Grand Floridian Cafe Brunch Review

*This gluten free dining experience took place in March 2021. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut, hazelnut, cabbage, and chicken & turkey allergies.

Brunch at Grand Floridian Cafe

Grand Floridian Cafe, located at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, is a table service restaurant that offers, breakfast, lunch, and dinner options to guests. It's been several years since Brandon and I ate at Grand Floridian Cafe. We recently decided to make a last minute late lunch because the restaurant offers breakfast food (aka brunch) until nearly 2 p.m. daily. I had a total breakfast food craving and the brunch offerings gave us a chance to get breakfast or lunch depending on what we were interested in.

COVID-19 & Reopening Notes

On this particular visit, we made reservations for the restaurant a few days before we dined there. I used the My Disney Experience app and found that there was a late afternoon seating, which we decided to book (the restaurant closed for lunch at 2 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 were able to use online check-in during our visit, which worked great.

The restaurant itself featured many mechanisms to provide sanitization, social distancing, and safety for both guests and cast members. We were actually asked to wait outside versus inside before our table was ready to ensure social distancing. 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. The restaurant also currently offers some temporary outdoor dining, if you prefer to eat only outdoors at this time. We actually had a choice of seat location when we did online check-in that included no preference, booth, window, or outdoors. This may change overtime, so be sure to speak with a cast member directly if you have specific preferences.

As a note, at the time of writing this review, we have been to several of the Disney Resorts, including the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Boardwalk Resort, Contemporary Resort, Coronado Springs Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Old Key West Resort, Polynesian, Riviera Resort, and Wilderness Lodge Resort along with all of the theme parks. 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

The Grand Floridian Cafe offers a bit of Victorian charm in a more relaxed and casual setting. It is located on the main floor of the resort and has beautiful views of the resort's lawn area.

Grand Floridian Cafe - Entrance / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

As you can see, the restaurant has lots of windows which offer pleasant views.

Grand Floridian Cafe - Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The restaurant's interior itself is surprisingly bigger than one would expect. I always forget that it's fairly long and sprawling. We were seated at a table near one of the windows in a dining room area that is fairly quiet. There are a lot of different seating styles too from booths, to large tables for big parties, to smaller tables near the windows. And, of course, the Victorian decor is ever present on the wallpaper, in the carpet, and curtains. You almost expect the turn-of-the-century John from the Carousel of Progress to be dining in the restaurant too!

The Food

Like most Disney owned restaurants, the Grand Floridian Cafe does have an allergy-friendly menu. On this visit, we were not given a paper menu but were directed to the mobile app where the allergy-friendly menu was listed.

In addition to the allergy-friendly menu, you can always speak to a chef directly for additional questions you might have about options or special diets safety. On this visit, we chose to order directly from the allergy-friendly menu as we were ordering pretty standard breakfast fare.

Grand Floridian Cafe / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For my breakfast entree, I chose the Eggs Benedict which was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies on the allergy-friendly menu. This dish does contain dairy and cannot be modified, so if you're dairy free, you'll want to consider other breakfast dishes.

Overall, I liked the Eggs Benedict but didn't love it. The dish had indicated that it came with a gluten free English muffin. But, the restaurant seemed to have some supply issues, so mine came served on gluten free bread. While the flavors were all just OK, I was glad that this is an option for gluten free guests. Of course, I may just be spoiled by the excellent GF Eggs Benedict served on the Disney Cruise Line ships which I get every cruise.

The side dish of a tomato salad was quite nice and refreshing. The red onion was a bit sharp and spicy and mixed well with the sweet tomatoes and peppery arugula. I believe they also use this mix on the Avocado Toast which would be pretty amazing in my opinion. Generally, I would order this entree again, but I would probably order something different on our next visit.

Grand Floridian Cafe / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon ordered the classic Steak & Eggs. This dish was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies on the allergy-friendly menu. They were also made safe for chicken & turkey and cabbage allergies too. But, it's important to note that the dairy free options on the allergy-friendly menu are regular breakfast potatoes, not the cheesy potatoes shown in this photo. Brandon was able to get those potatoes instead since they were safe for his special dietary needs.

