Connections Eatery Lunch Review
*This gluten free dining experience took place in April 2022. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut, hazelnut, cabbage, and chicken & turkey allergies.
Lunch at Connections Eatery
Connections Eatery, located in Epcot, is the newest quick service restaurant to open in the park — replacing Electric Umbrella which closed a few years ago. According to Disney, the restaurant is inspired by cuisine around the world — so the menu has a wide variety of options and styles of food. We recently went to Epcot to check out the Flower & Garden Festival and decided to grab a meal at Connections Eatery while we spent the day in the park.
Atmosphere
Connections Eatery is a very bright and open restaurant. The theme is pretty low-key but looks modern and inviting.
Connections Eatery Entrance / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
With some of the new updates in Epcot, the restaurant does look very similar to the Creations Shop and other newly opened buildings nearby.
Connections Eatery Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
We do love the nods to classic Epcot with vintage symbols and designs found throughout the building.
Connections Eatery Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
We also really loved the art work along the walls of the restaurant that reflect the theme of global cuisine. The artwork is really beautifully done, and we recommend spending some time looking around the restaurant.
Connections Eatery Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Seating in the restaurant is ample. There are large booths and lots of tables throughout. We think it might be the largest quick service restaurant in the parks — and we found there was no issue finding seating. One con from the theme is that because everything is clean, bright, and modern, the restaurant itself feels a bit like a food court you might find in IKEA or an airport. Still, everything is very inviting.
The Food
Like most restaurants owned and operated by Disney, Connections Eatery does have an allergy-friendly menu. We do recommend that if you have multiple dietary needs or have questions about the menu and easy modifications that you speak directly to a chef or manager. This menu, in particular, had some major misprints when the restaurant first opened (including indicating the bao buns were GF), so it’s always good to double-check.
On this visit, we spoke directly to a chef, which was super helpful given all of our special dietary needs. I was also able to ask about the Mango Coconut Milkshake which wasn’t listed on the allergy-friendly menu but that I’d heard was dairy free and vegan (and possibly gluten free).
Connections Eatery Allergy-Friendly Meals / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon and I ordered a variety of dishes to split this visit, so we ensured that everything was safe for us both to eat. We did end up with bonus French fries as a second side, because they ended up making a ton in the allergy-friendly fryer. You know we’ll both never turn down bonus fries!
Connections Eatery - Mango Coconut Milkshake / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The first item that we got was the Mango Coconut Milkshake topped with Pomegranate-Molasses Drizzle. I confirmed with the chef on this visit that this was not only dairy free and plant-based but also gluten free. Always double-check when you visit, as ingredients can change — and have done so more than normal lately because of supply issues.
Brandon liked this milkshake but didn’t love it. I absolutely loved it and would definitely get again. The mango flavor was pretty prominent but not overly sweet. I couldn’t taste much coconut in it — if any. The pomegranate-molasses drizzle was really unique and added some interesting flavor profiles to the shake. The drizzle was on the bitter side — which I liked, but I could see why some might not be a fan of this.
This was served with a paper straw, but I recommend just using a spoon to eat it. Even sitting for a bit, the shake was very thick. If you are concerned about paper straws, ask for it to not be served with one.
Connections Eatery - Nicoise Salad / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
We also shared the Niçoise-style Salad with Crispy Mixed Greens, Wedged Potatoes, Tomatoes, Green Beans, Olives, White Beans, Dijon Vinaigrette. This dish is gluten free, egg free, fish/shellfish free, milk free, peanut/tree nut free, and vegan/plant-based. Brandon is also allergic to cabbage, so we double-checked to ensure the salad mix was also cabbage free too.
Both of us thought this salad was outstanding. It’s a 100% get again from both of us. The salad itself was light and refreshing. There were a ton of great flavors and textures. The dressing was a pretty strong vinaigrette, but we actually liked that a lot. The vinaigrette combined with all the vegetables and greens made it just terrific in our opinion. Brandon loved the potatoes on top too — and he actually ended up eating more of this salad than I did!
We both agreed that this is a big step up from classic quick service salads and highly recommend it.
Connections Eatery - French Bistro Burger / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
We also split a burger and fries. For this visit, we decided to get the French Bistro Burger made with Gourmet Beef Blend, Caramelized Onions, Bacon, Brie, Mushrooms, Dijon Mayonnaise, Allergy-Friendly Bun. This dish is marked gluten free, egg free, fish/shellfish free, and peanut/tree nut free. It’s also chicken/turkey free and cabbage free. If you’re dairy free, the restaurant can make some modifications to this and the only burgers too.
We did ask the chef to omit the mushrooms, because we’re both not big mushroom fans. Overall, we both really enjoyed this burger. We think the burger patty itself was somewhere between those classic quick service burgers and some of our favorite burgers like those served at D-Luxe Burger or Three Bridges Bar & Grill. The combination of bacon, onions, brie, and plant-based Dijon Mayonnaise was great. Everything was well-cooked and made with high quality ingredients.
Brandon said this is a repeat burger for him. For me, I’m definitely wanting to try some of the other burger options, because this one was so good. We were highly impressed!
If you want to hear more about our experience at Connections Eatery, check out the vlog we did for our YouTube channel for more information.
Overall
We were super impressed by the quality of the food and the options for guests with special dietary needs at Connections Eatery. It’s not often that you talk directly to a chef at a quick service restaurant, so it was nice to be able to do that too. We both enjoyed the food so much that we are planning to go back again soon to try other options. This is a welcome addition to Epcot, and we can’t wait to go back soon.
Have you been to Connections Eatery? What was your experience dining there?