California Grill
Where can you find absolutely delicious gluten free* food and drink with a scenic view of Magic Kingdom? In addition to amazing food at Disney’s California Grill, made to order for your allergies, you get a panoramic view of Magic Kingdom and a chance to view nighttime shows. Located at the top of the Contemporary Resort, California Grill is a long time favorite for gluten free dining for us.
December 2020 Visit to California Grill
We checked into the desk located on the second level and walked straight on to the elevator, then the attendant pushed the buttons that sent us up to the restaurant/lounge. After getting off of the elevator, seating was immediate. Social distancing was beyond the recommended 6 feet.
When we made the reservation, we submitted allergies on the reservation form so our server already knew to ask about allergies. He brought an allergy friendly menu and a beverage menu. A regular menu was available with a QR code. Our server was knowledgeable and attentive to our allergies. Please know you can always request to speak to the chef and we usually do if we are not familiar with the restaurant.
Cocktails!
California Grill is famous for their luxurious Signature Cocktail, but it may not fit into everyone’s budget. For tonight, our server recommended the Blackberry Sour as “not too sweet, but something different” option. It did not disappoint, the lemonade was not overly sweet and the blackberries were plump and juicy and the alcohol taste was pleasantly disguised.
Apps and Entree
Appetizer choices on the allergy friendly menu were slim. On previous visit, we had the Heirloom Apple Salad from the regular menu at California Grill. We asked the server if it could be adapted to be gluten free and xanthan gum free. Since the main culprit is the doughnut on top, it was easy to alter. Let’s just contemplate for a moment why there is a doughnut on a salad, but they promise it’s delicious? Regardless of missing the doughnut, the star of this salad was the goat cheese.
Update: The current menu is prix fixe
This is where we might lose you, unless you are a sushi lover. We have as of yet, at California Grill, to order an entree as our main course. The sushi is just too good not to eat as a meal. Yes, it is that good that we will pass up all the other tempting entrees on the menu for this sushi! We have not found better sushi out there…anywhere!
Be prepared for the freshest fish and gigantic rolls! Just two rolls (per person) and we were overly satisfied. California Grill stocks gluten free soy sauce for gluten free diners.
Tonight’s choice was a tuna roll and salmon roll, no sauces, just plain. Absolutely, the best sushi, as always!
Tip: Save your receipt to show at the check-in desk, so you can return to watch the fireworks show from Magic Kingdom – they pipe in the music. You can also watch fireworks from the observation deck on the 4th level where the Contemporary and Bay Lake Towers walkway is located.
*Please consult your medical professional for allergy information and guidance.
Il Mulino – Swan
Il Mulino in Swan Hotel offers another great gluten free* Disney Italian dining experience. Often a great option because it can be easier to get a last minute reservation than an in-park restaurant. It doesn’t diminish their quality or standards! This is fine dining with personal attention, which is always important when dining out with any sort of allergies or intolerances.
While the chef did not come out and speak to us, the server was very knowledgeable and conscientious in communicating our needs to the chef.
Our server suggested starting with Gamberi con Fagioli, sautéed jumbo shrimp over cannellini beans and pancetta – as described on the menu. We’re big fans of the mussels at Maggianos with cannellini beans and chicken broth base,so we were very excited to try this shrimp appetizer. The shrimp were huge and tender, definitely not over cooked and the pancetta added savory yumminess! We love the smooth texture of cannellini beans, but if you’re not a fan they have other shrimp appetizers that you could ask to be modified to be gluten free.
For our main course, we ordered “Risotto ai Frutti di Mare”, seafood risotto. This is one of our favorite seafood dishes to eat out, as it often can be made or already is gluten free. Be sure to always ask even if it states gluten free on the menu so staff is aware of any food restrictions.
This risotto was full of mussels, calamari and bay scallops. The shrimp seemed to be lacking, but they were still tasty. We love our risotto creamy and smooth, unfortunately, this one just quite didn’t meet expectations. It was definitely good, but we felt it was missing the creaminess you’d expect from risotto dishes.
We will definitely go back and explore more gluten free options on the menu at Il Mulino!
