We are getting our first details today about the restaurant that will replace Kouzzina at Disney’s BoardWalk when it closes later this year.
Trattoria al Forno will join other eateries at the deluxe hotel and entertainment district. The restaurant is slated to open this December.
The menu will feature Italian fare with an emphasis on regional specialities and classic preparations. Many ingredients will actually be made from scratch, in-house. We can’t wait to try the freshly handcrafted Mozzarella and the house-made Cavatelli!
The restaurant will also have wood-burning ovens, and they’ll put them to good use making — you guessed it! — Neapolitan-style Pizza! Will it be like Via Napoli meets the BoardWalk? Sounds good to me!
I’m Hoping for Pizzas Like the Quattro Fromaggi from Via Napoli!
But they aren’t stopping there. Eating through Trattoria al Forno’s menu will be like taking a culinary tour across Italy. Guests can choose from a Bolognese made with Braised Beef, inspired by the dishes of Bologna. If you’re looking for a rich dish, you may want to try the Tagliatelli Carbonara from Rome (yes; that will be my first choice, in case you were wondering). Pork Chops prepared in the style of Milan will be another menu item. But those looking for more familiar Italian dishes will also find favorites like Chicken Parmigiana.
I’m also seriously excited that they’ll feature Seasonal Risottos! YA HOO!!!!!!!!!!
The wine list also promises to be something special, as the restaurant will source only Italian Wines. With more than 60 wines available by the bottle and over 25 available by the glass, wine lovers will have lots to choose from. The beverage menu will also include an assortment of cocktails, Italian beers, and sodas. Can we hope for Acqua Frescas? Because that would be awesome. Expect to see a custom blended coffee created just for Trattoria al Forno, too.
We’re Betting on Some Great Italian Wine Flights
Here are a few other menu items that we know about:
- Antipasti, including Italian Meats, Olives, and Caponata
- Shrimp with Garlic, Capers and Anchovy Butter served with Polenta
- Whole Roasted Fish with Roasted Vegetables
- Baked Lasagna
- Grilled Steak
- Slow-cooked Lamb Shank with Polenta
- Eggplant Rollatini
- Ruffled Campanelle Pasta with Green Beans, Roasted Potatoes and Genovese Pesto
- Desserts, including Tiramisù, Lemon Panna Cotta with Almond Crunch and Berries, Gelatos, and Bomboloni (Italian Doughnut Holes) with Dark Chocolate and Vanilla Gelato.
It sounds pretty impressive.
While there’s no word yet on when Disney will begin to accept Advance Dining Reservations, we do know that Kouzzina by Cat Cora will be closing its doors on September 30.
This spot on the BoardWalk has long been occupied by restaurants featuring Mediterranean flavors — first Spoodles and then Kouzzina. And now, Trattoria al Forno. We’re looking forward to seeing what this next chapter in the restaurant’s life will bring.
Are you excited to see the changes coming to the BoardWalk’s restaurant later this year? Leave us a comment and tell us what you think!
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When in doubt, throw up an Italian restaurant….sounds like where I live…chains and Italina eateries.
Yeah….forgive me for not being too enthused.
I have to say I am underwhelmed. How many Italian spots does one area need? I am glad they are keeping the whole roasted fish that Kouzina served but it just seems more of the same to me
This all sounds wonderfully delicious, and despite what I’m about to say next, I am looking forward to trying it. However…
There are already 7 Italian restaurants at WDW (8 if you count the one at SoG). 3 are right next door in Epcot, and 1 is not far away in DHS. 2 don’t require park tickets. I think this was a missed opportunity to come up with a cool, new concept for this space. Something a little more unique wouldn’t have gone amiss as far as I’m concerned.
That being said… bring on that seasonal risotto!
Ohhhhh, what are the chances of yet ANOTHER Italian restaurant popping up at WDW? Color me unimpressed.
A picky eater paradise…it could have been worse I guess (Mickey’s Well Done Steak, French Fries and No Veggies Emporium was my first guess).
I’m not that into Italian restaurant food anywhere, preferring a cuisine that I can’t make at least as good at home. 🙂
However, Italian arguably fits better into the Boardwalk theme than the more interesting restaurants I would have preferred, like Vietnamese. Actually, for a modern-day Atlantic City, how about something really hard to find outside very specific areas: a good Russian restaurant! Shashlik, pelmeni, unusual vodkas flights similar to what La Cava does with tequila…yum!
I concur with the above comments regarding ANOTHER, albeit slightly different, Italian restaurant. I would’ve preferred a more adventurous or different style of cuisine. Polish, Russian, Thai, Carribean, Perhaps a Brazilian or Argentinian steakhouse. Eight Italian restaurants is, at least, one too many.
