Some Disney World hotel restaurants are pretty spectacular, and others…well, they leave a bit to be desired.
If you’re staying at one of Disney’s Value Resorts, your dining options will be limited to quick service cafeteria-style food. But if you shell out the extra dough to stay at a Deluxe Resort, we’ve often found that the quick service food quality improves. Riviera Resort’s quick service restaurant was one of our favorites when the hotel first opened in 2019, but how does it stack up now?
I recently visited Primo Piatto at Disney’s Riviera Resort to try out some of their signature items and give a full review. And I’ll be honest, I was a little surprised by what I found!
Atmosphere
Primo Piatto is located on the ground level of Disney’s Riviera Resort, with entrances both on the first floor of the hotel and out back by the pool and Bar Riva.
When you dine here, you can either order at the cash registers, or you can place a Mobile Order.
The Mobile Order pick-up station is right next to the kitchen.
There’s also a grab-and-go section with prepackaged options if you’re ordering at the restaurant. They’ve got some classic snacks and breakfast choices over here.
There’s also a fridge and freezer section. This is where you can pick up drinks and gelato!
If you purchase a drink cup or a refillable resort mug, you can use the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines to get a variety of drinks.
On the other side of the kitchen is a massive seating area with banquettes, tables, and booths.
It gets pretty busy during popular meal times, so it might be a good idea to not dine during the big rush.
So now that we’ve checked out the vibes, let’s talk about the menu!
Menu
As far as the menu goes, Primo Piatto’s food is vaguely Italian and French-inspired, with some American twists. They’ve got hearth-baked pizzas and hot sandwiches to start the menu, with options like burgers and a Croque Monsieur.Â
For a cold sandwich, you could order the Spicy Italian Sandwich. They’ve got a couple of salad options, as well as Lasagna and a Colossal Meatball.
The one main plant-based option is the Grilled Vegetable Skewer, and then the list of sides includes tomato soup, fries, side salads, and of course, their signature Romano and Herbed Fries.
There are quite a few different options for the kiddies, ranging from shrimp to pasta to burgers and chicken strips.
Outside of those listed, there are also basic bakery items and grab-and-go snacks available.
Eats
Now let’s talk about the food! I started my meal with quite the spread of items, including some that Primo Piatto is well-known for.
First up, we’ve got the Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza for $13.29. It’s a hearth-baked pizza topped with tomato sauce, Italian sausage, pepperoni, provolone, and grated parmesan.
This was already a little bit cold when I got it, but I didn’t really mind because it’s one of the most delicious quick service pizzas I’ve eaten in Disney World! There’s a hint of spice in the sauce and the meats, and you get a generous portion of pepperoni, sausage, and parmesan.
My one issue with ordering flatbread pizzas in Disney World is that they don’t give you a side. This would be filling for some people, but those with larger appetites might want to order something else or get a side dish.
The other entree I wanted to try was the Lasagna for $12.49. It’s made with Italian sausage and ground beef, and comes with a side of garlic bread.
This has a good herbaceous flavor and there’s a great meat to pasta ratio here. However, this was served to me on the edge of being cold — I would’ve loved to have it fresh and warm, as I think that would’ve made a lot of difference in my enjoyment. It’s a pretty hefty dish overall though, and great for pasta lovers.
The big downside to the lasagna is actually the garlic bread that comes on the side! It had a REALLY strong herby, earthy flavor that didn’t pair well with the dinner roll-style bread. It was also fairly chewy. I would’ve much preferred a typical garlic toast on the side instead.
Moving on to the sides, one of the popular items here at Primo Piatto is the Romano and Herbed Fries. They’re $4.99 and you get a pretty decent portion.
These are your typical Disney World quick service french fries, except they have the addition of romano cheese and some herbs. Like regular Disney fries, they’re great to eat when they’re hot and fresh, but your enjoyment of them will drop significantly as they cool off.Â
The really weird thing about these is that they’re just topped with cold shredded cheese. They would be easier to eat and the flavors would blend more effectively if the cheese were warm and melty. I would’ve also preferred more cheese and herbs overall — most of what was in the container just fell to the bottom. Honestly, I left these feeling like they were a little overrated.
But don’t worry, there’s room for recovery because dessert is up next! I had to try their classic Tiramisu for $6.79.
This held up surprisingly well! It has a nice light, fluffy texture with a mild coffee flavor near the top. However, the coffee gets STRONG as you make it to the bottom, and the cake base was incredibly moist, almost a little too wet.
Last but not least, I got the prepackaged gelato to try! I decided to test the Toasted Honey Almond Gelato flavor for $5.79. I’m a big gelato girlie, so I was looking forward to this!
Sadly, this was a pretty big letdown. The flavors were fine but the texture was all wrong. The gelato was frosty, so when I got a spoonful, I had to chew it instead of letting it melt in my mouth. There was a rich almond flavor and a hint of honey, and honestly, I think it would be delicious if it were fresh-scooped gelato. But sitting in a freezer in the back of the restaurant certainly didn’t do it any favors!
So how does Primo Piatto perform overall?
Overall
In the end, I left my experience at Primo Piatto feeling a little confused. Both of the desserts came up short, and even the beloved Romano fries weren’t as good as I hoped. The two entrees were the stars of the meal, but both were served just a little bit colder than I would’ve liked.
Ultimately, I think this place is fine in terms of Disney World quick service restaurants, and it’s definitely ranking higher on the list for spots where you can order pizza, but it’s probably not going to crack my top 5 or top 10 fast food spots on property. However, they do have some really fun seasonal treats here from time to time, so I recommend checking those out!
If you’re staying at the Riviera, you’ll probably be able to find something on the menu here that you enjoy. I just wouldn’t suggest going too far out of your way to eat here specifically!
Nosh or Not?
Take a journey to the Rivier and dine here if…
- You’re staying at the Riviera or on the Skyliner. If you’re staying nearby and you want something a little more unique than the food you’d get at a cafeteria-style quick service, then this might be a good stop for you.
- You’re planning on getting entrees. The entrees were the thing that really stood out to me here — that pizza was particularly delicious, and the lasagna was impressive for a quick service spot.
Skip this spot and dine elsewhere if…
- You don’t have a tight food budget. If you’re visiting the Riviera and can afford to splurge a bit, I would more likely recommend Bar Riva or Topolino’s Terrace. Both restaurants are DFB favorites!
- You’re not staying nearby. It’s probably not worth your time to come all the way out to Riviera, especially if you’re not staying on the Skyliner line. There are probably several other delicious quick service restaurants closer to you!
That’s a wrap on my visit to Primo Piatto — thanks for coming along! Stay tuned to DFB for more news and updates from Disney World, as well as all the restaurant reviews!
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Have you ever been to Primo Piatto? Tell us in the comments!
Patrick says
In the 70s and 80s, Disney theme park food was pretty expensive AND pretty lousy. Things started to get better in the 1990s. In the 2000s, things were still expensive, but started to REALLY get downright yummy. Now we’re going back the 80s with quality and into the future with pricing. Lose-lose.
tom says
Riveria is probably the worst Disney hotel anyway…I agree though we are going backwards in so many ways.
Jenn says
The chicken sandwich from Primo might be my favorite meal at a quick serve. Def try that next time! I don’t think I’ve ever had a flatbread/pizza at Disney that I was wowed by.