The Best Disney Boardwalk Restaurants List, Reviews and What to Skip

The Best Disney Boardwalk Restaurants List, Reviews and What to Skip

The Best Restaurants on the Disney Boardwalk are often somewhat elusive. This still fairly secret part of Walt Disney World has loads of resorts, shops, and more. But what about the food? Is it worth the walk through the International Gateway from Epcot to go investigate the dining options on Boardwalk? Short answer. YES! Whether they’re in the resorts, on right on the boardwalk itself, here are the restaurants you can find on the Disney Boardwalk. We’re breaking them down into our favorites, and ones you can skip. 

Disney Boardwalk Restaurants

The Disney Boardwalk combines an old-school Atlantic City turn of the century boardwalk charm with all things nostalgic. There’s an ice cream shop an Italian place with a pizza window, and even a bakeshop to help you feel like you’re on vacation at the seaside. Here’s the lineup of Disney Boardwalk Food to look forward to on your next visit. 

Trattoria al Forno on Disney Boardwalk

Trattoria al Forno

Perfect for breakfast or dinner, Trattoria al Forno serves cuisine with an Italian twist. This is one of the best restaurants on the Disney BoardWalk. Check out the Trattoria al Forno Menu

  • Where: Disney Boardwalk
  • Views: Vintage Italian, BoardWalk
  • Theme: Italian
  • Character Dining: Optional: The Bon Voyage Breakfast is character-themed in one part of the restaurant but regular dining is available all day.
  • Food: Italian multi-course meals with antipasti, entrees, and desserts. 
  • Table Service: Reservations Recommended
  • Style: A La Carte
  • Cost: $15- $35

We Recommend it Because:

Amazing high-quality food, delicious at budget prices. What’s not to love? The breakfast menu comes with unique egg dishes, calzones, and parfaits. And you can expect regular Italian fare and wood fired pizzas for other meals. This is one of our favorite breakfast spots on the Boardwalk for a nice sit-down place to eat, and if you’re looking for something a little elegant for dinner, Trattoria al Forno works for that too. Check out the best coffee for Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno too!

Belle Vue Lounge Boardwalk Inn at Walt Disney World Boardwalk

Belle Vue Lounge at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn

With both alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, the Belle Vue Lounge is a vintage space featuring old books, chess, and games, and even an old time radio that plays throughout the day. Serving drinks from 4:00 PM- 12:00 AM, you can browse drink options on the Belle Vue Lounge Menu. 

We Recommend it Because: Belle Vue Lounge is one of the hidden gems on Disney’s BoardWalk. Just inside the Boardwalk Inn, on the second floor, you can grab classic drinks and cocktails here among the backdrop of swing music from the good old days. 

Disney Boardwalk Ice Cream on the Boardwalk

Boardwalk Ice Cream

This ice cream shop serves ice cream cones, sundaes, and milkshakes in fun flavors and offers outdoor seating overlooking the BoardWalk. With classic ice cream flavors, and delicious treats mixed with brownies, and syrups there is plenty to choose from here. 

  • Where: Disney Boardwalk
  • Views: BoardWalk
  • Theme: Vintage
  • Character Dining: No.
  • Food: Ice Cream, Milkshakes, and Sundaes
  • Quick Service
  • Style: A La Carte
  • Cost: $5-$15

We Recommend it Because:  You get great views while being able to dig into a treat that can easily be sharable. Browse the BoardWalk Ice Cream Menu before you go, so you can plan your favorites. 

Carousel Coffee at Disney's Boardwalk Inn

Carousel Coffee at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn

This little coffee shop can be found just inside the Boardwalk Inn Hotel. Whether you’re staying here, or just need a coffee, this place offers a variety of latte options, juices, teas, sandwiches, wraps, pastries and more. 

  • Where: Disney Boardwalk Inn
  • Views: Disney Boardwalk Inn Lobby
  • Theme: Vintage
  • Character Dining: No
  • Food: Disney Coffee Shop
  • Quick Service
  • Style: A La Carte
  • Cost: $5-$15

We Recommend it Because: Just inside Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, it’s the only place you can get crafted coffee on the boardwalk. Inspired by the Mary Poppins history of carousels, this small counter, located just off the lobby, includes a seating area, and grab and go food case for easy food options. 

hidden mickey at disney world

AbracadaBar Lounge and Bar

Located next door to Trattoria al Forno, this bar features a theme of magic. Courtesy of the magicians of old who used to frequent this bar, you can find glowing elixirs and illusions galore. AbracadaBar is open from 4:00 pm to 12:00 am and offers magic at the ready. Peruse the AbracadaBar Lounge Menu for a look at drinks and bar basics, like pizza, fries, and charcuterie. 

