You’ve been at the Magic Kingdom all morning long and now your stomach starts to rumble. Fortunately for you great lunchtime options are all around, from casual quick picks at one of many ordering windows to nice sit-down options that boast more extensive offerings. Here’s our pick for 10 of the best places to enjoy lunch at Disney’s Magic Kingdom.
10. Cinderella’s Royal Table
Who can pass on a mealtime opportunity within the walls of the one and only Cinderella Castle? (Pictured Above – Photo Credit Disney) Not too many apparently, because dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table makes the bucket list for a large portion of visitors to Magic Kingdom Park each year. Dining here can be enjoyed throughout the day, as they serve up a host of palatable picks for breakfast, lunchtime, and dinner daily. For the midday meal you’ll find a vast array of featured feast pickings fit for royalty. Start out with soup, salad, or even a charcuterie plate of meat and cheese selections. Then enjoy one of many entrée enticements, ranging from pork, chicken, beef, and seafood selections as well as a delightful vegetarian alternative.
Aside from the Disney Princesses you will be visited by during your lavish fairytale dining experience, dessert always makes for a happy ending. Enchanting offerings you’ll find on the menu here include Jaq & Gus—a raspberry swirl cheesecake with warm apple compote, salted caramel, and a vanilla bean panna cotta; Lady Teralyn’s Citrus Chiffon Cake—served with mascarpone cream, raspberry puree, and coconut brittle; The Clock Strikes Twelve—dark chocolate mousse with a dark chocolate ganache and served with a raspberry coulis, and Lemon Sorbet—a no sugar added alternative that comes garnished with blueberries.
9. Tony’s Town Square
Rediscover the magic of Disney’s Lady and the Trampat this popular Italian restaurant, located right in the heart of Main Street, U.S.A. The classy but quaint décor adds a sense of charm and romance to this otherwise casual dining pick, which draws inspiration from that well-known restaurant scene in the Lady and the Trampmovie in which the title characters have their memorable date. Tony’s Town Square dishes up lunch and dinner daily and offers a most profuse menu featuring all those famed Italian classics along with different soups, salads, and house specialty appetizers. From different kinds of pizzas and pastas, to seafood, chicken, and other enticing entrees, a meal here will have you singing “Bella Notte,” even if it’s only lunchtime. Don’t forget a sweet ending with one of the many delicious dessert selections, like Tiramisu, Cannoli, Gelato, Chocolate Cake, Raspberry Sorbet (no sugar added), or the Seasonal Cheesecake feature.
8. Casey’s Corner
Also located along Main Street, U.S.A. you will find Casey’s Corner—a nice nostalgic eatery that celebrates the good old American pastime of baseball. The restaurant gets its name from the 1946 Disney cartoon Casey at the Bat, which was adapted from the 1888 Ernest Thayer poem of the same name. In keeping with tradition the restaurant serves up hearty classics commonly associated with ball games, like hotdogs (available in regular size and also in foot-long varieties), fries, corn dog nuggets, chili, macaroni and cheese, and plenty more. Following suit in the quaint early 1900s American theme, guests may at times even be serenaded by live ragtime music from an onsite piano player while enjoying a nice lunchtime reprieve.
7. Plaza Restaurant
The Plaza Restaurant is another great lunch suggestion in the vicinity. The setting is both charming and elegant—casual yet classy and follows the Art Nouveau style so popular at the end of the 19th century/early 20th century. Surprisingly, many visitors to Magic Kingdom Park often overlook this hidden gem of a place, or don’t even realize it’s there. But those who do know about it know that it is a great place to stop in for a host of convenient comfort classics and delightful dishes. Some featured favorites found on the menu include the Home-style Meatloaf, Chicken-Strawberry Salad, Baked Honey-Barbecued Brisket Mac & Cheese, Plaza Club, and so many others. You can also enjoy seasonal soup and seasonal specialty cake selections along with other signature choices. Another sweet novelty you’ll find here is the All-You-Care-To-Enjoy Milk Shake option, available in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and mint chocolate chip flavors.
6. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
If you’re out and about enjoying “a great big beautiful tomorrow” over in Tomorrowland and midday hunger strikes, one of your best bets is to head for Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café. The versatile range of menu picks, quick and efficient service, and ample seating (both indoor and outdoor) make this a reliable family-favorite lunch spot. The satisfying selections you’ll find here range from Greek salads to specialty sandwiches, burgers, hotdogs, chicken nuggets, and more. And a toppings bar onsite lets you customize your palatable picks even more. Unique dinner entrées are also served later in the day, for those who decide to come back in the evening or for those who may be taking what’s considered a late lunch. Such specialties offered then include rotisserie chicken, a pulled pork platter, and vegetable side accompaniments.
5. Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen
This newer dining hotspot in Adventureland is quickly becoming a favorite with Magic Kingdom lunch and dinner crowds. Inspired by Disney’s classic Jungle Cruise attraction, the restaurant follows the same story and theme of exploration and adventure, with dining rooms and menu items named for the different characters, places, and scenarios mentioned. You’ll even find “off-duty” Jungle Cruise skippers are the ones running the joint. For lunch there’s plenty to satisfy adventurous appetites big and small, with the very best flavors and fusions of African, Asian, and South/Central American tastes, among other delights. Fuel up on bountiful portions of humor and amusement with a side of fun puns as you enjoy witty offerings, like Ginger’s “Croc” of Hot-and-Sour Soup, Orinoco Ida’s Cachapas, Dr. Falls’ Signature Grilled Steak, Sankuru Sadie’s Seafood Stew, Perkins Thai Noodles, and “Tastes like Chicken” –Because it is! to name just a few.
While the eatery does offer alcoholic beverages, there are many family-friendly non-alcoholic unique features to pair with your meal, including Punch Line Punch, Exotic Coca-Cola® drinks from Brazil and Thailand, and the Schweitzer Slush (created by noted explorer and humanitarian Dr. Albert Slush), Coffee drinkers can even enjoy some Alto Mayo Protected Forest Coffee, which supports Conservation International’s Alto Mayo Protected Forest Project in Peru. And don’t forget dessert and the unique features awaiting you, like Bertha’s Banh Bong Lan Cake with Mango-Lime Sorbet, the Coconut Bar with Pineapple-Basil Compote and Vanilla Cream, the African-inspired Kungaloosh!, or the famous Quick Sand!!! rice pudding concoction.
4. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café
Perhaps you’d rather take your tastes from the untamed wilds of the jungle to the Wild West, especially if hunger happens to move in while you’re moseying on through Frontierland. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn has been a longstanding fan favorite for decades. Following in old saloon fashion and feel, diners making this their way to this lunchtime destination stop can enjoy a whole host of hearty helpings fit to fuel any hardworking cowpoke. Features on the menu here include tacos, nachos, fajitas, burgers, and plenty more. One such popular pick is the Southwest Salad, which you can order as is or have it accompanied by chicken or spicy beef.
The Veggie Rice Bowl is also famous, as is the Tacos 3 Ways option. For the latter diners can enjoy three soft shell tacos with selections of seasoned ground beef, chicken, and/or spicy beef, topped with lettuce and tomatoes or spicy breaded cauliflower, topped with five-spice yogurt and pineapple salsa. There’s also an additional toppings bar available onsite for further fixings. Tortilla chips, guacamole, and queso dip all make fabulous sides, and churros for dessert make for a sweet sendoff.
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3. Columbia Harbour House
This quick counter-service pick, found in Liberty Square (and saddling Fantasyland a bit), presents a bounty of hearty and even healthy mealtime options. The restaurant follows a nautical theme in style and décor, giving off a most quaint old harbor feel tinged in nostalgia. Likewise, they are famous for their various coastal cuisine picks along with other varied favorites. Both New England Clam Chowder and their specialty Vegetarian Chili are popular soup picks with crowds. Some of the featured favorite entrée selections include the Lobster Roll, Chicken Pot Pie, Shrimp Wedge Salad, the Grilled Salmon plate, and combo platters, like the Land and Sea Trio, Chicken Breast Nuggets & Fish Combo, and the Shrimp & Fish Combo.