Like me, Brandon liked his entree but didn't love it. He said the steak was cooked well and that the eggs were tasty. His favorite part of the entree by far were the cheesy potatoes. If you can have these, they are highly recommended by Brandon!

Grand Floridian Cafe / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Because I hadn't had pancakes in a while, Brandon and I decided to split the allergy-friendly pancakes. These were marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, and Peanut/Tree Nut Allergies. They can also be made vegan by omitting the bacon or sausage side dish.

Both Brandon and I really loved the pancakes. And, it was the favorite part of our meal (besides the cheesy potatoes, which Brandon also raved about). The restaurant is currently using Bloomfield Farms gluten free & allergy-friendly pancakes and waffle mix. I've had this at Topolino's Terrace, and I really like the mix a lot. This is a definite must-order again dish! I am hoping that next time we go that they'll have more of their standard pancake & waffle toppings that they usually have but were not available on this visit due to supply issues.

If you want to get more information about our visit to Tiffins, we did film our visit for our YouTube channel.

Overall

We both enjoyed our meal at the Grand Floridian Cafe. Our only negative from the visit is that the service was incredibly slow despite having very few guests dining at the time that we visited. However, we both generally enjoyed our meal and had a few food highlights that we loved -- the allergy-friendly pancakes for both of us and the cheesy potatoes for Brandon. While we probably won't be back for a while, we both like that this restaurant serves breakfast food until 2 p.m. everyday which is great if you're craving breakfast but don't want to visit during the earlier parts of the day.

Have you been to the Grand Floridian Cafe for brunch? What did you think of the special diets offerings?

Homecomin' Kitchen Brunch Review

*This gluten free dining experience took place in July 2019.

Brunch at Homecomin' Kitchen

Homecomin' Kitchen is a table service restaurant located in Disney Springs. Owned and operated by Chef Art Smith -- a James Beard award-winning chef who grew in fame thanks to working with Oprah. This restaurant offers guests a taste of Florida local flavors and Southern dishes. It's one of my brother's favorite places in Disney Springs. And, he always wants to dine there whenever we have family in town. So, recently, I had brunch there with my brother, mom, and stepdad.

Atmosphere

Like its food, Homecomin' Kitchen's theme represents Florida and Southern staples.

Homecomin' Kitchen Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

It's a very inviting and charming restaurant -- with a brightly lit interior and big cushy chairs.

Homecomin' Kitchen - Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I love how some of the lighting fixtures actually use potato sacks to adorn them. It's super charming and very rustic.

Homecomin' Kitchen - Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Homecomin' Kitchen is very popular. So, my only negative on the theme and restaurant space is that it can feel quite crowded. We came during brunch, and the restaurant was pretty packed. If you're not that comfortable sitting in the middle of the restaurant, I recommend asking for a booth.

The Food

Because Homecomin' Kitchen is not owned and operated by Disney, they do not have an allergy-friendly menu. The menu does mark some items GF for those dishes that are gluten free. But, I always recommend speaking to a manager here, because there tends to be a few more options that are listed GF on the menu.

On this visit, I was interested in the brunch offerings -- though I could have ordered from the regular menu too. The brunch menu did not list any of the main dishes as gluten free. But, the manager told me many of them were easily modifications. The Grand-Daddy Plate and the Short Rib Hash were the two dishes with the easiest modifications. The only modification was to remove the cheddar cheese drop biscuit.

Homecomin' Kitchen / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I decided to order the Short Rib Hash which came with Two Eggs Sunny Side Up over a Short Rib Hash with Grilled Corn Succotash, Potatoes, Onions, Red Bell, and Fresno Peppers. I was also able to order a side with this entree, so I chose the Pecan Smoked Bacon. Everything was gluten free. I did not ask about dairy free modifications on this visit. But, I would guess that this may have been dairy free or easily made dairy free.

