Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory Lunch Review

*This gluten free & dairy free dining experience took place in June 2019.

Lunch at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory, located at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Resort, is a quick service restaurant that serves up New Orleans inspired meals. It's also the spot where you can get allergy-friendly beignets at Disney World -- making it the perfect place for a meal or a snack. Recently, I had lunch at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory with my good friend Ron who was visiting the Disney Parks & Resorts.

Atmosphere

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory is inspired by the classic New Orleans celebration of Mardi Gras. In fact, if you look around, you'll notice that the restaurant looks like a warehouse for Mardi Gras floats.

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

If you look at the drink station in the middle of the quick service dining area, you'll notice that it actually resembles a float.

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

You'll also find lots of Mardi Gras float touches throughout the restaurant.

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Even the light fixtures look like Mardi Gras beads! It's pretty neat to see all of the fun touches throughout the restaurant.

The Food

Of course, the real reason we come to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory is the food! While I have gotten different lunch and dinner options on previous visits, on this visits both Ron and I really just wanted allergy-friendly chicken tenders and French fries along with the allergy-friendly beignets. Yep, it was all about the gluten free & dairy free fried foods on this visit!

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory currently serves the Ian's brand allergy-friendly chicken tenders along with steak fries. These are both gluten free and dairy free.

Made in a dedicated fryer, these were well-fried and really delicious. I'm not usually a big steak fry fan. But, these were also well-fried too. The chef was generous with the portion too, so we were glad that we decided to split an order since we had dinner reservations at Cape May Cafe that night.

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Of course, we couldn't leave the restaurant without ordering their allergy-friendly beignets. That is always the real reason to come to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory! These are both gluten free & dairy free and oh so delicious. The beignets are currently made with Bob's Red Mill Pizza Crust mix, which is fairly allergy-friendly but does have a potential cross-contamination with nuts -- so do make sure you check with a chef depending on your special dietary need.

While the photo isn't very pretty, the beignets were outstanding on this visit. They were piping hot, smothered in powdered sugar, and surprisingly light for a gluten free dough. I know that some guests have mentioned that they find the dough quite dense. But, the chefs seemed to have adjusted the recipe lately. And, I have found them to be much lighter on recent visits.

Overall

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory never disappoints -- especially when it comes to serving one of the most unique and delicious sweet treats. The chefs there are always very accommodating, and they do a great job at providing safe meals that will make say "Let the good times roll" whenever you dine there. It's always a great go-to for me, and I always recommend it, especially for the allergy-friendly beignets!

Have you been to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory? What did you think of the special diets options there?

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory -- Dinner -- Quick Service -- Port Orleans French Quarter

*This dining experience took place in August 2017.

Dinner at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory, located at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter, is one of my favorite quick service resort restaurants on Disney property. Serving up gluten free, dairy free, and vegan beignets along with great New Orleans inspired food, what's not to love? Plus, Chef Tony and his team are really amazing at accommodating guests with special dietary needs that are delicious and don't make you feel like you're missing out on New Orleans flavors. So, it's a definite favorite with my family. Recently, we stopped by for dinner because Brandon and I didn't feel like cooking one night. Plus, we hadn't actually tried some of Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory's dinner offerings which include steak and custom rice bowls.

Atmosphere

One of the things I love about Port Orleans resort is the atmosphere, and that extends into Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory. Recently Sassagoula was renovated and includes a lot of subtle nods and touches that highlight Mardi Gras parades.From the moment you walk in, you'll notice lighting that resemble Mardi Gras beads to a drink station that looks like a Mardi Gras float.The interior seating areas are warm and homey, and I really like the hightop tables and bench seating for different seating styles and options.

The Food

But, for me, the real reason to visit Sassagoula is the food. I'd heard so many good things about the new menu changes from Alexis at Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures and others, so I knew I needed to visit at dinnertime. I opted for the custom rice bowls. The Create Your Own Rice Bowls are only available from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. nightly, so if you want a rice bowl, go at dinner.I got the Pulled Pork Bowl with Black Beans and White Rice. This dish was both gluten free and dairy free. All of the meats (which include Pulled Pork, Catfish and Shrimp) are gluten free and both the catfish and shrimp can be served dairy free too upon request. You'll want to check with a chef about the rice options and dairy.I have to say that this dish was super flavorful -- more than I expected to be honest. The pulled pork was a bit spicy, which balanced well with the white rice and black beans. And the fresh salsa on top was an added bonus that gave the dish a lot of flavor. Of course, now that I've had one version of the bowls, I want to try others. The shrimp and catfish sound delicious too!Now, you know I can't leave Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory without getting the Beignets. The beignets are gluten free, dairy free, vegan, egg free, and soy free. These deep fried gems are worth of trip if you ask me. They are a little more dense than gluten-filled beignet, but I truly love these. They are like donuts but better! Plus, they're deep-fried and covered in powdered sugar which is just about all I need to make me a happy.

