Citricos Dinner Review
*This gluten free dining experience took place in February 2022. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut, hazelnut, cabbage, and chicken & turkey allergies.
Dinner at Citricos
Citricos, located at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, has quickly become one of our favorite signature dining locations at Disney World since its refurbishment and re-opening in summer 2021. We dined there in July 2021 and had such a phenomenal experience, that we knew we had to go back again. So, we decided that dinner for Valentine’s Day was the perfect choice for the dinner at the restaurant. Prior to our dinner, we did stop by Enchanted Rose Lounge for drinks and appetizers, and you can read that review here on our blog too.
Atmosphere
On this visit, we didn’t do a great job at getting a lot of photos, so we definitely recommend checking out our previous review for more images of the restaurant.
Citricos / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Citricos was refurbished and rethemed to be inspired by the film Mary Poppins Returns. We love the bright colors of the restaurant, nods of floral elements on the seating, and subtle decor that makes it a very pleasant place to dine.
Brandon at Citricos / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
We both love the tables and different seating options. Brandon especially loves the cups and silverware. It’s definitely a beautiful refurbishment.
The Food
Like most restaurants owned and operated by Disney, Citricos does have an allergy-friendly menu. You can always speak to a chef if you have questions or want to discuss options. Our server on this visit was Robin, who was our server back in July 2021. She was absolutely phenomenal and was so attentive to our special dietary needs. Because of that, we did not speak directly to a chef, but it’s always an option available for guests with special dietary needs.
Citricos - Amaro Grapefruit Spritz / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
After our last visit, we knew we couldn’t go to Citricos and not order drinks. We both thoroughly enjoyed the inventive and interesting drink options available. I ordered the Amaro Grapefruit Spritz with Amaro Nonino, Antica Vermouth, Tanqueray Gin, House Grapefruit, Florida Honey and House seltzer.
As always, use your own judgement and comfort level with alcohol and your special dietary needs. I always double-check alcohols with flavors, especially. Most distilled spirits, even if they are made with gluten containing grains, are considered gluten free because of the distillation process. If you don’t feel comfortable with specific spirits in mixed drinks, the restaurant has an ample wine list that is a great option too.
Citricos - 212 Manhattan / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For Brandon’s drink, he chose the 212 Manhattan made with Angels Envy Bourbon, Bertrand Banyul’s and Chocolate Bitters. He absolutely loved this drink, and I’m not sure he could go to Citricos without ordering it!
Citricos - Gluten Free Rolls / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Both Brandon and I were served bread service. He was able to eat the regular bread service, while I was served the Bloomfield Farms gluten free and allergy-friendly rolls. These are also vegan.
The rolls on this visit were a little overheated but the butter and sea salt that accompanied it more than made up for the overheated rolls. If you’re dairy free, they do have non-dairy buttery spread on hand that can be topped with the sea salt too.
Citricos - Berkshire Pork Belly (NOT Gluten Free) / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
I opted to not get an appetizer since we’d had Truffle Fries at Enchanted Garden before our dinner. But, Brandon could not pass up the Berkshire Pork Belly appetizer that comes with Boniato and Plantain Croquette, Salsa Verde and Jícama. This dish is marked safe for Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies and is also chicken/turkey and cabbage free. This dish does contain gluten. I suspect they might be able to make it gluten free by omitting the croquette for GF guests, but we didn’t ask on this visit.
According to Brandon, this is a must order if you can eat gluten free. He absolutely raves about it, and it’s the best pork belly he’s ever had. The pork is fall apart tender, and the flavors and accompaniments really make it a unique dish. And, it looks beautiful too!
Citricos - Domestic Golden Tilefish / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For my entree, I chose the Domestic Golden Tilefish with Jupiter Rice Chorizo "Risotto", Key West Pink Shrimp and Confit Tomatoes. This dish is marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies.
Omigosh, is this entree amazing. I ordered it on our first visit to Citricos after it re-opened, and loved it. I contemplated other dishes this visit, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to order it again. And, it was just as good as the first time I ordered it. The fish is beautifully cooked and the seasoning on it — while it might look really overpowering — perfectly balances the delicate fish. The rice, the shrimp, chorizo, and confit tomatoes all add different textures and depth of flavor that make this dish one of the very best at Disney. If you enjoy fish, this is a highest of high recommendations from me. I will happily order it over and over again.
Citricos - Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For Brandon’s entree, he chose the Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with Potato Purée, Broccolini, Cipollini Jam, Bordelaise. This was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies. It can be made dairy free by swapping the potatoes for another side.
Brandon said this was just as good as his previous visit. The filet was perfectly cooked, the potatoes were rich, and he really loved the onion jam. If you are a steak fan, this will definitely be an entree to consider when you’re dining at Citricos.
Citricos - Chocolate Torte / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
I ended up ordering a dessert because the Chocolate Torte, that includes Chocolate Financier, Dark Chocolate Ganache, Morello Cherries and Vanilla Mascarpone Cream, served at Citricos is a truly amazing GF dessert. This dish is marked safe for Gluten/Wheat and Fish/Shellfish Allergies. It does contain gluten and there is a peanut/tree nut cross-contamination concern with the chocolate.
If you are gluten free and love chocolate, this is a decadent dessert and something that feels really special. I love that Citricos has added a 50th anniversary chocolate coin to the dessert too! The rich chocolate along with the tart cherry all blends really well together. It’s a good dessert to split, because it is very rich. Ordering this was a great way to end our meal.
If you want to hear more about our experience at Citricos, check out the vlog we did for our YouTube channel for more information.
Overall
We have nothing but high praise for Citricos. Not only is the quality of the food there phenomenal, but the service, theme, and everything about Citricos is outstanding. We absolutely loved both of our dinners there, and can’t wait to plan another special occasion visit to the restaurant. It stands out as one of the best signature dining locations on Disney property right now, and we recommend it highly!
Have you been to Citricos? What was your experience dining there?