When you’re up for Italian fare in a Bavarian setting, there really is only one place to go… The Pinocchio Village Haus in Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland!

The main food news from Pinocchio’s as of late has mostly revolved around a rotation of slush beverages paying tribute to various characters from the Pinocchio film, such as the Jiminy Cricket Slush, and the current Lemonade and Blue Raspberry Slushes (said to be “favorites” of Pinocchio and the Blue Fairy themselves… according to the Pinocchio Village Haus menu, that is 😉 ).

Other than that, the menu itself hasn’t had much of an overhaul since it changed over from pizza to flatbreads over two years ago. While that remains the case, there were a couple of changes on my recent visit, including a new side item that I couldn’t resist.

The changes are so subtle that they’re pretty easy to miss on the scrolling menu, so it’s a good thing Cast Members hand printed menus to guests in order to keep things moving at this always hoppin’ spot.

For starters, the Barbecue Chicken Flatbread is now a Barbecue Beef Flatbread. A Spicy Chicken Sandwich has been added in case someone in your group isn’t in the mood for flatbreads or a sub sandwich, but that didn’t replace anything from the menu. (AJ tried the chicken sandwich on her last visit and will have a review of that for you soon.)

I almost didn’t notice a small change to the side items: the Bread Sticks have been replaced with Pesto Knots. Since I love the Garlic Knots served at a local pizza place, I had to give the Pesto Knots a try.

When I received my order, the first thing I noticed wasn’t the appearance, actually… although the braided bread does look pretty stellar.

No, the very first thing to greet my senses was the fragrance of all that melted butter on top of the bread, coupled with a generous amount of garlic.

I was itching to dig in because they smelled so good! But — lo and behold — since I went against my own advice and arrived at noon, finding a table took some time. Ultimately I had to surrender my search for a table overlooking the Happiest Cruise that ever sailed: “it’s a small world.” (FYI: If you see a cast member standing behind a “reserved” sign on a rope, all you need to do is show them that you have a tray of food and they’ll let you sit in the “reserved” section — it’s Disney’s way of keeping people from saving seats while their family member(s) wait in line for food.)

But at long last, I found a seat and it was nothing but me and the Pesto Knots.

Since “pesto” is in the name, I was expecting a lot more green — something more akin to a regular pesto sauce, similar to what’s found on the Cheesy Pesto Bread at Landscape of Flavors. Instead, these knots had a rather light sprinkling of the basil, but still plenty of garlic-y goodness.

So really, it’s all about that glistening, melted butter — and it is heavenly.

Don’t get me wrong, the bread itself was really good — golden brown on the outside, nice and soft on the inside.

But much like popcorn at the movies, this whole thing is a conduit for the yummy piles and pockets of butter; or, in this case, butter and garlic. I barely registered the presence of the basil, other than the appearance, but the knots were delicious anyhow.

I’d say the only thing these lack is a side of marinara for dipping. The Pesto Knots are great on their own, but slap some marinara down with these things and I would seriously consider visiting Pinocchio’s on just about every Magic Kingdom visit — honestly something I would not have considered before. That said, I’m sure I’ll be back for them at some point. Because the bread is so filling, the Pesto Knots strike me as a bit more than a snack or side; they’re almost a light lunch on their own.

So, while the Blue Fairy herself may opt for a Slush, for me, it’s now all about the Pesto Knots! I guess she and I will just have to agree to disagree 😉 .

Want More Great Magic Kingdom Snacks?

Magic Kingdom Snacks are some of our favorite treats in all the World! And in fact, many of them can just about amount to a meal. And those are just a couple of the reasons we are so excited to announce that the 2015-16 Edition of The DFB Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book is now available!

The Disney Food Blog Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book

The DFB Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book

is one of the many fun and informative Disney Dining e-Books offered by Disney Food Blog!

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Would you like to try the Pesto Knots at Pinocchio Village Haus? Please let us know with a comment!