Toledo — Tapas, Steak, and Seafood

is Gran Destino Tower’s rooftop table service restaurant, and when we say rooftop, know that it feels every bit of its 15-story height! But if you head up there to the top, you will be rewarded.

Because that altitude serves one spectacular purpose: to provide diners with one-of-a-kind views of Walt Disney World, including (when you time it just right!) glimpses of nighttime spectaculars at not one but TWO Parks! And the interior design and menu aren’t half bad, either. 😉

Atmosphere

We’re providing you with a first look and photo tour here

, but know that we will be dining at Toledo on its opening night (July 9) and bringing you a FULL REVIEW from that dinner service. So keep watching for that!

Toledo — Tapas, Steak, and Seafood is an airy, open space designed to maximize its lofty location. Large windows feature an arch design that is echoed throughout the Tower — including on its exteriors, as seen here from the inside looking out.

The vaulted ceiling gives the sense of an atrium, and we were told the backlighting of this ceiling can and will change (so it’s not all pink, all the time). (Remind anyone else of Enchanted Garden on the Disney Cruise Line — ayup.) In our full review, we’ll try to capture this effect and its impact on the mood of the dining space.

The ceiling design is a bit of surrealism mixed with mosaic art — similar to the stained glass mosaic that brightens the space in Barcelona Lounge in the lower level of the Tower’s lobby.

Another major design element: two large olive trees that celebrate one of Spain’s greatest treasures: the olive and the oil it produces.

The olive trees are so tall that they reach the colorful ceiling, creating almost a canopy effect in the center of the restaurant.

Overhead lights in some of the seating areas add shimmer to the space as well as ambient lighting after dark.

Additional uplights in the coffered ceilings create even more play on light and shadow, adding visual interest from ceiling to floor.

Speaking of which, just as we often remind readers to look up for ceiling details, at Toledo, you’ll want to look down, too! Flooring design varies throughout the restaurant, with repeating geometric patterns mixing with Moorish floral tiles.

The flooring design is a reminder that although Toledo offers a lot of glamour and the feeling of being on top of the world, it’s also a playful space. The primary design style is the Spanish modernism seen throughout the Tower, and in this space it works to create juxtapositions between bright colors — as in the ceiling — and graphic neutrals in the floor, as well as interplaying materials like wood, fabric, and metal.

Seating at Toledo is variable, which livens the place up a bit! Thick wood table tops rest on metal stands or legs, and padded chairs provide a little added comfort.

Though some seating is interior, views can be had from any location.

Of course we imagine many will request a coveted window seat, and the reward for that will be sweeping views.

Along a wall of wine storage, a series of curved, bright blue banquettes face into the restaurant.

Also of note: Toledo has some private dining spaces. We stepped inside the Sunrise Room and found comfortable seating, lush window treatments, and beautiful glass light fixtures.

On our visit, tables were arranged as four-tops, and all of the seating matched within the space.

The decor is fairly nondescript, considering the dynamic space in the main dining room, but the carpeting and chandeliers offer some energy and color.

And, of course, there are views. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of light.

And an accent wall with a mirror design, console, and television make the space practical for meetings or presentations as required.

Eats

Toledo offers a menu that is rich in seasonal and sustainable ingredients, with several ingredients being brought in from Spain to ensure authenticity and quality. Pintxos is tapas — small plates — from the Basque region of Spain meant to be enjoyed in two or three offerings.

Cazuelas are traditionally dishes cooked in a pot — and at Toledo, Cazuelas are served in small terra cotta pots, even if they’re not cooked in one.

The menu also includes Appetizers and Entrees, with offerings like Heirloom Tomatoes and Savory Churros in apps and Golden Tilefish and Bone-In Pork Chop Paillard in entrees.

Sides include Blistered Shishito Peppers, Roasted Cauliflower, and Olive Oil-Potato Puree. Desserts play on chocolate, coffee, and fruit.

On our first visit to Toledo during a Media Preview, Toledo’s Chef Robby (of Tiffins fame) came out to speak a bit about the restaurant’s menu. Plated dishes were available to photograph but not to taste.

The Artisanal Manchego Cheese Vertical offers a taste of several ages of Manchego cheese.

Cazuelas are dishes cooked in a pot (or, in this case, served in a pot to replicate that traditional cooking style). The Stuffed Piquillo Pepper is filled with goat cheese.

And Charred Octopus gets a lift from chimichurri sauce.

The Hanger Steak rests on crushed new potatoes and is vibrant with the greens of charred peppers and salsa verde.

The Scallops come with fava hummus and feta powder (as well as some beautifully seared shellfish)!

The ‘Toledo Tapas Bar’ is single dessert described as a “progressive dessert” of chocolate, coffee, raspberry, and lemon.

The Classic Crema Catalana celebrates the Valencia orange.

Also of note: an on-stage Tapas kitchen will produce small plates to order for diners.

On display in front of the Tapas kitchen were various meats, cheeses, and breads.

Some of these items are labeled, much to the delight of foodies, we suspect. 😉 Which would you prefer: a piece of 8-Month Manchego or 3-Month Manchego? (Hint: the answer is always both — and you’ll get to try them on that Vertical Cheese plate!)

Overall

Our overall impression of Toledo — Tapas, Steak, & Seafood is that it’s an extraordinary space with thoughtful design elements and a respect for both the dining experience and the other big draw: the World outside the windows.

We look forward to trying the restaurant during its first dinner service tomorrow evening, when we’ll bring you a FULL REVIEW and even more photos of the space.

See our WE’RE LIVE post where you’ll find links to our FIRST LOOKS at Barcelona Lounge and Dahlia Lounge, plus a PHOTO TOUR of the entire Tower!

Will you try Toledo — Tapas, Steak, & Seafood on your next visit to Walt Disney World? Let us know what you think about the birds’ eye view from this brand new rooftop restaurant! 

Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited to a media preview of Gran Destino Tower. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