These Are the Best Disney World Restaurants

Welcome to the "Most Magical Place on Earth," where you'll find iconic attractions, intricately-themed hotels, and hundreds of places to get food — seriously, hundreds. Across Walt Disney World Resort's theme parks, hotels, and Disney Springs (a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex), you'll find countless snack stands, lounges, quick-service eateries, and full-service restaurants, so choosing where to eat can be tricky. Thankfully, we've got you covered — we've rounded up 20 of the best restaurants in Disney World so you can start planning your next magical vacation. 

To curate our list of the best Disney World restaurants, we considered the dining experiences that offer delicious food, an enchanting atmosphere, and that touch of Disney magic that you just won't find anywhere else. (For simplicity, we stuck to lounges, bars, quick-service locations, and table-service restaurants, excluding the snack stands that proliferate the parks). The result is 20 fantastic dining options that range from upscale restaurants with a view to memorable character meals with Mickey and friends to out-of-this-world bars and more, with something everyone will love. 

Related: More Disney vacation tips

Before we get to the best Disney World restaurants, let's cover the practical information you need to know before you go. The below restaurants are located across Disney World theme parks, Disney World resort hotels, and Disney Springs. You'll want to make reservations as far as possible in advance to ensure that you can eat where you want, when you want. The easiest way to make reservations is on the Disney World app or website. If there are no reservations available for the time and restaurant you want, don't give up hope. People are constantly changing their plans and canceling the day or two before to avoid any cancellation charges (applicable at certain restaurants), so keep refreshing — I have gotten countless last-minute dining reservations for highly sought-after venues by repeatedly checking for new availabilities. And if you're planning to eat at an in-park restaurant, make sure you have reserved a park pass for that theme park that day.

Related: How to Plan a Magical Girls' Trip to Disney World

And wherever you end up, picky eaters need not worry — Disney has plenty of kids menus with options your little ones will enjoy. Plus, there are many, many more vegan and vegetarian options now than there were 10 years ago, and in many cases, they're really great (and even better than their non-plant-based counterparts). Allergy-friendly menus are available at many locations, too. 

Get ready for your next magical meal — here are 20 of the best restaurants in Disney World to try on your next trip. 

Related: 20 Walt Disney World Secrets You've Never, Ever Heard Before

Magic Kingdom Park 

Step inside the Beast's castle for a fairytale-inspired meal. The massive restaurant is split into three areas — the Grand Ballroom is the most iconic, but the West Wing and Castle Gallery are also enchanting, so be sure to check each out when you dine. The restaurant serves a prix-fixe, three-course meal at lunch and dinner; starters include lobster bisque and French onion soup, mains range from filet mignon to scallops, and dessert includes the famous "grey stuff." The overall atmosphere and tasty food make this experience worth it, especially for princes and princesses who love "Beauty and the Beast." 

Disney Springs

When you think "Disney World dining," a world-class wine bar might not immediately come to mind. But the phenomenal wine menu, truly delicious food, and incredible staff make Wine Bar George a must-visit at Disney Springs. The drinks menu ranges from sweet frozen cocktails made with the famous pineapple Dole Whip to amazing wines sold by the ounce (so you can finally try that rare and expensive vintage you've always been curious about!). Plates range from crispy mac and cheese bites to artisanal charcuterie boards and much more — but everything is delicious, and the team is always happy to find the perfect wine pairing for your meal based on your personal preferences (and it's always served without the slightest hint of pretension). Wine Bar George is a standout dining experience at a resort filled with over-the-top restaurants and themed eateries. 

Disney's Riviera Resort

Located atop Disney World's newest resort hotel, Disney's Riviera Resort, Topolino's Terrace is included here for its delightful character breakfast. You'll enjoy your table-service, prix-fixe meal — with entrees like quiche lorraine frittata, sour cream waffles, and more — as you wave to Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy. And even though the characters are only seen at breakfast, this can be a great option for a more upscale dinner, too, featuring French and Italian flavors. 

Disney's Contemporary Resort 

Although Chef Mickey's offers both breakfast and dinner, we recommend coming in the morning for the character dining experience featuring Mickey Mouse and friends (because what's more magical than starting a day at the parks off right with a visit from your favorite mouse?). This all-you-can-eat family-style meal includes favorites like eggs, bacon, banana bread French toast, Mickey celebration pancakes, and our favorite, Mickey waffles. 

Disney's Hollywood Studios 

If you've always dreamed of visiting the catinas found in galaxies far, far away, plan to visit Oga's Cantina on your next trip to Disney's Hollywood Studios. Located in the highly-immersive Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge land, this lounge offers a range of out-of-this-world cocktails and mocktails complete with bright colors and unexpected ingredients. There's also beer, wine, cider, and snacks available, but the real draw here is the immersive theming (including tunes from droid DJ R-3X) and fun mixed drinks. Oga's Cantina is suitable for all ages (folks who don't drink might want to try the Blue Bantha — blue milk topped with a Bantha cookie), and you don't have to love Star Wars to have a great time here.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Eat while watching animals — including zebras, giraffes, and more — roam on the savanna at Sanaa in Kidani Village at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas. At breakfast, Sanaa is a casual quick-service eatery, but for lunch and dinner, it's a table-service restaurant. Start your meal with the popular Indian-style bread service before moving on to the African and Indian-inspired mains. 

Disney's Hollywood Studios

With the debut of newer lands like Pandora — The World of Avatar and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Disney has created exciting new dining options to fully immerse guests in the experience. Docking Bay 7 offers a range of flavors — from Fried Endorian Chicken Tip Yip, a fried chicken dish, to Smoked Kaadu Pork Ribs, a BBQ rib dish — in a Star Wars-inspired setting. The plant-based option, Felucian Kefta and Hummus Garden Spread — is one of the tastiest items on the menu, a testament to how far theme park vegan and veggie options have come in recent years. 

