Question about Italian Food at Epcot

[DisneyStarWisher]

We've had several trips to Epcot over the last few years. We've eaten at Le Cellier, Teppan Edo, and Chefs de France. For our next trip, we plan on Le Cellier again (love it!), but we are wanting to try something different, too. We don't like German or Mexican and aren't big fans of Chinese. We like Italian ok, so I thought we might try Tutto Italia or Via Napoli. I have looked at the menus for both on allears, but I'm a little confused about the difference in the two. Plus we will probably be on the DxDDP and will be using credits. What we would want is something similar to Bucca di Bepo's, if you are familiar with this restaurant. We love chicken marsala and chicken parmesan, but I can't find either one on the menus at Epcot. Am I expecting something that is not there? Can anyone tell me more about these restaurants so I can decide if we should try one of them or not?

 

[cbg1027]

I've never been to Tutto Italia.

Via Napoli is mostly a pizza-based menu. They have a few other dishes, including chicken, eggplant, and veal parmigiana, and some pastas, salads, and appetizers.

The pizza is authentic Italian style and not what a lot of people expect since it's not a style that's very widely done in the US. I think people go in expecting something different, such as a NYC style pie.

Italian pizza has a thin crust, and there isn't a sauce - it's just tomatoes crushed to a thin sauce consistency. The cheese is usually just a very light sprinkling of fresh mozzarella - it's not meant to engulf the entire surface. The pies are then cooked in a high heat wood-burning oven, which produces a distinct flavor and charring on the crust.

I loved Via Napoli, but all I've eaten there so far is pizza. I've been to Italy and if what I ate there was a perfect 10, I give VN a very respectable 8. It's the closest thing I've found to the perfect pizzas I ate in Naples, Italy.

 

[GAN]

You may want to look at Il Mulino(Swan), it has a family style offering similar to Buca.

 

[Hopefully]

I agree with cbg1027's assessment of Via Napoli. We loved the pizza there, but it is primarily pizza focused.
Tutto Italia is currently closed for a lenghty refurbishment. It is expected that the menu will change when it reopens, so no one really knows for sure what to expect.
But it was more "authentic" Italian before. It was not your filled with your red sauced specialities that we expect in Italian restaurants. If the menu you saw doesn't appeal to you I think you will be disappointed.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

You want something like Buca di Beppo? Maybe Mama Melrose in Hollywood Studios would be closer in food quality (though not family style service), but I'd advise just setting your sights a little higher.

 

[TDC Nala]

You may want to look at Il Mulino(Swan), it has a family style offering similar to Buca.

note, they do not accept the dining plan.

 

[amym2]

You would probably be happier with Tony's at the MK, but beware that the reviews are very mixed. We had steak and lamb shank there (both delicious), but I do know they have chicken parmesan.

Having lived in Italy (Florence) for 3 months, I can tell you that Via Napoli's pizza is very much like what we ate in Italy. But if you are accustomed to a certain style of pizza, you might not like it. Don't get me wrong, we like Buca's, but it is not very authentic Italian food. The restaurants at Disney at least attempt to be somewhat authentic, which means a wider range of foods that the typical red sauces you find in American Italian restaurants. But I'm sure somewhere has chicken parmesan- chicken marsala might be harder to find, as I'm pretty certain we never saw it on a menu anywhere it Italy.

 

[DizDaD7]

Yikes Tony's is Horrible...Sorry to dis ,but truly not worth it IMHO. Tutto's is exceptionally better. Way more authentic

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Thanks for the replies. I am looking for an Epcot restaurant. We will be there for lunch. Then for dinner we will be walking over to Yachtsman Steakhouse. So I don't want to leave Epcot for lunch. I understand that these restaurants will be more authentic than Buccas. My DH loves the pizzas at Wolfgang Puck Express. Will Via Napoli pizzas be similar? Also, I found chicken parmesan on the menu at Via Napoli. Anyone know if it's good?

 

[GAN]

But I'm sure somewhere has chicken parmesan- chicken marsala might be harder to find, as I'm pretty certain we never saw it on a menu anywhere it Italy.

This statement is SO true it makes me laugh. The staple Italian dishes here in America almost don't even exist in Italy. In fact, if you travel to Italy and see them on a menu then I would say it is a place that caters to tourists -turn the other way.

 

[DanPadavona]

You want something like Buca di Beppo? Maybe Mama Melrose in Hollywood Studios would be closer in food quality (though not family style service), but I'd advise just setting your sights a little higher.

Mama Melrose never did much for us. It's authentic, but it isn't much above chain restaurant quality imo. If you want good Italian, you will probably be better off finding somewhere off property.

 

[Hopefully]

Thanks for the replies. I am looking for an Epcot restaurant. We will be there for lunch. Then for dinner we will be walking over to Yachtsman Steakhouse. So I don't want to leave Epcot for lunch. I understand that these restaurants will be more authentic than Buccas. My DH loves the pizzas at Wolfgang Puck Express. Will Via Napoli pizzas be similar? Also, I found chicken parmesan on the menu at Via Napoli. Anyone know if it's good?

The pizza at Via Napoli is very different from the pizza at Wolfgang Puck's. The crust is much thinner, it has crushed tomatoes, not really tomato sauce, and they do not have as much cheese.
I have not had the chicken parm at Via Napoli, but it is not served with spaghetti and tomato sauce. I have read that currently is is served with potaotes. Originally the menu stated a spaghetti torta, which is a baked spaghetti pie.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Mama Melrose never did much for us. It's authentic, but it isn't much above chain restaurant quality imo. If you want good Italian, you will probably be better off finding somewhere off property.

I agree; Mama Melrose is terrible. But it's the closest at Disney to Buca di Beppo in terms of food quality. If that's what the OP wants.