9/6/20 9/6/20

Olivia's Cafe Dinner Review

Olivia's Cafe, located at Disney's Old Key West Resort, reopened in July 2020 after the Disney Parks & Resorts closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It's been several years since we've dined at Olivia's. So, we were looking forward to dining there after a several year gap. On this visit, we opted for a late dinner, as we had found the later seatings to be a bit quieter. It also gave us some extra time before our meal to explore the resort too.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in August 2020. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut, hazelnut, cabbage, and chicken & turkey allergies.

Dinner at Olivia's Cafe

COVID-19 & Reopening Notes

On this particular visit, we made a last minute reservation on the same day that we dined. I used the My Disney Experience app and found that there was a 8:30 p.m. seating, which we decided to book (the restaurant closed at 9 p.m.). The app worked as it normally does, and we were able to add in our special dietary needs in the app and alert cast members of our needs when we arrived at the restaurant. We also utilized online restaurant check-in when we arrived at Olivia's Cafe. Online check-in includes using your My Disney Experience app to check-in yourself. It’s super easy, and I hope Disney keeps this going forward too.

Old Key West Resort itself featured many mechanisms to provide sanitization, social distancing, and safety for both guests and cast members. All cast members wore facial masks and some cast members also wore protective shields, as well. All servers in the restaurant wore both facial masks and protective shields. In addition, there were many portable hand sanitizer stations for guests to use throughout the resort. We also saw cast members regularly cleaning surfaces and restrooms throughout our visit. The resort itself was a bit busier than we expected, but we had no issues being able to socially distance. The restaurant wasn't that busy but did include several large parties of guests. But, overall, the restaurant did an excellent job at spacing out tables and seating for social distancing.

As a note, at the time of writing this review, we have been to several of the Disney Resorts, including the Contemporary Resort, Old Key West Resort, and Riviera Resort. All locations have the same protocols, as far as we have observed. Be sure to check with restaurants and the official Disney World website for additional information about current guidelines and recommendations.

Atmosphere

Olivia's Cafe is located near the main lobby and the gift shop of Old Key West. The restaurant and the resort all have a tropical Florida Key West vibe. I love the bright and chipper colors and general decor.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Olivia's is the only table service at the resort and is a very popular location to dine. We have always loved the homey atmosphere, as everything feels very inviting and laid-back.

The interior of the restaurant almost feels like a small restaurant that you might find in Key West. There are two rooms and patio dining, as well. We were seating in one of the comfortable booths which was tucked in a back corner of the restaurant.

I do always recommend taking a look at the decor -- there's lots of fun photos and nods to Key West.

Here is a photo of the main room. The decor may not be the most spectacular as far as Disney restaurant theming goes. But, I always find dining at Olivia's to be comfortable, relaxing, and nostalgic -- as it's been a restaurant that my family and I have been dining at for a very long time.

Olivia's Cafe - Photos / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

One of my favorite features at Olivia's Cafe is being able to look at the walls of photographs of families who are DVC members and call Old Key West their home resort. It's pretty neat to see all of the Disney history and a tradition that took place back when Old Key West was the only DVC resort.

The Food

Like most restaurants at Disney World, Olivia's Cafe does offer an allergy-friendly menu. We were also told by our server that we could speak with a chef at any time. As far as protocols and offerings, we found the restaurant to be just as accommodating as they are during normal times.

Olivia's Cafe / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I always recommend looking at both the allergy-friendly menu and the regular menu of any Disney restaurant that you dine. That's because there are often dishes that may be able to be easily modified to fit your special dietary need -- if you ask. On this visit, both Brandon and I ordered directly from the allergy-friendly menu.

To start our meal, our server brought us bread service. Depending on the restaurant that we dine, sometimes we share the allergy-friendly bread service. And, other times, Brandon is given his own bread.

