Citricos Dinner Review
*This gluten free dining experience took place in July 2021. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut, hazelnut, cabbage, and chicken & turkey allergies.
Dinner at Citricos
Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a signature dining location that serves food inspired by both Florida and the Mediterranean. In 2021, the restaurant re-opened with a new theme inspired by the film Mary Poppins Returns. Both Brandon and I have never been to Citricos, so the new theme was definitely an excuse to check it out. On this visit, we dined at the first meal seating around 5 p.m.
Atmosphere
Citricos is now heavily inspired by Mary Poppins Returns. So, this means that you will see lots of floral decor, pretty pastels, and lots of hidden features — all inspired by the film. The overall theme is bright and inviting.
Citricos Lobby / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
When you check into Citricos, you will be seated in a main seating area that is reserved for both Citricos and the restaurant Victoria & Alberts. The main waiting area is not rethemed, and we both remarked that the chairs are definitely a bit on the dated side.
Citricos Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Once inside the restaurant, you’ll find bright and cozy tables and even lots of booths for guests to be seated. We enjoyed our meal at a small table near the windows. This gave us a great view of the resort and the restaurant.
Citricos Seating & Bar Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The restaurant also has cozy bar seating for guests who prefer to dine in a lounge style atmosphere or who do not have reservations at Citricos. The lounge was not busy on our visit. So, if you’re staying at the Grand Floridian, this could be a nice option for walk-up dining if you do not have a reservation.
Citricos Table / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Both of us really liked the tableware too. The cups are unique and brightly colored. And, we loved the way that the tableware from the glasses to the napkins to the silverware all reflect the new theme and color scheme.
The Food
Like most restaurants owned and operated by Disney, Citricos does have an allergy-friendly menu. We were given a paper menu on our visit, and you can find the allergy-friendly menu options on the My Disney Experience app or Disney’s website. We have noticed that Citricos allergy-friendly dessert options were not listed online but were listed on the print menus.
Brandon with Allergy-Friendly Menu / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Once seated, our server Robin took great care of our special dietary needs. While we did order directly with Robin instead of speaking with a chef, you can always ask to speak with a chef if you have any questions or wish to discuss options.
Brandon’s Drink - 1806 Old Fashioned / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Before our food arrived, we did order several alcoholic beverages. Brandon ordered the 1806 Old Fashioned. He really liked this drink a lot. It’s a great one to order if you like whiskey.
Sarah’s Drink - Amaro Grapefruit Spritz / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For my drink, I ordered the Amaro Grapefruit Spritz. This drink had a beautiful presentation, and I really enjoyed the flavors a lot. This is not a sweet drink. So, if you are not a fan of more dry and bitter drinks, I would skip this. If you’ve ever had an Aperol Spritz and enjoy them, this is a drink for you. I really enjoyed the refreshing flavors and would definitely order again.
As an aside on alcohol and celiac disease, although most alcohol (spirits) with gluten containing grains are considered gluten free because of the distillation process, many with celiac disease do not feel comfortable consuming these kinds of spirits. Always use your own judgement and comfort level when consuming certain kinds of alcohol. And, of course, unless it’s specifically gluten free beer — most beer will not be gluten free.
Gluten Free Bread Service / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For our bread service, I was served the Bloomfield Farms allergy-friendly rolls. These are gluten free, dairy free, and top 8 allergy-free and vegan. I was served my rolls with regular butter, but you can ask for vegan buttery spread or extra virgin olive oil instead if you’re dairy free or vegan.
The rolls were well heated and tasted good, as usual. But, the winner was the sea salt on the butter. Both Brandon and I really enjoyed the high quality butter and salt that added a lovely flavor to the bread service.
Brandon’s Drink - 212 Manhattan / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
While waiting for our appetizers, Brandon did order a second drink. He got the 212 Manhattan. Like the first drink he had, he really enjoyed this — and this ended up being his favorite of the two drinks.
Citricos - Sweet Corn Bisque / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For my appetizer, I ordered the Sweet Corn Bisque with Pickled Fennel, Popcorn, and Fennel Oil. This was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies.
This was a super unique soup in terms of presentation, flavors, and textures. The pickled fennel and other ingredient were served in the bowl, and the soup was then poured over all of the ingredients. The soup was a bit sweet and definitely a very rich soup. While I wasn’t sure if I’d like the fennel in this, the pickled fennel added a great touch to the dish. And, of course, having some freshly popped popcorn in the corn soup was also a bit whimsical too! Although I would not order this every time I ate at Citricos, I would get it again.
