If you’re looking for a tasty brunch spot in Disney World with a relaxed vibe AWAY from the crowds, we’ve got just the place for you to go!

Sure, you could have brunch at the ever-popular Homecomin’ in Disney Springs, or try out the breakfast character meal at Topolino’s Terrace in Disney’s Riviera Resort, but over at Disney’s Old Key West Resort you’ll find a fan-favorite hidden gem — Olivia’s Cafe — and we’re sharing ALL the details about this spot right now.

Atmosphere

As we mentioned above, Olivia’s Cafe is tucked away at Disney’s Old Key West Resort and is often a spot that falls under the radar for people because of its location. But don’t let it fool you — this is not a spot to be overlooked!

Right from the start, you get the feeling that this spot is breezy and casual. There are tons of cool, ocean-type tones throughout, as well as palm tree designs and more to really give you that tropical feel.

While any visit to Olivia’s Cafe can be special, we made a trip out to this spot in September of 2022 for a specific reason. Brunch returned to Olivia’s Cafe in 2021, but it was only available on a limited basis (during the weekends). As of September 1st, 2022, brunch is being served EVERY SINGLE DAY at Olivia’s Cafe! Plus a NEW dish has been added to the brunch menu, so we had to check it out!

As you step inside Olivia’s Cafe, you’ll spot all kinds of colors and designs that’ll give you that beachy, nautical feeling. Up ahead are some beautiful fans with a design that’ll make you feel like you’re sitting out on a relaxing porch. Plus, there are yellow, brown, and blue tones to give you that ocean feel. Be sure to take a look all around the top of the restaurant where little nicknacks sit, just waiting to be discovered!

When it was time for us to take a seat, we got a little table in one corner near a sign for Key West that described it as a tropical vacationland at the “end of the rainbow.” On our table was a coffee cup just waiting for some morning joe, as well as a napkin and silverware.

Now, let’s take a look at that brunch menu!

Menu

We were provided with a QR code to scan to view the brunch menu…

…but physical menus were also available.

Online, you can get a closer view of the details of each menu item. To start things off, you can order a specialty cocktail.

When you’re ready to eat, there are a variety of appetizers and entrees to pick from. New to the brunch menu is the Banana Bread Pudding (we’ll get to that in a second!).

One thing you may notice that has gone MISSING from the brunch menu is the fan-favorite Chicken and Waffles. We didn’t see them on the menu and we spoke to a Cast Member who confirmed that they have been removed from the menu at this time, though Disney has not shared why that is the case. The Southernmost Buttermilk Chicken is still on the menu, along with Mickey waffles so you could hack your own chicken and waffles creation, but it won’t be the same. Of course, menu offerings can change so be sure to check and see what things are like during your visit!

If you’ll be eating with kiddos, there are kids’ appetizers, entrees, sides, and specialty drinks available too.

Plus, you’ll find coffee drinks, beverages…

…and wine and beer options listed on the menu.

Now, let’s get to the food!

Eats

For our meal, we started things off with the SPAM-Cheddar Biscuits entree. This dish is served with white gravy and drizzled with honey. It’s priced at $15.

These were, in a word, DELISH!! They had a taste that was similar to those much beloved Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Red Lobster, but they were way more moist inside (in a great way). Plus, the SPAM added a great sweet and smokey flavor.

The biscuits were also pretty large — about 4.5-5 inches across (according to our reporter’s estimates), and the dish comes with 2 biscuits, so there’s totally enough to share!

Combine that with the sharp cheddar flavor these biscuits had, and you’ve got a really nice dish! Our only “con” would be that the gravy served with it is sort of just regular gravy. It wasn’t bad by any means, and it does add flavor to the dish, but it wasn’t anything tremendously special.

Still, we think these are a total win!

Next, we went for the NEW addition to the brunch menu — the Banana Bread Pudding. This dish is topped with a Bahamian Banana-Rum Syrup, Creme Anglaise, and Coconut Whipped Cream, and served with a choice of bacon, sausage, or ham, all for $16.

Now, bread pudding, in general, is something we’ve seen served at Old Key West in the past, and Olivia’s has served up a Banana Bread Pudding dessert (Olivia’s Bananas Foster with Warm Banana Bread), so we were interested to see how this version would hold up.

Overall, this was very good, but we felt like something was missing. Though there was a Banana-Rum Syrup served with it, we almost felt like it could have benefitted from something like a caramel sauce.