On this visit, I was brought a separate basket of Bloomfield Farms Allergy-Friendly Rolls, which are free of the top 8 common allergens (including gluten/wheat and dairy). I was served butter on this visit, but the restaurant also carries Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread.

Hands down, Olivia's Cafe heated these rolls up by far the best of any restaurant that we've dined at recently. They were super well heated and tasted great. As Brandon and I always say, heating gluten free rolls well can be the key to them tasting really good or being awful. In fact, Brandon ended up preferring the allergy-friendly rolls over the gluten-filled rolls that he received.

Olivia's Cafe - Rolls in this Photo are NOT Gluten Free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW — Olivia's Cafe - Rolls in this Photo are **NOT** Gluten Free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon's bread service included a Pineapple-Coconut Bread. If you have a nut allergy, be aware that this bread is made in a facility that may include peanuts. Use your own judgement and comfort level on any item made in a shared facility.

Overall, Brandon said the rolls were fine but not amazing. And, as I mentioned, he ended up eating the allergy-friendly rolls instead as he preferred them.

For my entree, I debated on several dishes including the Fish of the Day which was gluten free and dairy free. However, I opted to get the Seven Mile Sea Scallops which was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish, and Peanut/Tree Nut Allergies.

Overall, I really enjoyed this dish. It wasn't the best scallop dish I've ever had, but it was still really tasty. The scallops were cooked really well, and I loved the succotash in the dish. The polenta was the weakest part of the dish, as it needed a bit more seasoning. But, overall, all of the flavors went really well together, and I could see myself ordering it again.

For Brandon's entree, he ordered the Grilled New York Strip. It is normally served with Parmesan-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, and Herb Chimichurri. But, Brandon asked if he could get mashed potatoes instead. This dish was marked safe on the allergy-friendly menu for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Shellfish Allergies.

Overall, Brandon said this was a solid dish. Like me, we both thought everything was very tasty and a nice solid meal option. He also really liked how the steak was cooked and seasoned. I have to admit, the chimichurri on the steak looked really great!

Olivia's / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Normally, we don't get desserts at restaurants. But, I was so curious about the Tropical Chocolate Tart made with Avocado-Chocolate Ganache and topped with a Mango-Lime Sorbet. This dessert was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, and Milk Allergies (and it was also vegan). Whenever there's a gluten free & dairy free dessert that is more than sorbet, I have to try it!

Overall, I really enjoyed the dessert. I could definitely detect a bit of avocado flavor -- so be aware that it could have a slight avocado taste (especially if you're not a fan of avocado). But, if you ate the cake, sorbet, and mango sauce all at once, you really couldn't tell there was avocado in the cake. The sorbet was by far my favorite part of the dish -- as I love sorbet that is a bit different. While it wasn't my favorite dessert, I would definitely get this again and would recommend it to gluten free & dairy free guests.

For Brandon's dessert, he got the Ice Cream Sundae which was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, and Peanut/Tree Nut Allergies. Neither Brandon or I expected the sundae to be deconstructed. But, Brandon had fun adding in the chocolate sauce and cute Mickey sprinkles to his ice cream.

Like me, Brandon enjoyed his dessert and would get it again -- especially as he's a fan of ice cream sundaes.

If you want to get more information about our visit to Olivia's Cafe and Old Key West Resort, check out our vlog that we recorded on our YouTube channel.

Overall

We were both pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed our meal at Olivia's Cafe. Both of us agreed that the meal and overall experience wasn't anything special. But, it was super relaxed and a really pleasant meal. I'd love to go back to Olivia's for breakfast sometime -- as that is always my family's favorite meal at the restaurant (and it's been years since I've been). Overall, we're both really glad we went to Olivia's and hope that we don't go as long as we did this last time in between visits.

Have you been to Olivia's Cafe at Disney's Old Key West Resort? What was your experience dining there?

11/17/17 11/17/17

Olivia's Cafe -- Lunch -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in October 2017 and contains a gluten free only review.

