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What is QSR (Quick service restaurants)?

Table of contents.

With the rise of quick dining options, it can be difficult to place your restaurant in a category. From multiplying fast-casual options to delivery-friendly fine dining, the lines between restaurant “types” are more blurred than ever.

You might be wondering, in the context of quick-service dining, what is QSR? QSRs, or quick-service restaurants, are the most common type of classic fast-food restaurants, and they’re experiencing both a steady incline in popularity and a major upgrade in technology to meet the growing demands of today’s busy eaters.

What is a QSR?

The term “QSR” refers to a “quick-service restaurant,” an industry synonym for “fast-food restaurant.” 

However, while the term “fast-food” calls to mind traditional options like McDonald’s and Burger King, the term “QSR” encompasses a wider variety of restaurants, including franchises like Dunkin’ Donuts, Chipotle, Domino’s, and Boston Market. 

Any restaurant offering a limited, focused menu of inexpensive meals (typically $10 or less) in a casual setting is considered a QSR (meaning an infinite number of restaurant ideas can fit the QSR mold. QSR meals are often packaged to-go, and dining room seating is limited. Service is fast—even faster than a “fast-casual” restaurant like Panera, Shake Shack, or Five Guys. 

While fast-casual restaurants require guests to wait 5 to 10 minutes for their food and encourage them to dine in, QSRs serve food almost immediately and often offer drive-thrus.

But the QSR concept is nothing new. 

QSRs have been a crucial piece of the American restaurant industry for decades. Over a quarter of American adults eat a fast-food meal daily, and value its price and convenience amidst a busy work week. Over 20% of American meals are eaten in cars, a concept that would’ve been unheard of before fast food. The QSR industry is alive and well, and demand doesn’t show signs of declining any time soon.

Current QSR trends & future outlook

The typical American family spends $1,200 on fast food annually, and the entire American population spends upwards of $50 billion on fast food each year. While the QSR industry remains a giant in 2024, there are a few incoming trends to look out for.

Dual-brand establishments are on the rise, meaning we’ll be seeing more “Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins” and “KFC/Pizza Hut/Taco Bell” type places on the market. This strategy boosts convenience and cuts back on choice paralysis for consumers, while minimizing labor costs for brands.

Technology will be further ingrained into the fast-food experience, with added features like voice-to-text ordering, AI-generated time estimates for orders, and even robot cooks.

In the wake of COVID, dining in is on the decline, and we’re likely to see even smaller capacity dining rooms in favor of drive-thru and delivery options.

Finally, hyper-personalization is in, with the ability to personalize menu items and adjust pricing accordingly.

Key components of QSRs

When it comes to QSRs, there are a few hallmark features that keep customers coming back. Below are some of the most common factors that keep Americans coming back to fast-food establishments.

#1 Speed of service

Speed of service is a crucial benefit of QSRs for consumers. When your food is ready by the time your car is through the drive-thru, you’re able to save time on grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, and even deciding what to eat. 

#2 Menu simplicity

Menu simplicity keeps customers coming back for their favorite meals (made the same way every time), further cutting down on decision paralysis. Moreover, a simple menu makes training employees easier and even allows for exciting limited edition specials, like the famous “McRib.”

#3 Cost efficiency

It’s hard to beat the QSR model when it comes to cost efficiency. QSRs are inexpensive to operate and can offer cheap meals to consumers while still maximizing profits. Cost efficiency is only growing with the introduction of new technologies and the decreasing need to maintain large dining rooms.

Challenges of QSRs and how to face them

Despite the many advantages of QSRs for both business owners and consumers, owning a QSR doesn’t come without challenges. 

One study showed that the impact of COVID regulations has had a major impact on the success of QSRs, along with the subsequent boom in home delivery from all types of restaurants. It’s tough to compete when consumers can have high-quality meals from any type of restaurant delivered to their door, and are more motivated to support small businesses. QSRs are working to combat this issue by expanding their menus and conforming to pickup-and-delivery/mobile ordering trends. 

Retaining and training new employees in the often low-paying fast-food industry can be another challenge for many QSRs, and unreliable equipment can affect efficiency as well as food safety. It’s important to offer adequate hourly rates and benefits (like Starbucks’ tuition coverage program) and to invest in high-quality equipment and test it regularly. 

The role of technology in QSRs

Digital ordering for pickup and delivery has seen a massive spike in recent years, with the advent of new technology and in the wake of the pandemic. The food delivery market has more than tripled since 2017. 

Consumers now have even more options than the traditional “dine-in or drive-thru,” with mobile ordering apps for nearly every fast-food restaurant, third-party delivery platforms, and even touch-screen order kiosks. 

Technology is even integrated into the food preparation and service process itself, with the aforementioned robotics, AI time estimate systems, and voice-to-text ordering machines. Due to the uniform nature of QSR meals and the in-and-out nature of fast-food service, it’s possible to incorporate technology at every stage of the meal. As a result, QSRs have become the technology pioneers of the restaurant industry in recent decades.

Enhance your QSR with CloudKitchens

If you’re looking to enhance the efficiency and profitability of your QSR, look no further than CloudKitchens. By renting a CloudKitchens ghost kitchen (already equipped with the essentials), you can fulfill delivery orders from a variety of order platforms via a single tablet. 

All you have to do is staff your back-of-house, get cooking, and let CloudKitchens do the rest. CloudKitchens allows you to embrace new technology and deliver your delicious food to more customers.

Maybe your food truck is used for pop-up events, or you only operate seasonally. No matter your niche, there are many advantages to renting or leasing a food truck.

Explore ghost kitchen locations across the US:

• Ghost kitchens in Seattle
• Ghost kitchens in San Francisco
• Ghost kitchens in LA
• Ghost kitchens in NYC
• Ghost Kitchens in Toronto
• Ghost Kitchens in Atlanta
• Ghost Kitchens in Dallas
• Ghost Kitchens in Chicago
• Ghost Kitchens in Denver
• Ghost Kitchens in Miami

QSR Magazine. Quick Service Versus Fast Casual: Where’s the Distinction? https://www.qsrmagazine.com/growth/consumer-trends/quick-service-versus-fast-casual-wheres-distinction/

Colby College. America’s Fast Food Obsession. https://web.colby.edu/st297-global18/2018/10/29/americas-fast-food-obsession/

QSR Magazine. 22 Fast-Food Trends to Watch in 2023. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/slideshow/22-fast-food-trends-watch-2023/

National Sanitation Foundation (UK). Survey Says: It’s Time for Change in Quick Service Restaurant Operations. https://www.nsf.org/gb/en/news/change-quick-service-restaurant-operations

Starbucks. Education: Starbucks Coffee Company. https://www.starbucks.com/careers/working-at-starbucks/education/

McKinsey & Company. Ordering in: The Rapid Evolution of Food Delivery. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/ordering-in-the-rapid-evolution-of-food-delivery

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What is a QSR? Your Guide to Quick Service Restaurants

Table of contents.

A quick service restaurant (QSR) is a type of eating establishment that focuses on efficient and speedy service. These establishments typically offer a limited menu of prepared food and beverages, which is ready for immediate consumption. QSRs are designed to provide fast and convenient dining options for customers who are looking for a quick meal on the go.

What is a Quick Service Restaurant?

A quick service restaurant, often abbreviated as QSR, is a type of eatery that prioritizes fast and efficient service. QSRs are known for their speedy operations and streamlined processes, allowing customers to order and receive their food quickly. Unlike full-service restaurants, where customers are typically seated and served by waitstaff, QSRs focus on self-service and short wait times.

Quick service restaurants offer a limited menu of prepared food and beverages that are ready for immediate consumption. These establishments cater to customers who are looking for a quick meal without sacrificing quality or taste.

One of the key advantages of quick service restaurants is their ability to serve a large number of customers in a short period of time. This is made possible by their efficient operational systems, which are designed to minimize wait times and maximize customer satisfaction. From the moment a customer enters a QSR, they are greeted with a sense of urgency and efficiency. The menu boards are strategically placed to allow customers to quickly make their selections, and the ordering process is often streamlined to ensure a smooth and seamless experience.

Another distinguishing feature of quick service restaurants is their emphasis on convenience. Many QSRs offer drive-thru services, allowing customers to place their orders without even leaving their vehicles. This is particularly appealing to busy individuals who are looking for a quick and hassle-free meal on the go. In addition to drive-thru services, QSRs often have mobile ordering apps, allowing customers to place their orders in advance and pick them up at a designated time. This level of convenience has made quick service restaurants a popular choice for people with busy lifestyles.

When it comes to the menu, quick service restaurants typically offer a range of options to cater to different tastes and dietary preferences. From classic fast food items like burgers and fries to healthier alternatives like salads and wraps, QSRs aim to provide something for everyone. Many quick service restaurants also offer customizable options, allowing customers to personalize their meals according to their preferences. This flexibility ensures that customers can find something that suits their individual tastes and dietary needs.

In conclusion, quick service restaurants are a popular dining option for those who are looking for a fast and convenient meal without compromising on taste or quality. With their efficient operations, convenient services, diverse menu options, and commitment to excellence, QSRs continue to be a go-to choice for people on the go.

Quick Service Restaurant Examples

When it comes to quick service restaurants (QSRs), there is no shortage of options to choose from. These establishments have become an integral part of our fast-paced modern lifestyle, offering convenient and accessible food options to customers on the go.

These are the top 20 quick service restaurants in the US according to QSR Magazine’s The 2023 QSR 50: Fast Food’s Leading Annual Report.

• Chick-fil-A
• Dunkin’ Donuts
• Burger King
• Panera Bread
• Sonic Drive-In
• Panda Express 
• Popeye’s Louisiana Chicken 
• Dairy Queen
• Jack in the Box

While global QSR chains dominate the market, there are also smaller regional or local QSRs that offer a different dining experience. These establishments often pride themselves on their unique and specialized food items, catering to specific tastes or preferences. From gourmet burger joints to artisanal pizza parlors, these local QSRs contribute to the diverse and ever-evolving landscape of quick service restaurants.

What is the Difference Between QSRs and Fast Casual Restaurants?

While both QSRs (Quick Service Restaurants) and fast casual restaurants focus on providing customers with quick service, there are some key differences between the two. 

Fast casual restaurants offer a slightly higher level of service and quality compared to traditional QSRs. They often provide healthier and fresher food options, with more attention to ingredients and preparation methods. This means that you can enjoy a meal that is not only quick but also made with care and consideration for your well-being.

Furthermore, fast casual restaurants usually have a more relaxed and casual atmosphere compared to QSRs. The ambiance is designed to make you feel comfortable and at ease, allowing you to enjoy your meal at a leisurely pace. Unlike QSRs, where the focus is primarily on speed and efficiency, fast casual restaurants prioritize creating a pleasant and enjoyable dining experience.

When dining at a fast casual restaurant, you will often find an emphasis on dine-in experiences rather than strictly take-out or drive-thru options. This means that you have the opportunity to sit down and enjoy your meal in a designated seating area. The seating areas in fast casual restaurants are typically designed to be inviting and cozy, encouraging you to relax and enjoy your food in a more leisurely manner.

Overall, while both QSRs and fast casual restaurants offer quick service, fast casual restaurants provide a more elevated dining experience. Fast casual restaurants offer a unique combination of convenience and culinary excellence. 

The Evolution of Quick Service Restaurants

Quick service restaurants have a long and rich history that has evolved over time. The concept of fast food first emerged in the early 20th century when the automobile became more prevalent, and people sought convenient dining options while on the go.

Over the years, the QSR industry has witnessed significant advancements in technology, operations, and menu offerings. Drive-thru and delivery services have become standard practices for many QSRs, allowing customers to enjoy their favorite meals without leaving the comfort of their vehicles or homes.

Furthermore, quick service restaurants have adapted to changing consumer demands and preferences, incorporating healthier menu options and embracing sustainability initiatives to cater to a more health-conscious and environmentally aware customer base.

Benefits of Opening a QSR

Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), commonly known as fast-food restaurants, have become an integral part of the modern culinary landscape. Opening a QSR can offer numerous advantages to business owners. Here are some key benefits:

• Reduced Initial Investment: Compared to full-service restaurants, QSRs typically require a lower initial investment. This is due to their simpler designs, smaller physical spaces, and the need for less specialized kitchen equipment.
• Streamlined Operations: QSRs are known for their efficiency. With a limited menu and a focus on speed, these restaurants can streamline their operations, leading to faster service and reduced labor costs.
• High Consumer Demand: There is a consistent demand for quick, convenient, and affordable meal options. QSRs cater to busy lifestyles, offering fast service and often extended hours, which can attract a wide range of customers.
• Ease of Scalability: Once a successful QSR model is established, it can be relatively easy to scale. This could be through opening new locations or even franchising, allowing for rapid expansion and increased brand recognition.
• Adaptability: QSRs are often quicker to adapt to changing market trends. They can easily introduce new items or modify their menu to reflect current consumer preferences, such as healthy eating trends or new culinary flavors.
• Potential for High Volume Sales: Due to the fast-paced nature of QSRs, they have the potential to serve a large number of customers in a short period. This high turnover can lead to significant sales volume, especially in high-traffic locations.
• Robust Supply Chain Networks: QSRs often benefit from established supply chain networks, ensuring consistent quality and availability of ingredients. This can simplify inventory management and reduce the risk of supply disruptions.

In summary, opening a QSR offers a blend of financial, operational, and strategic advantages, making it an attractive venture for entrepreneurs looking to enter the dynamic world of food service.

How to Open a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR)

Opening a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) can be a rewarding venture, but it requires careful planning and execution. Here are some steps to help you navigate the process:

Market Research and Business Planning

Your journey begins with thorough market research. Understand local tastes, assess the competition, and identify consumer needs. Translate these insights into a robust restaurant business plan . This plan should include your QSR's concept, target market , financial projections, and operational strategy. Also, consider how you will fund your venture, exploring options like loans, investors, or personal savings.

Location Selection and Licensing

Choosing the right location is key. Opt for high-traffic areas that match your target customer profile. The location should balance visibility, accessibility, and affordability. Concurrently, navigate the process of obtaining necessary licenses and permits. Adhering to local food service regulations, including health and safety standards, is crucial for legal compliance and smooth operation.

Restaurant Design and Menu Creation

Design your restaurant to maximize efficiency and customer comfort. Consider kitchen layout, dining space, and potential areas for future tech integration. Simultaneously, develop your menu. Focus on items that align with your concept and customer preferences, balancing quality, cost, and preparation speed. Your menu should also have unique offerings that distinguish your QSR from competitors.

Supply Chain Setup and Staff Recruitment

Establish a reliable supply chain to ensure consistent ingredient quality and availability. Effective inventory management systems are vital for tracking stock and minimizing waste. Alongside this, start the process of hiring and training your staff. Look for individuals who can provide quick and friendly service. Training should encompass food safety, customer service, and operational efficiency.

Branding, Marketing, and Technology Integration

Build a strong brand identity, including logo, colors, and thematic elements. Utilize various marketing channels to create buzz and attract customers. Incorporate technology to streamline operations, including digital ordering systems and efficient payment processing. These technologies not only enhance customer experience but also improve operational accuracy and speed.

Soft Launch, Feedback, and Grand Opening

Before the official opening, conduct a soft launch . This phase allows you to test your operations in a real-world setting and gather customer feedback. Use this feedback to make final adjustments. Then, plan a grand opening that creates excitement and draws in a crowd. Continued success will depend on your ability to maintain high service standards, adapt to customer feedback, and manage the business effectively.

Quick Service Restaurant Frequently Asked Questions

What is the meaning of qsr.

QSR stands for "Quick Service Restaurant," a term commonly used in the foodservice industry to describe fast-food restaurants. These establishments are characterized by their fast food preparation and service. 

What is the Average Wait Time at a Quick Service Restaurant?

While wait times may vary depending on the establishment and specific circumstances, quick service restaurants are designed to provide fast and efficient service. On average, customers can typically expect to receive their order within a few minutes of placing it.

Are Quick Service Restaurants Only for Take-Out or Drive-Thru?

No, while take-out and drive-thru options are common in quick service restaurants, some establishments also offer dine-in options. However, the focus is on efficient service, regardless of the dining method chosen by the customer.

Are Quick Service Restaurants Sustainable?

Many quick service restaurants have taken steps to incorporate sustainability into their operations. This includes initiatives such as using eco-friendly packaging, sourcing local and organic ingredients, and implementing energy-efficient practices. However, sustainability practices may vary between QSRs.

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Durango Foodie Tour

Here is a quick tour of some of the fantastic restaurants available in Durango. 

Durango has several options for those looking for a good steak or seafood. Primus Restaurant located on the north end of Main Ave. in the 1000 block offers big game and seafood options that are paired with locally-sourced produce and grains. The Ore House is a famous old western-style steakhouse, and is the longest-operating restaurant in Durango.  Decorated with intricate murals and historic artifacts that feature the history of Southwest Colorado, the Ore House menu includes hand-cut steaks, wild-caught seafood, and seasonal, local ingredients. The Mahogany Grill , located inside the Historic Strater Hotel takes visitors back in time with an ambiance of the Victorian Old West. Enjoy an array of steakhouse and seafood specialties with food sourced from local and family-owned farms and ranches. Other options include 636 Main with menu options that include Maple-Mustard Glazed New York Strip Gilled Filet Mignon, Cedar Planked Salmon, to name a few. Or Seasons Rotisserie & Grill serving up Grilled Top Sirloin, Rotisserie Ribeye, Shrimp Scampi and more.  And don't pass up  Chimayo Stone Fired Kitchen,  offering a variety of menu options such as Barramundi Seabass, beef medallions and Cedar Plank Salmon.

Burgers and Sandwiches

Fast and Local

Breakfast options

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One Great Day of Eating and Drinking in Houston

A totally intense, choose-your-own-adventure guide to one day of exploring Space City’s massive restaurant scene

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The fourth largest — and most diverse — city in the country, Houston, is sprawling with enclaves of multiple international communities, purveyors of Texas barbecue, and award-winning chefs. Simply put, if visiting Houston, one must dine.

As such, it’s not surprising that the millions of people who visit Houston each year for business or pleasure are looking for the city’s best restaurants. With thousands of dining destinations to choose from, though, sometimes it’s hard to pick. Consider this totally intense, pick-your-adventure itinerary for a glimpse at Houston’s unique culinary identity in just 24 hours.

7 a.m. — Breakfast

If you’re an early riser, stop by Midtown breakfast favorite, the Breakfast Klub , (3711 Travis Street) at around 7 a.m. to avoid the lines that often wrap around the corner. Otherwise, get ready to wait. Either way, Southern-style breakfast and dishes like the crispy, well-seasoned wings and waffles and catfish and grits are well worth it. Traveling through George Bush Intercontinental Airport in North Houston? Luck up by stopping by its airport outpost near Gate A7.

9 a.m. — Coffee

Any day of the week, local caffeine legend Blacksmith is a worthy stop thanks to its perfect cortados, cappuccinos, and assortment of freshly brewed teas (1018 Westheimer Road), but if you’re in the city Friday through Sunday before 2 p.m., head to Oso Coffee Co (2603 Navigation Boulevard) for a Horchata latte or a doughnut- or concha-topped caffeinated drink. Sundays are perfect for strolls through the East End Farmers Market , which takes over the Esplanade from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Café de Estufa (@cafedeestufa)

11:30 a.m. — Take an Asiantown Adventure

Spend a few hours browsing the shopping centers of Asiatown, which line the length of Bellaire Boulevard. Try a bowl of pho, Houston’s favorite hangover cure, or banh mi at Pho Binh first. Then go on a dessert tour of Houston, making stops at Aqua S for sea salt soft serve or boba tea at one of the many shops. Then, consider a bounty of small plates at Dim Sum King’s all-day dim sum , or Korean barbecue at Honey Pig Korean BBQ. Don’t be surprised if a nap is required before trekking back out for dinner.