The texture was also a bit slimy. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it was a bit slippery when we went in to cut it and eat it. That was a bit of a problem just because it was dense, so just keep that in mind if you were hoping to give this a try.

The bites we got with the fresh banana were especially good. From what we understand, this is meant to replace their popular Banana Bread French Toast option (which also had a Banana-Rum Sauce and Coconut Cream). We’ll be interested to see how guests ultimately react to this option.

In our opinion, it was good, but not overly decadent or really exquisite. We were hoping to get that same amazing, warm and fuzzy feeling we get when digging into some bread pudding from ‘Ohana, and…this wasn’t quite that.

It was good but not mind-blowingly so. The bacon served with it was standard Disney bacon — again, nothing special but it’ll hit the spot!

Finally, we have the Sombrero Beach Omelet. This is made with ham, green peppers, onions, and cheddar, topped with sour cream and pico de Gallo, and served with Olivia’s potatoes and a buttermilk biscuit for $17.

This was another solid dish that was really good! The vegetables used were wonderfully fresh and added a great crunch. The eggs were cooked well and were moist without being runny. Plus, it was nice and cheeeeeeesy, just how we like it!

This sort of omelet — one with a lot of veggies — can be hit or miss sometimes because the moisture from the vegetables can leak into the eggs and make the whole thing watery in a not-so-great way. But that didn’t happen here! It was cooked really well and it didn’t feel like there was excess moisture from the veggies.

The eggs were fluffy and held up even after we took a LOT of photos. 

In terms of the accompaniments, the potatoes were good but nothing special. They weren’t particularly flavorful or interesting. The biscuit was also just a regular biscuit — fine, but nothing extraordinary.

That leaves us with just one item to go — our drink!

Drinks

For our drink, we got the Parrot Punch. This is made with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Melon Liqueur, Peach Schnapps, and Pineapple Juice, priced at $14. Unfortunately, they were out of Midori (the melon liqueur) so they were simply serving it without that.

Despite that small change, the drink was very good and light. It had a tasty, tropical vibe which we loved. It was a perfect brunch addition.

And that concludes our brunch at Olivia’s Cafe. Let’s go over some final thoughts:

Nosh or Not

Grab brunch at Olivia’s Cafe if:

• You’re looking for a relaxing spot to enjoy brunch — Since it’s tucked away, this spot can be more relaxed than, say, a character meal or some of the other more “on the map” brunch places.
• You want some solid, tasty, sort-of southern-inspired brunch items — Though we didn’t highlight them here, there is a buttermilk chicken dish available, along with shrimp and grits. Pair that with some bread pudding and cheddar biscuits, and you’ve got a yummy brunch meal.
• You are looking for a place to sit down and enjoy the meal — If you’re in a more leisurely mood, this table service spot could be good to check out.

SKIP brunch at Olivia’s Cafe if:

• You want something incredibly unique — While the banana bread pudding is a more unique offering (along with those SPAM-Cheddar Biscuits) they’re not things that you can’t get anywhere else. If you want something that pushes your palette more, this might not be the spot.
• You want to grab something QUICK — This is a table service restaurant, and while things didn’t take too long, it is longer than something like a quick service restaurant.
• You are looking for a fancy (pinkies up) brunch experience — This definitely has a more laid-back atmosphere, so that’s something to consider.

Overall

Overall, we really enjoyed our meal at Olivia’s Cafe. The drink was wonderfully light and tropical, the SPAM-Cheddar biscuits were delicious, the omelet was really good, and the banana bread pudding was very good but it felt like it was missing something.

We think many will be sad to see the Chicken & Waffles are gone, but overall the options that remain are solid, tasty picks that’ll leave you satisfied, though they might not BLOW your mind.

We also want to mention that the staff here was incredibly friendly! Other servers even stopped to chat with us and the chef came around to the tables. We absolutely loved how kind and involved everyone was.

All in all, it was a great experience in our book! In the past, we’ve called this an underrated spot or one of the best brunch places in Disney World, and that remains pretty much true, though the departure of the chicken and waffles might impact things. Still, the food is tasty and cooked very well, the environment is relaxing and nice, and there are some really fun items like that SPAM dish. What do you think? Would Olivia’s Cafe be a must-do for you? Tell us in the comments!

Looking for other Disney breakfast options? Click here for our FULL review of breakfast at the new BoardWalk Deli

What restaurant do you think is best for brunch in Disney World? Tell us in the comments!