  • Where: Disney Boardwalk
  • Views: Magician’s tricks lining the walls, Disney Boardwalk
  • Theme: Vintage
  • Character Dining: No
  • Food: Disney Lounge and Bar
  • Quick Service
  • Style: A La Carte
  • Cost: $15- $35

We Recommend it Because: AbracadaBar offers a unique experience whether you’re up for drinks or a small plate of something to snack, the decor here is worth noticing. With hidden Magic Tricks in the wallpaper, and cool decorations in the glass cases that line the walls, there is plenty to see here while you sip your next drink.

Ale and Compass lounge Disney's Yacht Club

Ale and Compass Restaurant and Lounge

By far one of our favorite restaurants on the Boardwalk, the Ale and Compass Restaurant and Lounge can be found inside the Yacht Club Resort. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Ale and Compass offers a classy and elegant atmosphere, at a budget price. By far some of the best food we had, you can also grab To Go Meals here, and Mobile Order too. 

  • Where: Disney Boardwalk
  • Views: Yacht Club
  • Theme: Vintage
  • Character Dining: No
  • Food: American
  • Table Service: Reservations Recommended
  • Style: A La Carte
  • Cost: $15- $35

We Recommend it Because: Ale and Compass serves a breakfast buffet, flatbreads, salads, meats, and more. We most like the chocolate waffles at breakfast and the flatbreads at dinner. Of course the buffalo cauliflower and and pasta at dinner are wonderful choices too! Check out the Ale and Compass Menu

Flying fish Restaurant at Disney Boardwalk

Flying Fish 

If you’re looking for elevated seafood, then the Flying Fish on the Disney BoardWalk should be on your Disney Restaurant list. Offering a wide variety of seafood, this place also offers a a kids menu, vegetarian options and an elegant atmosphere. While the prices here are a bit steep, for many this is considered some of the best seafood, outside of Disney Springs. 

  • Where: Disney Boardwalk
  • Views: Boardwalk
  • Theme: Seafood
  • Character Dining: No
  • Food: American
  • Table Service: Reservations Recommended
  • Style: A La Carte
  • Cost: $35-$65

We Recommend it Because: The elegant atmosphere and the non-seafood options. An excellent date night, the location of Flying Fish, gets you close to evening entertainment on the Boardwalk. This seafood restaurant also offers up steak and contemporary American cuisine. Check out the Flying Fish Menu.

Disney Boardwalk Restaurants You Can Skip

While the Disney Boardwalk has some great restaurants there are simply some that don’t really measure up for us. As such, they’re not horrible, and obviously have their own charm. For us, however, there are just other places that are better to eat! 

Hurricane Hanna’s

Hurricane Hannas is technically the waterside bar belonging to the Yacht Club. We like it because it has our favorite Gold Peak Tea and vegetarian options. But, the food is a little spicy and not really themed properly to the resort or Boardwalk. When we got our last meal, most of it went uneaten due to it being overcooked, undercooked, or too heavily spiced for the portion size. With standard burgers, fries, and falafel you think this would be easy to get right. We’ll give it a second chance, but for right now this stays on our “you can skip” list. 

BoardWalk Deli

Unless you’re heading in to grab the NJ Crumb Cake or a favorite seasonal cupcake, we’d say skip this one. While breakfast food here is decent, we’d say skip unless you’re refilling your mug or grabbing something small. The sandwiches here are average, and while cheap, there are better places to grab breakfast, lunch and dinner on the BoardWalk. 

The Best Restaurants on The Disney Boardwalk

That’s our lineup of everything we’ve tried so far on the Disney Boardwalk. What are your favorite places to eat on the Disney Boardwalk?

Disney Boardwalk Restaurants at Walt Disney World. All our favorite places to eat and places to skip! #disneyrestaurants #disneyboardwalk

Co-Founder and Director at Polka Dot Pixie Co LLC | Website | + posts

Rochelle Mariah is a writer, designer and photographer with an MLIS in Information Science and a B.S. in Arch and Design. Determined to make Planning a DIY Disney Vacation easier she makes lots of lists and drinks lots of coffee. When not designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's watching old movies and planning the holidays. She has been traveling to Disney destinations since 2010.


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2 thoughts on “The Best Disney Boardwalk Restaurants List, Reviews and What to Skip”

  • Great job, ladies! Your blog is awesome 🙂 I love it when fellow gals from Ohio follow their dreams. I’m in danger of ordering waaaay too many t-shirts off of your Etsy shop for me and my kiddos ??

    • Yay!!! Thanks so much Amanda for reading!!! We’ll try to keep good content and fun designs coming:) If you want an insider tip. We do a free shipping week on Etsy every second week of the month:) And if you can hold off that long, our Black Friday sales get kinda crazy too:) xo