15 Best Restaurants in Walt Disney World Orlando, Florida

This complex of three restaurants is a haven of authentic Italian cuisine served up by two internationally known chefs (though the Disney "story" tells of an immigrant Italian couple who convert the Disney Springs Air Terminal into the eateries). Maria & Enzo's offers fine Italian cuisine in a sophisticated setting; neighboring Pizza Ponte has pizza by the slice, Italian pastries, and belly-filling sandwiches; Enzo's Hideaway, set in a former cast-access tunnel, serves classic dishes seldom seen in Florida, like fried artichokes and house-cured antipasti.

If an authentic Irish pub—actually transported from the Old Country plank by plank—is your thing, Raglan Road is the place. In addition to excellent fish-and-chips and shepherd's pie, the inventive chefs twist Irish cuisine to include dishes like Gulf shrimp and risotto with buffalo mozzarella and fresh peas. The entertainment alone makes this place worth the visit. "Trad" bands play nightly, and a troupe of Irish dancers performs several times every evening and during the Rollicking Raglan Sunday Brunch. Musicians also play outside for guests dining alfresco. A store called Shop for Ireland sells Irish merchandise. Around the corner, the Raglan-affiliated Cooke's of Dublin offers fast-take fish-and-chips, pies, and deep-fried "battered burgers."

Most of the flavors are from India, yet Sanaa is really a celebration of the Spice Islands—locales off the coast of Africa that, for centuries, enticed traders from the world's corners. Exotic yet approachable lunches and dinners make it a true find on the outer edges of the Disney empire; views of zebras and giraffes on the savanna right out the picture windows are another draw. Potato-pea samosas are good starters. For the main course, try the tandoori chicken or the potjie-inspired meal, a bowl with a mix of a protein and unique base. This is the only sit-down restaurant open for lunch at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. There is a reservations-only Dine with an Animal Specialist program consisting of a four-course meal and fascinating company.

This eatery (re)creates a downtown Los Angeles corner pub, serving California wines and craft beers. Charcuterie boards featuring California cheeses and Bavarian pretzels with fondue are snackable highlights.

Located riverside at Disney's Port Orleans Resort, this very impressive, handcrafted dining hall looks like the interior of a wooden sailing ship, complete with an inverted hull on the ceiling and weathered shipbuilding tools. True to the N'awlins theme is a menu of tasty bayou dishes ranging from Louisiana étouffée to crawfish bisque to andouille-stuffed catfish. Decadent desserts include the likes of gooey St. Louis butter cake and Bourbon Street pecan tarts. The River Roost Lounge, a full bar with entertainment, is a great stop before or after dinner.

Superstar chef Art Smith, recognized by foodies for having worked for Oprah and cooked for heads of state, incorporates ingredients from nearby farms, ranches, and fisheries in this tribute to down-home Southern cooking. Having been a part of Disney's College program (he started his career with a culinary internship here), he's returned to present dishes like his famous fried chicken, deviled eggs, shrimp and grits, pork chops, fried green tomatoes, mashed potatoes, and Southern slaw. The portions are enormous, and the flavors are bold. Try the Jasper Board sampler—smoked fish dip, pimento cheese, Tasso hams, bread-and-butter pickles, candied pecans, and buttermilk crackers—for a taste of everything. Save room for the Moonshine Mash (there's a long list of cocktails) and Smith's signature hummingbird cake.

This plush, bustling brasserie remains true to the spirit and the vision of Paul Bocuse, Gaston Lenôtre, and Roger Vergé, three of France's most famous chefs (Bocuse's son, Jerome, continues to run the restaurant). Classic escargots, a good starter, are prepared in a casserole with garlic butter; you might follow up with salmon marinated in white wine and lemon and served in a champagne sauce or grilled beef tenderloin with green peppercorn sauce; naturally, ratatouille is available, as is the occasional three-course, prix-fixe meal. Finish with a chocolate tart with white mousse.

