Kona Cafe Dinner Review [New 2024 Menu]
*This gluten free dining experience took place in May 2024. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, chicken/turkey & cabbage allergies.
Dinner at Kona Cafe
Kona Cafe, located at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, is a table service restaurant that has been a long-time favorite of ours for plentiful gluten free, dairy free & allergy-friendly options in a low-key setting. It’s also the home to Brandon’s first ever hashtag #Konamazing due to their amazing mashed potatoes. It had been a while since we had dined at Kona Cafe, so we decided to make a last minute reservation to check out the new menu options. The menu had recently been updated, so we were curious about the new dishes.
Atmosphere
A few years ago, Kona Cafe got a refurbishment. Although I do miss the classic 90s inspired decor and theming, the new design is much brighter and fits well with the overall theme of the resort.
Kona Cafe Entrance Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
One of the big changes from the refurbishment was the addition of this grand entrance. Kona Cafe has always been a true “lobby restaurant,” with an open concept and people being able to see the entire restaurant while walking by.
Although, the majority of the restaurant is still pretty open, this adds a bit more privacy and distinctness to the restaurant than it had before. The look of the entrance is pretty cool too.
Kona Cafe Decor / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The restaurant’s interior has a lot of subtle and not so subtle theming changes. I especially like the large Polynesian flowers adorned on the walls with what looks like it could be lava rock and the murals on the ceilings.
Kona Cafe Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The flooring, chairs, and booths are all inviting — though as with most Disney restaurants these days, the seating can feel pretty tight and close together in some areas. We especially feel this sometimes as guests who are frequently seated at two-top small tables. Overall, though, we really like the refurbishment and the way that Kona Cafe is set up and designed.
The Food
Like most Disney owned and operated restaurants, Kona Cafe does have an allergy-friendly menu. You can also always speak to a chef about options and modifications — or to answer any questions that you might have.
On this visit, we did speak to the chef, because of the menu changes and especially because of Brandon’s allergies. We often find that there are hidden ingredients that we might not think of in dishes, so we feel most comfortable talking through options when we can.
Kona Cafe - Gluten Free & Allergy-Friendly Rolls / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Up first in our meal were the gluten free, dairy free & allergy-friendly Bloomfield Farms brand rolls. These can be served with regular butter or non-dairy butter, if you ask.
While these weren’t the most well-heated on this visit, we always enjoy these rolls. They are a nice start to any meal at Disney.
Kona Cafe - Gluten Free Vegetable Nigiri / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
I’m a huge fan the sushi options at Kona Cafe. But, on this visit, I decided to completely switch it up from my favorite some of my faves there, like the California Roll or Spicy Tuna Roll, and opted to order a vegetarian option — the Vegetable Nigiri.
This comes with Chef's choice of Five (5) pieces of Nigiri and is marked Gluten Free and safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Sesame Allergies on the restaurant’s allergy-friendly menu. I was able to get gluten free soy sauce upon request.
Overall, I really liked this as a vegetarian/vegan option for sushi. If you’re a veggie sushi fan, you’ll really like this version at Kona Cafe. Some of the vegetables were pickled which added a nice bit of flavor. Plus, there was a great variation on texture between the veggies which was great too. I would get this again, though I admit, next time I’d probably go back to my classic faves at Kona Cafe for sushi.
Kona Cafe - Gluten Free Sautéed Red Quinoa with Salmon / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For my entree, I also tried something different. I got the Sautéed Red Quinoa entree which is the restaurant’s plant-based dish. You can add other types of protein to this dish, like fish, shrimp, or tofu. I opted to get the salmon at the recommended of the chef.
This entree was marked Gluten Free and safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, Sesame, and Soy Allergies for the standard version with no protein. For the version I got, it wasn’t safe for fish allergies, because of the salmon.
This dish included Braised Baby Bok Choy, Roasted Asparagus, Sweet Chili Carrots, Tomato Confit, and Chimichurri. Overall, I did like this dish. Quinoa is not usually my favorite, so I was a bit dubious how much I would enjoy this entree but I found everything to be quite tasty. All of the veggies were very good, and the salmon and chimichurri were both excellent.
While I would get this dish again, I would lean towards ordering my current favorite entree at Kona Cafe — the Verlasso Salmon with Bamboo Rice. It’s another great gluten free & dairy free option and super tasty.
Kona Cafe - Gluten Free New York Strip Steak / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon opted to get the new New York Strip Steak entree, which typically comes with Coconut Curry Potatoes, Snap Peas, Grape Tomatoes, Shallots, Edamame, Teriyaki-Chimichurri Sauce. Brandon got a modified version that was a bit of a hybrid from the regular menu version listed here and the allergy-friendly version that comes with Smashed Red Bliss Potatoes, Sweet Chili Carrots, Roasted Cipollini, and Herbed Butter. The menu marked the allergy-friendly version as Gluten Free and safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, Sesame, and Soy Allergies.
His version included coconut curry potatoes and a side of sweet chili carrots. The chef noted to us that the coconut curry potatoes are in fact gluten free and dairy free as is with no modifications needed. So, this entree could be a great option if you’re gluten free & dairy free.
Brandon was very impressed with this entree. He said the flavors were all excellent and the steak was very well-cooked. He also loved the coconut curry potatoes. He liked it so much, that I am very tempted to order this myself next time we go to Kona Cafe. It looked and smelled amazing.
Kona Cafe - Gluten Free Mashed Potatoes / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Because Brandon thinks the mashed potatoes at Kona are the best on Disney property, he had to order a side of them. These are marked Gluten Free and safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, Sesame, and Soy Allergies. If you’re dairy free, these are not a safe option, as they contain a lot of dairy.
These contain to be #Konamazing according to Brandon. He absolutely loves these and recommends them highly. If you want more of Brandon’s potato recommendations, be sure to check out our recent Top Potato Dishes at Disney World video.
Kona Cafe - Gluten Free & No Sugar Added Pineapple Haupia Cake / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The chef mentioned to us that one of the desserts on the menu is actually gluten free even though it’s not marked. I was super excited to try the new No Sugar Added Pineapple Haupia Cake which includes Pineapple Haupia, Pineapple Cake, Macadamia Nut Crunch, Mango-Blood Orange Jam, and Pineapple-Ginger Compote. This is the restaurant’s no sugar added dessert and also the plant-based option, so it’s gluten free, dairy free and vegan.
I’m not usually a very big fan of no sugar added desserts, but this one was SO good. I loved the fact that it wasn’t super sweet and all of the flavors and textures worked really well together. If you like a non-chocolate dessert option, this could be a great one to try if you’re dining at Kona Cafe.
If you want to hear more about our experience at Kona Cafe, check out the vlog we did for our YouTube channel for more information.
Overall
Kona Cafe continues to be a solid table service option at the Disney Resorts that includes a good variety of gluten free, dairy free, and allergy-friendly options. We always feel like we have plenty to choose from and the options are the kind of food that we really enjoy. The chefs at Kona Cafe are always super helpful too, and this visit was no different. If you’re looking for a more low-key option at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort instead of going to ‘Ohana, this could be a really great option. And, of course, Brandon will always tell you to go to Kona Cafe for the mashed potatoes!
Have you been to Kona Cafe? What was your experience dining there gluten free or with other special dietary needs?