3 p.m. — An Afternoon Beer

If you’re looking for a place to unwind, visit Saint Arnold Brewing Company , where you can kick back with a local brew (delicious homemade rootbeer or hopped-up sparkling water for the non-drinkers) while taking in breathtaking views of the city skyline from its beer garden.

Be sure to take in sights of East Ends murals on the drive over, and then peek at the brewery’s eclectic art cars, which are often on display at the city’s annual Art Car Parade. If you find yourself hungry for a snack, you can’t go wrong with the soft pretzels served with queso blanco or a wood-fired pizza to share.

5 p.m. — A Food Souvenir Pit-Stop

Texans swear that Buc-ee’s — a Lone Star State convenience store, rest stop, and gas station — is the best to ever do it. With a reputation for the cleanest bathroom, Buc-ee's is also a prime place to stop for breakfast tacos, brisket sandwiches, snacks galore, and fun memorabilia and gifts for those waiting at your next destination. Though Beaver nuggets, Buc-ee’s signature sweet corn puff snacks, are a definite signature, the rest stop also boasts its own delicious varieties of beef jerky, marshmallowy rice crispy treats, a wide selection of barbecue rubs and sauces, and tons of gear, including its own branded collection of mugs, bags, and cups that bare its cute, buck-toothed beaver mascot Buc-ee. For more guidance on what to buy, here’s a run-down on some of the best items. (Multiple locations)

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Can’t make it to Buc-ee’s? Head to El Bolillo Bakery (2517 Airline Drive) to load up on baked goods like Mexican sweet bread, pastries, tortillas, and jalapeño-cheese bread as souvenirs.

6:30 p.m. — A Real Deal Tex-Mex Dinner

Many Houstonians are aware that Houston is home to the Tex-Mex restaurant that introduced the country to what is now known as fajitas. Head to East End’s Original Ninfas on Navigation (2704 Navigation Boulevard) to try sizzling platters of fajitas, endless chips and salsa, and margaritas — a favorite being its signature Ninfarita. Looking for a more contemporary version of Tex-Mex? Try Candente in Montrose, which merges classics like enchiladas with tender smoked barbecue staples like brisket (4306 Yoakum Boulevard).

8 p.m. — Nightcap Cocktails

Known for fast service, friendly bartenders, and delicious cocktails, Bobby Heugel’s Anvil Bar & Refuge in Montrose cocktail bar is one of the best in the city, with an extensive drink list and a wide selection of spirits (1424 Westheimer Road). But there are other top choices, including Julep — Houston’s picturesque cocktail bar and the first local establishment to take home a national James Beard Award (1919 Washington Avenue) — and Eight Row Flint (1039 Yale St) , the Ranch Water connoisseur that serves up at least five renditions of the sotol-based drink, a wide selection of margaritas, frozen, and more.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anvil (@anvilhouston)

11 p.m. — Late-Night Snack

If you’re looking for a spot that’s truly open all night, there are a few places you can go. Yes, Whataburger (select locations) is one quick and easy choice if looking for a casual bite to eat, but you can always opt for House of Pies for a diner experience complete with chicken fried steak and multiple pies to choose from, including pecan and dutch apple, or Katz’s Deli (616 Westheimer Road; 2200 N Shepherd Drive; or 19075 I-45, Shenandoah) which offers everything from New York-style cheesecakes to matzo ball soup and pastrami sandwiches.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by House of Pies (@houseofpiestx)

Need (even) more dining recommendations? Check out Eater’s maps of Houston’s hottest and most essential restaurants.

House of Pies

El bolillo bakery, katz's deli, the original ninfa's on navigation, the breakfast klub, saint arnold brewing company, anvil bar & refuge, whataburger, the bahamas fish fry is the ultimate caribbean feast, the definitive guide to classic british foods, singapore street food guide: what and where to eat.

Home » Walt Disney World » Dining » Best Lists

15 Best EPCOT Quick Service Restaurants

By Author Ziggy Oskwarek

Posted on Last updated: November 23, 2023

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EPCOT is quite likely the best place to eat in Walt Disney World , and it’s especially good if you want a quick meal. That’s why we’ve put together this post and our rankings of the Best Quick Service Restaurants at EPCOT.

EPCOT may just be my all-time favorite Disney World theme park. After all, where else can you walk from Canada to Japan, then over to Italy and Mexico, all the while enjoying their totally unique cuisine?

This is the ultimate foodies’ park and the combination of food and drinks that you can get in one day is absurd, even if you don’t want to sit down but are looking for a quick bite to eat.

In this post, we’re going to share with your the best counter service restaurants at EPCOT and what food and drinks to order at each location. We’ve included the top 15 places which should keep you occupied for your next few trips.

The parks are a crowded place and having a plan ahead of time will save you a ton of time. We suggest reading through this post and then looking at the menus online so you have a better idea of what to expect and so that things go smoother once you are actually at EPCOT.

Also, even though the vast majority of EPCOT quick service restaurants are good, there are a few we would recommend skipping altogether. Thankfully, in our hundreds of visits to the park, we’ve been able to try all of them for you, so you can go right to the best ones and not waste your money elsewhere.

Besides our rankings, we’ll also share with you the best quick service for breakfast, where to get the best desserts, and even how to eat healthy on your visit to EPCOT (if that’s your thing).

If you are looking for a more relaxed sit-down meal, EPCOT is the best of the 4 parks for that, with dozens of choices, some downright spectacular. Make sure to read our guide to the Best EPCOT Restaurants to see our rankings of all the table service restaurants too!

Also, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest updates on all the Disney World restaurants as well as vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

Table of Contents

EPCOT Counter Service Restaurants Overview

Before we dive into our rankings of the best counter service restaurants, we have some basic info you need to know to be prepared.

While the park is split into two halves, the vast majority of restaurants both quick service and table service are located in World Showcase. That is the section of the park around the lagoon where all the countries are located.

In every country, you will find at least one counter service restaurant. Right now in EPCOT, there are 26 quick service restaurants . Some of them serve multiple entrees good for an entire meal, while others are smaller stands and snack carts to get dessert or something to drink.

The advantages of eating a counter service meal are it will save you a lot of time you can then use for riding attractions, shopping or just wandering through the park admiring the gorgeous architecture. It also will save you some cash overeating a table service meal which is great since a trip to Walt Disney World costs a TON of money !

Also, there are no advanced dining reservations required so no need to worry about booking them ahead of time. When you are in the park you can even Disney Mobile Ordering service and skip waiting in a traditional line.

What Restaurants are Quick Service at EPCOT?

Here is a list of all the current quick service restaurants at EPCOT:

• Block & Hans
• Choza de Margarita
• Connections Café
• Connections Eatery
• Crêpes À Emporter by La Crêperie de Paris (France)
• Funnel Cake
• Gelateria Toscana
• Kabuki Cafe
• Katsura Grill
• Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe
• L’Artisan des Glaces
• La Cantina de San Angel
• Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie
• Les Vins des Chefs de France
• Lotus Blossom Café
• Refreshment Outpost
• Refreshment Port
• Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue
• Sunshine Seasons
• Tangierine Café  
• Traveler’s Café
• Via Napoli Pizza al Taglio
• Yorkshire County Fish Shop

What Kind of Food Can I Expect to Find in EPCOT?

If you are an adventurous eater or even just want a break from the traditional “theme park food” like hot dogs, burgers, and pizza, EPCOT is the park for you!

Some of the cuisines represented include Mexican, Italian, French, Canadian, British, Moroccan, Japanese, Chinese, Norwegian, German, and yes even American food.

Besides traditional fare, you’ll find tacos, bratwurst, stir-fry, grilled salmon, fish & chips, shawarma, kebabs, brisket, crepes, poutine, sweet & sour chicken, sushi, and much, much more.

How Much are Counter Service Meals at EPCOT?

Most counter service meals at the Disney Parks cost between $10-$20. That usually includes a side dish but not a drink. Kid’s Meals are less expensive and usually cost between $8-$11.

So if you figure an average of $15 per adult and $9 per child, you are looking at spending around $50-$60 per quick service meal for a family of 4. That’s significantly lower than a table service restaurant which will easily cost you double that, if not more.

What’s Included in a Disney Dining Plan at EPCOT?

If you use the Disney Dining Plan at a quick service restaurant here is what is included:

• 1 Nonalcoholic Beverage (or Alcoholic Beverage, for Guests 21 and older)

That will use up one quick service dining credit. If you are getting a snack then that will use a snack credit.

Allergies & Dietary Restrictions

If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions, the idea of eating at a theme park can be downright terrifying as you have to worry about what ingredients are in the food as well as cross-contamination.

Walt Disney World however is pretty good when it comes to allergies and all the quick service menus offer a variety of options that are allergy-friendly.

Some of the most common dietary restrictions Disney caters to include:

• Gluten/Wheat Allergy-Friendly
• Egg Allergy-Friendly
• Milk Allergy-Friendly
• Peanut/Tree Nut Allergy Friendly
• Soy Allergy-Friendly

Disney has a special menu for each of these allergies that you can ask a cast member to see. You can also lookup any restaurant you want using the My Disney Experience and see its menu and all of the allergy-friendly options.

Our Ranking Factors

Ranking all the restaurants at EPCOT is a fun exercise, but it was a lot harder than we expected. There are so many locations around World Showcase that we absolutely love and we had a hard time putting them in a specific order.

Some of the ranking factors we considered are:

• Food Quality
• Price to Quality Ratio
• Portion Sizes
• Restaurant Theming and Ambiance

We tried to weigh carefully each of these factors, with the quality of the food being the most important.

Of all the Disney parks, EPCOT naturally has the most quick service restaurants with what we would consider good theming. Being located in a unique country, each of them has the possibility to really make the guest feel like they are in that country.

The restaurants in this list are quick service only and don’t include any sit-down restaurants. We also had to draw the line with what we are calling a “quick service” restaurant and each one on our list must have entrees, or at least some savory items you could make an actual meal out of.

That rules out snack stands that only sell sweets.

Best Quick Service at EPCOT Ranked

In our rankings, we’ve included the name of the restaurant and where it’s located in EPCOT. We’ve also included the approximate price, type of food, and our favorite food items at each one. This should give you a good idea about what to order when you go.

15. Lotus Blossom Cafe (China)

• Cuisine: Chinese (Fried Rice, Egg Rolls)

We have two problems with the Lotus Blossom Cafe: there aren’t a lot of choices on the menu, and the food that is on the menu isn’t very good. Think of it as a bad Chinese take-out in your local town.

The menu is limited to egg rolls and potstickers as appetizers, and entrees include Mongolian beef, orange chicken, and chicken fried rice. The food isn’t horrific, but it just doesn’t have much flavor. With so many better choices around World Showcase, it just doesn’t make sense to come here.

All of this boils down to one thing. This is the worst quick service restaurant in EPCOT and you should come here only if someone in your party absolutely must eat Chinese food.

What to Get: If we were to suggest something here, we’re torn between the Orange Chicken and Mongolian Beef. The orange chicken has a little better flavor, but the Mongolian Beef is more filling, so decide which is more important to you.

Lotus Blossom Café Menu

14. Refreshment Port & Refreshment Outpost (Canada & African Outpost)

• Cuisine: American (Poutine, Hot Dogs, Chicken Nuggets)

Even though these are technically two separate restaurants, we stuck the Refreshment Port and Refreshment Outpost together as one. Both of them have extremely limited menus compared to other quick service restaurants and have menus that rotate with the current festival.

The Refreshment Port has chicken nuggets which are standard but it also has poutine! There is usually a traditional version and then a specialty one from whatever festival is going on.

The Refreshment Outpost on the other hand is limited to hot dogs, ice cream, and usually one specialty item from the festival, which tends to be African-inspired.

Again, there isn’t much to choose from here which brings down the ranking, but the items they have are usually of good quality and worth trying.

What to Get: All the flavors of Poutine being served at the Refreshment Port are definitely a must-try. Our favorites throughout the years have been the Duck Confit Poutine or the Beef Brisket Poutine. Even if you only get the Traditional Poutine with beef gravy and cheese curds it’s still amazing.

Refreshment Port Menu , Refreshment Outpost Menu

13. Via Napoli Pizza al Taglio (Italy)

• Cuisine: Italian (Pizza)

Most guests might not even notice it, but tucked away in the back of the Italy pavilion, in a small window you’ll find Via Napoli Pizza al Taglio. This is supposed to be a take-out version of the popular Via Napoli restaurant, offering mainly slices of pizza.

You probably have never been there because it’s only open at certain times of the year and doesn’t run on a set schedule. In fact, Disney makes it especially hard to even find the menu listed on the website.

Don’t go here expecting the same style of pizza as what they serve at the table service restaurant. These are thicker, Sicilian-style square slices of pie, and the dough is softer than Via Napoli. We think the table service version is much tastier. Even so, the toppings are pretty flavorful, and if you are looking for a slice of pizza to go, it’s your only option.

What to Get: There are usually 3 or 4 types of pizzas, but we always seem to go back to the Pepperoni Slices as our favorite. Each slice is loaded with toppings which makes the high price tag a bit easier to swallow. If you are feeding 3-4 people, getting a whole pizza and splitting it is a much cheaper alternative than paying for each slice individually.

Via Napoli Pizza al Taglio Menu

12. Sommerfest (Germany)

• Cuisine: German (Beer, Bratwurst, and Bread Pudding)

This is another “hidden” counter service restaurant and it’s located in the back of the Germany Pavilion, near the entrance to Biergarten. The menu isn’t huge, but what they do, they do well, and they have some good options whether you are looking for savory or sweet.

The menu hasn’t changed here in years and they are still serving up bratwurst and great big German pretzels! For dessert, they have a great newer addition, the Pretzel Bread Pudding.

The food is good here, but the fact that the menu is so small and they haven’t done much to change things up in recent years makes us hesitant to move it up any further than #10.

What to Get:  The Pretzel Bread Pudding is really good and it’s moved up into one of our favorite yearly sweets around World Showcase. If you are looking for the famed Schöfferhofer Grapefruit Beer , this is a better place to get it than at the beer stand in the front of the pavilion. The line at Sommerfest is always so much shorter.

Sommerfest Menu

11. Yorkshire County Fish Shop (U.K.)

• Cuisine: British (Fish & Chips, Guinness Beer)

The Yorkshire County Fish Shop is a staple on every visit to EPCOT. Since it opened in 1999, we haven’t missed it once on a vacation to Walt Disney World. We love it THAT much!

The only thing holding this place back from jumping into the Top 5 is it’s a one-trick pony. If you are looking for a meal, the only option is fish & chips, but they are the most perfectly battered, golden-fried, juicy fish and chips you’ve ever had, at least on this side of the Atlantic.

The fish is just the right combo of crunchy, and oily without being too much. You get two large pieces and it’s served with a side of wide-cut chips (fries). If you get them fresh out of the fryer, I’ll put it up there against any other counter service meal in EPCOT.

What to Get:  Obviously, you are getting the Fish & Chips here, and they are without a doubt the best in Walt Disney World, period.

Yorkshire County Fish Shop Menu

10. Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe (Norway)

• Cuisine: Norwegian (Pastries, Sandwiches)

The Kringla Bakeri og Kafe is a dream come true for lovers of decadent pastries, cupcakes, and other yummy sweets. Located in the Norway pavilion, it’s one of the most popular spots to eat in EPCOT and it always has a long line.

Most people come here for the sweets such as school bread, lefse, troll horns, or Norwegian kringla, which are constantly named among the best snacks in EPCOT. However, there are also some savory treats to eat for lunch such as Norwegian sandwiches which are pretty good.

Though Kringla Bakeri og Kafe is hyped by many fans as being a legendary spot for sweets, we think it’s been a bit overrated throughout the years. It’s a good spot for dessert, but not nearly on the same level as Les Halles over in France.

What to Get:  Our favorite snack here is the scrumptious Norwegian Kringla , a pretzel-shaped pastry with cinnamon, almonds, or chocolate. If you like creamy desserts the Troll Horn is another good choice. School Bread is the most “famous” snack here and worth trying, but it’s nowhere as good as others claim it to be.

Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe Menu

9. Crêpes À Emporter by La Crêperie de Paris (France)

Cuisine: France (Crêpes)

Crepes are one of the most iconic food items in France, and it’s the place to get them in EPCOT. This is an outdoor window located in the new France expansion area near Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.

The menu is divided into two sections Galettes (Savory Crêpes) and Crêpes (Sweet Crêpes). The crêpes menu is a bit different from the table service restaurant next door, so don’t assume you’ve already tried them all without first visiting. Besides that, they have a nice selection of hard ciders, wine, and sparkling wine.

If you are still dreaming about the crepes in France, this is the closest you will get without traveling across the Atlantic.

What to Get: All the crêpes are good, but our favorite savory one is the Bechamel, Cheese & Ham Galette. We think that it’s the perfect combination of flavors, just classic. For sweet crêpes we really like the Red Berries Crêpe which is packed with blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

Crêpes À Emporter by La Crêperie de Paris Menu

8. Choza de Margarita (Mexico)

• Cuisine: Mexican (Margaritas, Tacos, Empanadas)

Choosing between these next two is really splitting hairs. Choza de Margarita and La Cantina de San Angel are really 6a and 6b, but if forced to choose we put Choza de Margarita slightly behind its Mexican neighbor across the walkway.

Choza is first-of-all famous for its Margaritas. These are the BEST in EPCOT and you’ll find one in our hand on practically every trip around World Showcase. They come either “on the rocks” or frozen and in a ton of flavors like smokey pineapple, cucumber, wild passion, wild strawberry, or classic lime.

The food here is really underrated as well and they have some solid options like tostadas, tacos, and empanadas.

What to Get:  You MUST get a Margarita here. It honestly doesn’t matter since they are all amazing. We prefer The Cucumber if we are doing “on the rocks” since it’s light and refreshing, or the Mango Loco if we are getting frozen. If you are hungry, it’s a toss-up between the Tacos de Cochinita and Empanada de Barbacoa . Both are filled with quality ingredients and taste very fresh and authentic.

Choza de Margarita Menu

7. La Cantina de San Angel (Mexico)

• Cuisine: Mexican (Tacos, Nachos, Margaritas)

Also located in the Mexico pavilion, La Cantina de San Angel is another excellent quick service restaurant with a menu featuring tacos, empanadas, and nachos. The margaritas are similar in quality to Choza only with fewer flavors to choose from.

The atmosphere is great here and if you can get a table in the gazebo along the water it offers one of the best views in EPCOT. The only problem is there is no air conditioning, but if it’s too hot, you might be able to grab a table indoors at La Hacienda at lunchtime.

What it comes down to is Choza de Margarita is better for drinks and La Cantina has a slight edge on food and ambiance. However, you can’t go wrong with either and you should try them both eventually.

What to Get:  We can’t leave here without a helping of Nachos which come piled high with ground beef, nacho cheese, tomatoes, jalapeños, beans, and sour cream. All of the different versions of Tacos are also very good.

La Cantina de San Angel Menu

6. Sunshine Seasons (The Land)

• Cuisine: American (Burgers, Sandwiches, Roasted Chicken, Fish)

Sunshine Seasons is the only counter service restaurant located in Future World to make the list, and it’s not a “pity ranking,” it’s genuinely one of our favorites. It also has the biggest menu of them all and has something for every guest.