Citricos - Berkshire Pork Belly / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For Brandon’s appetizer, he chose the Berkshire Pork Belly with Boniato and Plantain Croquette, Salsa Verde and Jícama. This dish was marked safe for Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies. It was also made safe for Brandon’s additional allergies of chicken, turkey, and cabbage. Unfortunately, this dish was not gluten free.
Brandon absolutely loved this dish. He said it’s the best pork belly dish that he has ever had. The pork belly itself was falling apart and super tender. And, Brandon enjoyed the salsa verde and even the croquette. This is a dish he said he could eat again and again. If you can have gluten, this is a must get! And, I have to admit, I’m still a bit jealous that I could not get this appetizer. It just looks incredible.
Citricos - Domestic Golden Tilefish / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For my entree, I ordered the Domestic Golden Tilefish with Jupiter Rice Chorizo "Risotto", Key West Pink Shrimp, and Confit Tomatoes. This dish was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies.
Omigosh, was this dish one of the best entrees that I have had at Disney in a very long time. Probably the only two other dishes that compare would be the Filet at Topolino’s Terrace or the Tamarind Braised Short Rib from Tiffins. In terms of fish dishes, it’s one of the best I’ve ever had at Disney World.
The fish itself was beautifully cooked. The seasoning on the fish was strong but didn’t overpower the delicate tilefish. And, the rice, chorizo, shrimp, and vegetables — along with the lovely broth — made this dish a hands down winner for me. If you’re gluten free, dairy free, and love fish, get this dish! It was so good.
Citricos Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For Brandon’s entree, he ordered the Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with Potato Purée, Broccolini, Cipollini Jam, and Bordelaise. This dish was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies. And, if you’re dairy free, this can be modified to be made safe.
Brandon really enjoyed his filet. He said the flavors were fantastic, and the accompaniments were all great too. Although he said it doesn’t beat the filet from Topolino’s Terrace as his favorite steak at Disney World, it ranks pretty high on his filet list. If you’re a steak fan, this is definitely worth considering ordering when you dine at Citricos.
Citricos - Gluten Free Chocolate Torte / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
As if we hadn’t ordered enough of the menu already, we couldn’t pass up dessert! There were two desserts that could be made gluten free — the Chocolate Torte and the Orange Blossom Flan. I’m not a huge fan of flan or creme brulee, so I opted for the Chocolate Torte, and boy am I glad I did! Look at this presentation!
The Chocolate Torte was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat and Fish/Shellfish Allergies. This was beautifully presented, with edible chocolate designs on the plate, gorgeous chocolate work, and even some edible gold. Inside, there is a rich, dense mousse, and cherries. If you like chocolate and cherries, this is a must get.
Unfortunately, Brandon couldn’t get this dish because of his nut allergies, and of course, there is dairy in this. The one disappointing part of the dessert menu is that there was not a great option for gluten free and dairy free guests. If you’re both GF and DF, I would recommend speaking with a chef about potential options.
Citricos - Orange Blossom Flan / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Most of the desserts at Citricos had nut allergy challenges. So, Brandon ended up ordering the Citrus Blossom Flan. To be made gluten free, I believe the shortbread base needs to be omitted when the dessert is plated, but of course, always talk to a server and the chefs about modifications. With this in mind, I did not try this dessert.
The dessert is marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Fish/Shellfish, and Peanut/Tree Nut Allergies. Overall, Brandon thought this dish was just OK. He was a bit bummed by his dessert choices and said next time he’d just skip dessert and stick with ordering the pork belly appetizer instead.
If you want to hear more about our experience at Citricos, check out our vlog on our YouTube channel from the visit.
Overall
We were both pleasantly surprised at how much we enjoyed Citricos. Neither of us went into this meal with super high expectations, as our experiences at other Grand Floridian restaurants have been a bit hit or miss — and we weren’t wowed by Narcoossee’s. But, Citricos had not only outstanding food and drinks, but the service decor and overall experience really made it an excellent visit. We highly recommend our server Robin, who was phenomenal too! And, of course, we cannot wait to dine at Citricos again. It’s at the top end of our favorite signature dining locations on Disney property.
Have you been to Citricos since it re-opened? What did you think of the restaurant’s retheming and the food?