I get the complaints in the comments above and if it was just up to me, I might agree. But my wife, who has a problem with exotic cuisines, loves Italian and we hit all of those at WDW on each visit. I know this sounds prosaic and not very adventurous, but it pleases me to keep her happy and comfortable, so for me, this is a nice addition. And, let’s face it, that’s a prime spot on the Boardwalk and needs to be mainstream.
Any news on whether or not breakfast will be served?
I love Italian food (one of my very favorites), but this doesn’t sound like a terribly inspired menu, and I agree there are so many Italian restaurants there already. What about something new? Thai, Greek, Afghani, Indian…. something DIFFERENT.
In this world of low-carb and no-carb diets, the last thing Disney needs is ANOTHER italian/pizza place, especially when the other 7 or 8 run the gamut from low priced to overpriced to tapas. Why not a good churrasscaria (sp?)
Mandi, a churrascaria would be AMAZING! Something similar to Fogo de Chao would please most diners’ palates, while still offering something slightly different.
Fogo de Chao was exactly what I had in mind!
This news is blah.
So sad that the decision was more Italian even though this looks good – too much Italian already.
What WDW needs is another Italian Restaurant…said nobody ever. Loved the idea of a Brazilian Churrascaria, but Orlando has a few of those as well and outside property the good ones are $65+ per person before drinks, so I could see that easily being in the $80-$90 a person range on property, so that will probably not fly.
We have been going and staying at the Boardwalk as DVC owners for 17 years. We are absolutely ecstatic and can’t wait to eat there this December. Yes the suggestion for some other esotic cuisine is interesting but face it Italian goes with theme of the Boardwalk and appeals to more taste palates.
I am looking forward to this addition sounds delicious. With that being said, I personally think it should have been turned into a fresh market kitchen that was counter service but an upscale counter service because the Boardwalk would deserve that distinction.
Will it be another restaurant that requires 2 credits on the dining plan? There are already too many of those.
Aw.. I’m a bit bummed. I was hoping to see a CS for the Boardwalk area. I feel badly, but I’m super underwhelmed by this news.
I hope this doesn’t impact the pizza window on the Boardwalk. I love the pizza exactly like it is now!
I think that’s awesome! I see a romantic evening in my future….dinner, bottle of wine, and a stroll around the lake looking at the beautiful lights of the Boardwalk. And it doesn’t require park admission! Perfetto!
Yes, there’s going to be one more Italian restaurant at WDW, but how many of those Italian restaurants are really good? Half at best. I’m up for one more if it has good food and atmosphere.
And, I’m really glad they didn’t go with a CS here. Yes, Beach/Yacht Club and Boardwalk could use better QS options, but the Boardwalk area is an entertainment area drawing people from other resorts. I think you need a table service restaurant in this space.
This would have been perfect for something a like a Southern, Low Country, (think Paula Deen’s Lady & Sons in Savannah) restaurant instead of just another Italian place.
I have to admit I’m also pretty dissapointed with this news. We so love Disney for the opportunity to try some new things, new experiences and experiment with new tastes and this just does not fit the bill.
Not impressed. Try again. I know Disney can do better than replicating what it already has in abundance. Please reconsider!
I’m actually really disappointed by this news, because I was always a fan of Kouzzina! Luckily I will be heading to WDW on the 28th of September, so it looks like I can maybe get one more meal there before it closes for good. Does anyone know why it’s closing? Was it not doing well there?
I hate to join the others wishing it was not Italian – but…. Oh well, I normally hit this location for breakfast before walking to HS for the morning, hitting Big River Grille for lunch, enjoying an afternoon/dinner at Epcot and stopping at Belle Vue Lounge to top off the day. Any word on the breakfast offerings?
I am actually happy to see this change. I was excited to try Kouzzina, but honestly I liked Spoodles better. I ate there just the one time and that was it, under impressed. Spoodles on the other hand had long been a favorite and we went there every trip. We make the Spoodles sangria all of the time to enjoy at home and miss the restaurant. So, I wil give this new place a try. Woodfired pizza and homemade mozz, sounds good to me.
Is it too late to start a bring Spoodles back campaign?
There are too many other styles of food missing or underrepresented at WDW to get excited about yet another Italian restaurant.
I love Italian food so I think it’s great. I ate at KAt Cora’s and the food was terrible so this is great news for us.
I’m with Nathan the FFK a Paula Dean Style eatery. At lease it would be different.
But it will be nice to have something new to try. Just hope it is good quality food , prepared great!. Would love to see something whimsical / Fun here. They already have the Fine dining Flying Fish and the Brewery Place and the Manly ESPN something for the family with children or just the young at heart.
