Walt Disney World is known for a lot of things, including an incredible range of dining options that can please everyone from picky kids (and adults) to your most distinguished foodie friends. With over 400 different eateries across four theme parks, Disney Springs, hotels, water parks, and more, the options truly seem endless. 

As someone who’s been going to Walt Disney World regularly for almost 30 years, I’ve eaten at my fair share of venues on the property, from quick service carts to multi-course meals in opulent settings. If your family is looking for a new restaurant to try, or considering going back to an old favorite, keep reading this list of the best restaurants at Disney World — they won’t disappoint. 

Best Character Dining

Character dining is a must-do at Walt Disney World. There are over a dozen different character dining options at the Disney Parks and Resorts, plus a few at good neighbor hotels located on or near Disney property. 

Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera 

Price: $45 per adult at breakfast, $29 per child under 9 at breakfast
Meal style: Plated entrees, character dining

Located on the top floor of Disney’s Riviera Resort is Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera. The beautiful restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner, but only breakfast is a character dining experience. Here, your family can enjoy breakfast à la carte with Mickey and friends, starting with a pastry basket and followed by the entree of your choice. Menu highlights include the sour cream waffle and the steak and eggs. 

As you fuel up for the day, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck all walk around the restaurant, stopping at each table to sign autographs and take photos. After breakfast, be sure to step out onto the adjoining patio to take in the views of EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios before heading out.

Tusker House Restaurant

Price: $45 per adult at breakfast, $29 per child at breakfast; $59 per adult at lunch and dinner, $38 per child at lunch and dinner
Meal style: Buffet, character dining

Those looking for a buffet-style restaurant with characters will enjoy Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Donald Duck and some of his pals don their finest safari outfits to meet families at their table. 

The breakfast menu is fairly basic with stations for everything including pastries, breakfast meats, fruits, and Mickey waffles. Lunch and dinner offer a wider array of dishes to try, with a variety of dips and salads, African-inspired meats like berbere marinated pork and za’atar braised beef, plus a dedicated kids area with corn dog nuggets, chicken legs, and mashed potatoes. 

Best Date Night Restaurants 

Having a date night with your partner away from the parks is a great way to spend an evening at Disney World. While there are plenty of romantic restaurants around the property, these two are worth the hassle of snagging a reservation. 

Victoria & Albert's 

Price: Starts at $295 per person
Meal style: Luxury dining

Couples looking for the highest caliber of dining at Disney World should look no further than Victoria & Albert's. This elegant restaurant is one of Disney’s most awarded eateries, winning the AAA Five Diamond Award annually since 2000 and the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star since 2018.

Upon entering the restaurant, you’re greeted with a welcome drink before being taken to your table. You have three different dining experiences to choose from: the Dining Room, Queen Victoria’s Room, and The Chef’s Table. All are fantastic options, though you should take whatever reservation you can get at this hard-to-book restaurant. The menu at Victoria & Albert’s changes seasonally, but in the past menu highlights have included Glacier 51 Toothfish, Japanese A5 Wagyu, and incredible pastries. 

Capa

Price: $5 to $179 per item
Meal style: Steakhouse, Michelin star

Just outside the gates to Magic Kingdom Park is the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, which boasts Capa, a Michelin-starred restaurant on the 17th floor. The Spanish-inspired steakhouse is known for its tapas, like bacon-wrapped dates, tomato bread, and marinated olives, all of which pair perfectly with the restaurant’s signature gin and tonic. 

Spanish charcuterie and small plates are also available, but be sure to save room for the star of the night: steaks that have been brought in from around the country. The 40-day wet-aged bone-in ribeye is a delectable entree in which the meat is cooked on a wood-burning grill, which adds even more flavor. As night falls, the restaurant grows dark and diners can step outside to watch the fireworks from Magic Kingdom light up the night sky. 

Best Restaurants for Families 

Families looking to have a little bit of fun while eating a meal can choose from a plethora of dining options, but there are two standout choices that you will want to add to your next Disney itinerary. 

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop  

Price: $15 to $35
Meal style: Plated entrees, table service

Found between Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, Beaches & Cream Soda Shop harkens back to the days of classic boardwalks, dishing out everything from juicy burgers to loaded sundaes. The nostalgic lunch and dinner menus feature items like Reuben sandwiches, grilled cheeses, and burgers, plus loaded tater tots and perfectly fried onion rings. 

