Favorite Restaurant Off Property

[Shadeaux]

Perkins at Crossroads; we usually eat there several times each trip. For pizza, Giordano's...I love their thin crust spinach pizza.

 

[Derby4me]

I have been looking for a thread on this exact subject. Thanks guys! Some other good/inexpensive places to eat I found are Panera Bread (8600 Vineland Avenue (near Marriott Village)) and Earl of Sandwhich at Downtown Disney is always great!

 

[WonderinAland]

When we lived in Tallahassee we would regularly go to Crispers, a Florida-only chain. I have promised my husband at least one trip there on our next vacation. I think they have 2 or 3 locations in Orlando, check out their website to be sure. It sounds similar to the Seasons place (haven't been there). They have flatbreads and sandwiches and lots of soups. They have my all-time favorite tomato soup (has a little kick), which my husband once brought back to me for my birthday after we moved.

 

[zalansky]

Check out www.restaurant.com for local Orlando restaurants. I just went on and saw that House of Blues was added recently. You can buy a $25 for $10 but they always have codes for discounts. Just google it. DH and I ate there a few years ago and liked it. And its right at DTD.

 

[DVCconvert]

Ming Court is perhaps one of the best chinese restaurants in the US - I particularly recommend the extensive dim sum menu served at lunch time.

http://www.ming-court.com/

Cafe D'Antonio in Celebration is wonderful too, espeically on a nice day when you can sit outside.
http://antoniosonline.com/CafeDAntonio.asp

 

[kirstenb1]

We like Pizzeria Uno. I also want to try Chevy's this trip.

 

[beeadude]

We always go to Giordano's-love the deep dish pizza and there is always leftovers to bring back for the next day. DH needs his Steak & Shake shake fix too.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

High end: The Palm (steak and lobster) at the Hard Rock
Casual: Chevy's (Mexican) at the Crossroads
Very Casual: Buffalo Wild Wings at the Crossroads

HBC

 

[disynut]

I've been curious as whether Chevy's and Perkins' were any good. We may have to try them this time. We have a Buffalo Wild wings nearby but have never eaten there because we aren't big on wings...just recently someone told us they have a lot of other stuff we'd like. I woulnd't mind trying the Ming Court too. What about good Japanese steakhouse, like Shogun? That is our favorite!

 

[d-r]

we like the italian place on 192 in the shopping center across from joe's crab shack at the back of celebration. The little tourist trap over-priced market next to it has decent beer selection but pay for the convenience;. We used to like the chinese place in kagan's crossing at 27 near 192 (China 2) but the last couple of times it was only so-so. I like fat boys bbq in kissimne. I like a couple of things at gators dockside, but my wife not so much. I like orchid island pizzeria in vero also. Has anybody been to that irish pub at 4 corners? Debenney? We were thinking of trying there; there are always a lot of uk tourists out that way. We had a pizza at the chain-y place by super target, flippers, it was oK.

 

[d-r]

we've been to that crossroads chevys a few times. it is a chain mexican place, mostly harmless; pretty good

 

[hbsprite]

We love the Pei Wei Asian diner East of Disney on Osceola Parkway. It is about a 15 minute drive, but well worth it!

http://www.peiwei.com/index.html

 

[BCV23]

Is it? To be honest, we've eaten there several times, but always while visiting my brother and his wife - it is my brother's FIL's favorite lunch spot and the FIL would always insist on paying. (It's hard to argue over the check with someone who...well, he lives in the same gated community made a little more famous recently by a certain golfer who had an incident at his house there...)

Their flatbreads are awesome, though...and the desserts in the tall shot glasses are perfect for me since I can usually only take a few bites of really sweet stuff anyway.



Just be aware that it's what my friends and I call "cheap Mexican" - casual, simple food, not fancy Mexican cuisine. In this case, I vastly prefer cheap.

Those tiny desserts are perfect aren't they? Loved the flatbread I had, too. Re the prices, we've only had lunch there once and I didn't see the bill but my DH is pretty good at that. No one dish is very pricey but it adds up I guess.