Overall

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory continues to be a favorite of mine. The food is great and the chefs there really go above and beyond to help out guests with special diets. It's a place I go to again and again, and I'm so glad I finally made it to check out the new dinner menu. It's on my list of dinner places to go back to again soon.Have you been to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory? What have you ordered when you dined here?

Scat Cat's Cafe -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Port Orleans French Quarter

*This dining experience took place in December 2015.Port Orleans French Quarter is home to many things - gluten free and dairy free beignets and the ever popular Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory - but has not had a proper table service dining location after the closing of Bonfamille's Cafe well over a decade ago (read a history of the resort over at PortOrleans.org).During the 2015 holiday season for about a week, Scat Cat's Cafe, a pop-up restaurant located in the space formerly known as Bonfamille's Cafe, served up guests classic N'Awlins flavors with a family style all-you-care-to-eat dinner.Because I love the Port Orleans restaurants so much, I knew I had to go. And, of course, my friends Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando and Amanda from Eating Out Without, also wanted to dine here too (you can read their reviews of our dinner on their blogs).When we arrived, we were greeted by Chef Tony and Chef Paul who I often see at the resort at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory or Boatwright's, one of my favorite restaurants on Disney property. Both chefs gave us a run-down of the menu. It was awesome to hear that the majority of the menu was naturally gluten free and mostly dairy free. The only dairy filled items included the mashed potatoes and mac & cheese (a gluten free mac & cheese substitute was offered for Alexis). Hearing this reminded me that we were in for a treat at this dinner.While Chef Tony went over the menu with us, Chef Paul came out with GNI brand rolls and some extra virgin olive oil with herbs in it. These were very well heated and the olive oil was a great accompaniment to the rolls. Of course, knowing the dinner was all-you-care-to-eat, I made sure not to indulge in to many of these!The house salad made served included a delicious roasted garlic vinaigrette and was easily one of my new favorite salad dressings. The sweet and garlicky taste of this dressing was a nice variation of so many of the vinaigrette made on Disney property.Up next were the maque choux (made with corn, peppers, and onions) and collard greens. Both were naturally gluten free and dairy free and delicious. I think I might have been the only diner at my table to really dig into both of these, and I certainly ate my fair share. Having family with Southern roots, I absolutely adore collards, and I found these to be a delicious version.Since we couldn't have mashed potatoes, Chef Paul also brought out seasoned asparagus. Asparagus is on my high list of favorite vegetables, and this version was outstanding. Both Amanda and I quickly made our way through this dish. Hands down one of my favorite things from the meal.The main course included roasted chicken, which had been brined and seasoned well. The brining made the chicken extra moist and super flavorful. Everyone at the table loved this, and we quickly asked for seconds on the chicken.I also really enjoyed the sausage that accompanied the main platter, though I only ate one piece of this. The jambalaya was equally good, but I could have gone for the dirty rice that is served at Boatwright's. That dirty rice is bananas good!The pot roast with carrots was very flavorful, and I added a bit of the juice on the bottom of the bowl to the meat, since our version didn't have gravy. I'm not a huge beef eater, but I did enjoy the portion of it that I ate.As you can see from my plate, I certainly did not go hungry at this meal. Highlights of the main meal were definitely the salad, roasted asparagus, collard greens, and roasted chicken. If you like classic Cajun and Creole cuisine, this meal would have been right up your alley.The restaurant was serving a bread pudding for dessert, which was unfortunately not gluten free or dairy free. Thankfully, Chef Paul brought out some beignets for Amanda and me (Alexis got a bananas foster ice cream sundae), and this was the perfect ending to our meal.I absolutely adore the beignets served at Port Orleans French Quarter, and I seriously couldn't have imagined another dessert with my meal. Smothered in powdered sugar and deep fried, these beignets continue to be one of my favorite unique sweets at Disney World. Whether they are dessert or a decadent breakfast option, they are always worth the trip!Our dinner at Scat Cat's Cafe was terrific, and I can't thank Chef Tony and Chef Paul enough for continually taking care of special diets diners with delicious and decadent food. So much of their menu was already safe for us to eat, and that made having a "normal" dining experience even more possible. It's definitely a testament to why I am such a huge fan of the Port Orleans restaurants and culinary team. They are so committed to making great food for everyone, dietary restrictions or otherwise!I would love to see Scat Cat's Cafe or some other type of table service come back to Port Orleans French Quarter. The restaurant space was terrific, and the family style meal was both tasty and a very affordable dining option ($25.99 per adult). Fingers crossed that they may explore that option at POFQ in the future.Many of the items served at Scat Cat's Cafe can be found over at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory, so if you're craving this roasted chicken or the Jambalaya, you can still get your fix there or at Boatwright's at Port Orleans Riverside.Would you like to see a table service dining location at Port Orleans French Quarter? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section! 

