*These gluten free dining experiences took place in May 2019. It also include notes about dairy free modifications and shares information about the fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free options available through this coffee shop too.

Cove Cafe on the Disney Dream

When we're cruising the Disney Cruise Line, one of our favorite places to relax and chill is Cove Cafe. This adults-only coffee shop is the best spot for a good cup of coffee or a specialty coffee drink. You can also get snacks throughout the day and cocktails in the evening too. On our most recent 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream, our stateroom was just one deck below Cove Cafe. So, we spent a lot of time in this relaxing coffee shop.

Atmosphere

Both Brandon and I really love the low-key and relaxed atmosphere of Cove Cafe. There's plenty of cushy seating throughout the cafe. Whether you're grabbing a quick caffeine boost on-the-go, or want an after-dinner cocktail, you'll find all types of options for seating to accommodate.

Cove Cafe on the Disney Dream / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We especially enjoyed the seats near the front of the cafe that are have large windows and are brightly lit during the day. This was a particularly favorite spot for us during the afternoon. We got a chance to chat with our favorite barista Agung from Indonesia while we were seated there too.

Cove Cafe on the Disney Dream / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

In the evenings, we both prefer the back of Cove Cafe, which is a bit more chill and quiet. Of course, no matter what preference you have for seating, you'll find lots of great options in the cafe.

Food & Drink at Cove Cafe

Unlike most locations on the Disney Cruise Line, the beverages served at Cove Cafe are NOT included in your cruise fare. This includes all of the coffee and tea drinks, as well as any other beverages (including water and alcohol). The food options, such as pastries and antipasti offered at Cove Cafe ARE included in your cruise fare and will not cost extra. If you're unsure about pricing, one of the friendly baristas at Cove Cafe can help go over the options.

If you are a coffee drinker, do make sure to pick up one of the Cove Cafe Coffee Club cards! We made sure to get one on our cruise, and we were able to get a free specialty coffee drink by the end of our cruise. It's definitely well worth picking up. And, it does not expire. So, you can use it on multiple cruises. In fact, we have one at home just waiting for our next cruise!

I wouldn't consider myself a big coffee drinker anymore. I gave up coffee for many years after my Crohn's disease diagnosis. But, I've been able to reintroduce it a bit here and there. So, I am always happy to find other options besides coffee at a coffee shop.

Cove Cafe does carry Republic of Tea hot and iced tea. For those who are gluten free, you'll appreciate that The Republic of Tea is the first and only tea brand in the United States to obtain certification by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO).

On one of our visits, I did get the iced Darjeeling tea. It was good and a lot larger than I expected. Given that most of the iced tea served on the Disney Cruise Line is Gold Peak Tea, this was a huge step-up for an iced tea lover. I may have to try some of the other teas the next time we're on a Disney Cruise!

I did try coffee on a few other occasions on our cruise. The first time I got a latte with almond milk. One of the great things about the ship is that they do also offer non-dairy milk options too. I believe they also carried soy milk in addition to almond milk on the Disney Dream.

If you are concerned about cross-contamination, you can always ask your barista to use a clean frother for your non-dairy milk.

On another occasion, I ordered an iced latte with almond milk. Because we were cruising during the warmer months in the Bahamas, I definitely preferred the iced latte format.

For those who might be interested in coffee syrup flavors, always double-check the ingredients in the syrups. I believe Cove Cafe was using the DaVinci brand of coffee syrups at the time of our sailing.

Because of being gluten free, I tend to stick to simple coffee drinks. But, Brandon ordered quite a few more elaborate coffee drinks during our visits to Cove Cafe. First up was the Mocha Latte. As you can see, he ordered his drink with regular milk which was much more frothy and than the drinks I ordered with almond milk.

Brandon said the mocha latte was really excellent and would get it again. As you can see from the photo here, our barista Agung was awesome at making sure that both Brandon and I got delicious drinks and that they were beautifully presented!

But, by far, Brandon's favorite coffee drink was the Moka Experience offered by Cove Cafe. At $12, it's a little pricey, but it was well worth it for what you get.

This dish included chocolate truffles, espresso, chocolate syrup, RumChata, and whipped cream -- among other things. He said it was rich and decadent and by far the best coffee drink he ordered.

No matter what type of drink you order, don't forget to pair it with a snack or two. I can't have any of the breakfast pastries, but I'm always a big fan of the antipasti options during the evening time at Cove Cafe. Brandon and I tend to get a little snack at Cove Cafe a few hours before dinner, especially if we have late dining.

The antipasti options included Parmesan cheese, prosciutto, and marinated olives. We both skipped the olives and opted for just Parmesan and prosciutto on our visits.

If you're gluten free or have other special dietary needs, don't hesitate to ask the baristas to bring you fresh items from the back area of the coffee shop too. They are always willing to accommodate too! Generally, I find the evening snacks to be much safe and limited in gluten because they are typically antipasti platter items.

As you can see, we got antipasti options on several different trips. If you're a fan, it's definitely worth a visit.

Overall

Cove Cafe is one of our favorite go-to spots for coffee and tea drinks. With options for gluten free, dairy free, and vegan guests -- including non-dairy milk -- there's something for everyone at Cove Cafe. If you're a fan of snacks, you can often find evening time snacks that are gluten free there too. If you have allergies like fish/shellfish and peanut, you'll be in fairly good shape there too. If you have other nut allergies, do make sure you check ingredients, especially in flavored syrups!

No matter what your special dietary needs are, you're sure to enjoy Cove Cafe as much as we do too!

Have you been to Cove Cafe on any of the Disney Cruise Line ships? What was your experience with this coffee shop?

Cove Cafe on the Disney Dream