*Please consult your medical professional for allergy information and guidance.
Nomad Lounge – Animal Kingdom
A favorite place to grab some gluten free* refreshments and relax is Nomad Lounge, located next to Tiffin’s in Animal Kingdom. Lounge chair seating and a view of the bridge to Pandora and waterway provide a chill atmosphere, while staff was happy to accommodate our allergies.
Nomad’s menu includes an allergy friendly small plates section, which is where we found Togarashi-spiced Tuna Nomad Bowl. For our allergies(gluten and xanthan gum), they substituted edamame for kimchi and left the sauce off. The spice covered tuna was cooked to perfection and served atop rice, crimini mushrooms, and edamame. It has to be said that you should probably like spicy food, because this was to me a 7.5/10 on spice scale. Granted, my family will tell you I’m on the wimpy side of tolerating spice. Paired with the made-to-order Hendricks Martin, there was some relief to the heat!
We loved watching the character boats go by and people watching on the bridge. With the tropical foliage and flowers, it was a beautiful spot to take a break. Next time you’re in Animal Kingdom give Nomad Lounge a try for a gluten free rest stop!
*Please consult your medical professional for allergy information and guidance.
The Boathouse at Disney Springs
If you are looking for gluten free* seafood in the Disney area, don’t miss The Boathouse in Disney Springs! With waterfront dining, amphicar tours, extensive seafood choices and great staff, you will not only get an outstanding dining experience but you will feel confident eating at The Boathouse with food allergies. Staff was attentive to allergies and accommodating with entrees.
Before ordering, we alerted our server to our allergies. In this case, the server noted our allergies and immediately asked the manager to come speak to us. He noted our allergies, and said he would speak to the chef after we ordered to double check they could make the entree to meet our needs. The manager came back after we ordered and confirmed our order would be made specially to accommodate our allergies.
We started with a simple Hendricks martini. I made sure to order plain olives and the server even asked the bartender to check the olives and juice as sometimes they can have xanthan gum. All clear! It was fabulous! I order my martini with juice or “brine” on the side so I can adjust the dirty factor.
If you like or love, as we do, oysters, then they are a must at The Boathouse in Disney Springs. Their selection is extensive and always fresh. They even have their own oyster, Lucky Dux. The oysters are served with house made cucumber mignonette which is refreshing. We want to try and make that at home someday!
Whenever I get the chance to get Grouper, I take it. The Boathouse Grouper was tender and juicy. The daily special was served with potatoes, tender kale, cherry tomatoes and topped with a mango salsa. Very yummy and worth the price. We also ordered a side of asparagus, which was perfectly cooked and we will definitely order again.
Be sure to make a reservation for The Boathouse next time you are in Disney Springs! Enjoy!
*Please consult your medical professional for allergy information and guidance.
The Edison – Disney Springs
Looking for a great burger and great service with unwavering attention to allergies* and food intolerance? The Edison in Disney Springs has a long list of cocktails and casual comfort food to satisfy the gluten free diner and more. With their signature drinks and candied bacon, this experience is not to be missed!
While sweet drinks are not my favorite, our server convinced me to try Strawberry Fields Forever from the Signature Cocktails Menu. Made with vodka, St. Germain liqueur, honey, lime, strawberries, mint and lemonade. It was refreshing, but still a little too sweet. The Edison Cocktail menu even includes cocktails that can be made as a punch bowl for a larger party! Definitely want to try that one with friends someday!
We ordered The Edison burger without a bun or onions to keep gluten free*. Our server suggested candied bacon on the burger, so we didn’t have to order a whole appetizer to try the candied bacon! It is the best and a must try at The Edison!! We had to order without special sauce because our server couldn’t verify that there was no gluten or xanthan gum. While we’re always appreciative of being cautious, this is where things started to decline… I asked for mayo instead. No mayo. Then it’s an early December evening and it’s quite chilly. No propane for heaters. This didn’t deter our server at all! She gave us a cocktail on the house: The Edison, a Signature Cocktail, with bourbon, pear brandy, lemon juice and honey cordial which was much more to the liking of my dry side. She also discounted the final bill because of the chilly atmosphere and lack of choices for allergy needs.