Lunch at Olivia's Cafe

Olivia's Cafe, a table service restaurant located at Disney's Old Key West resort, is an easy-going and low-key place to have a meal. After getting back from Disneyland, I needed to do errands and so, I decided to stop by Olivia's for lunch. I had really had my heart set on breakfast at Olivia's, but I missed the breakfast service by about 30 minutes, so lunch it was.

Atmosphere

One of the things I love most about Olivia's Cafe is the low-key, laid-back vibe. You'll feel like you've been transported to Key West, Florida, for sure. And, I'm always waiting for Jimmy Buffett to come around the corner -- not too far off really, since you'll hear Jimmy Buffett music, like Margaritaville throughout the resort.Olivia's Cafe includes both indoor and outdoor seating. I like to sit outside on cool days, since the outdoor seating area is covered. But, on this visit, I definitely didn't mind eating inside.Inside you'll find lots of tables and even some cozy booths.And, of course, you'll see nautical nods everywhere from large wooden fish on the walls to sea-side photos and paintings.

The Food

One of the reasons I like to go to Olivia's is the food. While, I wouldn't say the menu there is anything fancy, I've always had solid meal options and choices that fit just about every preference or taste.Like most Disney restaurants, Olivia's Cafe does have an allergy-friendly lunch menu. But, I always ask for both a regular and allergy-friendly menu when I dine at any Disney restaurant. That's so I can compare the menus and see what options I think could be easily modified. And, surprisingly, a lot of gluten free or even gluten free and dairy free dishes aren't actually listed on the allergy-friendly menu. That's because in order to make the menu, they need to cover multiple allergens. So, it's always a good idea to ask.On this visit, I was really looking forward to some gluten free and dairy free bread and Earth Balance vegan buttery spread. Having just returned from Disneyland, where they don't carry any type of non-dairy butter alternative, I was looking forward to having this option. Normally, when I go to Olivia's, when I ask for rolls, they give me Deanna's Gluten Free rolls. But, for some reason I received Udi's Gluten Free toast, which is both gluten free and dairy free. That seemed OK, until I got the bill later and realized that I was actually charged for the toast, instead of receiving complimentary rolls. Next time I go, I will definitely ask before ordering.For my entree, I actually spoke to the server about the Mallory Square Cobb Salad. I usually am able to order it without modifications. But, it wasn't listed on the allergy-friendly menu. She confirmed with the chef that it is naturally gluten free (including the blue cheese, which can often contain gluten).The Mallory Square Cobb Salad made with Romaine Lettuce with layers of Chilled Shrimp, Crab Salad, Bacon, Egg, Blue Cheese, Tomato, and Avocado with a Key Lime-Mustard Vinaigrette is gluten free. I believe you can modify it to be dairy free by omitting the blue cheese.This is a great summertime salad. I love the bright, crisp lettuce and flavors of the dish. The seafood is rich and buttery and pairs really well with the bacon, blue cheese, and egg. Add in the key lime vinaigrette for a pop of citrus that pulls it all together. This continues to be one of my favorites when I go to Olivia's Cafe for lunch or dinner.

Overall

Olivia's Cafe continues to be a solid restaurant with hearty food and charming atmosphere. I really love coming here for a low-key and less crowded meal that's can be a lot more relaxing than some of the other busier table service restaurants.Have you been to Olivia's Cafe? What do you enjoy about this restaurant?