If you are in the mood for roasted chicken, they have it. If you want a burger, they have that too. Flatbreads? Check. Pulled pork? Check. The list goes on and on. They also have very reasonable prices so it’s easy to find something within your budget.

The theming won’t blow you away, but the dining room is huge, with more than enough seating space, and it’s all in the air conditioning which makes it one of the more comfortable counter service meals.

The fact that it’s located in EPCOT is the only thing holding it back. If Sunshine Seasons was located at the Magic Kingdom, it would easily rank in the Top 2 quick service restaurants in that park. Nonetheless, it’s a great place for a meal at any time of the day for guests with any food preferences.

What to Get:  Our top choice here is a tie between the Oak-Grilled Salmon or Rotisserie Chicken . Both are big portions and cooked surprisingly well for a quick service. They also have a decent number of Asian menu items which we like including the Mongolian Beef and the Stir-fried Shrimp .

Sunshine Seasons Menu

5. Katsura Grill (Japan)

• Cuisine: Asian, Japanese (Sushi, Noodles, Ramen)

If you like eating Japanese food in a calm and quiet atmosphere, Katsura Grill is for you. We don’t understand how this place doesn’t get more love and are shocked that 95% of guests walk right by without even knowing it’s there.

The menu is one of the healthiest of any quick service in Disney World with options like sushi, ramen, and vegetable udon. Many of the entrees are served with steamed rice and mixed vegetables, great for eating light.

With its lush gardens and koi pond, the location can’t be beaten, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more easy-going tranquil setting in EPCOT. The only downside is they did recently raise prices meaning it isn’t quite the value meal it used to be.

However, the combination of great atmosphere and quality food makes Katsura Grill one of the best quick service restaurants in EPCOT.

What to Get:  If you are in the mood for noodles, the Tonkotsu (pork) Ramen is our go-to, but we also enjoy the Shrimp Tempura Udon . On the Osusume menu, we tend to get the Shrimp and Chicken Teriyaki which has just the right level of sweetness to it.

Katsura Grill Menu

4. Tangierine Café (Morocco)

• Cuisine: Moroccan (Kefta, Shawarma, Baklava)

The Tangierine Café is another gem on this list, and a strong case could be made for it as the overall number one counter service restaurant.

(UPDATE: Keep in mind that Tangierine Cafe is currently not a full-service quick-service restaurant at this point in time. It’s been used specifically for the different EPCOT Festivals four times a year. So the menu is always rotating. We hope the full menu comes back soon)

The food isn’t fancy, but it’s amazingly good. The menu items include shawarmas, kefta, and kebabs and are all made with fresh ingredients and feel much healthier than a burger or pizza. The portions here are huge and you can likely split one of the platters between two people. A great bargain for the money.

We also love the location and it feels like you are really sitting in a little cafe somewhere in Casablanca. Like the rest of the pavilion, we could stay here for hours admiring beautiful mosaics and stained-glass windows.

Many theme park guests don’t immediately think of Morocco as an ideal location to eat when visiting EPCOT, but between the impressive architecture and craftsmanship of the location plus the authentic food, the Tangierine Café is easily toward the top of the list.

What to Get:  The various different kebabs they normally have are very good! We also really enjoy the Falafel when they have it.

Tangierine Café Menu

3. Connections Café & Eatery

• Cuisine: American & Mediterranian (Burgers, Pizza, & Salads)

This is the newest addition to EPCOT’s quick service lineup and it instantly jumped into the top 3. It’s really two quick service locations in one (Starbucks and a traditional counter service restaurant). It is located in the old Electric Umbrella building, but it is a huge upgrade over its predecessor. It serves international cuisine, but it’s really mostly American cuisine touched up.

Expect to find an extensive array of burgers, pizza, and salads, all done really well. It has the best selection of burgers at any quick service restaurant in Disney World and they all have unique and intriguing flavor combinations.

Besides the amazing food, the location is also really great. It’s open, bright, and offers incredible views of Spaceship Earth and World Celebration once complete. EPCOT was desperate for a quick service dining location at that end of the park and Connections Eatery & Café exceeds expectations.

What to Get: Honestly, there isn’t anything bad here so you can’t go wrong no matter what you order. Our favorite burger was the French Bistro Burger with its caramelized onions, bacon, brie, and mushrooms. The General Tso Chicken Salad is one of the best salads we’ve ever had at Disney World. The huge pieces of chicken are crispy and tender, and we love the General Tso’s dressing. For dessert, don’t forget the Liege Waffle . Its brioche dough is sweet and great even without the homemade whipped cream and strawberries on top.

Connections Eatery Menu

2. Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue (American Adventure)

• Cuisine: American, BBQ (Ribs, Brisket, Sandwiches)

Honestly, what took Disney so long to get a respectable BBQ quick service in the American Adventure pavilion? At this point, the only thing that matters is that it’s here and that the Regal Eagle Smokehouse is a must-visit for just about every family.

All of the menu items here are strong and provide a good tour of American BBQ for international visitors. Expect to find classic options such as BBQ ribs, brisket, and smoked chicken. All of the items are big to huge and come with garlic Texas toast and another side.

Considering the massive quantity of food that is made here on a daily basis, the quality remains surprisingly high, and the prices are pretty good for what you are getting.

There is seating both indoors and outdoors, and we choose depending on the season. If you do eat indoors, keep an eye out for all “The Muppets” references that are cleverly worked into the theming.

The Regal Eagle Smokehouse is a massive upgrade over the Liberty Inn and we are ecstatic that Disney made the switch. If you are looking for good BBQ at a reasonable price, there are few quick service restaurants that do it better than here.

What to Get: The Loaded Burnt End Fries is not what we would normally order, but ever since we tried it, we don’t want anything else. It’s moist and has just the right combo of sweet and tangy flavors. The Ribs are also good, and on a similar level as the ones at Flame Tree.

Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue Menu

1. Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie (France)

• Cuisine: French (Pastries, Sandwiches, Baguettes)

We’ve made it to our number one overall counter service restaurant at EPCOT…Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie. While the top 5-6 restaurants on this list put up a good fight, in hindsight, it was never really close.

We asked ourselves: “where do we visit the most and which restaurant would we be most upset about if it closed?” The answer every time was Les Halles.

While you may not think of it in line with the traditional quick service restaurants where you order an entree, side, and drink, there are an abundance of food items here both savory and sweet that will blow you away.

Savory items include quiche, B.L.T., chicken with cheese and pesto, lobster bisque, bacon cheese roll, croque monsieur, and even a cheese board. The desserts are even better and almost impossible to choose between.

Just the smell of the fresh baguettes and croissants baking in the oven will pull you in all the way from the main promenade. No matter what meal you are here for, Les Halles comes out as the top counter service restaurant in EPCOT and one every guest needs to try.

What to Get:  The Roulé au Fromages (bacon and cheese roll) or the Croque Monsieur are hands down our two favorite savory items, and we get them regularly. The desserts are like choosing which child you love the most but the Framboise , Tarte au Citron , and Eclairs are among the best.

Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie Menu

Best Places for Breakfast

Here is a list of the best counter service breakfasts in EPCOT:

• Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie (France) – Whether you are looking for something sweet or savory for breakfast, the Boulangerie-Patisserie has it all. We like to start our mornings in EPCOT with a croque monsieur and a chocolate croissant.
• Sunshine Seasons (The Land) –  There are tons of options here from a full breakfast platter with eggs, sausage, bacon, and French toast, or you can get a breakfast sandwich, a bagel, or one of the many pastries.
• Kringla Bakeri og Kafe (Norway) – Grab a pastry and Joffrey’s coffee for a quick breakfast on the way to Frozen Ever After.
• Connections Café (Showcase Plaza) – This is the Starbucks location in EPCOT. Expect all the usual menu items from your Starbucks back home plus a few specialty pastries and cupcakes.

If you are looking for a sit-down breakfast , head over to the Garden Grill in The Land pavilion, or to Akershus in Norway. Both are character breakfasts that the kids or kids-at-heart will love.

READ: Best Breakfasts at Disney World

Best Places for a Snack/Dessert

Once you are done with your meal you might be looking for a yummy dessert to top everything off right. EPCOT is the perfect location for that as there are a number of amazing places with incredible sweets!

Here are our favorite places for dessert in EPCOT:

• Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie (France) – This is hands down the best place for dessert in EPCOT. There are literally 20 things we love here and it’s impossible to try everything. Menu items include eclairs, napoleons, macarons, cookies, chocolate mouse, fruit tarts, croissants, creme brûlée, and much more.
• Karamell-Küche (Germany) – This is a must-stop for caramel fans as everything in the store has it in some form. Try any of the chocolates with caramel, the cookies, or the irresistible Werther’s caramel popcorn.
• Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe (Norway) – People come to Kringla for the desserts, the most popular being the school bread, troll horns, and Lefse which is a soft flatbread rolled with cinnamon, sugar and butter.
• L’Artisan des Glaces (France) – If you are in the mood for ice cream in EPCOT, this is your place. You can get an ice cream cone or cup, or if you are feeling more adventurous, go for an macaron ice cream sandwich or the warm brioche ice cream sandwich made right in front of you.
• Sunshine Seasons (The Land) – This is the place for cupcakes in EPCOT. They also have pastries and the turtle brownie with a dense chocolate base, caramel middle, and chocolate frosting top.
• Kabuki Café (Japan) – This is traditional Japanese shaved ice available in a variety of fruity flavors and with the option of a sweet milk topping.
• Gelateria Toscana (Italy) – One of the newest places for dessert, here you can get hand-scooped gelato or sorbet, gelato sundaes, gelato floats, cannoli, or those cream-filled zeppole.
• Oasis Sweets & Sips (Morocco) – Many guests don’t know about the pasty counter along the main promenade in Morocco. The baklava is must-get here and comes in 4 different flavors: chocolate, walnut, cashew, and our favorite, pistachio.
• Funnel Cakes (American Adventure) – Funnel cakes are an American classic and here you can enjoy a traditional one with powdered sugar, chocolate sauce, cookies n’ cream, or with ice cream. During the festival season there are specialty funnel cakes that are even better.
• Fife & Drum Tavern (American Adventure) – The menu here does have soft serve ice cream, but we are coming for The American Dream, a frozen Fanta strawberry and blue raspberry slushy with vanilla ice cream in between the layers!
• Crêpes À Emporter at La Crêperie de Paris (France) – What would a visit to France be without crepes? While they are pretty good here, you are better off going to L’Artisan des Glaces or Les Halles for a much bigger selection of sweets.

Check out our post on the Best EPCOT Snacks for the full list of snacks

How to Eat Healthy at EPCOT

With all the tempting treats around every corner, being on a diet or just eating healthy can be a challenge at Walt Disney World. You’ll probably want to go easy on the cheeseburgers and ice cream and look for an option with fewer calories.

Good thing there are plenty of options at all 4 theme parks. Here are some of the healthier options at the counter service restaurants in EPCOT:

• Sunshine Seasons – This has the biggest menu of any quick service in EPCOT and there are plenty of healthy choices. Our favorite is a tie between the oak-grilled rotisserie chicken or salmon.
• Lotus Blossom Café – The Mongolian beef combo is probably the healthiest choice here as it comes with thin slices of beef, onions, and is served with steamed rice and steamed broccoli. You can give the egg roll to someone else if you are being really strict.
• La Cantina de San Angel – Skip the tacos here and go for the pollo cascabel instead which has grilled chicken, Mexican rice, corn, and pickled onions.
• Tangierine Café – The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest in the world and here you can find varied menus with some offerings including shawarma, Kefta or kebabs served with healthy sides like couscous, hummus, tabbouleh, and marinated olives.
• Anything at Katsura Grill – Basically every item on the menu here you could consider healthy. Sushi, miso soup, udon, grilled chicken salad, ramen, and edamame are all excellent choices and are lighter than the majority of quick service meals.
• Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie – Of course, you want to stay away from all the amazing sweets here, but they also have quiche and sandwiches such as brie and apples or ham and cheese.

The easiest way to make any quick service meal healthier is to substitute those French fries for some sliced apples or mandarin oranges. Just by doing that you will probably save yourself thousands of calories throughout the length of your trip.

Don’t Forget the EPCOT Festivals

As if there weren’t enough counter service restaurants already in EPCOT to try, almost all year round there is a festival which of course includes a ton of yummy food marketplaces to try.

• Festival of the Arts (January – February) – This festival is focused on the arts and has activities and street artists to entertain you. Plus your food never looked this good!
• Flower & Garden Festival (March – July) – This is EPCOT at its most beautiful as the entire park is transformed into one giant garden.
• Food & Wine Festival (July – November) – This is the original EPCOT festival and the most famous. This is all about the food and drinks with over 30 food marketplaces to try.
• Festival of the Holidays (November – December) – Food and activities to the theme of the holidays as well as the candlelight processional.

Every one of the festivals is fun and each of them has its own appeal depending on your interests.

Our favorite is probably the Flower & Garden Festival because of the way it transforms EPCOT, or maybe we prefer the Festival of the Arts or the Food & Wine Festival… Who can decide? They are all great!

That wraps up our rankings of the best counter service restaurants at EPCOT. We hope you enjoyed our list as it’s always fun to write about food and all the yummy restaurants!

For more list of the top quick service restaurants at Disney World, check out our other guides:

• Best Magic Kingdom Quick Service Restaurants
• Best Hollywood Studios Quick Service Restaurants (Coming Soon)
• Best Animal Kingdom Quick Service Restaurants (Coming Soon)

We want to hear what your top EPCOT quick service restaurants are, so drop them in the comments!

If you are going to Disney World soon, make sure to read our Disney World Planning Guide for all the tips and info you will need to cover everything! Also, check out our Disney World Crowd Calendar so you know when the best time to visit is!

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about our list of the best quick service meals at EPCOT…

• What are your Top 10 Restaurants?
• What is the overall Best Counter Service Restaurant at EPCOT?

Let us know in the comments section below!

If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media.  I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂

My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.

Friday 17th of June 2022

Yum. Guess I'll be spending a lot of time at Epcot!!! Will start with number 1 and work my way up the rankings. Thanks for the article.

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BEST Value Quick Service Restaurants at Disney World for 2021 (No Dining Plan Needed!)

By Lydia Storks 5 Comments

Here at DFB, dining in Disney World is kinda our thing (food  is  in our name, after all!).

Watermelon Margarita and Shrimp Tacos

We’re here to give you the lowdown on all the best snacks , most amazing restaurants , and all the foods that you can probably skip for your next Disney trip. Usually, each year we put out a list of restaurants that offer the best value within the realm of the Disney Dining Plan (meaning PRICIER fast food options to max out that value), but since the Dining Plan isn’t available this year , we’re sharing our list of quick-service restaurants at Disney World that’ll give you the best bang for your buck in 2021!

When we say “quick-service” or “counter-service” (you’ll often see the two used interchangeably by many folks) we mean fast food. Burgers, hot dogs, and chicken nuggets are readily available, but this is Disney World — there’s a WHOLE LOT MORE available to you too. Don’t think you’re stuck eating the same drive-thru greaseball burgers you might get back home when we say “fast food.” We literally mean get it FAST. No pricey sit-down meals here. ( But if you are interested in that, we gotchu. )

Keep in mind, Mobile Order is still the preferred way to score your fast food in Disney World . This means selecting a window to get your food, ordering, customizing, and paying all from your phone. Then you walk up, alert the restaurant on your phone to start preparing your meal, grab it, and go! If you have unique needs that require Cast Members to help order your food, they’ll certainly accommodate you. but know before you go — Mobile Order is the way now.

With that in mind, let’s look at your BEST VALUE, most bang for your buck locations this year in Disney World .

ABC Commissary

For the first stop on our list, we’re heading to a place that, if you asked us in years past, wouldn’t have touched this list. This spot has really stepped up to the plate (pun completely intended) this year — ABC Commissary in Disney’s Hollywood Studios! In October, ABC Commissary got an updated menu and when we tried it out, we were big fans.

ABC Commissary has taken a 180 in the last year!

Some of the items on their menu currently are the Shrimp Tacos for $12.99 , the Curry Rice Bowl with Shrimp for $13.99 , the Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich for $10.99 , and the Pork Carnitas Tacos for $10.99 . Each of these options offers some great variety from the basic theme park food like hot dogs and burgers.

Don’t those Shrimp Tacos look deliciously fresh?

We really enjoyed the flavors of the items we tested here, and some of them actually had a little spicy heat to them  — a phenomenon we don’t often get to experience at Disney World! This restaurant is a great spot to place a Mobile Order in Hollywood Studios when other, more popular spots in Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge are all booked up.

We were a big fan of the shrimp options here.

Besides the great flavors and the more interesting eats, ABC Commissary makes our best value list thanks to the  With entree prices around 10-12 dollars , that’s not a bad deal — especially considering the decent-sized servings, fresh ingredients, and variety you’re scoring versus a generic fast food eats you could get elsewhere for the same price. It’s a far cry from french fries and overcooked burgers, and we’re pleased to see that Commissary has stepped up its game since the reopening.

Get All the Details on the New Menu (& a Full Review) Here!

Blaze fast-fire’d pizza.

We’re heading over to Disney Springs for our next choice — Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza . This restaurant is actually a national chain, but it’s nonetheless a great place to stop in Disney World! This spot actually has a HUGE following with locals.

Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza at Disney Springs has a patio with outdoor seating.

Here, you’ll get the chance to create your own pizza or choose from a list of Signature Pizza options . Either way, you’ll pay $10.45 for your personal pie, and you’ll be able to add as many toppings as you’d like! For even cheaper choices, you can make a 1 topping pizza for $8.95 , a 2 topping pizza for $9.95 , or a simple pie with cheese and sauce for $7.95 .

Does this Meat Eater Pizza not make your mouth water?!

When we stopped by to review , they had recently added knots to the menu in two forms: Dessert (cinnamon and sugar) and Dough (garlic pesto and mozzarella). You can get four knots for $4.50 , which is a pretty good deal, and we thought our Dessert Knots were the perfect end cap to the meal (and super sharable with a group!).

This looks like a pretty satisfying meal!

Why does Blaze make the best value list? Well, did you SEE all that food? For a little more than $10, you get an entire pizza to yourself with as many toppings as you like! You even get to customize it however you want — if that’s not “value,” then we don’t know what is! This is an easy crowd-pleaser for a group — there’s sure to be something for just about everyone here.

Want More Details? Here’s a Full Review!

Flame tree barbecue.

Making our way to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, our next stop is Flame Tree Barbecue . Serving up 3 different kinds of meat in various forms, this is the spot for your hearty eaters to get their fill of barbecue!

Flame Tree Barbecue has a great location and an even better menu.

Here, some of the most popular items on the menu include the 1/2 Chicken for $13.29 (literally half a chicken AND it comes with sides!), the Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich for $10.99 , and the Ribs and Chicken Combo for $15.49 . One of our personal faves here at DFB is the Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Pulled Pork for $11.99 — it comes topped with an onion ring, lots of pulled pork, and coleslaw!

Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese, need we say more?

One of the BIG pros for Flame Tree Barbecue is that the portions here are HUGE . That Ribs and Chicken Combo can easily be split between two people and most of the items on the menu come served with sides. 

All the dining here is outdoors, which is great if you’re not comfortable with eating inside, or you just want to enjoy the beauty of Animal Kingdom.

There’s pretty much no reason this restaurant shouldn’t make our list — large portions, meals served with sides, delicious and filling food, and plenty of meat for the price you pay . We think Flame Tree is an all-around winner!

This Place Also Serves Some Pretty Insane Cupcakes — Check One Out!

Harambe market.

