Favourite offsite restaurant?

[isabellea]

We are staying at the Dolphin, have a car and will have two non-park days so we are considering eating offsite once or twice. Any suggestion? No steakhouse please unless they have a great chicken dish (I’m allergic to both beef and pork). Can be a chain since we are from QC and probably don’t have a location at home!

Thanks!

 

[kathy884]

This one might not appeal to you (mostly American Comfort Food - but they do have salad choices with chicken and I'll be doing one of those), but is my only must go our place on our next Orlando trip, Ford's Garage. It's a moderately priced place. I just think the theming is so cute (like the atmosphere) and liked the food too (ate at one of these in Dearborn, MI and one in Brandon, FL). I'm mostly making sure to go because I think other extended family who have never been will really get a kick out of it (the chain is mostly in Florida, with one place in Dearborn, MI, and maybe one or two in Indiana), so not a chain we can go to at home. My mom grew up in Dearborn, MI (Ford Headquarters and even attended Greenfield Village school -- a school that Henry Ford started that isn't anymore that was held in his historic village of buildings from all over, so we may be a little more gaga for anything Ford themed than most people).

They have a location though right near the Sheraton Vistana Resort where we will be staying, so this one is a no brainer for me.

We'll be eating at theme parks, eating in at our condo, having a BBQ at a relative's house one night, and having a BBQ at the beach one night, so this is probably just one of two out of theme park restaurant meals we'll be having for our Orlando week in March. Here's a link: https://www.fordsgarageusa.com/prime-burgers/

 

[DL1WDW2]

And also must mention that location is fun
Margaritaville Garden Walk !

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

This one might not appeal to you (mostly American Comfort Food - but they do have salad choices with chicken and I'll be doing one of those), but is my only must go our place on our next Orlando trip, Ford's Garage. It's a moderately priced place. I just think the theming is so cute (like the atmosphere) and liked the food too (ate at one of these in Dearborn, MI and one in Brandon, FL). I'm mostly making sure to go because I think other extended family who have never been will really get a kick out of it (the chain is mostly in Florida, with one place in Dearborn, MI, and maybe one or two in Indiana), so not a chain we can go to at home. My mom grew up in Dearborn, MI (Ford Headquarters and even attended Greenfield Village school -- a school that Henry Ford started that isn't anymore that was held in his historic village of buildings from all over, so we may be a little more gaga for anything Ford themed than most people).

They have a location though right near the Sheraton Vistana Resort where we will be staying, so this one is a no brainer for me.

We'll be eating at theme parks, eating in at our condo, having a BBQ at a relative's house one night, and having a BBQ at the beach one night, so this is probably just one of two out of theme park restaurant meals we'll be having for our Orlando week in March. Here's a link: https://www.fordsgarageusa.com/prime-burgers/

Hey there Kathy! Just because I thought you might enjoy the update, rest assured The Henry Ford Academy is still alive and well in Dearborn. Grades 9 and 10 attend classes at The Henry Ford Museum, while grades 11 and 12 attend school in Greenfield Village. Admission is by lottery each year, but many lucky students still get the chance for a premier education at zero cost.

And I agree, Ford's Garage is awesome. We love the Dearborn location!

 

[kathy884]

Hey there Kathy! Just because I thought you might enjoy the update, rest assured The Henry Ford Academy is still alive and well in Dearborn. Grades 9 and 10 attend classes at The Henry Ford Museum, while grades 11 and 12 attend school in Greenfield Village. Admission is by lottery each year, but many lucky students still get the chance for a premier education at zero cost.

And I agree, Ford's Garage is awesome. We love the Dearborn location!

That's awesome Gina!!! Thank you. Do you by any chance live in Michigan or have roots in Michigan?

My mom (now deceased, but she had such a vibrant life even in her latest years) was forever influenced by her education there and the learn by doing philosophy. I remember her telling me how for one class project they sheared the sheep, wove the yarn, made the dress, wrote a speech about the experience, and then presented that to the class -- too cool. She always had such a wide interest in everything and as a career was a college math professor. Mrs. Ford heard her playing the organ at the Martha/Mary chapel as a young girl and invited her to attend the Greenfield Village school. That's how she ended up going there. Back then they had a grade school and junior high there too. It closed her senior year and she went to Dearborn High. It's just wonderful that they have that Academy there now.

Here's a four minute video she made after one of the class reunions there that' s on youtube. She gathered old photos from her old classmates and put this together:

And the background music is Manheim Steamroller's "Heigh Ho Heigh Ho", so for a Disney loving fan like me, that automatically puts me in a good mood.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

That's awesome Gina!!! Thank you. Do you by any chance live in Michigan or have roots in Michigan?

My mom (now deceased, but she had such a vibrant life even in her latest years) was forever influenced by her education there and the learn by doing philosophy. I remember her telling me how for one class project they sheared the sheep, wove the yarn, made the dress, wrote a speech about the experience, and then presented that to the class -- too cool. She always had such a wide interest in everything and as a career was a college math professor. Mrs. Ford heard her playing the organ at the Martha/Mary chapel as a young girl and invited her to attend the Greenfield Village school. That's how she ended up going there. Back then they had a grade school and junior high there too. It closed her senior year and she went to Dearborn High. It's just wonderful that they have that Academy there now.

Here's a four minute video she made after one of the class reunions there that' s on youtube. She gathered old photos from her old classmates and put this together:

And the background music is Manheim Steamroller's "Heigh Ho Heigh Ho", so for a Disney loving fan like me, that automatically puts me in a good mood.

What a wonderful video and story, thank you so much for sharing that!

We do indeed live in Michigan, about a 20 minute drive from The Henry Ford & Greenfield Village. No roots here per se......we are Canadians, actually, and my husband was transferred to MI for work purposes 5 years ago (he's in the auto industry)....but The Henry Ford has been a HUGE part of our lives since moving to Metro Detroit. When we were getting ready to relocate to the USA, a friend (who I actually met on the Dis) messaged me and said, the first thing you need to do when you get settled is to get a membership to The Henry Ford: it will be the best investment you make. We took her advice and have been members ever since. Their special events are so much fun!

We were just in the Martha Mary Chapel at Christmas, during Greenfield Village's Holiday Nights. I can't believe your mom played there <3.

 

[Shellyred8]

Bahama Breeze is one of our favorite off-site restaurants. I love their mashed sweet potatoes!

 

[Kae]

Cafe Tu Tu Tango

 

[kathy884]

Cafe Tu Tu Tango

We really like this place too. This is a higher end small plates place (think cost more on the order of Disney table service). It's great food and super fun (really fun with a larger group where you can share dishes). You can make a whole evening of it as they have artists onsite who you can observe and talk to, taro card reader (extra money to tip if you do that -- but our teens loved that when we went). My nephew who live in Orlando introduced me to this place. Here is their website for more info: https://www.cafetututango.com/

 

[CarolynFH]

We ate offsite several times in June and especially enjoyed the Columbia Restaurant and the Celebration Town Tavern over in Celebration. I was surprised how easy and quick the drive was from SSR; from the Dolphin would be an easy drive there too.