to Cozy Cone and awkwardly bypass the whole line at the Ice Cream Cone cone to ask for plastic utensils so either BYO (Bring your own), go through the Cozy Cone, or GOW (Grab on your way) to Cars Land. (Flo’s has metal utensils :))
Do not miss having a meal here when you visit the park!
The food is delicious. I had the NY Strip Loin, Peas & Carrots, Baked Beans.
The portions are ample (and I’m not a light eater).
An excellent value – real world pricing inside a Disney Park??? Really??? YES!
We’ve all seen diner reproductions before. The level of detail in this place is insane…it goes on and on and on. Same goes for the rest of Cars Land, but this blows away anything else in the category, including The Prime Time Diner at Walt Disney World.
And yes, the view of Ornament Valley is quite impressive. It’s easy to sit there looking at it for 30 minutes without realizing it. It’s that impressive.
Finally another reasonable dining option so we don’t have to trapse across Harbor Blvd for a real meal.
Thank you Disney!