Overall, I really enjoyed this breakfast entree. The eggs were well-cooked, and the hash was really delicious. It did have a bit of a spicy bite to it. So, if you're not a fan of spicy food, this dish might be a little too spicy for you. But, I didn't think the dish was overly spicy for anyone who is a spice fan. The pecan smoked bacon was really delicious. And, I definitely could have eaten my weight in it for sure!

One of my biggest complaint would be the price of this restaurant for brunch. $22 for eggs, hash, and bacon seemed a little much -- especially when you consider most Disney table service breakfast options are around $15 for an entree. But, it was tasty, and I was full by the meal's end.

Overall

While I enjoyed the brunch at Homecomin' Kitchen, I'm not sure it will be a regular on my breakfast rotation at Disney World. I enjoyed my meal, but the limited options and price point make it an OK option but not my first choice for breakfast. I did enjoy my lunch at Homecomin' Kitchen, and you can read that review here on the blog too.

Have you been to Homecomin' Kitchen? What did you think of the special diets options there?

Raglan Road Irish Pub Brunch Review

*This gluten free dining experience took place in June 2019. It includes information about dairy free options and modifications.

Brunch at Raglan Road

Raglan Road Irish Pub, located in Disney Springs, has been one of my favorite places to dine at Disney World for years now. Serving up classic Irish fare for lunch and dinner daily and brunch on the weekends, I always find that there's something for everyone to enjoy at Raglan Road. On this particular visit, I had brunch at this table service restaurant with a friend.

Atmosphere

Raglan Road is all about its Irish roots. You'll feel like you were transported to an Irish pub from the moment you walk into the restaurant.

Raglan Road Irish Pub Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

One of my favorite things about Raglan Road is how authentic it is. They actually shipped in wood from Ireland to build the bar and other areas of the restaurant. How cool is that?

Raglan Road - Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

During our brunch, we were seated in a cozy back area of the restaurant, near their second bar. This area was charming and has lots of nods to Ireland with photos of famous Irish folks. The restaurant also features live Irish bands and Irish Stepdancers on the weekends too that starts at noon. We were having brunch a bit before the live music, so it was nice and quiet throughout our meal.

The Food

Of course, my favorite reason for visiting Raglan Road is the food. This restaurant is not owned & operated by the Disney Company, so they do not have an allergy-friendly menu. But, your server will discuss options with you. And, the restaurant is very special diets friendly. In fact, the first thing our server asked was if anyone had a special dietary need.

Raglan Road / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

While we were looking over the brunch menu, my friend and I decided to enjoy a pint of Magners Pear Hard Cider. It's a great boozy way to start a brunch. And, the pear cider is very light and bubbly -- making it a great brunch drink. Currently, Raglan Road has Magners plain hard cider and pear both on tap. You can also order bottles of several types of cider too.

Raglan Road / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

After some debating, I decided to order the Happy Marriage Omelet. This included Slow braised chicken, bacon jam, sautéed spring onions and crispy diced potatoes. This is a gluten free dish, and though I didn't ask on this visit, I think it's probably easily made dairy free too.

Overall, I enjoyed this omelet. I would say that I was a bit surprised by it, as I expected the potatoes to be served on the side and not in the omelet itself. The chicken was very tasty and the bacon jam provided a good bit of acidic punch throughout, which was really nice. I am pretty sure the jam was made using balsamic vinegar because that taste was pretty strong when you got bites of the jam.

The overall omelet was actually much milder in taste than I expected. But, it was a huge portion. So, if getting a lot of for you money is important or you're really hungry, this is a great. option. In the future, I might skip this and order the Pork Hash Tagged, which I love, or the classic gluten free & dairy free fish and chips. It's not that this dish was bad. It just wasn't my favorite thing I've ordered at Raglan Road.

Overall

I am always really happy when I get to eat a meal at Raglan Road. The food is always excellent, the service great, and the special diets options extensive. If you're gluten free (and even dairy free), you'll find a lot of choices in this classic Irish pub themed restaurant.

Have you been to Raglan Road Irish Pub? What was your experience during brunch like?