Let’s just say, Animal Kingdom is the place to be for fast food at a great value because Harambe Market in the Africa section of the park also earned a spot on this list !

Harambe Market fits perfectly with the theme of the Africa section!

Here, you’ll find choices like the Ribs and Chicken Bowl for $14.29 , the Grilled Chicken Bowl for $11.79 , and the Harambe Salad with Chicken for $11.99 . The options here feel a LOT healthier than most things we’ve found in the theme parks , so we don’t feel quite so bad after our meal! That said, they’re still loaded with fresh ingredients, and really hearty and filling.

That Harambe Salad is LOADED.

When we stopped here for its reopening , our food was absolutely spectacular . We ordered the Ribs and Chicken Bowl and it was complete with fall-off-the-bone ribs, juicy chicken, and a zippy salsa that brought everything together perfectly.

Yeah, this meal is a home run!

Harambe Market is often looked over in Animal Kingdom, thanks to more popular choices like Flame Tree and Satu’li Canteen, but we definitely think you should stop here if you get the chance. The plates come served with a ton of flavor and LOTS of meat, so it’s a great value for the price!

Is Harambe Market As Good As We Say? Read Our Review Here.

Pecos bill tall tale inn & cafe.

For our first and (spoiler alert) only stop in Magic Kingdom, we’re visiting Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe . Pecos Bill serves up a Mexican-style menu in a quick-service setting, and its unique options have become a favorite of many Disney guests.

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe has become incredibly popular in Magic Kingdom.

The menu here is bigger than many “fast food” restaurants at Disney World, and while you can score a cheeseburger, there are several more exciting choices. Some of those include the Chicken Nachos for $10.99, the Pork Carnitas Nachos for $10.99, the Chicken Rice Bowl for $11.99 , and the Southwest Salad with Pork Carnitas for $11.99.

Even the kids’ meals are in decent sizes!

With your order, you’ll get a substantial portion of food , plus you can select from a variety of toppings to add to your meal, getting even more bang for your buck.  Free toppings? We’re totally down for that!

Who doesn’t want free toppings?

The meals here are a little bit cheaper than at other same-category restaurants across the parks, plus they’re more original than many of the other choices around, especially at Magic Kingdom. (And, we’ve got to give them bonus points for the free toppings!) Plus, this is one of our favorite places to score a cup of queso for a buck …always a good idea. 😉

Check Out Our Latest Review of Pecos Bill Here!

Satu’li canteen.

Surprise, we’re going back to Animal Kingdom! (The park has great food, what can we say?!) Satu’li Canteen in Pandora has been a big hit ever since it first opened a few years ago , and when we step back and look at it, we can certainly understand why. 

Satu’li Canteen is popular, and it’s clear to see why.

First of all, they have Cheeseburger Pods (fluffy balls of dough stuffed with loads of cheeseburger flavor.) , which you can get in an adult-sized meal for $11.49 or a kids’ version for $7.49 . Like Harambe Market, this restaurant also serves some healthier options, but here they come in the form of protein bowls. You can try the Slow-Roasted Sliced Grilled Beef Bowl for $13.99 , the Chili-Garlic Shrimp Bowl for $14.99 , or the Chopped Wood-Grilled Chicken Bowl for $12.49.

Cheeseburger Pods are a way of life.

Let us just tell you…these bowls are HUGE. Like, WOW. You could probably share these with someone else, especially if you get the combination bowl with beef and chicken . But even though the portions are massive, you don’t feel quite as guilty when you leave here because you won’t be eating the typical deep-fried theme park fare.

Combination Bowl at Satu’li Canteen!

The gargantuan portions landed Satu’li Canteen a spot on this list, but even if it hadn’t made it, we probably still would’ve suggested that you eat here. The only disappointing thing is that you now have 3 difficult choices for food in Animal Kingdom and if you’re only there for a day, you may be forced to choose just 1 or 2!

What’s So Great About Cheeseburger Pods? Click Here to Find Out!

Woody’s lunch box.

Woody’s Lunch Box in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of the most popular locales on our list! It’s so popular that the Mobile Order times often fill up far in advance of the actual windows on crowded days . If you’re planning to stop here, order your food early in the morning for later in the day.

This restaurant really makes you feel like a kid again!

Here, you’ll find exactly what the name suggests — nostalgic food reminiscent of the stuff you’d score in your lunch box as a kid. There are several classic sandwiches like the Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich for $8.99 , the Smoked Turkey Sandwich for $9.99 , or the BBQ Brisket Melt for $12.99 .

That’s a satisfying meal, right there.

You can also go more original with the fan-favorite Totchos for $8.99 . They’re tater tots topped with a whole lotta goodness: beef and bean chili, shredded cheese, signature queso, tomatoes, corn chips, sour cream, and green onions. Plus, for just $4.29, you can get a Lunch Box Tart for dessert.  if you have an opportunity to order a leveled-up Pop-Tart…do it.

Look at all that cheesy goodness…

With fun menu items and prices that are pretty cheap, Woody’s Lunch Box earned a spot on the “best value” list! Plus, we think that everyone needs to get over there and try those Totchos. They real good, y’all.

Here’s Our Review from Woody’s Lunch Box After it Reopened!

Regal eagle smokehouse: craft drafts & barbecue.

The newest restaurant to join our list is Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue (what a name!) in EPCOT’s American Adventure Pavilion. You may notice that this is the second barbecue option on our list but what can we say, Disney barbecue is a good value!

Plenty of outdoor seating here, as well as tons of tables indoors.

There are multiple hearty options to choose from here , including the Kansas City Smoked Half-Chicken for $13.99 , the BBQ Burger for $13.49, the North Carolina Chopped Smoked Pork Butt Platter for $12.49 , and the Sliced Texas Beef Brisket Sandwich for $12.99 . That’s a LOT of meat!

A BBQ Burger on garlic toast — what more could you want?!

One of the big reasons why Regal Eagle makes our list is because each of those entrees is served with your choice of side: Beer-Battered Onion Rings, Creamy Coleslaw, Macaroni & Cheese , Baked Beans with Burnt Ends, or Seasoned French Fries . Each of these sides pairs perfectly with the barbecue-style food, and if you can’t make a choice, you can always order a serving individually for $4.99.

They also have lighter options, like salads!

TONS of meat, loads of sides that taste like they came from a sit-down restaurant, and four different sauces to top it off make Regal Eagle the icing on the top of our “best value” cake! It’s easy to overlook this restaurant because of all the eats at the EPCOT festivals , but if you’re looking for a full meal, make sure to stop by. 

Want to Know How Good That BBQ Burger is? Click Here.

That’s a wrap on our 2021 list of best value quick service restaurants! If you’re dining at Disney World this year, things are going to be a bit different without the Dining Plan, but we’re still here to help you save as much as possible. Keep checking DFB for all the latest food reviews and important restaurant updates!

Here’s a Guide to the BEST Outdoor Dining in Disney World!

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Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.

Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!

GET YOUR GUIDE NOW

What’s your favorite restaurant on this list? Tell us in the comments!

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June 6, 2021 at 6:34 pm

Woody’s Lunch Box, Pecos Bill’s and Flame Tree BBQ. Gotta try Regal Eagle next time I visit.

June 27, 2021 at 5:33 pm

We agree and we r getting very hungry with just c ing this we wish they could pass some of it to us thru our phone

June 27, 2021 at 5:39 pm

I just posted a comment r they having problems with posting this is the second time this has happened

June 28, 2021 at 10:32 am

Hi, Pattie. Comments require moderation (that’s me!), and it just takes time for me to get to them. Thanks for reaching out. 🙂

June 30, 2021 at 2:15 pm

Thank u Sarah for explaining that to me have a great Disney day and lots of pixie dust

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The Best Spots for Food in the Skyway

Explore the diversity of Downtown Minneapolis cuisine while protected from the elements at these beloved Skyway-level restaurants.

*Please be sure to check the restaurant's official website or call ahead for the latest on business hours, closures and offerings.

Whether you are looking to escape negative temperatures at all costs or simply grab a quick, affordable lunch between meetings, there’s no better place to refuel in Downtown Minneapolis than at one of the Skyway’s many (many) eateries. You could enjoy a whole day getting lost in the miles of twisting, turning second-floor labyrinth to find which dishes are worth savoring and which are worth skipping, or you could simply hit one of our favorite spots for sure-bet satisfaction.

Note: Most Skyway restaurants are open weekdays only, so you may need to actually venture outside on Saturdays and Sundays.

Location: AT&T Tower/Deluxe Building

Enter from the corner of South 9th Street and Marquette and take the escalator up to the skyway. For the Deluxe building you can enter through the doors on Marquette (just passed Manny's and The W Hotel) or through the doors on 8th street. To reach the skyway you can find stairs next to the Gray Fox or take elevators nearby the coffee shop as well. Both buildings have seating on the first floor. This area is relatively close to the Minneapolis Convention Center .

Options here include:

• Gray Fox Coffee (bottom level, 2 locations)
• Valentino Cafe (bottom level)
• Green & the Grain (bottom level)
• Ginellis Pizza

Favorite spot: Dave's Downtown

For people who work downtown Minneapolis, Dave's is a go-to for delicious breakfasts. You've got to try their breakfast sandwich or their breakfast burrito. Don't need breakfast? They also have classically-good sandwiches, wraps, and salads for lunch.

Location: U.S. Bank Plaza

Entrance is on the corner of South 6th Street and South 2nd Avenue. There are elevators that lead up to the skyway level and seating all along .. as well as within most restaurants in the building.

• Broadway Pizza
• Jimmy John's
• Woullet Bakery
• Caribou Coffee
• Naf Naf (bottom level)
• Chipotle (bottom level)
• JR Thai Food
• The Burger Place

Favorite spot: Green + The Grain

For a healthy indulgence, head to one of the four locations of this minimalist, monochromatic clean eater’s haven that serves up way more than simple green salads. Case in point? The Thai Beef Tenderloin salad piled high with rice noodles, romaine lettuce, napa cabbage, pickled carrots, fresh herbs, peanuts, local beef, and other bright veggies in a spicy peanut sauce. Feeling creative? Build your own salad from an extensive list of fresh toppings and premium additions, from saffron couscous to wild-caught buffalo shrimp. Other Locations : LaSalle Plaza, Baker Center, At&T Tower

Location: Fifth Street Towers

There are few entrances on 5th Street.

• Blackwater Coffee & Cafe

Favorite Spot: Sphere

Located on the Skyway level of the Fifth Street Towers, the Mediteranean-leaning Sphere offers convenient escape from the bustling city. Named after a massive spherical skylight over the restaurant, the atmosphere here is what draws crowds. Sphere serves up a full array of salads, burgers, and anytime cocktails in one of the few full bars at Skyway level.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sphere Bar & Restaurant (@spherempls)

Location: Baker Center

Enter on the corner of South 8th Street and South Marquette Ave. and take the stairs up to skyway level. There is also an entrance further down South Marquette toward South 7th Street where you can take and escalator up to the skyway. There is a seating area near Sushi Takatsu.

• Green & the Grain

Favorite Spots: Vellee Deli

Your appetite will be vanquished at this Asian-Mexican fusion hotspot where pineapple salsa and baja sauce rub elbows with spicy Thai curry and kimchi. Enjoy a Korean BBQ burrito or Duck Confit Banh Mi, and customize your level of spice by adding a few “kicks” of sundried and powdered Minnesota grown Thai chili peppers.

Sushi Takatsu

This Osaka-style sushi spot in the Baker Center draw remarkable lines, but one visit and you’ll know why. Serving up sushi bowl specials, oshizushi (pressed sushi), creative sushi rolls, beef curry bowls, and slurpable fried chicken udon at reasonable prices, Takatsu will have you planning your next lunch order before you’ve finished your first.

Afro Deli & Grill

Fusing African, Mediterranean, and American flavors with halal meats and a community-minded ethos, Afro Deli’s new Skyway location in the Baker Building is a one-way ticket to a one-of-a-kind flavor vacation. Where else can you find Somali Steak Sandwiches, chicken quesadillas, veggie sambusas, freshly made falafel, and the Afro Asian Chicken Suqaar blending Korean flavors and African spices? Nowhere but Afro Deli’s three other locations, that’s where.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Harris Kleyman (@harriskleyman)

Location: Six Quebec (601 S Marquette)

Entrance is on South Marquette Ave, near the My Burger sign. There is some type of seating within most of the restaurants in the building.

• Vitality Roasting Coffee
• Bambo Garden
• Crepe Avenue

Favorite Spot: Kadai Indian Kitchen

You don’t need to be a local office worker to indulge in Kadai’s “Business Lunch” buffet, and there’s no better way to get your fill of a variety of North and South Indian specialties—from Andhra Spicy Chicken Curry to Malai Kofta. Avoid the lunch lines and stop in for an Indian breakfast treat, the Mysore Masala Dosa. This rice crepe rolled and filled with potato curry and spicy chutney is available daily before 11am.

Location: Gaviidae

You can enter Gaviidea from Nicollett near the Walgreens and take the stairs or escalator up to the skyway. Another entrance off Nicollet is next to the D'Amico & Sons restaurant.

• Planet Smoothie (bottom level)
• Bruegger's Bagels (bottom level)
• D'Amico & Sons (bottom level)

Favorite Spot: Salad Slayer

Pick-up a fresh, vibrant salad from Salad Slayer. They use local greens from sustainable urban farms to create a diverse selection of healthy options that suit all tastes and dietary needs. Choose from pre-composed menu of salads. like the Thai Stick: crispy chicken, mango, red pepper, carrot, cucumber, scallion, napa cabbage, spinach, roasted cashew, sesame seeds, and sesame ginger dressing or "toss" your own. You can even make it a wrap or a grain bowl.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by SALAD SLAYER (@saladslayermn)

Location: City Center/50 South Sixth

Enter the 50 South Six building at 651 Nicollet Ave. In City Center, there is seating along the upper skyway level and in each restaurant. Just blocks away from Target Center, these are good options for a quick bite before a game or event.

• The Salad Bar (seating)
• Cardigan Donuts
• Leeann Chin
• Los Ocampos Express

Favorite Spots: The Brothers Deli

A little bit of the Big Apple in Minneapolis, this New York-style deli has been serving up Reubens on rye, slow-roasted brisket sandwiches, and matzo ball soup along with a dizzying array of other sandwiches, salads, burgers, wraps, and more on South Sixth Street for nearly two decades.

Naf Naf Grill

Naf Naf serves flavors true to Middle Eastern cuisine. You can build your own bowl, stuffed pita, or salad with many fillings, like falafel, steak, purple cabbage, basmati rice, couscous, and more. Plus, add as many sauces as you'd like.

Naf Naf and Brothers Deli both have ample seating inside.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Naf Naf Grill (@nafnafgrill)

Location: Rand Tower/Canadian Pacific Plaza

Enter the Rand Tower or Canadian Pacific Plaza from the double doors on South 6th Street. Take the escalator to the skyway level and find these restaurants below with seating.

Favorite Spot: D. Brian's

D. Brian’s breakfasts and lunches are made with nutritious and natural ingredients. They have convenient breakfast options, like breakfast sandwiches and breakfast bowls (which are served all day), but also lunch staples like salads, tasty sandwiches, and even taco bowls.

Location: LaSalle Plaza/811 LaSalle

Enter LaSalle Plaza through the revolving doors on La Salle Avenue and find the escalator to the left to get to skyway level. 811 LaSalle can be accessed through the skyway connections. Check out these restaurants (all with seating), which are close to Hennepin Avenue and the Theatre District.

• Green & The Grain
• Gray Fox Coffee
• Andrea Pizza
• Northern Lights Tea Company

Favorite Spot: Bep Eatery

Vietnamese street food reduced to its freshest, tastiest essentials: pho, vermicelli noodle salads, spring rolls, and banh mi sandwiches with a host of customizable additions—swap garlic-orange tofu for lemongrass steak or ginger pork, then load up on fresh herbs, zingy pineapple, and sliced jalapeños, and a tight assortment of delicious sauces to make each meal your own. In a rush? Order online from the Lasalle Plaza location to pick up and dash.

Other Locations : Fifth Street Towers

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bếp Eatery (@bepeatery)

Medical Arts Building (825 Nicollet)

On South 9th Street, find the revolving doors labeled "Medical Arts Building." Alternatively, you can head into Hell's Kitchen and take the elevator up to the skyway level to find Come Pho Soup.

• Hell's Kitchen (street level)
• Zelo (street level)

Favorite Spot: Come Pho Soup

Looking for something warm, cozy, and hearty? Come Pho Soup is your spot. This French Vietnamese fusion restaurant offers a selection of steaming bowls of pho and banh mi sandwiches. Choose from unique bowl options like Breakfast, Vegan, or Seafood, or make your own!

Location: IDS Center

Enter on South 8th Street (by the FedEx store) or on Marquette Avenue. Get to the skyway from the escalator or nearby elevators. You'll find most of these restaurants on the skyway level and ample seating on the bottom level in Crystal Court.

• People's Organic Café (bottom level)
• Roti Mediterranean (bottom level)

Favorite Spot: Cardigan Donuts

Craving a sweet pick-me-up? Cardigan Donuts has got to go on your list. Their old fashioned donut is one of the best in Minneapolis, and they're always baking new and inventive donut flavors. Most of these specialty flavors (like a blueberry and lemon old fashioned or a red velvet donut) are only available for short amounts of time, so keep an eye on their Instagram page to stay in the know.

Location: Capella Tower

Step through the glass façade of Capella Tower on the corner of South 6th Street and 2nd Avenue South to grab a slice of pizza or a coffee. Each restaurant option below has seating.

Favorite Spot: Mother Dough Bakery

Find coffee, baked goods, sandwiches and wine all at Mother Dough Bakery. Chef Fhima's 130-year-old starter dough from his great, great grandmother makes up the base of their breads, and this bakery is guaranteed to transport you to Paris. Stop in for your morning coffee and sweet treat, enjoy a savory sandwich for lunch here, or come for happy hour and sip a glass of wine.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mother Dough Bakery (@motherdoughmpls)

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Key West Southernmost Food Tour – Eat Like a Local

My favourite way to explore a new place is through their food; I truly believe it’s the best and most authentic way to get to know a place and understand the local culture.

So on my recent visit to Key West , I decided to let a seasoned local Key West food expert take me on a culinary journey through the United States’ most southern point.

I scheduled a Southernmost Food Tasting & Cultural Walking Tour with Key West Food Tours . Key West Food tours also offers the Seafood Lover’s Tour (which I am totally booking during my next visit) and the Cocktail Crawl for those looking to drink their way through the island instead.

The 3-hour tour has two different start time options to fit your schedule: you can book the 11 am tour or the 3:30 pm tour. Not wanting to put off trying the delicious offerings of Key West any longer, I booked the 11 am tour and was greeted promptly then at the meeting point by our guide.

The meeting point for the food tour will also be your first food stop for the day and there is (FREE) parking available which is super awesome for Key West where parking is pretty much unheard of. Our guide also provided us with an itinerary of the day so we knew where we were headed next and what dishes we’d be trying at each location.

There are 5 different tastings on the tour, so come hungry! I’ll admit, I didn’t really know what to expect before booking this because let’s face it, I like to eat. A lot. And though the description says 5 tastings I wasn’t sure what the portion sizes were going to be, so I packed some snacks in my bag just in case. Needless to say, I didn’t need them. The portion sizes at each stop were generous and I left the tour three hours later with a tummy full of delicious foods.

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes – this is a freaking walking tour. Though you’re not going very far, only about 1.5 miles total, Key West is hot and humid and the last thing you want to be doing is strolling around in that heat in uncomfortable footwear. Wear comfy shoes and protect yourself with some sunscreen. These tours also run rain or shine, so keep that in mind if it’s looking like it might start coming down!