While the savory dishes here are good, the best reason to make a reservation is the over-the-top sundaes like the classic banana split or peanut butter and hot fudge sundae. If your family is feeling daring, try the Kitchen Sink, which has eight scoops of ice cream, plus every other topping the restaurant has like butterscotch, bananas, cupcakes, candy bars, sprinkles, and a whole can of whipped cream. 

Roundup Rodeo BBQ 

Price: $45 per adult, $25 per child under 9 for lunch and dinner
Meal style: Family style, all-you-care-to-eat

Nestled inside Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is Roundup Rodeo BBQ. The family-style all-you-care-to-eat restaurant is themed after the Pixar movie "Toy Story," with larger-than-life figures of some of Andy’s most beloved toys. The restaurant is known for its tasty BBQ, like ribs, brisket, sausage, and chicken, all of which come in a shareable platter. 

Along with the meat, your family will also get a big basket of cheddar biscuits with pepper jelly, three different salads, and four sides to share. The sides include cookout favorites like potato salad, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, fried pickles, and corn on the cob. Be sure to save room for dessert because everyone at the table gets their choice of pie in a jar or a chocolate cupcake. 

Best Quick-Service Restaurants

Those looking for a quick meal that won’t break the bank and doesn't necessitate snagging a reservation will want to opt for a quick-service restaurant. These casual eateries are dotted all around Disney World and offer a wide range of cuisines. 

Satu’li Canteen

Price: $9 to $17.50 per plate
Meal style: Quick service 

One of the best quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World is Satu’li Canteen at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. The restaurant is tucked away in the back corner of Pandora — The World of Avatar, but you’ll smell the wood-fired grill long before you reach its doors. 

Inside, you’ll find a menu filled with customizable bowls, kind of like an Avatar spin on Chipotle. Alternatively, if you’re not into bowls, the cheeseburger bao buns are a fun dish that tastes just like the all-American version, just stuffed into a pillowy bao bun. There are plenty of tables inside or outside for you to sit at to enjoy your meal. 

Expert tip: Try mobile ordering your meal in advance through the My Disney Experience app so you don’t have to wait in line and can pick up your food during the time slot of your choosing. 

Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue

Price: $8 to $16 per entree 
Meal style: Quick service

EPCOT has so many quick-service restaurants that it can be hard to decide which one to venture into, but my vote is for Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue. The Muppets-themed restaurant is known for its regional styles of BBQ like Carolina-style chopped pork, Memphis-style ribs, and Texas-style brisket. Those looking for the ultimate BBQ lunch should try the loaded burnt ends fries, which pile burnt ends, macaroni and cheese, and onion rings on top of a bed of French fries.

Of course, BBQ is only as good as its sides, and at Regal Eagle, options include house-made pickles, baked beans, and beer-battered onion rings. Be sure to try all four of the house-recipe sauces too, which range from a classic BBQ to a vinegar-based sauce. 

Best Immersive Dining 

If you’re looking for a restaurant that can transport you to a different time or place, consider an immersive dining experience. While most restaurants at Disney have a distinct theme, these take ‘em to new heights.

Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen

Price: $9 to $38 per dish
Meal style: Table service

Just inside Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland, you’ll find Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen. Inside the Jungle Cruise-themed restaurant you can enjoy a meal along with the same corny jokes that are told on the Jungle Cruise attraction. The restaurant has three distinct dining rooms: a Mess Hall, the Jungle Room, and the S.E.A. Room, the latter of which Disney fans will know as the meeting place for the fictional society that connects Disney Parks and cruise ships around the world. 

Expert tip: The menu here is filled with tasty options like chili-garlic shrimp over fried rice, dan dan noodles, and char siu pork, but those in the know will order the iconic Brazilian cheese bread off the secret menu. Reservations can be hard to get here, but you can opt to use the Walk-Up Waitlist through the My Disney Experience app if you aren’t too fixed on a set time to eat. 

50’s Prime Time Cafe 

Price: $9 to $28 per dish
Meal style: Table service

One of Disney’s Hollywood Studios' most iconic restaurants is 50’s Prime Time Cafe, which is themed to look like homes from the 1950s. Right when you walk in, you’re in the “lounge” area of the restaurant where bartenders sling to-go drinks and kids can sit in front of a TV showing black and white clips of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and Walt Disney’s Disneyland dedication speech. 

Family-friendly staples are the stars of the menu here, including a rotating selection of deviled eggs and beer-battered onion rings. Entrees feature beloved dishes like fried chicken, pot roast, and chicken pot pie. And don’t leave without getting the restaurant’s peanut butter and jelly milkshake, which has all of the flavors of the kid-favorite sandwich, but as an ice cream treat.