1/8/17 1/8/17

Olivia's Cafe -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in January 2017.Olivia's Cafe, located at Disney's Old Key West Resort, is a table service restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast has to be my favorite meal at Olivia's Cafe. I really enjoy their sweet potato hash, which is exactly what I ordered on my most recent visit to the restaurant.One of the things I love about Olivia's Cafe and Old Key West in general is the laid-back vibe and the long standing DVC member decor. Olivia's is flagged by photos of Disney Vacation Club Members who have stayed here in years past, which is really neat to see!Olivia's does carry an allergy-friendly breakfast menu, but if you have multiple dietary needs or those not covered by the allergy-friendly menu, you can always ask to talk to a chef. I do this quite a bit, as I tend to cross-reference the regular menu and look for things that can be made gluten free and dairy free whenever possible.Thankfully, the Poached Eggs and Hash is easily made dairy free by removing the Hollandaise Sauce.The Poached Eggs and Hash is Poached Eggs served over Sweet Potato-Ham Hash topped with Key Lime Hollandaise and served with Allergy-Friendly Bread. Removing the Hollandaise does make it both gluten free and dairy free. Plus, you can get Earth Balance vegan buttery spread with your Udi's Gluten Free toast too!Though I should probably branch out and try some other newer dishes at Olivia's Cafe, I keep coming back to the sweet potato-ham hash. The flavors are delicious, and it's a simple, hearty breakfast option. It's definitely a go-to whenever I am craving breakfast at Disney.Right now and through 2017, annual passholders can get 20% off their meal at Olivia's Cafe, which makes it even better. I will definitely be heading back there again a few times this year to get this favorite breakfast of mine!Though not breakfast, I'm also a huge fan of the Mallory Square Cobb Salad served at Olivia's Cafe too. It's soooo good!Have you been to Olivia's Cafe? What's your favorite breakfast item?

7/25/14 7/25/14

Olivia's -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in July 2014.When I want to get away from it all and have a low-key and relaxing meal, I head to Olivia's at Old Key West. I don't know if it's the Jimmy Buffett music or the easy-going back cast members and guests, but there is something calming about visiting the Old Key West Resort. It's one of my favorite places to stay on property, and I absolutely adore their restaurant, Olivia's Cafe.Olivia's is located near the Hospitality House (i.e. lobby/check-in), and even though it's amidst all the action, it never feels bustling or crowded. It's food is very Key West inspired - seasonal, seafood, and full of flavor. I usually head there for breakfast, as I love their breakfast options (especially the sweet potato hash with poached eggs). On this particular occasion, I stopped by for lunch before heading out to the Mall at Millenia in Orlando for an afternoon of shopping. Though the mall does have a California Pizza Kitchen that I'd like to check out - I've heard fabulous things from Gluten Free in Orlando & Eating Out Without - but I had dinner at Boatwright's that night, and I knew I was going to need a bit of a lighter meal. I was greeted by my server Jerry, who has assisted me many times and is very attentive. I think my only sort of "complaint" about the service was that the hostess seated me in the middle of the restaurant. As a solo diner, that can be a little odd when you're right in the middle of the action! Thankfully, I was given some art work to color!Chef Paula, the location's culinary intern, came out to chat with me about the options. I was most keen on getting a salad and asked about the Mallory Square Cobb Salad which came with both shrimp and crab meat, along with standard Cobb salad accompaniments (bacon, egg, avocado). The dressing was a key lime vinaigrette which sounded amazing (and was!). She said she needed to double-check to see if the seafood had butter in it, but she thought it was made with extra virgin olive oil (it was).Once we were cleared with that, I was able to enjoy a generous portion of this Cobb salad. As a Cobb salad fan (and a huge fan of the Brown Derby Cobb Salad), I had high hopes for this. And it did not disappoint. The seafood was perfectly cooked and seasoned. It had a hint of Old Bay in it, which I adore but can be overpowering if used too generously. This was perfection. The bacon, hard boiled egg, and avocado married well with these light but rich proteins. And the key lime vinaigrette was the perfect light dressing to bring it all together. I may or may not have inhaled this salad. It was that good!Overall, I really enjoyed my lunch at Olivia's. I still think the Cobb salad at the Brown Derby is my favorite salad on property, as far as a full meal salad, but this is a very close second. I wouldn't hesitate to order this again, and likely will the next visit! I give this a solid 9 out of 10! The perfect meal salad for the summer in Florida.Have you dined at Olivia's? What do you like to order there?