Alright, I think that covers all the crucial “need to know” info before you book. Now let’s get into the good stuff – the food!

As I said, the first stop is where you’ll meet the group at the beginning of your tour. El Siboney is a delicious Cuban restaurant that is the perfect place to start off your food tour. Here you’ll eat family-style from a delicious plate of pork, rice, and beans. You’ll finish off with a quick boost of energy from some traditional Cuban coffee which is 50% espresso and 50% cane sugar. Yep, you’ll definitely be feeling energetic after that.

Our next stop was a local favourite that was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. Bad Boy Burrito serves up some of the best burritos and tacos in Key West. What’s really awesome about this spot is its commitment to fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients. The dishes are constantly changing because they’re always based on the catch of the day.

Some might say that our next stop was where the fun began: The Rum Bar on Duval Street. If you haven’t heard of Duval Street in Key West you’re going to need to click off this page really quick and do yourself the favour of Googling it.

It’s alright, I’ll wait.

See what I mean? This is where the real fun began.

The Rum Bar is tucked away in a porch wall as it was a secret symbol during the prohibition era and one of the only spots to find your favourite spirits. The Rum punch is delicious but don’t let it distract you from the rich history that this place still keeps alive today.

Our next stop was Blue Heaven Bar & Restaurant where we got to indulge in the famous Key Lime pie! This hidden gem is hard if you don’t know where to find it, with the entrance just off the main street, but once you’re in you are transported away from the hustle and bustle and into a beautiful shaded area with live music. And of course, delicious Key Lime pie.

Next, we stopped at Mangoes for some delicious conch fritters. Conch fritters are another traditional Key West delicacy but have a very particular cooking method to them. If done incorrectly they won’t taste as good and for first-timers, it might turn you off from them forever. Mangoes did conch fritters perfectly and I highly recommend checking them out, especially if it’s your first time trying them!

We ended our tour off on a high note at Key West Distilling where we were able to sample a handful of different local brewed Key West rums after a quick tour of the distillery to teach us how these spirits are brought to life.

Overall, I had an incredible time with Key West Food Tours. Not only did I get to taste delicious, local cuisine, but I learned so much about the culture and history of Key West. This food tour covered everything you’d expect from a food tour and so much more. For the amount of food and cultural insight that you get, with minimal effort (hello, you only have to walk 1.5 miles!) the price point is incredible and I think this is one of the best ways to experience Key West and everything that the foodie scene has to offer!

For more information on Southernmost Food Tour, visit their website  here .

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The 14 Best Restaurants Near the Louvre in Paris in 2024

Sean Finelli Last Updated: October 29, 2023

Looking for a great place to eat after your visit to the Louvre? We’ve run thousands of Louvre tours and we know they leave you famished. Our local foodie, Erica, has put together this list of the best restaurants and places to eat near the Louvre in Paris. There’s everything from French, Israeli, and French-American cuisine to restaurants on the Seine and even a supermarket!

Pro Tip: Bookmark this post in your browser so you can easily find it when you get hungry near the Louvre. Also, check out our guide to Paris for more planning resources, our top Louvre tours for a memorable trip, and what food you have to try in Paris .

Unique Places To Eat Near the Louvre

It will come as no surprise that the Louvre is one of Paris’ most visited attractions. There are a few things to keep in mind when eating near the Louvre. Always call ahead or make a reservation to avoid disappointment. Also, many restaurants are closed one to two days per week near the Louvre.

There are some cool restaurants in the area but they can also be expensive. If you’re looking for something cheap to eat, you should check out Franprix. Prefer a sit-down meal without the hefty price tag? Check out Ripaille. Both are listed below. Here are our top picks for the best places to eat near the Louvre.

Not ready to book a tour? See if a Louvre tour is worth it .

Maison Maison

€€ | French | Outdoor Seating on the Seine | Family Friendly

If you’re looking for a place to relax and have a cold beer or glass of wine with a great view, this is the place. It’s all about the outdoor seating. The structure is basically a well-decorated shipping container but it’s still cool inside.

They even have an app that allows you to order from your table and sends you a message when your drink is ready at the bar. For anyone who doesn’t speak French well, this app ensures you get exactly what you want without the stress.

Maison Maison is perfect for quick bites to eat or afternoons lounging with a drink. The restaurant portion is only open on weekends. The bar, however, is always a perfect pit stop with its doors opening right onto the banks of the Seine. They have really cool small dishes and tons of outdoor seating.

Address: 16 Quai du Louvre

La Regalade Saint-Honoré

€€€ | French | Upscale

Make a reservation at a place like Le Regalade and you’ll be in for a treat. You’ll be sitting wall to wall with other people, feasting on duck hearts with oyster mushrooms or hachis parmentier , shepherd’s pie made with rabbit instead of ground beef. And then, you too will be in foodie heaven.

Address: 106 Rue Saint-Honoré

Our Best Versailles and Paris Louvre Tours

Top-Rated Tour

Secrets of the Louvre Museum Tour with Mona Lisa

The Louvre is the largest art museum on Earth and the crowning jewel of Paris, which is why it’s on everyone’s bucket list. Don’t miss out on an incredible opportunity! Join a passionate guide for a tour of the most famous artwork at the Louvre. Skip-the-line admissions included.

Likely to Sell Out

Skip-the-Line Palace of Versailles and Gardens Tour from Paris

Versailles isn’t that difficult to get to by train, but why stress over the logistics? Meet a local guide in central Paris who will purchase your train tickets and ensure you get off at the right stop. Then enjoy a guided tour of the palace and the unforgettable gardens. Skip-the-line admissions included to the palace and gardens.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if Paris tours are worth it .

Balagan Paris

€€€ | Israeli Contemporary | Chic

This is a super charming restaurant serving fresh ingredients and seasonal dishes. It can get a bit loud, but there’s never a dull moment inside. We recommend starting with deconstructed kebabs or the spicy tuna tartare with fennel, cilantro, capers, and pistachios.

Next, tuck into the seabream black pasta. For a fun dessert, try the deconstructed snickers bar. Afterwards, head to the bar downstairs for a couple of cocktails and music!

Address: 9 Rue d’Alger

Le Grand Vefour

€€€€ | French Upscale | Of Historic Importance

Napoleon and Josephine used to eat here. That’s how far back this restaurant goes. And the magnificent decor confirms that. You’ll feel like Napoleon and Josephine (as long as you make a reservation) or Victor Hugo or Collette (who ate here regularly, too) as you approach your table.

Some never stop talking about the fresh fish, others will go on and on about the cheese selection while others still will be telling their grandkids about the desserts. The experience of eating at Le Grand Vefour is seemingly everlasting—like eating a great meal in an Oscar-winning movie.

Address: 17 Rue de Beaujolais 

Le Louvre Ripaille

€€ | French Bar and Restaurant | Outdoor Seating | Family Friendly

This is a very typical little Parisian-style restaurant very close to the Louvre. They serve heavy French dishes as well as lighter appetizers. It’s very good and also the best value for a sit-down restaurant in the area. If you don’t want to break the bank sitting at Palais Royal then this is a great option for a good meal.

Address:  1 Rue Perrault

Restaurant Du Palais Royal

€€€€ | Michelin Star | Outdoor Seating

Looking for a fancy meal in an upscale French setting that makes you feel like royalty?  The tasting menu paired with wine is a popular favorite, along with the amuse-bouche and the octopus. Indeed, you’ll come away with a lighter wallet, but you’ll gain one more beautiful experience in Paris.

Address: 110 Galerie de Valois

Les Foodies

€€€ | Super Chic | Great Value

If you’re willing to walk 10 minutes (or get a 5-minute uber), it’s worth eating at Les Foodies. This fusion restaurant demonstrates the creativity you just saw in the Louvre, blending eastern cultures, while still keeping it French.

The prices are beyond reasonable. You’ll pay around €21for the lunch menu (entrée, plat, and dessert). It’s not overpriced or snobby—just really, really good food. 

The menu fluctuates based on fresh ingredients, but you’ll enjoy delights such as the smoked salmon croissant sandwich, crab ravioli, or dried tomato gazpacho. None of these encounters will disappoint you. This is culinary art at its finest and the ultimate pairing to the Louvre.

Address: 6-8 Square Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie

€€ | French-American | Local Favorite

Ellsworth is a go-to for French twists on American classic cuisine. Make a reservation before going for either lunch or dinner because this restaurant is almost always packed with a line out the door. Definitely start with the white asparagus and raw cream with truffles to segue into the amazing homemade fried chicken.

Address: 34 Rue de Richelieu

Our Best Guided Tours of Paris

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Privileged Access Eiffel Tower Night Tour With Seine River Cruise

Sometimes the most amazing moments happen by chance. Other times, they are orchestrated by professionals. Our Eiffel Tower tour takes you on a cruise down the Seine River for incredible views of Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower. Champagne included, of course. Then you’ll be guided to the Eiffel Tower, skip the long lines, and head up the elevator to the second floor for a night to remember.

Top Selling

Ultimate Taste of Paris Food Tour in Le Marais

Embark on a culinary journey in Le Marais—one of the hippest neighborhoods in Paris. Most food tours in Paris offer cheese and wine, but we include a full, sit-down meal! Enjoy a feast of French cheeses, oysters, street food, boeuf bourguignon, crème brûlée, and more. This 3-hour food tour combines the best of Paris’ culinary heritage and you won’t find a better deal out there!

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our  best Paris tours to take and why .

€ | Supermarket | Take Away

Whether you’re on a tight budget (the French just call it “on a budget”), want to grab a quick snack and dart back to look at the Mona Lisa again, or you want to do what many French people do during lunchtime, a visit to Franprix might just be your thing. There’s one about two minutes from the Louvre.

Pick up carrot rappee (sliced carrots in vinegar), a President cheese (a round of cheese), a package of mini saucisson sec (dry salami), and even a small bottle of chilled wine or beer. There’s no shame in spending under €5 to eat lunch, almost every local does it.

Address: 2 Rue de Marengo

Le Vin de Bellechasse

€€ | French  Bistro | Family Friendly

Just on the other river bank sits Le Vin de Bellechasse, a classic French bistro serving up delicious plates by lovely staff. We recommend going for lunch as they do a €19 lunch meal that includes the entrée of the day or the dessert of the day plus the plate of the day and a glass of wine or coffee. Regardless, the fries are a must. Our favorite is the cod, which comes with vegetable purée and mashed potatoes. Get the cheesecake for dessert.

Address:  20 Rue de Bellechasse

Iovine’s

€€ | Pizza  | Eat In or Takeout | Family Friendly

Lovine’s is the best pizza joint in Paris, serving a wide variety of classics and specialized big pizza pies. If you’re in a rush, they also deliver and allow takeout. Why not grab a pizza and bring it down to the TuileriesGarden just in front of the Louvre for a picnic?

Address: 7B Rue du Colonel Driant

€€€€ | Upscale Café | Connected to Louvre | Outdoor Seating

This restaurant has one great advantage over all the other restaurants in Paris for your particular situation—it’s located in the Louvre. If you’re anywhere near the Glass Pyramid and you see seats, you’re probably looking directly at Café Marly.  

Let’s say food-wise you’re just looking for something to get you by or, let’s face it, you just can’t walk anymore. If so, Café Marly may be your place. A simple croque monsieur or Madame (same thing but with an egg on it) with a glass of wine will do. Or perhaps, an Irish Coffee.

The view is incredible. You’ll see many people snapping pictures while you sit peacefully with your food and drink, resting your tired legs. While you won’t write home about what you ate, you will be hard-pressed to forget what you saw. There’s no restaurant in Paris with quite this view.

Address: 93 Rue de Rivoli  

Popular Paris Tours

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Paris Catacombs Tour with Secret Rooms & Privileged Access

The Paris Catacombs are unlike most attractions you can visit since it’s an underground burial ground with 6 million skeletons adorning the walls. Learn the deep history here with our English-speaking guide for an experience of a lifetime. Skip-the-line admissions and access to exclusive areas that the public can’t access make this the best tour of the Paris Catacombs.

The Louvre is the largest art museum on Earth and the crown jewel of Paris. You could spend days here, but instead, join a passionate, English-speaking guide for a tour of the most famous artworks. View the Mona Lisa , the Coronation of Napoleon , Winged Victory of Samothrace , and so much more.

€€€ | Japanese

The Louvre happens to neighbour Little Tokyo. If you’re into Japanese food, you can’t really go wrong on Rue de St. Anne. Sometimes, a steaming soup with noodles is best sipped quietly as you ponder on the great artwork you just saw.

Whether Shoyu or Chasu is your choice adjective, your stomach will thank you for filling it with pork broth (and pork slices). These places don’t take reservations, but that means they have lines—sometimes going around the block.

If you’re going there during lunch or dinner, be there early or plan on waiting 10-15 minutes. But being so close to the Louvre, you have the advantage of getting there before anyone else.

Address: 31 Rue des Petits Champs  

€ | Breakfast | Café

A favorite among locals in Paris, this espresso shop is right behind the Louvre in Little Tokyo. If you love great coffee, the black joy they serve here is one of the best (on Earth, not just in Paris).

They also have cookies, gateaux, and all that. For some people, that’s all they’re looking for to refuel for the Louvre. And for that group, you could not be in a better place for great coffee.

Address: 5 Rue Villédo

Where To Stay in Paris

With a city as magnificent as Paris, it can be hard to find the perfect hotel at the perfect price. Explore the best hotels and places to stay in these incredible neighborhoods in Paris.

About Sean Finelli

Sean is a co-founder and owner of The Tour Guy and its subsidiary The Roman Guy. He studied finance and statistics, but that is his "Dr. Jekyll" side! His "Mr. Hyde" is in love with travel, art, history, and culture. Sean has read libraries of historical text and believes that all internet content should come from books. A practice he follows!

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A Quick Tour of the 5 Most Expensive Restaurants in NYC (New York City)

Fancy dining: the 5 most expensive restaurants in nyc..

New York, the Big Apple, is one of the world’s most amazing cities, that much is clear. Apart from its unique landmarks and rich history, the city is also home to some of the fanciest restaurants on the planet, all of which offer unique approaches to international and local cuisine.

That being said, the most expensive restaurants in NYC are often part of international chains owned by the world’s elite. These establishments were designed with the utmost quality and luxury in mind, as its patrons expect irreproachable service and only the finest meals.

While it’s true that it’s often quite difficult to get a table at any of these expensive restaurants, food prices are not always that out of reach. It all depends on what you order, but there are certain dishes that would be considered out of this world when it comes to price. We’ve previously covered the world’s most expensive meals , and some of them can be enjoyed at the following restaurants.

Without further ado, let’s have a look at the five most expensive restaurants in NYC!

5. Eleven Madison Park.

Eleven Madison Park is a unique restaurant that represents the embodiment of high-end New York cuisine. As one of the city’s most reputable and expensive restaurants, it benefits from a prestigious location overlooking Madison Square Park – one of Manhattan’s most beautiful parks. The restaurant’s address is 11 Madison Avenue, East 24th Street, and it operates within the superb Art Deco Metropolitan Life North Building.

The building, also known as Eleven Madison, boasts 30 stories, and it sits on the site of Richard Upjohn’s original Madison Square Presbyterian Church. It was designed in the 1920s by Harvey Wiley Corbett and Dan Everett Waid. Even though it was originally meant to have 100 stories and become the world’s tallest building, construction of the North Building was halted at level 29, mainly as a consequence of the 1929 Stock Market Crash, and the Great Depression.

The dining experience.

Back to Eleven Madison Park, the restaurant originally opened its doors in 1998 courtesy of restaurateur Danny Meyer. Chef Daniel Humm and Will Guidara started working there in 2006, and in 2011, they purchased the business from its original owner. Eleven Madison Park was closed for renovation in 2017 in order to upgrade its kitchen. The kitchen was in dire need of renovation, as it hadn’t been updated in nearly 20 years.

These days, Eleven Madison Park offers an eight to ten-course menu in the main dining room. However, visitors can also spend some time at the bar and savor a lighter menu, some snacks, or delicious beverages. The primary multi-course menu is ever-changing, but it always draws inspiration from the culinary history of New York.

Pricing can reach $225 for a prix-fixe dinner, but the good news is that you will always be able to customize the dining experience according to your own preferences.

4. The Old Homestead Steakhouse.

The Old Homestead Steakhouse took roots in 1868, which makes it the older and most prestigious steakhouse in the United States. However, the chain’s flagship restaurant is located in Manhattan, and it so happens to be one of the most expensive restaurants in NYC. The steakhouse was originally called the Tidewater Trading Post, which was established by a German family in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District on West 14th and 9th Avenue. The restaurant was eventually purchased by one of its former dishwashers, Harry Sherry, in the 1940s. Harry passed down the business to his family, and the Old Homestead Steakhouse is now under the management of his grandsons, Greg, and Marc Sherry.

The cow symbol.

The Old Homestead Steakhouse has a fitting symbol, namely a cow, but there’s an interesting story behind this signature. Apparently, a certain Texan enjoyed a very delicious meal there in the mid 20th century, and at the end of the meal, he promised Harry Sherry that he would send him a cow as thanks. Indeed, two weeks later, a cow was delivered to Harry’s doorstep, but it wasn’t a live animal but a cow statue. Since then, the steakhouse adopted the cow as its signature symbol.

In order to keep up with the times, the steakhouse has made some risky yet rewarding leaps of faith. In the 1990s, for instance, this was the first establishment in the United States to introduce Japan-sourced Wagyu beef into its menu. However, in order to make this happen, the owners had to work with Japanese farmers and help them bring their facilities up to the American health code.

While the Old Homestead Steakhouse has received quite a bit of praise over the years, one particular article in the New York Times stands out. It was written in 1994 by Ruth Reichl, who stated that “for sheer quantity, nothing can beat the Homestead.” Ruth tried out the porterhouse for two and described it as thicker than the Manhattan phone book and twice as heavy. That being said, it’s worth mentioning that a meal at this prestigious steakhouse could set you back $350 per person.

3. Per Se Restaurant.

Per Se is indeed one of the most expensive and highly appreciated restaurants in NYC, but let’s find out exactly what makes it so special. At a glance, Per Se’s success is linked to its unique blend of American and French elements, both in terms of interior design and culinary design. Per Se is owned by chef Thomas Keller, who works closely with Corey Chow as Chef de Cuisine. The restaurant opened its doors in 2004, and it can be found on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Center at 10 Columbus Circle in Manhattan, New York.

The establishment was sketched out by designer Adam Tihany, who drew some inspiration from The French Laundry – another one of Keller’s high-end restaurants. He also inserted elements sourced from his and Keller’s past, and the result is definitely something to write home about. Regarding those awards that we mentioned before, Per Se received three Michelin stars as part of the 2006 inaugural Michelin Guide to New York City. The most impressive part is that the restaurant has managed to retain all three stars ever since.

When it comes to food, Zagat gave Per Se a rating of 4.6/5 and placed it at No.1 in their list of 50 restaurants of New York City. However, in recent years, the restaurant has been the target of some criticism, mainly because the food has become overdressed. It all depends on your personal preference in the end, and if you ask us, Per Se is still one of New York’s top restaurants, and one of the fanciest restaurants in the world. As such, when it comes to pricing, you should expect to pay around $350 for a prix fixe dining experience.

2. Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare.

The Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare is perhaps one of the most exclusive restaurants in New York, as it only includes 18 seats. This means that reservations can sometimes take up to two months, but the wait is highly rewarded with one of the best dining experiences in the world. There’s something about watching our food being made before our eyes that’s incredibly appealing. Chef César Ramírez is very well aware of this, which is why he designed his entire restaurant around this concept. 