Disney's Animal Kingdom Park

Inside Pandora — The World of Avatar, find this delicious quick-service restaurant. The menu consists primarily of beef, chicken, shrimp, and tofu bowls served with your choice of base (options include potato hash, noodles, rice and beans, and salad) and sauce (creamy herb, black bean vinaigrette, and charred green onion vinaigrette). The bowls are filling and packed with flavor, and the cheeseburger bao buns are a tasty option for classic flavors presented in a new, fun way. 

Disney's Contemporary Resort 

California Grill is known for upscale West Coast cooking served atop the Contemporary Resort's main tower. The table-service restaurant is an ideal choice for a Disney date night or special occasion dinner, and its menu includes sushi, steaks, seafood, and more. You'll even be able to spot the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the restaurant or outdoor observation deck — a magical end to a day at the resort. 

Magic Kingdom Park 

Dining inside Cinderella's Castle —  the Disney World icon — is a bucket-list meal for many theme park fans. This fairytale table-service restaurant offers  pre-fixe breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. Guests can choose from entrees like avocado toast, caramel apple-stuffed French toast, and shrimp and grits at breakfast, while lunch and dinner guests can choose from duck, chicken, beef tenderloin, and more. Cinderella's Royal Table usually offers princess-packed character meals, but those are currently postponed due to the pandemic; the restaurant remains open. 

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Disney's Hollywood Studios is home to some of the most unique dining experiences on property, including the 50's Prime Time Cafe. This kitschy table-service restaurant brings on all the nostalgia with old-school decor (complete with retro TVs), plus comfort food like fried chicken, meatloaf, pot roast, and more, and don't forget the peanut butter and jelly milkshake for a sweet treat. Adult guests will enjoy the old-school cocktails on the menu here and next door at Tune-In Lounge. 

Magic Kingdom Park

If you wish you could have Thanksgiving dinner year-round, Liberty Tree Tavern is the restaurant for you. This all-you-can-eat, family-style lunch and dinner restaurant offers a house salad and Patriot's Platter with roast turkey, pot roast, oven-roasted pork, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and macaroni and cheese, followed with ooey gooey toffee cake for dessert (and there's a plant-based option for those who don't want meat). 

Epcot 

A steakhouse inside a theme park might seem a little odd anywhere other than Disney parks, but like many of the other restaurants on this list, Le Cellier Steakhouse is here to show that theme park food doesn't have to be hamburgers and chicken fingers. Located in the Canada pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase, Le Cellier is an upscale table-service restaurant known for its Canadian cheddar cheese soup, poutine, and steaks, of course. 

Disney's Hollywood Studios 

Slide into your car-shaped booth at this Disney's Hollywood Studios table-service restaurant and enjoy a meal filled with nostalgia and classic American food. This unique restaurant is themed to the 1950s drive-in movie theaters, complete with vintage cars as the tables and a rotation of retro sci-fi movie clips shown on the big screen. Menu items include burgers, pasta, chicken strips, and salads, plus milkshakes and themed cocktails. 

Epcot

Located in the Italy pavilion in Epcot, Via Napoli serves up pizza, pasta, salads, and other Italian eats for lunch and dinner. The thin-crust Neapolitan pizza is the star of the show at this table-service restaurant; the three wood-burning ovens are even named after Italy's volcanoes, Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius, and Stromboli. 

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

Located at the top of Coronado Springs Resort's Gran Destino Tower, Toledo serves up tapas, seafood, and steak with a Spanish twist. This table-service rooftop restaurant offers sweeping views of Disney World and a delicious menu featuring tapas, scallops, cauliflower, bone-in ribeye, and more. The restaurant and the nearby Dahlia Lounge were a welcome addition to this on-site resort, offering an elevated option for dinner. 

Epcot

Adding a tequila bar to your Disney World to-do list might feel odd, but one sip of La Cava del Tequila's La Cava Avocado (a popular frozen avocado tequila cocktail) will make you understand why this tiny bar almost always has a wait. Located in Epcot's Mexico pavilion, this bar has over 200 tequilas. The speciality drinks are delightful, and you can even taste a few unique tequilas with a flight. This bar alone is why I always start my World Showcase journey in Mexico.  

Disney's Animal Kingdom Park

After you've spent a few hours trekking around Animal Kingdom, take a break at Nomad Lounge. The cocktail, beer, and wine menus offer a wide range of delightful drinks, and while the food menu is relatively limited, it's great for a light bite or appetizer, with Impossible sliders, tuna bowls, the Tiffins bread service, churros, and more available.   

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

Open for breakfast and dinner, 'Ohana offers Polynesian-themed all-you-can-eat meals. At breakfast, find eggs, sausage, Hawaiian-style ham, Mickey waffles, and more, and at dinner, enjoy teriyaki beef, shrimp, chicken, 'Ohana noodles, chicken wings, pork dumplings, and the favorite 'Ohana bread pudding. 'Ohana breakfast featured visits from Disney characters before the pandemic; fingers crossed they will return soon. 

Epcot

There are several lovely French restaurants in the France pavilion at Epcot — it's hard to go wrong in the Parisian-inspired section of the park — so we're rounding out our list with the more affordable Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie. This quick-service eatery is ideal for a quick lunch or afternoon snack with its sandwiches, fresh baguettes, and tasty pastries. The new La Crêperie de Paris in the France expansion is another tasty option coming to the pavilion this fall. 

Elizabeth Rhodes is an associate digital editor at Travel + Leisure who loves all things theme parks. Follow her adventures on Instagram @elizabetheverywhere.