News! A la Carte Menus at Pepper Market in Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

News! A la Carte Menus at Pepper Market in Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Recent changes at Pepper Market at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort have resulted in brand new lunch and dinner menus at the food court.

Learn About:Pepper Market Food Court

Disney World Restaurants

Over the past several months, Pepper Market has gone through a series of menu changes. Prior to December 2011, the counter service spot offered a unique cafeteria-style experience, allowing guests to select their meal from a wide array of items. In early 2012, the restaurant switched to a buffet service; and on January 1, 2013, the new a la carte menu went into effect.

While the restaurant’s popular all-day buffet (and never-ending burritos) is gone, the meal is still a Quick Service credit on the Disney Dining Plan, and the lunch and dinner menus are varied and interesting.

Pepper Market Entrance

Guests can still expect a healthy assortment of Mexican- and American-inspired dishes, including the popular burrito with steak, rice, and beans … and a lot of delicious cheese sauce!

The burrito at Pepper Market is a crowd pleaser.

Here’s a peek at the new, a la carte breakfast and dinner menus (lunch is still [Read more…]

Review: Tutto Italia in Epcot’s Italy Pavilion

By AJ 16 Comments

Anytime that I have an opportunity to dine in Epcot’s World Showcase, I grab it!

Learn About:Tutto Italia Ristorante

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

There are so many wonderful restaurants here, and I’m always lamenting the fact that I haven’t been to one or another in a long time.

When I was in town recently for the New Fantasyland media event, I had some free time and decided that it was the perfect night to pop in to Italy to see how Tutto Italia was faring after its most recent renovation.

So after arranging my Advanced Dining Reservation for 8pm, I headed over to meet my friend for a late dinner amid the beautiful holiday decorations in World Showcase.

Tutto Italia in Epcot's Italy Pavilion

Atmosphere

Tutto Italia and the newly opened Tutto Gusto Wine Bar are situated in the back left corner of the Italy Pavilion (if you’re facing into the pavilion). The restaurant reopened after a renovation in early Summer and now features updated seating and the brand new wine bar next door.

Tutto Italia

Tutto Gusto is a new stop on your Drinking Around the World odyssey, and is definitely worth your time and dollars. You can see my initial impressions of Tutto Gusto in my review.

But on this night, we were headed into Tutto Italia. When the restaurant first reopened I was glad to see that not much had changed. The grand and formal space really feels like it could have been transported from Rome. The gorgeous murals made the cut (though I heard that they almost didn’t stay!).

Italia kept the murals!

And the crystal chandeliers continue to add elegance to the restaurant. Sometimes it’s a bit jarring to see people dressed in Mickey t-shirts amid all this finery, but I’m so glad that Disney has preserved some of the original vision of the World Showcase restaurants.

Italia Chandelier

Seating includes some tiny two tops (is it just me, or do you always kind of feel like you’re eating with the people next to you when you’re sitting at tables this close together?) as well as seating for larger groups and families.

Guests can also dine in a Sunroom or on the new outdoor patio!

Italia Table Seating and the Sunroom beyond

Here’s one of the biggest tables…this one’s for [Read more…]

Disney Food Post Round-Up: January 20, 2013

By AJ Leave a Comment

How’s your 2013 going?

Beignets Now in the Magic Kingdom at Tomorrowland Terrace!!

Mine’s going great — there’s so much happening food-wise at Disney parks and resorts right now, and so much coming down the pike!!

We’ve got a TON of great news for you on the round-up today, including a review of the brand new Les Halles Bakery in Epcot’s France, the dates for the 2013 Epcot Food and Wine Festival, a peek at the Tomorrowland Terrace’s new breakfast menu, the new all-day menu at Le Cellier, and more!

To quote Peter Pan, “Here we gooooooo!!”