The original Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare was located at 200 Schermerhorn Street (at Hoyt Street) in Downtown Brooklyn, New York City. It was the first restaurant in New York City outside of Manhattan to receive three Michelin Stars. In December 2016, however, the restaurant was relocated to 431 West 37th Street in Hell’s Kitchen.

What about the food?

Brooklyn Fare is a seafood-centric restaurant, but it also offers some more traditional courses. The food is generally inspired by Japanese dishes, and there are 24 courses in total, including canapés, cheeses, soups, and desserts. In general, the restaurant uses about 900 serving pieces each night, and Ramirez introduces the courses himself by listing the ingredients. After the food is done and served, he watches his guests eat. Ramirez actively discourages attendees from taking notes or using cell phones while inside the restaurant. This makes sense in a way, as such distractions could potentially dilute the entire experience.

The Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare promises a unique, delightful, and delicious experience for those who are lucky enough to catch a seat. However, with prices ranging from $306 to $425 per person, this is definitely one of the priciest NYC restaurants out there.

1. Masa Restaurant NYC.

The undisputed, most expensive and fancy restaurant in NYC is Masa by Masa Takayama. Chef Takayama opened the restaurant in 2004, and over time, it has become a beacon for high-end dining in one of the world’s most amazing cities. Masa is located on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Center at 10 Columbus Circle (at West 60th Street and Broadway) in Manhattan in New York City, and it offers just 26 seats. Reservations are taken three weeks in advance, and all guests get to eat whatever the chef chooses for them.

Not having a say in what you eat might sound a bit strange at first, but there’s certainly some appeal in surrendering when it comes to dining. After all, you get to feel more like a guest in someone else’s house, and given the guarantee that the food will be delicious either way, the experience is always a pleasing one. These Omakase, chef-selected meals cost $595 per person before tax and drinks, which makes this the priciest restaurant in the city.

Takayama’s story.

Masa Takayama was born and raised in Japan, and shortly after he finished high school, he started work at Tokyo’s Sushiko in Ginza. He moved to Los Angeles in 1980, and he opened his own Ginza Sushiko, which quickly became one of the city’s most expensive restaurants at $105 per person. He spent 20 years at this particular restaurant, but he eventually decided to sell it to his sous-chef and move to New York.

Masa Takayama found even greater success in the Big Apple, as he now boasts a net worth of about $10 million.

Masa’s sushi bar was created using a very expensive $260,000 piece of rare hinoki wood, which adds a great amount of authenticity. Actually, Masa is one of two restaurants in North America to have a hinoki wood sushi bar. Takayama prepares each meal himself with great attention to detail, sometimes using seasonal or exotic ingredients such as Kobe beef or truffles.

In 2009, Masa received the highest possible star rating as part of Michelin’s Guide, and it also received three out of four stars from The New York Times, as well as five out of five in the Forbes Travel Guide.

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Bang For Your Buck: 15 Best Quick Service Restaurants for the Disney Dining Plan

One of the best parts of planning a Disney World vacation is deciding where to eat; after all, there are so many options! However, when you’re on the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan, planning meals becomes trickier. You’ll want to make sure you’re getting the most value out of a quick service meal, and you also need to consider the quality of the food and whether there’s a menu option for everyone in your party. The Disney Dining Plan can save you a lot of money and stress; you’ll have more fun ordering food without agonizing over menu prices, and you may even get to enjoy some pricier entrees that you wouldn’t have considered before. However, it’s also important to do some research before you go. Luckily, there are many great places to eat on the Quick Service Dining Plan where you can get the most value for your credits, and eat meals that everyone will enjoy!

15- ABC Commissary: Hollywood Studios

ABC Commissary, like the rest of Hollywood Studios, is currently going through a few transformations- for instance, in June of 2019, ABC Commissary started serving dinner, and there have also been a few menu changes since then. Despite the modifications, however, ABC Commissary is still a solid place to eat if you’re spending the day in Hollywood Studios. The BBQ Rib Platter is a yummy option, with the Land and Sea Platter a close second. I’ve always liked the sides and desserts offered here as well, such as the S’more Cookie.

14- Landscape of Flavors: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

This food court may be located in a value resort, but the Art of Animation is beautiful and colorful, and Landscape of Flavors offers amazing variety and quality menu options; it’s almost worth going out of your way for (if you don’t happen to be staying here). Plus, it’s a fun place for kids and a refreshing place for picky eaters. For breakfast, I love the Challah French Toast, and for dinner, the Chicken Pomodoro Pasta is my top choice. You can choose entrees from different stations such as the Burger Shop, Pizza and Pasta, and World of Flavors.

13- Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café: Magic Kingdom

It’s hard to pick a Magic Kingdom quick-service restaurant that boasts great value and quality, but I love Pecos Bill and I think it’s worth a few quick service credits. The Fixin’s Bar alone is worth it- you can add salsas, pico de gallo, peppers, limes, onions, corn, and sour cream onto almost every entrée. The various Nachos, Rice Bowls, and the Fajita Platter are some of the best menu items here. I’d even be so bold as to say that you could purchase some Tortilla Chips with a snack credit, and turn that into a meal by loading it with toppings!

12- Katsura Grill: Epcot

Located in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot, this is not only a good quick service dining option; it’s actually a really serene and beautiful place to eat. I love eating here while overlooking the koi pond and footbridges, and just enjoying the ambiance of the pavilion (bonus points if the Taiko Drum show is going on in the distance). My picks here are the Shrimp and Chicken Teriyaki, or the Tokyo Sushi Combo. For a hot day, it feels lovely to end your meal with some Green Tea Ice Cream, and if you’re feeling the Japanese spirit, you can treat yourself to Plum Wine or Sake.

11- El Mercado de Coronado Food Court: Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

If you’re going to choose a resort to eat at, and have some quick service credits to burn, then Coronado Springs would be the best option. Formerly called Pepper Market, El Mercado de Coronado still has the same fresh, colorful, open-air quality and atmosphere of its predecessor. There are a lot of options for breakfast, but I like coming here for lunch and/or dinner. At lunch, you can get burgers such as the Texas Bacon Burger with garlic parmesan fries, plus pizzas, sandwiches, and salads. Dinner has a few extra menu items, such as the Yucatan Roasted Chicken and the BBQ Ribs. This isn’t a typical Disney resort food court meal, and I love it.

10- Tangierine Café: Epcot

This is a tasty, unique restaurant located in the Morocco Pavilion at Epcot, and it’s one that I’ve always deemed too expensive when paying out of pocket. When you’re on the Dining Plan, however, it’s a very good use of a quick service credit. The platters and wraps come in fairly big portion sizes, and the flavors vary greatly from your traditional theme park food. To get the most bang for your buck, order the Shawarma Chicken and Lamb Platter or the Mediterranean Sliders Combo.

9- Yak and Yeti Local Foods Café: Animal Kingdom

Located in the Asia section of Animal Kingdom, this counter-service portion of the Yak & Yeti Restaurant serves a bunch of unique meals and makes a great option for using some quick service credits. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner has a fairly large outdoor seating area and offers various types of Asian cuisine such as Pork Egg Rolls, Teriyaki Beef Bowls, and my favorite, Honey Sesame Chicken. To get the most out of the Quick Service Dining Plan, you’ll want to look at ordering the slightly pricier American Kobe Beef Hot Dog and the American Kobe Beef Cheeseburger.

8- La Cantina de San Angel: Epcot

You really can’t go wrong with the quick service dining options at Epcot, and thankfully, they’re all worth a quick service meal credit or two (okay, well, maybe not the Electric Umbrella, but anywhere else). In my opinion, the food here is actually better quality than the food at San Angel Inn, which is the table service restaurant located inside the Mayan pyramid. Though La Cantina de San Angel is located outside, it’s right on the World Showcase Lagoon, and you can order plenty of tacos, nachos, and ensaladas that will leave you completely satisfied. Aside from the entrees, you can get churros with caramel sauce (using a snack credit), traditional Mexican sodas, and prime alcoholic beverages like the Blood Orange Margarita on the Rocks.

7- Woody’s Lunch Box: Hollywood Studios

This may be my new favorite place to eat at Hollywood Studios, and this is coming from someone who loves the atmosphere of the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant. Yes, Woody’s Lunchbox may be problematic in the daytime, but I love the scenery at night. Plus, the food is awesome and totally worth your quick service meal credits. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and offers solid choices like the BBQ Brisket Melt and the “Totchos.” However, the true stars of this place are the desserts- the Ice Cream Float with Root Beer and Vanilla Soft Serve is amazing, and the gourmet pop tarts (called Box Tarts, served with a Chocolate-Hazelnut flavor and a seasonal Lemon-Blueberry flavor) are awesome and adorable for pictures.

6- Blaze Pizza: Disney Springs

The sad truth is, there are not a lot of good pizza places in Disney World. Blaze Pizza in Disney Springs is the exception, and they also take Quick Service Dining Plan credits. You can make your own pizza and choose from a bunch of different toppings, cheeses, and sauces. Plus, the Blood Orange Lemonade is a great beverage to pair with your pie. The pizzas are, in my opinion, large enough to share (but of course, no judgment if you want one all to yourself). There are even to-go boxes available to take a few slices back to your hotel, which can potentially save you future credits in lieu of leftover pizza.

5- Sunshine Seasons: Epcot

I love coming into the Land Pavilion, just because Sunshine Seasons always smells so good. If you have the Quick Service Dining Plan and are spending a full day in Epcot (and you have a lot of people in your group with a lot of different tastes), then the Sunshine Seasons food court is a safe bet. The menu options are fresh, interesting, and of good quality. Plus, it’s got ample seating in the air-conditioning. Breakfast has limited options, so to get good value for your credits, go for lunch or dinner. The Mongolian Beef is a good choice, as is the Slow-Roasted Pork Loin. To top it off, there are always some fun options available for dessert (such as limited-time, Instagram-worthy cupcakes).

4- Satu’li Canteen: Animal Kingdom

If you’re looking for something other than traditional theme park food, you definitely have to visit Satu’li Canteen located in Pandora-The World of Avatar. Not only is it a great quick service option, but I’ve found that the combination bowls with grilled beef and chicken are large enough to share (ergo, saving you credits for later). Basically, if ordering a bowl, you choose a meat, a base, and a sauce, and the regular menu prices range from $12.49 to $13.99 (for combination bowls, you get two types of meat). There are many chances to mix and match food items to appease picky eaters, and other menu options are tasty as well (I’m looking at you, Chili-Garlic Shrimp Bowl).

3- The Polite Pig: Disney Springs

The great thing about this fairly new, modern barbecue quick service dining location is that there are a ton of menu options and drinks, and it’s an awesome non-park locale. Most everything on the menu is worthy of a meal credit, but my top picks would be the Baby Back Ribs, the Cedar Plank Salmon, and the Half Chicken. Each of these comes with a side to go with them, which is a $6 value. You’ll definitely be getting a value here with the Dining Plan, as opposed to paying out of pocket. Aside from the value, the meals here are well-flavored, good quality, and are served quickly.

2- Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Epcot

Epcot’s newest quick-service restaurant has some of the best barbecue on all of Walt Disney property. The restaurant is an exceptionally worthy place to spend some quick service meal credits- especially if you’re open to sharing! American Platter is huge and can easily be shared between two people, saving you a credit to use on another meal later. The BBQ Burger is also a mouth-wateringly good choice. Aside from the food, there is ample indoor seating with decor that celebrates the restaurant’s namesake, Sam Eagle!

1- Be Our Guest Restaurant: Magic Kingdom

While Be Our Guest is strictly table service for dinner, you can still take advantage of the Quick Service Dining Plan here by coming for breakfast or lunch. Just make sure to get a reservation first (easier said than done). However, as elusive as reservations may be, breakfast is a terrific use of quick service meal credits. Entrees (such as the Feast a la Gaston and the Croque Madame) cost around $28 out of pocket, and the entire meal begins with a serving of yummy pastries. Lunch is slightly less expensive, with sandwiches, salads, and soups on offer (the priciest option is the Braised Chicken). Both breakfast and lunch offer numerous beverage options, whether you’re looking for a simple hot chocolate or mimosa, or craving a fancier, on-brand glass of wine. And plus, you just can’t beat the atmosphere of dining in the Beast’s ballroom!

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A Role in the Show will do the training for you!

Saving you valuable time and money compared to other training methods..

Instead of or in addition to attending restaurant training sessions, reading manuals, or watching a video, your staff participate in an interactive course on a computer. The course can be run on many MS~Windows based POS systems. Computer requirements and Frequently Asked Questions A simple type in registers each trainee and allows you to monitor training progress.

You can deliver training just in time- refresher training can be delivered anytime, new hires can be trained the day they start. The flexibility means that trainees do not have to be scheduled away from work for extended periods. You can deliver training just in time- refresher training can be delivered anytime, new hires can be trained the day they start. The flexibility means that trainees do not have to be scheduled away from work for extended periods.

Games, interactive reviews and exercises help to reinforce topics in a fun and interesting way. The course demands interaction, so trainees cannot just passively listen. Interaction helps trainees remember what they learn. Games, interactive reviews and exercises help to reinforce topics in a fun and interesting way. The course demands interaction, so trainees cannot just passively listen. Interaction helps trainees remember what they learn.

The Screen test automatically tests, scores and records training results, saving the time and space associated with paper based records. The results can be reviewed with a manager. Training effectiveness can be assessed, and areas for improvement can be easily identified. Key topics can be reviewed in live training sessions. The Screen test automatically tests, scores and records training results, saving the time and space associated with paper based records. The results can be reviewed with a manager. Training effectiveness can be assessed, and areas for improvement can be easily identified. Key topics can be reviewed in live training sessions.

The course is modular so training can be delivered in bite size chunks.

A trainee does not have to participate in the entire course, and you can assign modules (Acts) that are relevant to different roles. Each Act takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.

• Act 1: This is Show business
• Act 2: Opening night
• Act 3: Setting the stage
• Act 4: Rehearsal
• Act 5: A Great Performance
• What is restaurant show business?
• Famous cast members
• Elements of a successful show
• You play a key role in the show
• Supporting roles
• Why is great service important?
• The benefits of great service
• The Impact of positive word of mouth advertising
• The Impact of negative word of mouth advertising
• Why customers don’t return
• How to deal with an unhappy customer
• What’s in it for you?
• Exercise: 3 ways to positively affect the dining experience
• Extra extra read all about it
• What customers expect
• What impacts customer satisfaction?
• Your performance is key
• Appearance and posture
• Personal hygiene-Hair, Face, Hands
• First impressions- Appearance, Posture, Eye contact, Uniform
• What you need to know about your role
• The place you work
• Products and services
• The roles of people you work with
• Teamwork-Opportunities to work together
• Exercise- Fact sheet for your restaurant
• Service basics
• Table setup
• Handling glassware and tableware
• Ten steps of service
• Greeting and seating- 15 second rule, Offering assistance
• The Food order-Check back rule, Accuracy
• Delivering and clearing food and drinks
• Presenting the bill- How and when
• Processing various forms of payment
• Lasting impressions- Helping hand, Courtesies
• Exercise- Apply the service basics to your restaurant
• Examples of restaurant performance props
• How to use props
• Exercise- examples of props in your restaurant
• What is product knowledge?
• Why is it important?
• Earn more with product knowledge
• Menu product knowledge essentials
• Restaurant product knowledge
• Exercise using product knowledge to sell
• What are descriptive words?
• How can you use them?
• Word game- puzzle
• What is menu guidance?
• Using props and descriptive words to provide guidance
• Exercise- Using product knowledge effectively
• Basic customer expectations
• How to exceed customer expectations
• Your role in the show- performer and sales consultant
• Restaurant showmanship
• Examples of showmanship
• Your restaurant’s main event- the signature dish
• Anticipating guest needs
• Guidelines to follow
• Cue cards- Using observation skills to deliver a great service performance
• Customer cue cards- Examples of Non-verbal messages
• Hints for reading cue cards
• Body language and actions to watch for
• Rehearsal exercises

Everyone wins when you help your wait staff learn how to sell and serve more effectively, earn more tips and exceed your customers’ expectations.

Success starts with proper training, refer & earn.

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The Best Disney Resort Quick Services in 2024 (We’ve Eaten at Them All!)

With so many quick-service restaurants at Disney World, picking the best one is daunting. We’ve eaten at nearly every quick-service restaurant at the Disney Resorts in the last year alone. Unfortunately, some of our former favorites have not been great, while other restaurants have significantly improved their menus. Suffice it to say that things have changed as we venture into 2024.

Things have changed so much that we’ve completely re-ranked the top ten best options for quick-service dining at Disney World’s Resorts. You don’t want to see the scribble scrabble on my notepad that shows how many times I changed the order before it felt right.

Below, we’ll look at our picks for the best Disney Resort quick-service restaurant. I’ll share a few things we’ve tried at each location.

Best Disney Resort Quick-Service Restaurants

Here is our list of the top ten quick-service restaurants at Disney World Resorts ranked.

• Riverside Mill Food Court
• Centertown Market
• Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory
• Roaring Fork
• Gasparilla Island Grill
• Capt. Cook’s
• Contempo Cafe
• The Artist’s Palette
• Primo Piatto

#10 Riverside Mill Food Court

Riverside Mill Food Court does not usually make our list of the best quick services. However, during our stay at Port Orleans Riverside last year, I was impressed with the resort’s quick service and that some items were freshly prepared. For example, when I ordered the shrimp and grits dish pictured below, the chef cooked the shrimp in front of us. He then added grits and fresh toppings. It was delicious.

If you’re visiting the Port Orleans Resorts, Riverside and French Quarter have excellent quick-service restaurants. Since they are within walking distance (or a boat ride), you might preview the menus and dine at whichever most suits you. ( Preview Riverside Mill Menu with Prices )

Related: Riverside Mill Food Court Review

#9 Centertown Market

A few years ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed of adding Centertown Market to this list. But the quick service at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort wowed us this year by adding a greater variety of items to their menu. Now, it’s a place that we want to dine.

I enjoyed the mixed grill platter for lunch one afternoon during our last trip. Warning: I was alone for lunch and had no idea what I was getting into! I guess the word “platter” should have cued me in that it would be a small feast. But at the time, I was focused on ordering something low-carb.

I wasn’t crazy about the chicken because it was a little on the dry side, but the ribs and sausage were excellent. There is a large smoked sausage underneath the ribs that’s difficult to see in the photo below. I didn’t realize it was there until after I took photos. My favorite part of the meal was the roasted vegetables. They were tasty.

If you decide to go this route, ask for extra plates and share it! It’s a great value, especially if you can make two meals out of it for the cost of one. ( Preview Centertown Market Menu with Prices )

Related: Centertown Market Review

#8 Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory

Our next choice for the best quick service is Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory. This restaurant is located at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort . We love this charming, quick service and dine here fairly often. Their roast beef sub sandwich is my go-to menu item, and it comes with a side of Disney’s house-made chips. They are a salt lover’s dream snack.

This location usually has a specialty burger that changes from time to time. A while back, they had an out-of-this-world good beignet burger. As you can imagine, the burger patty was served on a savory beignet! Maybe one day we’ll see it again. ( Preview Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory Menu )

Speaking of beignets, you can pick them up next door to Sassagoula Floatworks at Scat Cat’s Club Cafe. They are served daily from breakfast until they close. Be prepared to wait in line first thing in the morning.