Despite some limits, we found The Edison to be a great gluten free experience with friendly service and a fantastic burger!
*Please consult your medical professional for allergy information and guidance.
Tony’s Town Square
Magic Kingdom seems to be one of the trickiest parks to find quality, easy access, gluten free* dining. Usually bringing your own snacks and then trekking out of the park to find a decent meal is the best option. A recent discovery, Tony’s Town Square Restaurant is a gluten free and delicious dining choice inside Magic Kingdom! Plus, who doesn’t love the Lady and The Tramp theming?
Tony’s Town Square often gets a bad rap for less than desirable quality of their food, but turns out, not only were they attentive to allergies, dinner was delicious and the view can’t be beat!
Tony’s might be passed by if judged only by their menu. Their allergy menu is not exactly a gluten free diner’s smorgasbord, but Tony’s is more than happy to provide and adapt a gluten free (and xanthan gum free) satisfying and tasty dinner within MK.
Watching everyone enter and leave the park on the porch for sit down service is one of the best parts of dining at Tony’s. On a chilly December evening, this restaurant provides a view to watch all the happenings on Main St. including the holiday cavalcades.
Tip: I brought an extra oversized sweater to use as a blanket.
First Up, Drinks!
Tony’s is one of the sit down restaurants in MK that now serves alcoholic beverages. While they don’t serve liquor, there are ample choices of Italian wines and a few beer options. One specialty drink option is a wine cocktail, Tony’s version of a bellini. Nino Franco ‘Rustico’ Prosecco, Veneto was a great choice. Dry, not too sweet, this is available by the glass, quartino, and bottle.
Menu Options
The gluten free menu options at Tony’s make ordering simple, but with additional or severe allergies speaking to a chef is recommended. It will add confidence that your meal will be safe and enjoyable. Disney Chefs are normally more than happy to come out and discuss allergies. In my experience speaking to the chef, he asked, “If there was anything on the menu that you would like?” Pasta and seafood, duh!!
For an appetizer, the caprese salad with the balsamic vinegar in place of the balsamic glaze made a great start to the meal. For all the gluten free friends, the glaze is gluten free, but not xanthan gum free, so I was grateful for the substitution. Tomatoes in December, even in a produce capital like Florida, can taste bland. Tony’s version of Caprese composed of both slicing tomatoes and grape tomatoes. The grape tomatoes were flavorful. Overall, it was a delight to have a refreshing appetizer in the middle of December.
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant makes the impossible possible with seafood pasta gluten free! Tony’s chef adapted Scampi Pasta – gluten free pasta, shrimp, mussels, and spinach in a lemony, garlic sauce – to meet our needs.
While Tony’s Town Square Restaurant does not compare to some of the higher end establishments, they deliver value with atmosphere! Bella Notte!
*Please consult your medical professional for allergy information and guidance.
Tutto Italia
Finding good, I mean good, gluten free pasta at Disney is not as easy as you might think! But Tutto Italia in Epcot delivers every time! Tutto is one of our go to restaurants for gluten free* and allergy sensitive* dining.
When making a reservation on My Disney Experience, be sure to check off any allergies on the form so when you walk in the restaurant they already know your allergies.
We’ve been there many times, so they know us when they see our allergies!
One of the great things we like about Tutto’s allergy menu is it’s ever changing, so there’s always something new to try. In addition, their wine menu is so extensive, the choices are literally never ending. We find every time we’ve been to Tutto, the staff, usually the manager, visits our table to offer wine suggestions and confirm any allergies.
Tonight, we started with Prosecco and Carpaccio di Manzo (Beef Carpaccio). The Carpaccio was topped with a large shaving of parmesan and a pile of fresh arugula. It was absolutely delicious! Then, for our main course, they brought out a made-to-order Fettuccine Chicken with a super cheesy blush sauce. It appeared to be a simple dish, but the savory cheese sauce was addictive!
If you have the chance, dine out on the patio and enjoy the scenery of Italy Pavilion.
*Please consult your medical professional for allergy restrictions and guidance.