Disney Dining News

Catch up on food news from Disney…

The dates for the 2013 Epcot Food and Wine Festival have been announced!
Tomorrowland Terrace is now serving breakfast while the Main Street Bakery is renovating to a Starbucks venue.
Check out the eats at Epcot’s new Boulangerie Patisserie les Halles Bakery!
Find out how the new technology, MyMagic+, will affect your Disney Dining!
Check out the new Le Cellier all-day menu for lunch and dinner. This change coincides with lunch and dinner now costing Disney Dining Plan guests two table-service credits per meal!
With the Boardwalk Bakery closed for refurbishment, a temporary tent serving quick-service eats has been set up on the Boardwalk.
Check out this fun review of the Limited Time Magic Golden Horseshoe Revue show in Disneyland!
Take a look at Chef Emeril Lagasse’s new Cooking Channel show, Emeril’s Florida, to see great Florida dining destinations starting in Orlando!
Have you tried the new Liberty Inn steak dinner and s’mores brownie in Epcot?
Tables in Wonderland has announced a January Discovery Wine Dinner at the Wave!

We’ve got additional food news, including Citricos Italian Wine Dinner at the Grand Floridian, restaurant closures, Martha’s Vineyard Menu at Yacht and Beach Club Resort, Habit Heroes re-opens in Epcot, Spirit of Aloha closing for brief renovation, and LOTS more, on our Disney Food News Pin Board! Head over and check it out!

Reader Finds

If you find a fun new food — or other awesomeness — in or from Disney, share a photo with us on facebook or twitter so we can add it to our DFB Reader Finds each Sunday!

Sara McCaslin tweeted one of our favorite Disney indulgences – cheese plates! This one is from the Flying Fish Cafe.

Flying Fish Cheese Plate

And via email, we received this message from Susan Tribelli: “I have to say my husband, who is a culinary school graduate, thought the Grand Floridian cafe had gone downhill, but we got the fish, which I thought was super good.”

Red Grouper at Grand Floridian Cafe

DFB Podcast Episode 12

For our podcast listeners (and those of you who aren’t listeners, yet, but are about to become listeners!!), we have the 12th episode of the DFB Podcast ready for downloading!

In this episode we cover the latest Disney Food News and have a discussion about dinner shows in Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

We also answer a couple of listener questions, and reveal the answer to (and winner of!) our Episode 11 trivia question.

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS or on iTunes! (We love your comments, reviews, and feedback!

Take a listen from the DFB Podcast Episode 12!

On to the Round-Up!

WDW for Grown-Ups

shares four delicious breakfast options at Walt Disney World.

Cake Wrecks features adorable cakes including Wall-E and Piglet. Sweet!

Studios Central looks into the origin of Toluca Legs Turkey Co. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Disney Hipsters laments about the lack of good vegetarian eats at the Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom.

Yesterland returns to Disneyland’s Blue Ribbon Bakery!

Eating (and Drinking) Around the World re-visits favorite Disney dining adventures from 2012.

DisneyParks announces a Robert Olszewski Product Release & Signing for the Plaza Restaurant/Plaza Ice Cream Parlor sculpture. Wow!

Review: Limited Time Magic Golden Horseshoe Revue Dinner in Disneyland

By Heather 8 Comments

Disney’s Limited Time Magic events have begun, and Disneyland is currently celebrating with “A Salute to the Golden Horseshoe Revue.” This is a nod to the original show that Walt Disney created in 1955.

The Golden Horseshoe at Disneyland

Show Details

The show features comedy, songs, and dancing set to a fun musical score that will make you want to dress up, put a feather in your hair, and learn to Can-Can.

Tables and Clean Glasses Available for Ladies!

Tuesdays through Mondays now until February 4th, the “flashback” show can be seen a few times a day with a special Annual Passholder only showing at 6:30. The annual passholder show is $35 and you must make reservations in advance though the annual passholders events line at (714) 781-PASS.

The Annual Passholder show is a $35 ticketed event that includes dinner & reserved seating for the revue. If you’re not a passholder, stop at guest services to get a ticket to one of the earlier shows.

