Space 220 Dinner Review
*This gluten free dining experience took place in May 2022. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut, hazelnut, cabbage, and chicken & turkey allergies.
Dinner at Space 220
Space 220, located in Epcot near Mission: Space, is a table service restaurant themed to…you guessed it, space! Opening in September 2021, it quickly become one of the hardest to get reservations for dining in Epcot. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I finally got a reservation for Space 220 for dinner. Brandon loves all things space, so we was beyond excited for this meal.
Atmosphere
The space theme of the restaurant fits right in with its location in Epcot. Situated right next to Mission: Space, you’d swear this restaurant has been here right alongside the attraction since day one.
Space 220 Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
When you arrive at Space 220, you currently show your restaurant reservation to a cast member outside of a main walkway. Once they’ve confirmed your reservation time, you will be asked to proceed down a long and winding exterior hallway to the restaurant’s main entrance.
Space 220 - Space Elevator Boarding Pass / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
When you arrive to the restaurant’s main entrance, you’ll officially check in with a cast member who will give you a boarding pass for the space elevator to get to the restaurant. This gives you a bit of time to explore the waiting area and get excited for your upcoming space elevator ride.
I won’t give anything away to spoilery in this review, but if you are curious about what the space elevator experience is like, check out our YouTube channel for the video review we did.
Space 220 - Vegetables Being Grown in Space / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
One you’ve made it to the “top” of the spaceport and the restaurant, you’ll be taken down a long hallway where you’ll see some space grown lettuce and other fun details.
Space 220 - Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On this visit, we were seated in the main dining room area — though it’s important to note that we originally had reservations for the lounge seating (shown below). The lounge is located in the main restaurant, and you can order from the main menu, as well as the lounge menu. The cast member who seated us told us the restaurant wasn’t that busy, so we were moved over to the main dining side.
Space 220 - Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Photos definitely do not do the restaurant or the experience justice. We really enjoyed seeing all the cool things from the viewports. Though our seat was located in the far back of the main dining area, we still had a good view, and you can always walk around the restaurant too — which we did after our meal.
Space 220 - Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Here is the photo of the lounge area of the restaurant. As you can see, it still has a good amount of seating, and you can also still view a lot from the viewports.
Space 220 - Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Here’s a photo that shows just how close the lounge is to the main dining room area. Whether dining in the lounge or the main dining room, you’ll get plenty of good views, food, and space vibes!
The Food
Space 220 is not owned and operated by the Disney Company, so it does not have an allergy-friendly menu. The Patina Group, which operates the restaurant, also operates several other Epcot dining locations and is very familiar with special dietary needs. That being said, expect that the protocols may be slightly different, and you may discuss option with a manager versus a chef. On our visit, the manager assisted us with questions, but we know many guests who have also talked to a chef. So, your mileage may vary. If any time you would prefer to speak with a chef, we recommend letting your server or manager know.
Space 220 - Atmospritz / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
In between ordering, we did order drinks. For my first drink, I ordered the Atmospritz which comes with New Amsterdam vodka (I recommend swapping out Tito’s Vodka because it’s a great GF brand), Aperol, Blood Orange, Orange Juice, Prosecco, and Cotton Candy.
Overall, I thought the presentation of this drink was fun (who doesn’t want a drink with a bit of a show?). They added the cotton candy to my glass and then poured the liquid on top of it. Flavor wise? It was good but not one I’d get regularly. I am not a big fan of sweet drinks, and this was definitely a bit on the sweeter side. Still, it’s a fun option if you like mixed drinks.
Space 220 - Orion Old Fashioned / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon ordered the classic old fashioned — one of his favorite drinks. He really enjoyed this a lot. If you’re an old fashioned fan, this is the one to get at Space 220.
Space 220 - Big Bang Burrata / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Space 220’s main dining area is a fixed price meal which includes the following: Lift-Offs (Appetizer) + Star Course (Entrée) + Supernova Sweets (Dessert). The cost is currently $79 per adult, so it’s on the pricey side. Because we had made reservations for the lounge originally, our server said we could order either the fixed price meal or the lounge items, which was nice. We decided to do the fixed price menu, because we were sure when we’d be back at the restaurant again.