I never ate at Kouzzina despite staying at the Boardwalk multiple times–the menu simply didn’t appeal to me even though I have a fairly wide ranging palate. Also, the luke warm on-line reviews didn’t do much to convince me, not when there are so many other great dining options at WDW. So while I’m happy to see a new restaurant in it’s place at the Boardwalk, I’m rather surprised that it’s an Italian restaurant. As other posters have pointed out, Disney doesn’t have a shortage of Italian eateries, and there are 3 just a short walk away at Epcot. It would have been nice for Disney to offer something that it doesn’t offer anywhere else, like a Thai restaurant, or perhaps something South American themed or Russian. I guess Italian seems like a safe choice for the Boardwalk convention crowd.
I was hoping they would keep it Greek (ish) or change to Spanish Tapas.
I must admit I’m very disappointed that Kouzzina is leaving. We found it a few years ago and love it! I agree with other writers that there’s already enough Italian restaraunts at WDW. Oh well, I’ll trust someone knows what they are doing.
I am sure I will love it no matter what they serve. It is hard to put anything next to Epcot’s wide variety, but a different genre would have been preferred by me personally. I am a picky eater. Again, I will try it and probably love it 🙂
Given that the Boardwalk is supposed to be themed after Atlantic City, NJ, I’d say an Italian restaurant is perfectly appropriate. Not sure how a Paula Deen or Brazilian steakhouse type of place would fit in. That type of establishment might be more appropriate at another resort.
Totally unexciting. Sounds way to similar to Via Nappoli which is only a 5 minute walk away.
@ Michelle-Cat Cora’s contract was up and she wanted to pursue other interests.
I echo Gigi’s comment.
I’ll miss Kouzzina, especially at breakfast. As to many of the above comments, business is business, and Italian sells…especially excellent Italian, particularly at a restaurant that conveniently serves the number of guest rooms in the area… I look forward to the new menu, even as I watch my carbs…looks tempting and worth planning other meals around!
Another Italian place? I was really hoping the Robert Irvine rumor was true 🙁
The truth is that most Disney restaurants are packed almost every night during high season. Italian food is very popular (because we Italians are awesome ;), and there’s a high demand for food that people will pay a lot for, are comfortable with, and will feel that they are getting an enjoyable dining experience. In that regard, it’s quite sensible to open several restaurants that serve both authentic Italian, Italian-American, and French-inspired food. While Disney wants to provide frequent guests with a nice variety of restaurants, they also want to make sure all guests have a place they can go to and enjoy fine dining without worrying about cultural hangups.
At this point in time, I just don’t see them putting in Polish, or Russian, or Vietnamese restaurants anytime soon. Cat Cora’s place was a bit of a gamble being Greek, but her name eased people’s minds and brought in folks who might have passed it up. If you consider the (pre-Frozen) Norwegian restaurant or the Moroccan one in Epcot, they do typically have more openings during the busy time of year than, say, Italian places, or even the good steak restaurants have. The only non-traditional place I can picture Disney trying out in the near future MIGHT be a Thai place, as Thai food has become a bit more mainstream. But if you’re craving authentic Indian food or are curious to try high-end Brazilian dining, you will probably be waiting a long time.
Allthough I don’t think going there would be a priority during my next trips (which aren’t going to be for several years 🙁 ), it really does sound great. Italy is just too close to Germany, so the real deal is never far away for me 🙂
Just a little correction: Shouldn’t it be NeApolitan style pizza?
We were not happy to see that Kouzzina is closing. We dined there last year and it was, unanimously, our best meal. I do echo the earlier posts… Another Italian restaurant?? Really? You’re Disney!! Get creative! What about something like “seasons 52” or other seasonal, regional, local, organic inspired restaurant?
Doesn’t the boardwalk have a pizza place already? I was hoping for a really good sit down delicatessen. Pastrami sandwiches, soups, potato pancakes, periogies, pickles, cole slaw… Something different. Anyway I’m sure it will be delicious and profitable.
An excellent choice IMO. They’re staying in theme. The Boardwalk is fashioned after old Atlantic City. Atlantic City was filled with Italians, especially by the time of Prohibition. This fits perfectly. The reason why there are Italian restaurants everywhere is because people love them. Upscale, casual, or somewhere in-between. It doesn’t matter, most people love good Italian food.
Max — Yep! Good catch. 😉
We love Kouzzina! We are very sad that it is closing, and without good reason. It is always busy the 4-5 times we go to Disney each year. I’ve tried to get in when I didn’t make a reservation and it’s impossible. If it’s not broke, why fix it??? Not happy!
I am actually kind of excited to see this. I love Italian, but my husband and I are so picky-we can’t find one that looks picky eater friendly. Maybe this one will be the ticket! We are starting to run out of places to eat down there that we haven’t had before!