Terralina Crafted Italian Disney Springs Restaurant Review

Terralina Crafted Italian is one of several Italian restaurants at Disney Springs. And while we love Italian, it’s not necessarily our first choice on hot Florida days. But it must be for everyone else. Because Walt Disney World and Orlando in general has a plethora of Italian. Competing with Maria and Enzo’s Ristorante, Via Napoli, and Enzo’s Hideaway. Plus a slew of other Italian across Disney property, how do you know which one to pick?

With Disney Springs’ phased reopening, we are happy to say that Terralina Crafted Italian is open and accepting guests during this time.

It’s all about Italian in Orlando

We have not tried all the other Italian restaurants at Walt Disney World. Still, a penchant for loving things that show up on the Disney Magical Express film reel led us to Via Napoli for pizza once. And Flynn Rider lured us to Trattoria al Forno for a character breakfast. In truth, as an Italian family we often cringe at mainstream Italian. Do they know how to make sauce the “right way”? And that pasta is supposed to be just be a side dish portion? What about breadsticks? We often come to the Italian restaurant table with lots of critique.

The surprisingly fresh homegrown farm to table culture of Italy’s Lake region is what drew us in. As avid foodies, we appreciate the simplicity. We love a clarity of flavors we find in dishes that know how to use herbs and olive oils. And as girls who love vegetarian and plant based dining it’s always wonderful to find meals not completely based on a central meat dish. James Beard Award-winning Chef Tony Mantuano curated Terralina and lets just say it can carry it’s weight.

Terralina Crafted Italian Atmosphere

The look and feel of Terralina Crafted Italian is exactly what you would expect to find a region of Italy. Surrounded by lakes, but towered over by mountains and a little rugged with lots of light. Italy’s Lake Region, the area in which Terralina Crafted Italian is inspired, can do wood-fired pizzas as well as they can do Ice Cream. This restaurant does light Italian best. Light sauces, oils, desserts, and main dishes.

Terralina Crafted Italian Bread Service

You get Ciabatta bread for the bread service with lunch and dinner. Honoring the farm to table experience, a little bowl of garden veggies arrives alongside, with the olive oil for dipping. Definitely not everyone’s first choice for a dipping oil and if you’re not familiar with the veggie focused region, may be off putting. But, it’s still good.

Italian Mozzarella Stuffed Rice Balls

Mozzarella Stuffed Rice Balls is one of those things that our grandma used to make. It’s one of those things that really is just a lot of white food fried. Sounds appetizing, right? As an antipasti offering, these rice balls are perfect if you’re looking to get full fast. These are very filling. And not terribly flavorful as there really aren’t any herbs in the rice/ mozzarella mix. It comes with a lovely light red sauce you can eat with a spoon.

Terralina Crafted Italian Disney Springs Drinks

In addition to antipasti you can get wines, spirits, ale and fun non-alcoholic drinks. Check out the full drink menu here.

Orange Blossom Lemonade

This refreshing lemonade is a combination of lemonade and orange blossom honey. Very light. Very refreshing. The perfect non-alcoholic drink to go with dinner.

Strawberry-Basil Refresher

Much like our obsession with rosemary, we also really really love basil. Mixed with strawberry puree and lemonade this is a drink you will want a few of. Very, very good. Non-alcoholic and perfect on a hot Florida day.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Beef, Pork and Pancetta Meat Sauce, are combined with a Parmesan Cream over spaghetti in this dish. We found that this was a pretty heavy meal. While the sauce was still light the flavors were all very robust. This meal would have been great with a dry red wine like a Cabernet or Merlot.

Vegetable Lasagna

Okay, so to be honest. Lasagna is usually the last thing we attempt to order at an Italian restaurant. There are just so many things that can go wrong with Lasagna! But it was a very late night, with only festival kitchen foods the rest of the day, and lasagna was more of a craving than a smart dinner choice. Thankfully, since Terralina is based in Northern Italian culture, it was vegetable based with just some spinach and basil. Super simple. Light pecorino romano cheeses and a thin sauce. Not heavy. Not filling. Just really lovely flavors, combines well. Perfect with a light white or red wine.

Gelato Sundae

Gelato is such a nice dessert after a rich meal, that we just had to see what this colorful sundae was all about. The gelato flavors included are Pistachio, Chocolate and Vanilla. Added on top Amareno Cherries, Toffee Crunch, and Whipped Cream. all very good. Very light.

Chocolate Paradiso

Thanks goodness this decadent chocolate cake came in a one slice portion size! This is a Chocolate Layer Cake, filled with Chocolate Ganache, and topped with Toffee Crunch. So, rich with a dark chocolate flavor, this would have been perfect on a cold day with espresso. As a result you will need about an hour to ease your way through it. Very very good. Not a heavy dessert, this Italian cake is the chocolate lovers dream.

Chocolate-Dipped Gelato Sandwich

We go crazy for Pizzelle cookies. A holiday staple in our family, we love love love these thin almond flavored medallions in beautiful snowflake patterns. You get ice cream sandwiches salted caramel gelato filled at Terralina Crafted Italian. Rolled in a toffee crunch and half dipped in chocolate. You can stop looking for your next favorite dessert. This is it. Seriously, if you just want to pop in for this ice cream sandwich and espresso. We don’t judge.