Your Hostess for the Show: Miss Lilly

Golden Horseshoe Revue Tribute Show

Can-Can Dancers

Please note that the entertainment is exactly the same as the shows performed during the day. So, if you don’t feel a need to spend $35 or aren’t interested in the foods being served at the Annual Passholder event, I highly recommend you still go check out one of the Thursday through Monday tribute shows.

Eats

Starter: Corn chips in a souvenir Golden Horseshoe boot mug
Entrees: Black forest ham and roast beef sandwiches
Sides: Golden raisin and carrot salad, Yukon golden potato salad, Very Berry fruit salad
Children’s Menu (available upon request): 2 PB&J sandwiches with sides
Vegetarian Option (available upon request): Vegetable and cheese sandwiches with sides
Beverages: Mint Julep, water, coffee
Dessert: Walt & Lilly’s 30th Anniversary Celebration Cake

We started off with our table being adorned with Fritos in a boot. My absolute favorite item of the evening: Crunchy, salty Fritos served up in a take home souvenir Golden Horseshoe plastic boot (which I plan to fill with root beer floats at home in the near future).

Drinks were then served, bottles of water or a bottomless Mint Julep if you prefer. We shared one at the table [Read more…]

Chef Emeril Lagasse Showcases Orlando Restaurants in “Emeril’s Florida”

By AJ 5 Comments

Fun news for food TV lovers — celebrity chef, Emeril Lagasse, has kicked off his brand new show, “Emeril’s Florida,” with a focus on Orlando restaurants.

Featured in the show are the Ravenous Pig (one of my favorites!), ICEBAR Orlando, Emeril’s Orlando, Vines Grille & Wine Bar, and the pastry chef from Rosen Shingle Creek. The show premier aired Sunday, January 6, at 10:30am.

Emeril Lagasse

Emeril’s Florida is brought to viewers via the partnership of Visit Orlando, VISIT FLORIDA, and Chef Emeril Lagasse. Focusing on wonderful Florida destinations and unique dining opportunities, the show airs on the [Read more…]

Review: Boardwalk Bakery Temporary Location

By Erin 10 Comments

As we reported earlier this month, the popular Boardwalk Bakery is now closed for a winter refurbishment. You can see more details about the bakery refurbishment here!

While work is going on inside the shop through Friday, April 26th, a temporary tent has been erected on the Boardwalk to serve the some of the quick service needs in the area.

Boardwalk Bakery with the entrance behind a work wall.

Temporary quick service food stand on the Boardwalk.

These temporary site is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

It is serving some, but not all, of the Boardwalk favorites. Notably missing are many of the cake and pastry items.

Breakfast offerings.

Everything at the temporary location is “Grab and Go.” And there’s a refrigerator case offering drinks, fruit, salads, and other grab and go items.

Temporary refrigerator case.

There are some cookies and prewrapped baked items, but not the [Read more…]

News! Le Cellier Lunch Menu Changes

By AJ 37 Comments

With Le Cellier Steakhouse now a TWO table-service credit restaurant for both lunch and dinner on the Disney Dining Plan, the restaurant has changed over to an all-day menu (effective January 16, 2013).

Learn About:Le Cellier Steakhouse

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

Located in Epcot’s Canada, this signature restaurant’s all-day menu means that guests looking for a burger will no longer find one here. (Total bummer, as it was one of our favorites.) But the lobster mac ‘n cheese will now be available for lunch and dinner.

For starters, Le Cellier’s chopped lobster salad or bowl of the cult favorite Cheddar Cheese Soup are excellent choices. Don’t forget about the poutine fries, too (Hubba Hubba)!

Plus, the seasonal salad now being offered is greens with duck prosciutto, blue cheese, fig-almond cake and a soft-boiled egg.

Poutine Fries...two orders...don't judge

Entrees are still plentiful, and steak-focused. Canadian-raised beef choices include a grilled bone-in ribeye, New York Strip, and the famous (and awesome) Filet Mignon.

That Filet Mignon is a fan favorite with its white truffle-butter sauce and wild mushroom risotto.

