Word Showcase Restaurants

[loveminniemouse]

We would like two sit down restaurants for World Showcase - one for lunch and one for dinner. It would be for on the same day as Epcot is our favorite place in the world. It will also be our 10th wedding anniversary when we are there. It will be just the two of us, no children. I'm pretty adventureous except don't enjoy seafood. DH loves seafood and spicy foods but can be a little less adventureous than me.

Let me hear the two places you choose - 1 for lunch and 1 for dinner! Help us make our anniversary a great time. Thanks!

 

[kydeb1346]

Hmmm.... I enjoy San Angel Inn for the ambiance. I've heard about both Alfredo's and Bistro de Paris but have never eaten at either one. Hopefully someone else will come along with some great suggestions for you!

 

[Dizneydaz]

Hi we're going in September and I have two ADR for one day at Epcot, just like you're planning. We are having lunch at San Angel Inn (haven't been there for years-heard some good things about it recently) and dinner at Le Cellier (had lunch there Sept. 05) I hope we won't be too full!

Since it's your anniversary, you probably want something romantic but since I've always gone with my mom and DD, I can't help there, but Le Cellier does have a nice quiet atmosphere. We've never eaten in France, Italy, UK or Morroco. We like the Teppanyaki restaurant in Japan and usually have either Lunch or Dinner there each trip. We ate at Biergarten many years ago (1998 or 2000) and it's okay for buffet, but I don't think it's what you're looking for.

Skip the princesses at Akeshus. Since you don't like seafood I would skip Coral Reef. Le Cellier has a selection of steak and seafood (for your DH) and so does Teppanyaki (inc. sushi) plus they have a show-you know with the chef cooking, etc.

I think you'd do fine with Le Cellier, Teppanyaki, or San Angel. Probably even Chefs de France, Rose and Crown, Restaurant Marrakesh, or L'Originale Alfredo di Roma but since I haven't eaten there I can't recommend them (Looks like I need to be a little more adventurous with our dining plans-I think we need to "sample" more cultures- )

 

[bicker]

I've eaten at all of the World Showcase restaurants (except Alfredos), some of them several times. My recommendation would be Chefs de France for a light lunch (salad and sandwich was great), and Marrakesh or Biergarten for dinner. It's great to have lunch at Chefs de France and watch all the people go by outside the window. Both Marrakesh and Biergarten are pretty substantially immersive, thematic meals -- not just the food and decor, but in both cases, live entertainment.

Rose and Crown is good too, but is definitely a step down from Marrakesh and Biergarten in terms of the overall experience, unless you book a late dinner and you win the lottery -- being one of the lucky few randomly selected to sit at one of the coveted terrace tables during Illuminations. (We've been so lucky three out of eight visits to Rose and Crown.)

Teppanyaki is nothing special. I'd also steer clear of Le Cellier. Cramped and the steaks were dry and gristly both times we ate there. I'd also steer clear of San Angel Inn. The food is okay, but the dining area is much too cramped and much too DARK. Nine Dragons was abusively bad. And Akershus is all about the princesses now, so I'd stay away from there as well.

 

[loveminniemouse]

Thank you both very much for your suggestions!

What about Chefs de France for dinner instead of lunch? It looks like the French Menu would be great for me and it looks like the seared raw tuna dish is something dh would enjoy.

I don't see us enjoying biergarten and dh has some adveristy to marrakesh but no idea why.... I did tell him there would be a beautiful belly dancer but still no go!

Hmmm.... Le Cellier definitely has its positive and negative reviews. We both do enjoy steak but would hate for it to not be great. San Angel Inn still has our interest as we do enjoy Mexican food.

Anyone have a positive review for Alfredos? DH is a big fan of Italian and his favorite is Fettucinne.

 

[bicker]

Please don't get me wrong... As much as we love Chefs de France for lunch, it is utterly spectacular for dinner. I only suggested it for lunch because I hate being shut-in, inside a restaurant without windows, when the sun is shining outside, so I prefer to avoid restaurants like Biergarten and Marrakesh (and Le Cellier, San Angel Inn, too) for lunch... wasting the daylight, as it were.

Chefs de France at dinner is an absolutely wonderful experience -- so much so that we're doing that again, ourselves, next February. However, if you do Chefs de France for lunch, then I'd recommend Rose and Crown for lunch. It's the second best lunch experience, being able to sit out on the terrace (there is much less competition for the terrace tables at lunchtime) and watch all the activity around the World Showcase lagoon while dining.

I haven't seen many positive reviews of Alfredo's -- sorry. That's pretty-much why it is the one place we've never been.

 

[loveminniemouse]

Please don't get me wrong... As much as we love Chefs de France for lunch, it is utterly spectacular for dinner.

Fabulous! You must have been to WDW a thousand times! You are very knowledgeable and helpful. I was just able to get a 6:30 ADR at Chefs and am very excited about it! I took French in High School and in College (several years ago now) so maybe I will remember a few things! I've always wanted to go to France so I can at least say that I have been there after our trip!

It looks like it may be San Angel for lunch if DH has any say in it but Rose & Crown looks like it would be fun too. Thanks!


Since you are so knowledgeable, do you have recommendations for MK? We do tend to like TS and wouldn't mind dining with characters. We have had no luck getting CRT so that doesn't seem like it will happen.....

 

[bicker]

Thanks for your kind words.

My recommendation for MK is to avoid eating there. The restaurants are very-much geared for children. Of the character meals, I like Liberty Tree Tavern the best, but please understand that the food is supposed to taste like Stouffers dinners there. Luckily, there are many wonderful restaurants just a short boat or monorail ride from the entrance to the Magic Kingdom. For lunch the choices aren't as numerous, but the Grand Floridian Cafe is wonderful, and Kona Cafe at the Polynesian gets a lot of good reviews. Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge is a great choice, because it is one of the most Disney-like dining experiences at WDW -- very interactive and the food is very yummy. (It's barbecue.)

For dinner you've got a lot more choices: Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge is the single best restaurant at WDW in my opinion. Citricos and Narcoossee at the Grand Floridian, and California Grill at the Contemporary are all excellent, fine-dining restaurants.