Related: Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory Review

#7 Roaring Fork

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is an excellent place to visit for the vibes alone during your Walt Disney World vacation. While you’re there, you might decide to enjoy a meal. But if you don’t have a reservation, don’t worry. The resort’s quick service, Roaring Fork, will do just fine.

Roaring Fork makes our list of best quick-service restaurants due to location and variety. You can expect the usual, like burgers, sandwiches, and salads. But they also have a few unique items like barbecued brisket and burnt ends or a country-style baked meatloaf. These specialty items are prepared at nearby Whispering Canyon Cafe and offered at the quick service.

We tried the brisket on a recent visit, and it was a huge meal. It comes with potato hash, fiery cole slaw, and cornbread. We substituted the slaw for an extra side and got the mashed potatoes that normally come with the meatloaf. Everything was delicious. This is another item that you’ll probably want to share with someone.

If you’re in the mood for dessert, don’t miss the dessert cases inside Roaring Fork. They. have a few irresistible treats like magic bars and cupcakes. The specialty campfire cupcake is a real treat when it’s available. ( Preview menu with prices for Roaring Fork .)

Related: Roaring Fork Review

#6 Gasparilla Island Grill

Sometimes, you just want a sandwich with a side of the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa . If so, you can take the monorail from Magic Kingdom to the resort and enjoy a meal at Gasparilla Island Grill. On a serious note, Gasparilla Island Grill has stepped up their game in the last year with a new menu. They now offer an excellent selection of sandwiches for lunch and several specialty bowls for dinner.

This last year, we’ve had the Cuban Sandwich and the Gourmet Grilled Cheese. We loved the Cuban. But my grilled cheese was a little more crusty than I’m sure was intended. If the weather is pleasant, you might prefer to dine outside on the patio. This resort’s quick service ranks high for its location. ( Preview the menu for Gasparilla Island Grill )

Related: Gasparilla Island Grill Review

#5 The Mara

The Mara is the quick-service restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge . If you have some time and aren’t already staying at this resort, we think it’s worth a visit. While there, you can explore the Jambo House lobby and the public viewing areas behind the lobby and the pool. You might even enjoy a meal at The Mara. It’s on the lower level of the resort that surrounds the pool area.

We love to break bread at The Mara. They have an excellent indoor and outdoor dining area. Pay attention to all the details during your visit. Even the ceiling inside the quick service is unique.

As far as food goes, you’ll find regular items like flatbreads, burgers, and sandwiches. Additionally, they have African-inspired cuisine like the Chermoula-spiced shrimp bowl and an African vegetable stew. ( Preview the menu with prices for The Mara )

Related: The Mara Review

#4 Capt. Cook’s

Between the atmosphere of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and excellent dining options, Capt. Cook’s has it all! This quick-service restaurant has always been a family favorite. You can take the monorail from Magic Kingdom to the Polynesian to get here.

We love several items, including the Thai Coconut Meatballs with rice and the incredible Superfoods Salad. Both of these are home runs. Another popular item that gets rave reviews is the pulled pork nachos. The popular Tonga Toast is available for breakfast. They also have a nice variety of kids’ meals.

While at the Polynesian, you might explore the grounds, pick up a Dole Whip at Pineapple Lanai, and sit in the lobby underneath the impressive light fixture. You’ll surely know you’re on vacation. ( Preview Capt. Cook’s Menu with Prices )

Related: Capt. Cook’s Review

#3 Contempo Cafe

Contempo Cafe ranks high on our list of best quick-service restaurants. Located on the fourth floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort , you can enjoy a meal while the monorail passes through the hotel. Most people will tell you to dine at Chef Mickey’s, which sits next door, to see the monorail while you’re eating. But we think Contempo Cafe has better food and prices!

This quick service is one of our go-tos. You can walk or monorail from Magic Kingdom to the Contemporary. Then you’ll order food, and a cast member will bring it to the table when it’s ready. Contempo Cafe recently got a brand new menu. So far, we’ve only tried the hot turkey sandwich with chips. It was a nice, freshly prepared sandwich. The Kale Power Greens salad remains on the menu. It’s a hearty salad if you’re looking for something filling that doubles as healthy. ( Preview the Contempo Cafe Menu with Prices )

Related: Contempo Cafe Review

#2 The Artist’s Palette

I wouldn’t be surprised if you hadn’t heard of our number two option for the best quick-service restaurant. The Artist’s Palette is located at Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa . I dined here for the first time a couple of years back and have been returning ever since.

Since Saratoga Springs is within walking distance of Disney Springs, I feel this location often gets overlooked. It’s a shame because I always look forward to dining here. This location has restaurant-quality food at an affordable price. Within the last year, I’ve had the ham and cheese melt, meatballs with polenta, and the roasted half chicken. For the record, the meatballs and chicken dinner are large enough to split. That meatball dish is one of the best counter-service meals ever. ( Preview The Artist’s Palette Menu )

Related: The Artist’s Palette Review

#1 Primo Piatto

Primo Piatto remains in the number-one spot for 2024. This quick service at Disney’s Riviera Resort will be tough to beat. We dine here on average about once a month and have tried almost everything on the menu, including kids’ meals.

Often, I’ll leave Epcot and take the Skyliner to the Riviera for lunch. Not that Epcot doesn’t have good lunch options. But my work takes me to the resorts, and I know I can have a comfortable sit-down meal at Primo Piatto. Usually, I’ll place my order on the Skyliner and pick it up when I get to the resort. This works perfectly if you want to enjoy your meal outside.

However, I have found that I prefer to have my meal brought to the table on a regular plate with real silverware when dining inside. So if that’s the case, I’ll order at the counter when I arrive and find a seat in the dining room. My favorites are the blueberry-lemon pancakes for breakfast, the pepperoni and sausage pizza, and their grilled chicken sandwich with a side salad. ( Preview the Primo Piatto Menu with Prices )

Related: Primo Piatto Review

What Didn’t Make the List?

What locations did we remove? We formerly had El Mercado de Coronado at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort on the list. But during our stay last summer, we noticed they had many items sitting under heat lamps that guests could walk up and select. If I’m paying $15.00 for an order of chicken nuggets with fries, at the very least, I want someone to put it on a plate behind the scenes. Who knows how long that stuff sits there?

We don’t cover much at the theme parks, but we enjoy a few places in the parks. At Magic Kingdom, Columbia Harbour House in Liberty Square has a delicious New England Shrimp Boil.

For Epcot, my go-to is Regal Eagle Barbecue. Hollywood Studios is lacking when it comes to counter-service restaurants. We usually get a Ronto Wrap at Galaxy’s Edge or end up at the Brown Derby Lounge.

Then, I love Satu’li Canteen or Flame Tree Barbecue at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The barbecue-topped macaroni and cheese dish is a tasty treat.

Related: Animal Kingdom Quick Service Restaurants

Final Thoughts

This wraps up our list of the best Disney Resort quick-service locations. I hope you found a few new places to try during your next visit. Remember that menus change occasionally, so the items pictured might not be available on your next visit. But we update this list yearly, so the items and our rankings are fresh.

For other Disney Restaurant Reviews , you might enjoy the following:

• Best Breakfasts at Disney World’s Resorts
• The Entire List of Disney Resort Hotel Restaurants
• The Best Restaurants at Disney Springs
• The Ultimate Guide to Character Dining at Walt Disney World

Resorts Gal specializes in providing Disney World Resort Reviews and other resort-related information. You might also enjoy these planning articles:

• The Best Pools at Disney World
• Hotels Within Walking Distance of the Disney Parks
• The Benefits of Staying at a Disney World Resort
• The Best Deluxe Resort Hotels at Disney World

What Do You Think?

What do you think of our list of the best resort quick services at Disney World? Have you had a chance to try any of these? We would love to hear how our choices stack up against your experiences. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts and opinions.

Hi, I'm Amber the owner of Resorts Gal . We have stayed at every single Disney Resort Hotel. Our philosophy? We believe you can have an incredible time at the resorts without ever setting foot in a theme park. We live near the parks and visit weekly and would love for you to follow along.

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The 15 Best Places That Are Good for a Quick Meal in Las Vegas

1.  Earl of Sandwich

2.  SkinnyFATS

3.  Jinya Ramen Bar

4.  Café Zupas

5.  Panda Express

6.  Secret Pizza

7.  The Bar @ Tropicana & Durango

8.  Luke's Lobster

9.  Taco y Taco Mexican Eatery

10.  Blaze Pizza

11.  In-N-Out Burger

12.  SOHO SushiBurrito

13.  Costco Wholesale

14.  Bronze Cafe

15.  Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

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How to Eat at Noma Before It Closes

Amex and Resy offer the ultimate way to tour and dine at one of the world's best restaurants before it closes.

Courtesy of Noma

Lingering on the cobblestone path that runs along the Noma 2.0 property in Copenhagen, just when the day couldn’t feel more surreal, I find myself trying to ignore that its co-founder, Rene Redzepi is sneaking by in a white towel. The world-renowned chef has taken a dip in the nearby canal in the middle of the afternoon and insists I do the same when I return a few hours later for the dinner that’s come to fruition from my wildest imagination.

When I arrived this morning, at least a dozen members of the Noma team were lined up waiting to welcome guests in their signature sea of navy blue shirts. The greetings were only comfortable for them. By the time we said our goodbyes, I’d be comfortable hugging.

Formality and mystique (and often pretension) come with the territory when you have the privilege of visiting some of the world’s best restaurants — like Noma, which ranked No. 1 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014. A diner's reasonable expectation of hospitality can be soured by an atmosphere of arrogance, even elitism. But when I arrive at Noma with 30 or 40 Amex Platinum cardholders who scored tickets with Resy’s Global Dining Access and initially feel like I'm part of a crowd interrupting a place of work so we may be be accommodated and entertained, there isn’t a trace of obligation in the air. We’re treated like guests invited into a home, and the ambiance is light-hearted and pressure-free.

The Noma team serves our group of strangers their typical family meal rice bowls for breakfast and a special Mexican menu for lunch. They answer all kinds of questions with openness and patience, and they appear to ask still or sparkling at every mere hint of thirst. (I’ll admit that no one ran over to help when I spilled coffee on my friend’s white pants at the end of dinner, but is pretending not to notice my embarrassment even kinder?)

The day is a fantasy for any restaurant lover. Redzepi shares the history of Noma, keeping 20 years of international impact brief and humorous, admitting to the gastrointestinal risk of foraging uncharted land, and describing his vision for the next 20 years. “I want to be in a place where creativity is at the forefront, where we are exploring, where we are the leading, most innovative food operation on earth that is continuously teaching people, our staff, and inspiring them to go on and do more.”

He introduces the leaders on his team who will be hosting us in their areas: Mette Soberg and Junichi Takahashi in the test kitchen, Kevin Jeung and Gaute Berrefjord in the legendary fermentation lab, and Sebastian Lunøe and sommelier Max Manning in the garden for a beverage tasting. The chefs share how they ideate and innovate, their recipe development process, many of their ingredients, and much of their inspiration from Noma’s nine-week Kyoto pop-up, March through May. We taste samples of pine cone salt and garums; pass koji and Danish bamboo shoots, a rare opportunity to see the ingredients up close; ask questions to our hearts’ desires, and capture imagery freely.

Soberg, who has worked at Noma for a decade, describes how menu development has evolved from changing one or two dishes at a time, to dividing the year into three seasons at Noma 2.0 : plants from June to September, wild game and forest finds from October to December, and seafood from January to May. “For us, creatively, that transition was the best thing that could’ve ever happened,” she says. “To just do a clean slate and a completely fresh menu gives us this really, really amazing energy." 

"For example," she continues, "using only seafood in January means that all of a sudden there is a whole new world that’s open to us. It’s not because we weren’t using seafood before, but to make a whole menu where everything is from the ocean, that’s really been a massive shift [and] way to think.”

Manning, a recent addition to the Noma team, describes the format as opening a brand new restaurant three times a year before pouring five or six samples of sake from the producer he worked with in Japan. We learn more about the makeup of sake (water, rice, and koji) beyond the three styles and the process of rice polishing, then take a spin around the dining room and kitchen with CEO Peter Kreiner and head chef Pablo Soto who admits, while showing us the kitchen that’s not only open but open-air, that he “thought it was going to be a windowless life” when he became a chef.

We leave the team with a few hours of space for prep (and perhaps dips in the canal, which is a Noma staff custom) after an energizing day of education, and when we return for dinner, it’s not formal, but it is business. The dining room and kitchen are adjoined open spaces, and you can see and hear the intensity of a team getting 18 courses out to almost as many tables. The dishes draw even more of your attention than the choreography. For the Vegetable Season menu, bright flowers add vibrant color to each plate, fresh foraged berries are full of flavor, and vegetables are picked day-of and cut to perfect uniformity.

“You guys have chosen the absolute best time to come,” Soberg said. “The days are long and there are flowers and birds everywhere; it’s just so inspiring. Now we focus on the plants: There’s plenty of them, they’re so beautiful, you could make 20 vegetable menus because there’s so many ingredients to choose from – flowers, herbs, vegetables, you name it.”

Mushroom sashimi is served with elderflowers and a sauce made from hazelnut milk and fresh elderflower oil. The hot pink flower hip rose can be eaten whole with sweet mirabelle plum and tart raspberry inside. Flowers from the garden and wildflowers are presented as soup with tomato water and magnolia syrup. White currant fruit leather wraps around pumpkin puree and peas, garnished with tiny, delicate white, pink, and blue flowers. A tapioca and millet dumpling is showered with orange petals, also from the garden, and squash blossoms are served in Danish soy milk yuba with beech greens (leaves from the Danish forest tree that are a staple ingredient here) and gooseberries.

“In the spring and summer, flowers erupt everywhere,” says Mirek Anderson, a fellow research and development chef in the test kitchen.

The meal concludes with an encore of desserts, including ice cream wrapped in koji and lined with black currant leather — an homage to Japanese onigiri — and a magnolia flower with caramelized saffron.

“A lot of people have the wrong perception of the ingredients that we work with and that we want to be 100% Scandinavian flavor profile,” Soberg explains in the test kitchen. “That was probably true in the very early days of Noma, but now because of all these travels we’ve become a melting pot of all the different cultures and all the different nationalities that work here and all the experiences that we’ve had at these pop-ups.”

The beverage pairings come from Japan, France, Slovakia, Italy, and Austria, spanning sake, orange wine, and Champagne — all natural , which Manning qualifies as organic, farmed responsibly, spontaneously fermented without filtration or sulfur, and most importantly to Noma, made by good people. The non-alcoholic pairings are possibly even more compelling as they offer an opportunity to taste more innovation from the team, like mushroom kombucha with smoked corn husk and ancho chile.

There is inspiration from Kyoto throughout the courses, nods to Mexico and Sydney (2017 and 2016 pop-up hosts), and plenty of surprises — besides that the meal keeps going. At one point we are eating an entire rose flower and at another we are sampling caterpillar poop at the table, because our group had follow-up questions after the mention of its use in a kombucha. Someone in Japan is researching caterpillars’ poo after the insect eats cherry blossoms, and I am relieved the team isn’t being sent out to forage this in the wild.

I had considered attending the Noma dinner series in New York when the possibility popped up in my Resy app in 2022. I priced out upgrading my Amex, weighed the benefits, believed making it to Copenhagen any time soon was unlikely, but ultimately determined the cost put far too much pressure on the experience and convinced myself to let it go. Then Redzepi announced the dining room’s imminent closing , citing the unsustainability of fine dining restaurants, and I had to accept that I’d never make it. I’d be fine, but I wouldn’t see the fermentation lab that I’ve watched impact culinary education and chefs everywhere. I wouldn’t taste the ingredients that have broadened my horizons through a mere social media platform. I wouldn’t know if it really was the best restaurant in the world or get to take part in that conversation. Honestly, the door shutting on the opportunity to meet the team hadn’t crossed my mind. It was realistic and sufficient that we’d live on either side of Instagram at most.

But the reality of going to Noma before it closes is that you have to meet the team. If I am convinced of anything it’s that the legend is the people. The team has evolved with people from all over the world (Australia, Canada, India, Germany, Mexico, Japan, Spain, the U.S.) contributing 100 perspectives, areas of expertise, inspiration, culture, ideas, and excitement. As the restaurant has reckoned with the challenges of the industry, its culture has shifted, limiting services to five a week to hone better conditions for the team and encouraging self care to keep minds fresh.

We’ve become a melting pot of all the different cultures and all the different nationalities that work here.

As Soberg explained, “Some of the dishes have a million different components.” Some took three months to develop and are too complex to explain at the table. The full-day tour from Amex and Resy offers time for this deeper dive behind the scenes. For me it was a chance to absorb the impact that Noma has had on the food world, and my visit turned into more of a personal introduction than a farewell.

Noma is closing the restaurant as we know it to focus on the things that made the day so enchanting — research, innovation, flavor, experimentation, creativity, environment, impact — and they’ll share that on their terms in different formats going forward, including more pop ups around the world and products that people can use at home in their everyday cooking. To meet the people changing the culinary world in their element while you can still end the day with an elaborate tasting menu, check out Global Dining Access: Exclusive Experience at Noma, Game & Forest Season . Tickets go on sale July 17 for events on October 14 and November 4.

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Ultimate Guide to Experiencing the Finest Food and Bourbon in Louisville, Kentucky

by Mint Julep Experiences | Jun 20, 2023 | Bourbon , Culinary , Louisville | 0 comments

If there was ever an overlooked city for culinary excellence, Louisville, Ky., would be it. Known mostly for horse racing and bourbon, those two key draws for the city have helped the culinary scene emerge into one of the best in the region. As a hub of Southern hospitality, Louisville offers some of the finest high-end culinary experiences in the region, from award-winning restaurants to world-renowned distilleries. 

In this blog post, you’ll get a quick tour and overview of the high-end culinary and bourbon scene in Louisville, the many places and events, and the unique and distinct flavors that make the city a food lover’s paradise. Whether you’re a bourbon aficionado or a culinary connoisseur searching for your next tasty adventure, we’ll showcase the best of what Louisville has to offer, highlighting some of the more exclusive food and bourbon flavors and tasting experiences. 

So, come along on this journey and let’s discover the extraordinary food and bourbon scene that Louisville has to offer. 

Finest Food in Louisville 

Where to begin? One of the best aspects of Louisville’s culinary scene — be it high-end dining or casual spots — is the many choices available. In fact, it can be a little daunting and difficult to decide, especially if you’re only in town for a few days. You’re going to be spending time touring distilleries, sure, but you want to make sure you leave plenty of time to explore the many food options in between.

Once upon a time, a food writer from Esquire said that if there’s only time for one meal while in Louisville, that meal should be enjoyed at Seviche . Indeed, it’s like an old friend, with owner and executive chef Anthony Lamas and his staff consistently delivering not just good meals, but good experiences. It features high-end dining with a focus on Latin-inspired seafood dishes, such as the popular Halibut & Crab Cigar. For dessert, be sure to order The Avocado, made with a chocolate shell, avocado ice cream and a bourbon truffle pit. Truly decadent. You can make a reservation online or by calling 502-473-8560.

For bites and sips with a view, River House is a must. River House is open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. This is chef John Varanese’s 2nd restaurant in Louisville offering a raw bar, and a wide-range menu that features everything from burgers, seafood platters, po’ boys and steak. Their cocktail bar and bourbon list don’t disappoint either: their smoked old-fashioned is a crowd favorite and is an experience in itself. Attached to River House, Levee Bourbon Lounge is an upscale bourbon bar with over 250 whiskies, open on Friday and Saturday nights.  

