Looking for very good and very nice italian restaurant

[DougandBeth]

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a great holiday!

I am looking for a very good and very nice italian restaurant off property for our trip in March. There will be 10 adults for my wife's 40th birthday and she loves italian food.

We have already been to Il Mulino and it was horrible compared to other Il Mulino (NY & DC).

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[drew64]

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a great holiday!

I am looking for a very good and very nice italian restaurant off property for our trip in March. There will be 10 adults for my wife's 40th birthday and she loves italian food.

We have already been to Il Mulino and it was horrible compared to other Il Mulino (NY & DC).

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Not the best area/region for great Italian food!

 

[ElizabethB]

Well, Il Mulino is far and away the best Italian at Disneyworld, so if you didn't like that, I would give up on Italian food and select something else. Dh and I did like the light appetizers we had at the Italian Wine cellar at the Italy pavilion in Epcot. We haven't tried Tutto Italia but it could be good based on what we had at the Wine cellar. So, that's a possibility.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm surprised the OP didn't like Il Mullino. IMHO, its the best Italian restaurant on WDW property.

 

[DougandBeth]

Definitely like Il Mulino's however the one in Disney is not even close to the ones in NY and D.C.. It seems like the quality of food is lower and more commercialized.

You may be right it might be time to look into something else because being from NY and dining in Little Italy all the time it's hard to make a comparison.

I may try seafood or steakhouse' maybe Ruth Chris

 

[OKW Lover]

If going for a steakhouse, consider Shula's at the Dolphin or Bull & Bear at the Waldorf-Astoria (Bonnet Creek).

 

[hedberg1661]

Well, Il Mulino is far and away the best Italian at Disneyworld, so if you didn't like that, I would give up on Italian food and select something else. Dh and I did like the light appetizers we had at the Italian Wine cellar at the Italy pavilion in Epcot. We haven't tried Tutto Italia but it could be good based on what we had at the Wine cellar. So, that's a possibility.

You should totally try Tutto Italia. One of the best meals I have had on property. Everything about the meal was great from start to finish.

 

[SSRJen]

Maggiano's is the best Italian I have found off property. It is a bit of a drive, but we enjoy it.

I would highly recommend Shula's...it was our favorite meal on-property our last trip (which included CA Grill, Il Mulino, Citricos). Plus, you can get a free steak during your birthday month if you sign up for their club online. That can be over a $50 value!

 

[hedberg1661]

Maggiano's is the best Italian I have found off property. It is a bit of a drive, but we enjoy it.

I would highly recommend Shula's...it was our favorite meal on-property our last trip (which included CA Grill, Il Mulino, Citricos). Plus, you can get a free steak during your birthday month if you sign up for their club online. That can be over a $50 value!

So the free steak thing got my interest. I will have to look into that. As far as the other restaurants you went to...Il Mulino was the only one I haven't been to however, I wasn't too impressed with Citricos and CA Grill the last times I was there. Same with Flying Fish. Yachtsman was a great meal though.

 

[smcabee]

La Luce is pretty good at the Hilton Bonnet Creek. If your looking for fine dining high end, very high prices but imo fantastic food Christinis in Dr. Phillips area is the place to go.

 

[TDC Nala]

As the poster is asking for recommendations for restaurants not located on Disney property, moving this thread to Orlando Attractions.

 

[kymom79]

How far off-property are you wanting to go? We just ate at Primo, the lightly Italian-themed restaurant at the JW Marriott (on Central Fl Pkway, near Sea World) and it was spectacular. Primo has more of a locally sourced/organic emphasis, not so much a red-sauce-and-garlic-breadsticks kind of place. Couldn't recommend more highly as long as you aren't wanting a heavier Italian theme.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

We have enjoyed a few meals at Cafe D'Antonio in Celebration but haven't been for a couple of years. The location is lovely and you can sit inside or out, weather permitting. They take reservations too. The menu is available online if you want to take a look

 

[staceyrhood]

Our favorite is cafe dantonios in celebration...great Italian food. If you want formal setting Christini's in Dr Phillips is awesome!

 

[Otter49]

Love Cafe d'Antonio but as said above, Christini's is very good.

Christini's is on restaurant row - Sand Lake Road and has been operating for going on 30 years now.

http://www.christinis.com/