For Brandon’s appetizer, he chose the Big Bang Burrata with Burrata di Mozzarella, Grilled Artichoke Hearts, Arugula, and Sunflower Seed Romesco. The manager told us that this was also gluten free, and they confirmed that it was safe for Brandon’s fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, and chicken/turkey allergies. As an aside, Brandon has learned that because he is allergic to cabbage, he is sensitive to vegetables in the cabbage family, so on a future visit, we’d skip the arugula and ask for a different lettuce option, like romaine instead.
Brandon raved about this dish — most specifically, the burrata! The photo here doesn’t do it justice, but Brandon was served a huge portion of burrata in this appetizer. He said he would definitely get this again.
Space 220 - Neptune Tartare / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For my appetizer, I ordered the Tuna Tartare, which is no longer listed on the current Space 220 menu. This was modified to be gluten free and was naturally dairy free. While the tuna itself was fresh, I felt it lacked a lot of seasoning — probably because most of the sauces typically served with it were not GF. I was also missing some different textures because of the modification too.
I wouldn’t have ordered this again if it were still on the menu, so I’m glad to see some different potential options now listed for future visits.
Space 220 - Paper Straw / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Because I know that paper or biodegradable straws can be a concern for those who are gluten free, here is a photo of the straws that were used when we visited Space 220. Phade indicates on their website that their products are gluten free.
Space 220 - Galactic Salmon / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For my entree, I ordered the Galactic Salmon, which was gluten free. It does appear that this menu item may have been slightly changed/updated since we visited, but I would definitely recommend this dish. The presentation alone was super cool. It came out with a cloche (cover) that was filled with smoke. The aromas coming from the fish were incredible, and everything definitely had a smoky taste. I would definitely order this or a different version of it again.
Space 220 - Filet Mignon / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon ordered the filet mignon which came with mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, and a red wine reduction. The manager confirmed that there was no chicken stock in the reduction, and everything else was safe for Brandon’s allergies. It was also gluten free, which is great. If you’re gluten free and dairy free, this could be an option that could be easily modified too.
Space 220 - Fried Potato Wedges / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Because Brandon is a connoisseur of potatoes, we had to order a side of Roasted Potatoes, which we confirmed were gluten free, dairy free, fish/shellfish free, peanut/tree nut free, and chicken/turkey free. They were fried in a dedicated fryer.
These potatoes were…well, out of this world. We both absolutely loved them and would not hesitate to order them again. As Brandon would say, these were a “hashtag #thereitis.”
Space 220 - Celestial Cosmpolitan / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
We were living it up that night in space, because we ended up getting a second set of drinks. I ordered the Celestial Cosmopolitan, which is no longer listed on the Space 220 menu. It was your standard cosmo, so I can see why it may have been replaced.
Space 220 - The Nebula / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon’s second drink was the Nebula with Maker’s Mark, Pineapple, Honey, Passion Fruit, and Angostura Bitters. Both drinks were a hit with Brandon, so if you’re a whiskey fan, you can’t go wrong with either of his drink choices.
Space 220 - Chocolate Gelato / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For dessert, Brandon opted for a simple bowl of chocolate gelato. To his surprise, he absolutely loved this and said it was the perfect way to end a meal. The gelato is gluten free and peanut/tree nut free but does contain dairy. The restaurant does typically have sorbet on hand for dairy free guests.
Space 220 - Chocolate Cheesecake / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For my dessert, I got the modified gluten free chocolate cheesecake. This does contain dairy. If you’re a chocolate lover or like cheesecake, you will enjoy this dessert. It was quite rich and decadent. I would recommend it to any GF guests, and given there’s fairly limited dessert options for those who are gluten free, this would probably be my top pick of the ones available.
If you want to hear more about our experience at Space 220, check out the vlog we did for our YouTube channel for more information.
Overall
We really enjoyed our meal at Space 220. The food quality exceeded our expectations, and I was pleased to see more gluten free options than I anticipated. We also felt like the restaurant did work to ensure our safety throughout our meal. And, of course, if you’re like Brandon and you love space, this is a great themed restaurant for you. In fact, Brandon is still talking about wanting to go back again. We had such a fun night there, and we definitely want to check out the updated menu too. If you are on the fence about this restaurant or aren’t into the theme, there are plenty of other great options at Epcot. But, we’re definitely glad we went and look forward to going back again.
Have you been to Space 220? What was your experience dining there?