Additionally, there are plenty of other appetizing items to enjoy here as well, including a vast range of healthy alternatives and vast vegetable sides to select from. While a healthier take on lunchtime may be one of the reasons for choosing Columbia Harbor House, there are a couple dessert specialties to consider saving room for. Two examples are their Seasonal Peach Cobbler, baked and covered with crumbled topping and drizzled with vanilla sauce and the classic Boston Cream Pie—a timeless favorite.
Check out this article “The 7 Things We Love About Liberty Square and Adventureland” on HowToDisney.com
2. Liberty Tree Tavern
This other stellar restaurant suggestion, rightfully situated in the heart of Liberty Square, is the ultimate fan favorite for feasting. As you step through the doors it’s like stepping back in time to an early American inn, with its charming Colonial-style theming and décor. You almost expect the founding fathers themselves to walk on in! And as for the fanciful fare here, guests may choose to order à la carte or share in a bountiful family-style meal not unlike a traditional Thanksgiving feast. The Patriot’s Platter includes roasted turkey breast, pot roast, carved pork roast, and accompaniments of seasonal vegetables, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and macaroni and cheese.
This All-You-Care-To-Enjoy Bill of Fare also comes with the Declaration Salad and Oooey Gooey Toffee Cake. As for menu items, some enticing choices include New England Clam Chowder, Colony Salad, Freedom Pasta, Tavern Battered Fish and Chips, the Angus Chuck Cheeseburger, and Our Tavern Keeper’s Favorite—a pot roast with mashed potatoes and garden vegetables plate. In addition to the aforementioned cake, other desserts here include Seasonal Fruit Cobbler, Sorbet, and Boston Cream Pie. Wine, beer, and hard cider selections are also served here as well.
For more ideas on all-you-care-to-eat dining options at Disney, check out “Disney Fanatics Favorite Buffets Around the Walt Disney World Resort.”
1. Be Our Guest Restaurant
It’s convenience meets elegant and classy at this Fantasyland establishment, situated just within the base of Beast’s Castle. In many ways this unique marvel, which was constructed a few years ago as part of the Fantasyland expansion, is really like two different restaurants in one. While dinner guests may enjoy a lavish sit-down dining experience (with even more charm and elegance slated for this summer) those making their way here for breakfast and lunch will meet with what is perhaps the most enchanted quick-service experience to be had at any eatery.
The 550-seat restaurant offers guests three distinct dining room options—the Grand Ballroom, Castle Gallery, and the West Wing. All are exquisitely modeled and themed after Disney’s timeless classic Beauty and the Beast. Whether you’re basking away at the masterful baroque architecture and design surrounding you in the Grand Ballroom or taking in the mystery of the alluring West Wing, each room offers the same compelling thrill and excitement. As for the food, the kitchen staff is forever hard at work at enticing you to be their “guest,” and their stunning efforts pay off with a wide range of menu selections to choose from.
Here you’ll enjoy French inspired influences and house special originals alike. Some of the popular picks diners are crazy for include the Tuna Niçoise Salad, French Onion Soup, Vegetable Quiche, Braised Pork, Croque Monsieur, and the French Dip Sandwich. And of course, there are many more delectable options as well, including a lavish variety of decadent desserts. The Master’s Cupcake is a highly requested item, with its chocolate sponge cake base and special “Grey Stuff” topping. Other famed favorites include the Triple Chocolate Cupcake, Chocolate Cream Puff, Strawberry-Lemon Cream Puff, Lemon Meringue Cupcake, Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake, and the Éclair à l’Orange.
For some of the dining experiences highlighted above we strongly recommend that you make advance reservations, just to play it safe (up to 180 days in advance for those staying onsite at Disney World Resorts). Also keep in mind that Disney is very good about accommodating special needs and specific dietary requests, and many menus even feature vegetarian, gluten-free, and other alternative items. While Magic Kingdom Park offers plenty of great establishments to choose from, you can also enjoy other convenient options at nearby Magic Kingdom Area Resorts.
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For assistance in choosing and booking your restaurant choices at Disney, Mickey Travels Authorized Vacation Planners can help! Their Disney Pros can help plan every aspect of your Magical Disney vacation – Discover more here.