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Port Orleans French Quarter

*This dining experience took place in June 2015. Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory located at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Resort completely evokes New Orleans. With vibrant music playing in the background, N'awlins inspired fare, and Mardi Gras style theming, you'll swear you landed on Bourbon Street when you dine here. I've enjoyed many meals here, but of course, Sassagoula's claim to fame are the gluten free beignets. I've spent entirely too many visits here covered in powdered sugar after eating these deep-fried gems, so to say it's a favorite spot to visit is an understatement.On this particular occasion, I stopped by to grab lunch (and beignets, of course!). Chef Tony greeted me with the new allergy-friendly lunch and dinner menu available at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory. You can also check out their breakfast menu here on the blog too. There were quite a few choices for both gluten and dairy free, and options to customize others not on the list as well. On a previous visit, I had a chicken sandwich (Po'Boy style) so this time I opted for the fish sandwich, which was a favorite of mine over at Riverside Mill (hello, remoulade!)I told Chef Tony to surprise me with a side dish, and he brought me out a bounty of French fries with a side of Remoulade (which is dairy free, as it is mayonnaise-based). Ah, I love it when the chefs at Disney restaurants know you all too well.This sandwich itself was delicious. The bun (which was Local Oven) was nicely toasted and worked really well with the sandwich (and the perfect vessel for remoulade goodness). The fish that day was Mahi Mahi, which is a fish I enjoy a lot. It has a great texture and isn't too flaky like cod or tilapia. It really holds up well in sandwich form.The fries were standard Disney fries but became transformed immediately when using my extra remoulade as a dipping sauce. If you like sauces, I can highly recommend this...mayonnaise-based sauces and fries were made for each other!Of course no visit to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory is complete without an order of beignets -- and these did not disappoint (really, how can anything deep fried and covered in powdered sugar?!). I love that these are gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soy free, and vegan! Want to recreate them at home? You can totally do that with the recipe from Port Orleans French Quarter!As always, I enjoyed my lunch at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory. They are consistently terrific at handling special dietary needs, have unique options like beignets, and the food is excellent. It's definitely one of my favorite resort quick service locations!Have you been to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory? What did you order there?

Beignets -- Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory -- Quick Service -- Port Orleans French Quarter

*This dining experience took place in April 2014.I love meeting up with Gluten Free Friends and even better...meeting up with friends and getting amazing food. I recently attended the Gluten-Free Living Conference in April and had the chance to share the Disney special diets love with several friends visiting from out-of-state.And you know we had to go to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory for beignets. It's become a must-do to take my GF friends there whenever they visit the area. On this visit, I met up with my friend Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando and she brought along our friends Jennifer from Gluten Free Go-To Guide and the one and only Jules from GF Jules.I arrived just a wee bit late for our morning beignet stop before the conference because I was at an earlier breakfast over at Olivia's (yes, this girl needs some extra protein in the morning or I would have been in a sugar coma). The nice part is that they had already ordered the beignets and were waiting for them to be done. Yep, these ladies were on a beignet mission!Chef Tony brought these out for us, and I loved seeing them in some updated packaging - a to-go box with the allergy pick placed in them. This is a really nice touch because it does help ensure that no kitchen mishaps occur. I always feel reassured when I see an allergy notification.I'm not gonna lie...we ordered a lot of beignets. And we devoured each and every one of these powdered sugar gems.One of the cool parts of this visit is that we got to check out the recipe for the beignets. I admit, I'm only slightly tempted to make them at home. I'm just glad I have a place where I can get these to order - no muss, no fuss! But, if I ever want to make them...the recipe is waiting for me.Alexis & I also took a picture with Chef Tony. Yep, he's a total rockstar in my book!Thanks again to Chef Tony & the team for always taking care of us. It was a lot of fun to share the beignet love with some gluten free friends and to share with them the amazing dedication to special diets that Disney has -- all while enjoying some delicious eats!Have you been to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory for beignets?