Barn 8 is a fantastic choice for its uniqueness and setting. It is located on a working horse farm, and yes, as you drive the winding road over the grounds to the restaurant — which is indeed set in a barn — you might just see a few horses along the way. There are tables in the aisleways where farmers used to tend to their animals as well as inside the old horse stalls. And pretty much everything you eat is either grown on-site or sourced from a neighboring farm. It is part fine dining and part a unique Kentucky experience. The menus are seasonal, but the Bison Tartare is a house specialty. Make a reservation online to experience this unique dining venue!

The fine-dining options in Louisville make for an impressive list, and where you choose to dine may depend on your mood. If you’re looking for high-end steak dinner, some of our favorites are Brooklyn & the Butcher , Le Moo, Repeal Oak Fired Steaks , Pat’s Steakhouse , and Jeff Ruby’s.

For Italian and other European fare, look into La Chasse , Volare Ristorante , Bistro Le Relais , Grassa Gramma, ROC or Porcini . American fine dining is easy to find as well, with restaurants like 610 Magnolia , Buck’s Restaurant and Bar , Jack Fry’s , Varanese, Proof on Main and Varanese . And don’t miss out on unique restaurants like Mayan Café, Nami or La Bodegita de Mimi.

Food Events and Festivals 

If you can’t make up your mind about a restaurant, you can always come for one of the many food-centric events that happen regularly in Louisville. The annual Taste of Louisville has been around for nearly 50 years and always has more than 50 local restaurants and chefs presenting samples of their wares. The Louisville Wine & Food Festival brings a similar culinary experience to Waterfront Park. Meanwhile, The Bluegrass VegFest focuses on plant-based cuisines, and the Taste of West Louisville event focuses on restaurants and chefs from the city’s west side . And don’t miss WorldFest , which blends culinary delights with international diversity. That is an event not to be missed.

Best Bourbon in Louisville 

Louisville bills itself as the gateway to bourbon and does so because it’s where bourbon tourism generally begins. Tourists from literally the world over — I once met a couple from South Africa who came here just to taste bourbon — land in Louisville and then branch out from here.

You won’t want to miss historic Whiskey Row , where, back in the days before Prohibition, the buildings along that one-block stretch were home to more than 100 bourbon storage and distillery offices, among other whiskey-centric businesses. These days, it’s an entertainment district that features distillery experiences, restaurants, hotels, shopping and more.

Distillery Tours 

And while Louisville might be a “gateway” to Bourbon Country as a whole, one wouldn’t have to even leave the city limits to have one heck of a distillery experience. In fact, if you find yourself downtown, you can essentially walk to multiple distilleries without burning a tremendous amount of shoe leather. Within just blocks, bourbon lovers can find Angel’s Envy Distillery , Rabbit Hole Distillery , Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery , the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience , Old Forester , Kentucky Peerless, and Copper & Kings . Several well-known brands also have a presence downtown in the form of a storefront/visitor center, like Castle & Key , Buzzard’s Roost and the soon-to-open Bardstown Bourbon Company shop and tasting room. Just south of downtown are the former Stitzel-Weller Distillery , which is filled with history and open for tours, Brough Brothers Distillery and Brown-Forman .

And you won’t have to go far outside Louisville to find even more distilleries to visit. To the east in Shelbyville is Bulleit Distilling Co , while just south is James B. Beam Distillery . And just an hour’s drive east on Interstate 64 will land you at history-drenched Castle & Key Distillery — founded by the famed E.H. Taylor in 1887, it is regarded as the first to envision the concept of a distillery as a gathering place for visitors. With its rolling green spaces and distillery built to mimic a castle, it’s a prime destination when visiting the Louisville area.

Heck, you don’t even have to visit a distillery, per se, to get your bourbon on when you’re in Louisville. Within the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory , you can blend your own bourbon at Barrels & Billets ; the Frazier History Museum has a permanent exhibit and collection that tells the story of bourbon; the Barrel on Main art attraction is designed to welcome tourists to Bourbon Country; and the nearby Bourbon Country Visitor Center  will help visitors get where they need to go.

Mint Julep Experiences also offers multiple bourbon tours for groups of all sizes to navigate through the distilleries of Louisville and beyond.

Bourbon Bars 

It’s no surprise that the gateway to Bourbon Country would have its share of bourbon bars to quench the thirsts of bourbon lovers both local and visiting. One of the first many visitors want to experience is The Silver Dollar . Set in a former firehouse, its neon sign crows “Whiskey by the Drink” to passersby, and it has a shelf filled with hundreds, from bourbon to Scotch to Japanese whisky.

On Whiskey Row, adjacent to the restaurant Doc Crow’s , you’ll find a hideaway called Doc’s Bourbon Room that features a huge selection of high-end whiskies, along with bourbon education and more. Also downtown, inside the famed Galt House Hotel is what is probably the city’s first bourbon bar, Jockey Silks Bourbon Bar , which opened in 1972.

In addition, Louisville is home to some locations where you can sit and have a flight or a cocktail and then buy bottles at retail to take home. Check out Frankfort Avenue Liquors & Wine , Neat Bourbon Bar and Bottle Shop , and Taste Fine Wines and Bourbon if you plan to double-dip — they literally save you a stop at the liquor store.

Bourbon Events and Festivals 

One might say Louisville is one big bourbon festival, but there are several dedicated festivals that take place throughout the year that bring a lot of bourbon into one space. One of the better-known festivals is Bourbon & Beyond , which combines live music with bourbon attractions and education. It’s a full-on bourbon extravaganza that is attended by thousands each year. Another is the Bourbon Classic , which also has a culinary element, with area chefs pairing their dishes with bourbon cocktails. And every spring during the lead-up to the Kentucky Derby, there’s Bourbonville , a festival hosted by the Kentucky Derby Festival that features tastings and cocktails in a social atmosphere. Additionally, the annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival takes place just down the road in Bardstown, Ky., and brings people from all over the U.S. to Louisville as a home base. 

But a word of advice if you plan to attend any of these festivals: Get your tickets in advance, because in bourbon-crazy states like Kentucky, they sell out quickly.

Food and Bourbon Pairings 

As previously noted, even though Louisville is known for bourbon, it also has made a name for itself in the culinary arena. Naturally, this leads to local chefs fusing the two together. Often. Let’s face it, bourbon is packed with nuance and a multitude of flavor notes, and it varies from whiskey to whiskey.

It makes sense, then, that finding the right food to go with the right bourbon is a noble and fascinating pursuit. For example, bourbon is aged in charred barrels, meaning that it will pair well with smokey and spicy foods like barbecue. It also pairs well with fatty foods like meats like ham as well as cheeses, like aged cheddar or gouda. For dessert, bourbon pairs well with chocolate cake or some other chocolate-forward dish.

Similarly, local entrepreneurs are wont to infuse other food products with bourbon. One local business, Eat Your Bourbon , aka Bourbon Barrel Foods, ages fermented soy sauce in bourbon barrels. They also have many offerings of barrel-aged products from salts and sugars to salad dressing and much more. 

Breweries age big beers like imperial stouts in used bourbon barrels. Spices and coffee get the bourbon treatment, and even some hot sauces do as well. And, well, that Kentucky is famous for its bourbon balls — chocolate-covered with a sugary center dripping with bourbon and a pecan on top — is not an accident.

The concept of food meeting bourbon is a frequent one at Louisville-area restaurants, usually in the form of special dinners, which often feature a distiller teaming up with the chef to lead diners through various pairings. One of the newer concepts is a combination bourbon bar and dinner club in the Norton Commons neighborhood called Watch Hill Proper , which offers monthly dinners featuring bourbon expert Fred Minnick leading the tastings.

Swizzle Dinner + Drinks offers such dinners frequently, while the original bourbon-themed restaurant, Bourbons Bistro , has a menu packed with dishes that go well with bourbon, from steaks and chops to bourbon bread pudding for dessert. North of Bourbon , meanwhile, is part bourbon bar, part restaurant, while Steak & Bourbon  speaks for itself. Other bourbon-centric restaurants include Down One Bourbon Bar , Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen , Levee Bourbon Lounge, and plenty more.

VIP Food + Bourbon Tasting Experiences in Louisville 

If you’re looking for a focused experience that puts bourbon and food together, an excellent event that takes place on select Thursdays throughout the year is Mint Julep Experiences’ After-Hours Culinary Adventure with Jefferson’s Reserve & Rabbit Hole. The evening includes a tour of Rabbit Hole Distillery and a two-course bourbon-paired dinner at Rabbit Hole, followed by a trip to Kentucky Artisan Distillery for another tour. There’s also the Boozy Brunch & Bourbon Adventure , which includes a family-style brunch at the Omni Louisville Hotel and is followed by visits to two distilleries.

The Progressive Dinner Series is another Louisville favorite. It’s essentially a three-course dinner on the go — with stops at Varanese for an appetizer paired with a cocktail, an entree paired with a cocktail at Copper & Kings , and finally a dessert paired with a cocktail at Exchange Pub . 

And there you have it. If you visit Louisville, you aren’t going to leave hungry, and there’s a very good chance you’ll have more than your share of bourbon (and likely, a trunk full of bottles to take home). From some of the finest hotels to the finest restaurants and bourbon experiences, the city has plenty to offer, be it for a couple, a family or a group. It’s the Gateway to Bourbon Country, for sure, but as noted previously, once you find yourself in Louisville, you won’t really have to go much farther. Fine dining, upscale bars, distilleries, museums and exclusive experiences await.

When it’s time to plan your next getaway, Louisville’s the place. Plan to stay more than just a couple of days, because there’s a lot more than bourbon to be found. Need help planning? Mint Julep Experiences is here to help.

About the Author

Kevin Gibson has been a professional writer for more than three decades, having written about restaurants, beer, bourbon, sports, nightlife, music and plenty more. He is author of “This Used to Be Louisville,” “Louisville Beer” and six other published books. In addition, he has won numerous awards from The Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists and other organizations, but he can’t remember where he put most of them. When he’s not busy writing books or stories about Louisville, he’s likely hanging out at a brewery with his dog, Atticus.

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Our Ranking of the Top Quick Service Restaurants in Each Walt Disney World Theme Park

Walt Disney World’s quick-service restaurants offer a convenient and budget-friendly dining option for visitors on the go. From smoky barbecue flavors to international cuisine, the top quick-service restaurants in each theme park deliver quality food at an affordable price point, ensuring that visitors can savor the tastes of Disney while continuing their day at the Most Magical Place on Earth. We’ve rounded up the top quick-service restaurants in each theme park to make your dining decisions a breeze.

Related: Tips For Making the Most of Disney Dining Plans in 2024

Animal Kingdom: Flame Tree Barbecue

Flame Tree Barbecue is a must-visit for anyone craving mouthwatering smoked meats and classic American sides. This outdoor eatery offers stunning views of Discovery Island and serves up generous portions of Barbecue favorites such as ribs, chicken, and pulled pork. Don’t forget to try their famous baked beans and coleslaw for the perfect meal!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo

Step into the world of Star Wars at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, where you can enjoy galactic-inspired dishes in a setting straight out of a galaxy far, far away. The menu features unique offerings like the Batuuan Beef and Crispy Topato Stir-fry and the Fried Endorian Chicken Tip-Yip. With its immersive atmosphere and flavorful food, it’s no wonder this spot is a hit among park-goers.

EPCOT: La Cantina de San Angel

For a taste of Mexico while strolling around the World Showcase, head to La Cantina de San Angel. This lakeside eatery offers quick and tasty options like tacos, nachos, and empanadas, all with a beautiful view of the World Showcase Lagoon. Don’t miss out on their refreshing margaritas to cool down on a hot Florida day!

Related: Paddlefish Rooftop Beer Dinner Coming to Disney Springs

Magic Kingdom: Casey’s Corner

Located at the end of Main Street, U.S.A., Casey’s Corner is the go-to spot for classic American ballpark fare. This nostalgic eatery serves up hot dogs with various toppings, crinkle-cut fries, and corn dog nuggets. Grab a seat outside for a great view of Cinderella Castle and enjoy the lively atmosphere of Magic Kingdom.

Each of these quick service restaurants offers something unique, so be sure to check them out during your next visit to Walt Disney World. Happy dining!

Ready to book your next magical vacation, but don’t know where to start? Want to enjoy a Walt Disney World vacation without the stress of planning, booking, and tracking trip changes and promotions? Contact me today ! As an agent with Destinations To Travel specializing in Disney destinations, I can help you stress less and enjoy your vacation more! The best part? My services are provided at NO ADDITIONAL COST when you book your Disney vacation package through me!

Let our friends at Destinations to Travel help you book your next Disney Vacation. They are the preferred Travel Agency of Chip and Company and Disney Addicts, and who we use ourselves.

Get started Now for your FREE No Obligation Quote.

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The Best (and Worst) Quick Service Restaurants at Walt Disney World Resorts — According to You

Eating at Walt Disney World can be an overwhelming prospect. With literally hundreds of options in the Parks, Resorts, and Disney Springs — where do you eat?

That’s why we have  AllEars Reader Reviews! Readers like you leave reviews of their meals and experiences to help you make the best Disney World dining decisions for your trip.

We recently took a look at the Reader Reviews for all of the Quick Service restaurants located at Disney Resorts and assembled this list of the best — and the worst!

These restaurants are important and often undervalued — this is where a lot of folks grab breakfast before a day in the Parks or enjoy a leisurely meal during a poolside Resort day.

Here are the Best and Worst Disney World Resort Quick Service Restaurants — According to You!

The best quick service restaurants at disney resorts:, roaring fork , disney’s wilderness lodge – 8.83.

Located inside a Magic Kingdom-area Deluxe Resort, Roaring Fork offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You’ll find classic “fast food” fare, such as burgers, flatbread pizzas, and chicken strips — but you’ll also find some unique and tasty options like chicken and waffles, bratwurst on a pretzel roll, and a fresh veggie and hummus wrap. There’s also a big serve yourself bakery case, where you’ll find specialty cupcakes, breakfast pastries, and other baked treats!

Our Readers Say:

“The Roaring Fork exceeds my expectations each time I pay a visit. …  Definitely check this cute quick service joint out!”

“We ordered and got our food quickly, and there was plenty of seating inside and out. Lots of good quick service options here.”

“one of the best resort counter service meals”

Roaring Fork

Gasparilla island grill , grand floridian resort & spa – 8.64.

Gasparilla Island is Grand Floridian’s Quick Service restaurant and features a variety of stations: a coffee and pastry bar, a hot food station, and a salad and sandwich station. Popular items include CYO salads, a chicken and brie sandwich, and an Artisan burger.

Our readers say:

“The best part about this little gem is the view of Cinderella’s castle from your table. You don’t have to pay the big bucks to have a nice, relaxing view.”

“This was so good we ate hear three times in two weeks despite staying over at Caribbean Beach Resort and not at the Grand Floridian.”

“Definitely worth the trip if you are staying at or near Grand Floridian if you need a QS meal that is of a higher caliber. We enjoyed the calm, quiet setting after being at Magic Kingdom all morning. Certainly will be back in the future!”

Gasparilla Island Grill

Riverside mill food court , port orleans — riverside — 8.17*.

*Average of lunch/dinner and breakfast reviews

Mosey on over to Port Orleans — Riverside to find this food court! Several different bays make up this location: bakery and desserts, grill, pizza, and a hot bar. Among classic fast food entrees such as pizza and burgers, you’ll also find some unique items that fit the Port Orleans theme — like a pimento cheese BLT or a cajun chicken sandwich.

“I really liked the diversity here. You can put together a healthy meal – or not!”

“Loved being there, can’t wait to go back!”

Riverside Mill Lunch/Dinner

Contempo cafe , contemporary resort – 8.11.

Located on the main concourse of the Contemporary, you can watch the monorail drive by above you as you enjoy a great meal! Dig into comfort classics such as roasted chicken, grilled cheeses with tomato soup, and barbecue chicken pizza. Plus grab something sweet from their splendid bakery case!

“One word: CUPCAKES!!”

“. The food was good, portions decent, and they had a nicely varied menu for a quick service. Loved seeing the monorail passing overhead as we ate. The servers were friendly and helpful.”

“The food here is so good for a quick service, the menu keeps changing and everything we have tried is yummy and the portions are large.”

Contempo Cafe

The mara , animal kingdom lodge – 8.03.

This wild menu is a perfect blend of the familiar and the exotic! Feast on ribs, burgers, oak-fired chicken, and African stew — and don’t forget the iconic Zebra Dome Dessert! In fact, you’ll find several delicious desserts exclusive to Animal Kingdom Lodge in their bakery case.

“Great food, and really helpful cast members”

“There’s something for everybody whether you want standard food, or something a little bit more adventurous. and then there are the Zebra Domes!!”

“I cannot say enough great things about this quick service restaurant. The food was so good, the service was amazing and they had fantastic desserts and drinks.”

Mara - Jambo House

Capt. cook’s , polynesian village resort – 8.03.

Enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner with an Island flair! Favorite dishes include Pulled Pork Nachos, Thai Coconut Meatballs, and Tonga Toast. You can also enjoy classics such a flatbread pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches.

“This quick service restaurant is an often over looked gem! The food is fresh and delicious. The menu is a nice mix of comfort food with variety for everyone.”

“Great food, exclusive dishes, good variety offered”

“Nice outdoor seating when the weather is right.”

Captain Cook's

The worst quick service restaurants at disney resorts:, good’s to go , old key west – 6.

This outdoor walk-up counter has a limited menu of sandwiches, salads, and burgers.

“. Its not the most perfect quick service for sure but the resort is so beautiful it makes up for it :)”

“…not much choice but as a quick grab something to eat it’s ok.”

“light lunch items were fresh made and tasty, was too hot to eat there so we took it back to the room.”

Goods to Go

Hurricane hanna’s , yacht & beach club – 6.17.

Hurricane Hanna’s is a poolside walkup counter service, as well as a full service bar at Yach and Beach Club’s Stormalong Bay. For food, they offer items such as coconut shrimp, burgers, and salads.

“The food was average, but convenient when you are spending a day at the pool.”

“Always have to stop here for a drink or two while we are here, but the food is decent too and won’t break the bank account.”

“…. It just isn’t what it used to be and it’s sad. “

Hurricane Hanna's Grill

El mercado de coronado, coronado springs – 6.62.

This food court features a variety of stations including a grill, pizza and pasta, and sandwiches. Choose from classics, plus a few more unusual items like chicken and waffles, turkey burgers, and rice bowls. There’s also a large grab ‘n’ go section.

“Good selection, but very slow service cooking the food”

“I do miss the steak that used to be an option here, but still a great value for a QS credit.”

“We like El Mercado for the variety that they offer.”

El Mercado de Coronado

What are your favorite — or least favorite — Quick Service Restaurants at the Disney World Resorts? Let us know in the comments — and make sure to leave reviews so others can benefit from your experience!

Get more from the Disney Resorts at the links below!

• These Eight Walt Disney World Resort Meals are So Good, You’ll Want to Leave the Parks
• Childless Millennial Going to Disney? These are the Resorts for You!
• There’s So Much to Do at This Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, You Don’t Even Need to Visit the Parks
• The Eight Best Snacks Exclusive to Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
• Transportation Problems at Walt Disney World Resorts that You Aren’t Thinking About

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Molly McCormack

Molly is a lifelong Disney enthusiast, and former Walt Disney World Guest Relations Cast Member and tour guide. Her Walt Disney World favorites include Festival of the Lion King, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Fantasmic!, Mickey-shaped pretzels and rice krispie treats, and anything with Buzz Lightyear! She lives in Orlando with her husband (who she met in Guest Relations) and their two rescue dogs, Kronk and Cruella de Vil (Ella for short!)

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