With stunning views of the 5.7-million-gallon aquarium, dining at Coral Reef is as entertaining as it is delicious. As you watch marine life—and sometimes scuba divers—swim by, enjoy dishes from a seasonal menu that's heavy on seafood offerings. Options might include shrimp and grits or seared mahi-mahi in a coconut and cilantro-lime sauce. This is a great option for those wanting to try upscale dining with younger kids, as they'll be able to either test new items such as lobster bisque or play it safe with grilled chicken. Plus, the aquarium is a great distraction while waiting for the food to arrive!

Jaleo (pronounced huh-lay-oh) means "revelry," and in this contemporary and spacious setting, diners celebrate with authentic paellas cooked over a wood fire, as well as chef and humanitarian José Andrés's signature gambas al ajillo (shrimp sautéed with garlic and chili) or croquetas de pollo (Spanish chicken fritters). The extensive tapas options are perfect for taste-driving a variety of items: the Jaleo Experience prix-fixe includes traditional and modern tapas, or go Jose's Way, with a larger and more elaborate selection of the chef's favorite tapas and plates. And remember: when you hear the bell, it’s paella time! Entire pans of paella are available for parties of eight or more with advance notice. Pick up a container of beautiful gazpacho next door at Pepe, a stationary food truck offering grab-and-go items.

Knife-wielding chefs prepare world-class sushi and sashimi, as well as other Japanese treats like soups and salads, at this sleek sushi bar, where bamboo-style floor tiles and dark teakwood furnishings set the scene. Popular items include the Dragon Roll (giant shrimp and tuna), Banzai Roll (spicy tuna, avocado, and eel), and Bagel Roll (smoked salmon, cream cheese, and cucumber). Cocktails are a draw, too, along with entertainment in the form of nightly karaoke.

To replace the energy you've no doubt depleted by miles of theme-park walking, load up on carbs at this casual restaurant that looks like a classic San Francisco Italian eatery. Good main courses include spaghetti with meatballs and sautéed shrimp in a four-cheese sauce with pasta and vegetables. The sangria is popular. Book the Fantasmic! dinner package in advance if you want priority seating for the show.

If you don't mind zombies leering at you while you eat, then head to this enclosed faux drive-in, where you can sit in a booth that looks like a candy-color, 1950s convertible while watching clips from classics like Attack of the Fifty-Foot Woman and Teenagers from Outer Space. The menu includes a variety of burgers, from barbecue to salmon, as well as pan-seared chicken pasta and oven-roasted turkey sandwiches. End with a hot-fudge sundae or warm glazed doughnut.

Under the guidance of James Beard Award–winner and Top Chef master Tony Mantuano, Terralina brings back sophistication and southern Italian cuisine to Disney Springs. Meticulously planned to look like a resort in Italy's Lake District, Terralina's open design and wood-fired grills provide a stylish atmosphere and some of the best recipes Mantuano can create, including wood-fired, hand-tossed pizzas along with salads and sandwiches. The antipasti tower is a starting course eye-opener, and steaks and seafood delight.

A massive brick structure that, according to Disney lore, was the original power plant for the town of Disney Springs, now houses The Edison, an entertainment arena of more than a half-dozen distinct and richly themed rooms where food and drink mingle with palm readers, aerialists, contortionists, and other sideshow acts. The steampunk decor includes a massive clock in the main lobby and a dramatic, working steam engine. The daytime menu reinvents bar food like signature burgers, hawker-style lamb balls, and the whimsical candied bacon strips hung on a miniature clothesline. After 10 pm, a dress code goes in effect as the space becomes an over-21 club with dancers and a live band powering up the power plant.

This restaurant melds old and new, with the cozy decor of a traditional Italian home and a menu of Italian-American dishes refreshed for today's tastes. Share a pizza topped with prosciutto, salami, sausage, and capicola, or indulge in wood-fired swordfish salmoriglio. Other entrées include veal osso buco, chicken parmigiana, and truffle gnocchi. All the wines are from Italy, and you can finish your meal with a grappa, a limoncello, or some tiramisu.