Walt Disney World (For restaurants at Disney resorts or in the parks, you can make dining reservations online at disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/ or call 407-939-3463 or 407-939-5277 up to 180 days in advance. You might have better luck making reservations by phone. If you can’t get a reservation, don’t give up. Try the day before your desired date — there are cancellations and you can make direct reservations at some restaurants outside the parks.) RESORT RESTAURANTS Bull & Bear Steakhouse Modeled after the New York City original, this elegant space at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando offers chateaubriand and Tomahawk steaks for two, salads and seafood on its high-end menu. 14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, 407-597-5500 California Grill Come for the gourmet California cuisine and sushi and stay for the fireworks — if you can get a reservation. Located on the 15th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the fine dining venue is known for its panoramic views of the Magic Kingdom’s nightly light extravaganza. Customers can also watch the fireworks on the observation deck or lounge if dining before or after the fireworks. If you can’t get a reservation (through Disney), the California Grill Lounge serves the same menu but it’s first-come, first-serve. The catch is you’ll have to arrive early to get a seat and a prime view. If you don’t care about the fireworks, stop by around 5 p.m. The Grill also serves Sunday brunch. Capa This sleek rooftop dining experience on the 17th floor at Four Seasons Resort Orlando offers a Basque menu and Spanish-influenced cocktails. The hotel boasts terrace “setback views” of the fireworks show at Magic Kingdom, and the “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” show at Epcot. 10100 Dream Tree Blvd., 407-313-7777 Jiko The Cooking Place: Savor African, Indian and Mediterranean cuisine while sipping South African wines at this vibrant venue where you can watch chefs preparing dishes in the open show kitchen. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. 2901 Osceola Pkwy., 407-938-4733 36 | INFLUENCE SUMMER/FALL 2016 Todd English bluezoo Modern, coolly contemporary bluezoo features glass accents, fun chandeliers and an aquatic theme. No surprise the focus is on seafood, complemented by an extensive wine list and creative cocktails. You can order the same menu in the adjacent lounge. Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort, 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., 407-934-1111 Victoria & Albert’s For a royal splurge (and we mean splurge), try this romantic restaurant, which Visit Florida has dubbed the “grande dame” of the city’s fine dining scene. The luxurious Victorian setting, in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, offers a seven-course, prix fixe menu of New American dishes and a wine list featuring 700-plus wines from more than 16 countries. Foodies may want to book the chef’s table dinner. Among the dress code requirements: dress jackets for the gentlemen, dress, dressy pants or skirt for the ladies. Leave the flip-flops at home. 4401 Floridian Way, 407-939-3862 Yachtsman Steakhouse The New England-themed Yachtsman may be labeled family-friendly but the atmosphere at the high-end restaurant in Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is decidedly grown-up, with a pricey menu featuring beef aged in-house and seafood plus charcuterie with rabbit and bison sausage. 1700 Epcot Resorts Blvd., 407-934-3818 DISNEY SPRINGS The Boathouse The upscale waterfront locale features a lavish menu with starters like caviar and carpaccio and entrees of steaks and seafood. For dessert, you can feel like a kid with an ice cream float. After dinner, take a ride on one of their rare Amphicars — cars that float — or an Italian Water Taxi with chocolate-covered strawberries and a champagne toast. Wine cruises also available. 1620 E. Buena Vista Drive, 407-939-2628 Morimoto Asia This two-story stunner from chef Morimoto of “Iron Chef” and “Iron Chef America” brings a hip, urban vibe to Disney. Glimmering, 20-foot-long chandeliers, an upper level sushi bar, private rooms and an open kitchen (you can’t miss the Peking duck) set the stage for Morimoto’s first pan-Asian concept, featuring creative Chinese, Japanese and Korean dishes. 1600 E. Buena Vista Drive, 407-939-6686 Portobello Country Italian Trattoria The menu offers pasta, house-cured meats, seafood and wood-fired pizza, with a lengthy list of Italian and American wines. Another benefit: a view overlooking Lake Buena Vista (try the waterfront patio). 1650 Buena Vista Drive, 407-934-8888 STK Orlando Joining its big city siblings, the high-energy steakhouse, which opened in late May, exudes a lounge atmosphere with a DJ spinning tunes on the rooftop terrace, multilevel seating and private rooms. The music gets louder and the lighting softer the later it gets. 1580 Buena Vista Drive, 407-917-7440 INSIDE THE THEME PARKS (You’ll need to book reservations online or by phone through Disney at most of these; park admission required). ANIMAL KINGDOM Tiffins Restaurant – The new Tiffins and the Nomad Lounge dining rooms offer elaborate, sometimes exotic menus with pan-seared duck breast and leg confit, Wagyu strip loin and braised short rib, and whole fish in rooms called galleries. You’ll also find an extensive wine list plus after-dinner liqueurs, dessert wines and specialty drinks. 2901 Osceola Pkwy. EPCOT The World Showcase offers the biggest selection of sophisticated restaurants in the Disney theme parks, with dining represented by 11 countries. For a true foodie experience, visit during the 21st Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. This year’s event runs Sept. 14–Nov. 14, expanding from 53 days to 62. Here are some of Epcot’s staples to check out all year: Le Cellier Steakhouse – Find fine dining in a Canadian-style chateau with specialties like cheddar cheese soup made with Moosehead beer, bison as well as tofu, and variations of poutine, Canada’s famed French fry classic. ORLANDO EATS Opposite: Victoria & Albert’s at the Grand Floridian; seared scallops at the Contemporary Resort’s California Grill; fresh seafood salad at EPCOT’s Tutto Italia Ristorante.
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