If there’s one thing we love about Disney World, it’s the FOOD! We are Disney Food Blog, after all.

So, when a Disney World restaurant adds something new to its menu, well, we make it our job to go try it out. We’re serious. That literally is our job. And we LOVE IT! Recently, a hidden Hollywood Studios restaurant debuted some new menu items so of course, we had to check it out.

Atmosphere

If you’ve got a local, neighborhood, family Italian joint in your town, you might feel right at home at Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano! After you enter the front door, you’ll be greeted by a large waiting area decorated with framed prints and iconic black and white tile flooring.

The dining room is extremely cozy, with dark wood paneling and tables, brick walls decorated with all sorts of ephemera, and bright red booths.

There are both booths and tables with chairs here, so consider making a request at check-in if you have a preference.

The atmosphere here is warm and inviting, which is the perfect place to have a good meal — so let’s see if these new menu items pass the test!

Menu

You’ll find a ton of Italian favorites and elevated dishes on the menu at Mama Melrose’s, plus plenty of alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks — but we were here to check out some NEW menu items that just debuted.

The new menu items were listed on updated menus, but you can always refer to the menu on the Disney World website to get an idea of what sort of items will be on the menu ahead of your visit!

Eats

The first new item we tried was the Tuscan White Bean Purée, which you can get for $14. This new appetizer is roasted garlic and eggplant, fresh herbs, and chili oil puréed and served with focaccia bread. Sounds pretty interesting!

Unfortunately, the whole dish kind of fell flat. We wanted the dip to be a bit thicker, like a good hummus, but instead, it was thin and gritty. It honestly reminded us of wet sandpaper, so the texture and consistency weren’t our favorite.

As far as the flavor goes, we could taste the herbs and a bit of the lemon, but not enough to save it. It was completely bland aside from the faint hint of herb and lemon. There was a kick of chili oil on the back end, but overall this wasn’t our favorite. Luckily, the bread was fresh!

Onto the entrées, we grabbed the new Braised Waygu Beef on Orecchiette for $32. This dish consists of red wine-braised Wagyu beef, dried cherries, and pink peppercorn, and our server advised us that it’s American Wagyu beef cheek and not Japanese Waygu.

We were really hopeful for this one, but again it just kind of fell flat. There was a super sharp cheesiness likely from parmesan that went well with the pasta, but we wanted more of it. Even when we tasted the dried cherries, while it was a sudden burst of flavor, it wasn’t exactly the flavor we were expecting and seemed to be out of place.

The beef was few and far between, but when we did find some of it in the dish it had a mild flavor — you could have told us it was not Waygu and we’d believe you. Still, this dish could be an option if you’re looking for a fall-inspired pasta dish.

Finally, we ordered Mama’s Pasta with Chicken for $36. This pasta dish features a three-cheese sauce, sautéed kale, cavatappi pasta, roasted butternut squash, and wild mushrooms. This might have been our favorite out of the new items we tried, but that unfortunately isn’t saying much this time around.

The chicken was well-cooked (but not overcooked!) and had a decent amount of flavor — you can tell it was likely marinated before being cooked into the pasta. It was salty and herbaceous and reminded us of an Italian dressing. The three-cheese pasta sauce was mild and creamy, which allowed for the rest of the items in the dish to shine.

We loved the fall flavor of the butternut squash, which was tender without being too soft, while the mushrooms had such a good color and crunch from being sautéed. The kale was a bit on the crunchy side, but overall this dish wasn’t bad — it just wasn’t something we’re planning on ordering again.

So, should you rush to try these new items at Mama Melrose’s?

Overall

If you want to plan a trip to Mama Melrose’s, we’d stick with the Italian favorites and some of the new items from the last time the menu was revamped. While we didn’t particularly love anything we tried on this visit, we still think this is a solid option for families and those who’ve got a hankerin’ for pasta.

We wouldn’t book a reservation based on these new menu items alone, but Mama Melrose’s is an often overlooked restaurant where you can still have a good meal at Hollywood Studios.

Nosh or Not?

Book a table at Mama Melrose’s if…

• You love Italian food that’ll leave you full for the rest of the day. We’re talking carbs on carbs on carbs, people!
• You want an old-school restaurant atmosphere. No intense or wild theming here, just vibes.
• You’re looking for a spot that’s a bit tucked away and not in the middle of everything. this restaurant is located in the back of the Muppets area of the park, which doesn’t get a lot of foot traffic.

Consider dining at another restaurant if…

• You’re not the biggest fan of Italian food. That’s the name of the game here, so skip it if you’re after something else!
• You want a lively atmosphere with exciting Disney theming. This spot isn’t the most immersive or “in your face” Disney. Don’t expect to see characters or shenanigans.
• You’re looking for a light meal. The dishes here are BIG, which means they’re shareable, but if you want something on the lighter side you probably won’t find it here.

We’re always on the hunt for the best NEW foods around Disney World so we can try them and bring you our reviews! In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest updates and more!

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Have you eaten at Mama Melrose’s at Hollywood Studios? Tell us in the comments.