Italian food

[Max Rebo]

WDW has several table service Italian restaurants. The ones I know of are:

— Mama Melrose's
— Tony's Town Square
— Tutto Italia
— Via Napoli

How do these compare/contrast? Are they all very similar? Are there any that standout for quality, or lack therof? Are there any that standout for the uniqueness of the experience?

Are they different enough that it would not be redundant to dine at more than one of these on any one trip?

 

[Pakey]

You didn't list the two best ones.

Il Mulino at the Swan
Portabello Yacht Club at DTD

Both of these are better than the 4 on Disney's dining plan. The only one of those 4 that I think is decent is Via Napoli because they do make a good pizza there.

 

[FireDancer]

I second Portobello and think it is the best Italian on property. I grew up with family that was born in Italy so I am pretty picky about my Italian food and I though Portobello was good. It won't compare with a family owned mom and pop place but that is kind of hard to find in central Florida anyway let alone on property.

I'd rather catch my own dinner in the lagoon than eat at Tony's.

 

[nkereina]

Tony's and Mama Melrose are more of the Americanized Italian. Think Olive Garden, except not as good. I had the spaghetti at Tony's and it was mediocre at best. Never done Mama Melrose.

Tutto and Via Napoli are more authentic - Tutto a little more, IMO. We had the pizza at Via Napoli which was good but nothing special. Just like any other wood fired pizza.

All four places have some repeats on the menu but if you ate at more than one, you could find different things to get. I personally wouldn't eat at more than one on the same trip.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

I agree with the PP. Portobello and Il Mulino are the best by a wide margin. Tony's and Mama Melrose are atrocious.

 

[figment_jii]

I've not eaten at the non-dining plan locations, but I agree with the PPs that Via Napoli and Tutto Italia are a big step above Mama Melrose and Tony's. I wasn't impressed by Tony's and I can't remember Mama Melrose (which for me means, it wasn't awful, but it wasn't good either).

I really like Tutto Italia. It's one of my favorites in Epcot, especially the dinner menu. Via Napoli has really good calamari and pizza. I would eat at those two (because they are different enough to me - one is pizza and one is pasta/non-pizza focused). I would skip Tony's and Mama Melrose.

 

[aubriee]

I'd rather catch my own dinner in the lagoon than eat at Tony's.

I've never eaten at Portobello's or Il Mulino but have reservations for my upcoming Nov 26th-Dec 4th trip. I'm usually on the DDP, so just haven't had a chance to try them, but hear they get really good reviews, so decided to try them this trip. As far as the others, I'd rank them:
1. Via Napoli
2. Tutto Italia
3. Mama Melrose (can be good, but depends on what you order)
4. Tony's Town Square (I agree I'd rather catch my own dinner in the lagoon) My husband got a good steak there once, but I have yet to find anything decent.

 

[TDC Nala]

Tutto Italia will be closed for renovations from January through April of next year, which may narrow the field some.

 

[LowesChevy]

— Mama Melrose's
— Tony's Town Square
— Tutto Italia
— Via Napoli

I agree with Portabello being very good. More on the expensive side, but the food quality, service and atmosphere are great. Larger menu with more seafood choices.

Mama Melrose is a lunch for us-salads, apps and flatbreads. We tend to have great food and good service. A bit of a food factory, but a decent place to dine at in DHS.

Tony's-for the most part a big miss. Bitter/sour red sauce and poor service

Tutto-more expensive, but the food and service are wonderful imho. Menu is more reliant on pastas and braised or roasted meat dishes.

Via Napoli-atmosphere loud and busy. Pizza is excellent and great for splitting with an app or salad. Prices more than Tony's or Mama's.

We normally will eat at all of them except for Tony's on each trip 8-9 nights and do not feel like we are stuffed on Italian food-they all are different in their ways. Also it is one of the more universally liked cuisines-having a dish that everyone likes on the menu-crowd pleaser

 

[Uncleromulus]

Pakey is correct. And of the two, Il Mulino is much better.

 

[KatieCollette]

We ate at Via Napoli this last trip, and none of us were that impressed. I'm the only one that got a pizza, and I thought it was just so so. Liked Wulfgang Puck pizza way better. DH got the seafood pasta, and he didn't really like it.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Portpbello's for good italian cuisine.
Via Napoli for good wood fired pizza in a Disney park! Prior to VN I didn't eat Disney pizza!

Il Mulino I hope to try in the near future!

Tony's/Mama Melrose/Olive Garden, all in the same boat, I just skip them.

Tutto Italia, maybe with the refurb will come a new menu, a new chef, a new restaurant, I'm ready for a change.

 

[Pugmalion1]

Portobello is fun, and they have a decent menu. The central location in Downtown Disney makes for a great pit stop between shopping and/or lounge-hopping the Marketplace and West Side. I highly recommend sitting at the bar for your appetizer and ordering a specialty cocktail and the meatball sliders.

Il Mulino is a classy establishment with a bright, contemporary lounge and a much more subdued and classic dining area. The risotto is awesome (and very filling, so prepare yourself for that). It is, in my opinion, the best Italian food on property.

Of the other four listed above, I'd say that Via Napoli is the only one I'm even mildly interested in. I've never eaten there, but the pizza appeals to me more than the entire menus of any of the other Italian options in the parks. Tutto Italia is bland and way overpriced for the quality of the food, and Mama Melrose and Tony's are downright terrible.

The problem with Via Napoli is, I've even at Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria in California's Downtown Disney. It's pretty much the exact same restaurant and menu (both are operated by the Patina Group, as well is Tutto Italia), and I was thoroughly unimpressed. Any of my dozen or so local independent pizzerias makes a better pie, and I only like a couple of them.

 

[allymouse]

I can't say enough about Il Mulino. We just got back, ate there twice in 5 nights because it was just so delicious.

 

[Figaro972]

I have to agree with Il Mulino also. We absolutely love it there. however, out of your choices we have eaten at all of them and Via Napoli is our favorite of those (4). We love Tony's for the atmosphere of course but not so much for the food, although I have had quite a few wonderful deserts there.

also our last trip we purchased one of those gift cards from restaurant.com for Il Mulino $8 for $25 GC, keep looking for another one but it always says "out of stock"

 

[Robert P]

you didn't list the two best ones.

Il mulino at the swan
portabello yacht club at dtd

both of these are better than the 4 on disney's dining plan. The only one of those 4 that i think is decent is via napoli because they do make a good pizza there.

ita!!