Cheap Mexican sounds good to me.

celebration town tavern is a new favorite for me the last couple of years for seafood.

The rest of my family loves Town Tavern. I haven't found the right dish yet.

I'm intrigued by the restaurants at Celebration--I've heard some good things about them.

Columbia Restaurant is another good choice there. My DH loves to order one of their 1900 salads for our return flight. Excellent bread.

There is also a little wine bar that has great sandwiches and salads. I don't know the name but it's on the little street with the shops that is closed for snow in December.

I've heard good things about Seito which is Japanese and the new Thai restaurant but haven't tried either yet.

Ming Court is perhaps one of the best chinese restaurants in the US - I particularly recommend the extensive dim sum menu served at lunch time.

http://www.ming-court.com/

Cafe D'Antonio in Celebration is wonderful too, espeically on a nice day when you can sit outside.
http://antoniosonline.com/CafeDAntonio.asp

How long is the drive to Ming Court?

we like the italian place on 192 in the shopping center across from joe's crab shack at the back of celebration.

That's the place I mentioned. Noticed the name later in the week....Angelina's. That shopping center is on the Northern edge of Celebration. The other ones we've listed are in the downtown area.

 

[DVCconvert]

How long is the drive to Ming Court?

It's basically across the street from wonder works - so depending from where you're starting, and traffic I'd say an avg is something in the order of 20 mins.

 

[BCV23]

It's basically across the street from wonder works - so depending from where you're starting, and traffic I'd say an avg is something in the order of 20 mins.

Thank you.

Traffic is one thing that prevents us from venturing to restaurant row or much farther than Celebration. I do like avoiding traffic at WDW.

 

[kjm4]

Our favorite place is Lee & Rick's Oyster Bar. It is a dive and mostly known to the locals. Locals have even asked us how we heard about the place. We have been going there for the last 8 years. It is the only place that we absolutely have to go to. If you like oysters, this is the place. Raw or steamed by the bucket. Fair warning, it is a dump. Did I mention what a dump it is? We once drove there with my 9 month old daughter screaming (Make your hair curl screams.) in a van full of people for the entire 25 minute ride; it was still worth it and I would have put up with it for twice as long. Long drive, questionable neighborhood, wouldn't miss it.

 

[jdvm]

if you don't mind venturing to Winter Park, try The Ravenous Pig

http://theravenouspig.com/

yum!

john

 

[ppony]

No flames, please, but we are just getting a little tired of the direction that dining on property is going. The kids meals do not offer much for the money and no variety(they are the same no matter where you eat!)and while we'll probably eat a time or two on property, I'm leaning toward going out off property most of the nights we're there.

AMEN!!! Same here! THANKS for posting this thread.
I'm not sure when exactly it will be open and where exactly it will be, but a restaurant that started here in MN not quite 10 years back and will be opening up a satellite in Orlando soon. It's more high end and has FANTASTIC, innovative food. Crave. I'll drive to wherever it is if I'm craving Crave while I'm there. I'm actually very much looking forward to eating off site. I'm not paying over a honey-bee for a cr*ppy meal anymore. Breakfast in the room, CS on the run and off site for most dinners. YAY!
I've done the searches for restaurants in the area, but I'm also planning on just hopping on 192 from AKV and see what we see. No 180 day ADRs! HA! I want to be able to walk in to some places and I'll make ressies at others. Being strapped to a clock and a whip is getting less and less fun on vacations.

 

[ppony]

if you don't mind venturing to Winter Park, try The Ravenous Pig

http://theravenouspig.com/

yum!

john

OH THAT LOOKS GOOD! Not to mention the cute name and ADORABLE pig icon.

We love the Pei Wei Asian diner East of Disney on Osceola Parkway. It is about a 15 minute drive, but well worth it!

http://www.peiwei.com/index.html

I'll second that. I'm glad there is one down there. I LOVE their honey seared chicken. Oh and for those not in-the-know, Pei Wei is an off-shoot of P.F. Changs. So it's good stuff.

 

[Brian Noble]

try The Ravenous Pig

Several people have told me: "worth the drive, and then some." We haven't made it. Yet.