Mushroom Filet Mignon with White Truffle Butter Sauce and Micro Chevril

Vegetarians will continue to enjoy seasonal offerings, including a winter squash ravioli with sage brown butter. And the menu includes year-round sustainable seafood by Chef Al Youngman.

For dessert, the Maple Creme Brulee and Trio of Chocolate are [Read more…]

How MyMagic+ Will Affect Disney Dining

By AJ 67 Comments

Planning your Disney World vacation is about to change—big time. While making your Advance Dining Reservations 180 days in advance will still be important, MyMagic+ is going to make it easier to pre-plan your trip and maybe even save your Disney dollars at the same time!

We’ve outlined the basics of the new Walt Disney World Resort technology below, followed by a healthy dose of Disney dining tips for making the most of the new system — including how it will change your Disney Dining planning, and how you might save money using MyMagic+!!

MyMagic+: The Basics

This past week, MyMagic+ — a new, tech-savvy planning process for your Disney vacation — officially rolled out across the Walt Disney World resort. Relying on RFID technology, this will create a “more immersive, more seamless and more personal experience” for guests, according to Disney Parks Blog.

A major piece of the MyMagic+ puzzle is the new My Disney Experience website and mobile app, which help guests plan their trip. The interactive tools allow guests to log in to book advanced dining reservations and ride times for popular attractions as well as parade and fireworks viewing locations with FastPass+. They’ll also make it easy to change those plans on the fly from any smartphone or Guest Relations kiosk.

All of that MyMagic+ data—including ride and meals times—will be encoded onto the new must-have Disney accessory: the MagicBand. These high-tech bracelets will replace the Key to the World card, becoming a room key, theme park ticket, PhotoPass card, FastPass and charge account in one.

MyMagic+ MagicBand in action

Right now, guests saying at WDW resort hotels, Annual Passholders, and those who purchase PhotoPass will automatically receive a complimentary standard MagicBand. Upgraded wristbands, decorated with characters, will also be available for an additional fee.

Guests who stay off property will receive an RFID-enabled card, which will act as a park ticket, charge account and FastPass+ ticket, but they will have to purchase a MagicBand separately.

Don’t Forget Your MagicBand!

The new technologies will likely have a significant impact on your dining strategy, so we’ve put together a quick primer on how to make the most of MyMagic+:

Pay and Go

The most immediate and obvious impact of the MagicBand will be the ability to pay for snacks and quick service meals with the flick of a wrist.

Literally tap the RFID bracelet (or card for non-resort guests) against the sensor at the register to settle the bill on purchases of $50 or less quickly and efficiently. No more digging around for the Key to the World!

Schedule Your WHOLE Day

With the current system, FastPass dictates your return window based on how many FastPasses have already been distributed. On some days, it’s possible to arrive at Soarin’ at 9:30 a.m. only to be locked into a 6:35-7:35 p.m. return time. That presents a problem for those [Read more…]

DFB Podcast Episode 12: Disney Dinner Shows!

By AJ 1 Comment

Howdy, Disney Food Fans! Great news today for all you hungry commuters, walkers, runners, gym-goers, and other assorted podcast listeners!

Just wanted to drop a line to let you know that the 12th episode of our DFB Podcast is now posted and ready for downloading!

In this episode we cover the latest Disney Food News, and Brad and I chat about Dinner Shows in Disney World and Disneyland! We also answer a couple of listener questions, and reveal the answer to our Episode 11 trivia question (and debut a new trivia question)!

Here’s the Podcast page for Episode 12. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS or on iTunes!

Take a listen and as always, let us know [Read more…]

Review: Epcot’s Les Halles Bakery

By Erin 59 Comments

As recently reported, the new Les Halles Bakery is open for business in Epcot’s France pavilion. Les Halles replaces the previous France quick service location, Boulangerie Patisserie.

Les Halles in the back of the France pavilion, next to the old bakery location

Note that the Bakery opens at 9am — two hours earlier than most other counter-service locations in World Showcase! This will definitely be your place for breakfast if you’re entering Epcot through the International Gateway!