Palo -- Brunch -- Disney Dream

*This gluten free dining experience took place in May 2018.

Brunch at Palo

Palo located on Deck 13 of the Disney Dream is one of the two adults only restaurants on the ship. Palo offers dinner daily and on select days offers brunch. The last time I was on the Disney Dream back in 2014 for a 3-day cruise, they didn't offer brunch at Palo. So, I was thrilled to hear that Disney has been offering brunch on 3-day cruises when you're docked in Nassau. Brunch just might be one of my favorite meals, so I knew we had to book it. Brunch is typically offered from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., and I made our reservation for 10 a.m. so that we could enjoy a leisurely brunch.

Atmosphere

Having had dinner at Palo on the last cruise I went on, I knew that it was a beautifully decorated restaurant. But, the vibe totally changes from day time to evening, and I was really wowed by how bright and inviting Palo is during the day.Palo means "pole" in Italian. And, that fits perfectly with the theme of the restaurant which is inspired by Venice. The version of Palo on the Disney Dream is set to resemble a Venetian waterfront, and you'll find examples of poles inspired by the classic gondolas throughout the restaurant.When you first walk through the Palo entrance, you'll notice a beautiful chandelier above. This glass chandelier is actually made to look like different types of pasta and sauces you'll find in classic Northern Italian fare. It's quite stunning, and I highly recommended stopping to look at it a bit more closely.As we learned from our server Corinne and later when we went on the Art of the Theme tour, Palo is expertly themed from the artwork to the chairs and everything in between.Even the metal artwork near the seating area is inspired by Venice.Palo has plenty of seating for all sizes of groups and seating preferences. Whether you prefer a cozy booth, a seat in the back, or a close-up view outside, you'll find it at Palo.On our visit, we had a lovely window seat. If you're having dinner at Palo or brunch during a day at sea, you'll have spectacular views of the ocean. Since we were dining while docked in Nassau, we didn't really have a great view (it looked out onto the Carnival ship docked next to us), but we still enjoyed the brightly lit restaurant and cozy environment.Hilariously, our server Corinne remarked that we had our very own Gondolier while at Palo, as one of the cast members cleaning windows came by. I have to admit that we both chuckled at this but were also fascinated by the cleaning and repairs that happen while docked.

The Food

Of course, the best part of Palo brunch is the food. Having dined here for dinner back in 2014, I knew that the food was going to be quite good, so I was looking forward to all the options.Before Corinne went over the meal options and brought out the chef, she brought us each a Mimosa (orange juice and champagne) to start out brunch.I also ordered an unsweetened iced tea, and was super excited to see that the tea was served with iced tea cubes. This is perfect for those who love tea but don't like that their tea gets diluted by regular water ice cubes melting. Talk about a nice touch!After getting our drinks, the chef (whose name I forgot to write down), walked both Brandon and I through the buffet. Since Brandon is allergic to fish and shellfish, the chef advised him what he could and could not eat, in addition to walking me through the buffet. One of the things I liked most about the buffet is that there were several tables with food sections. For instance, their was an entire seafood table that Brandon avoided, while I avoided the pastry / bread table.The chef also offered to bring me a plate of food from the kitchen if I preferred, and he also noted that when I was ready for dessert he would bring me a plate from the kitchen automatically. He offered to do the same for Brandon as he noted some desserts contained gelatin.Because I have reintroduced dairy back into my diet, the items I ate at brunch did have a good amount of dairy present. Guests who are dairy free shouldn't worry though, as they have lots of options that are dairy free or can be made dairy free.With the buffet, I ended up getting a good amount of seafood -- much of which was gluten free and dairy free. This included a scallop with fresh tomatoes and basil, crab legs, two different types of seared tuna, bloody Mary shrimp cocktail, and poached shrimp. I also tried prosciutto wrapped melon, several kinds of aged cheese, and caprese salad.Everything I enjoyed on my buffet plate was outstanding. The seafood was super fresh and well prepared. The scallops and seared tuna were definitely my favorites of the seafood options. The other item I liked the most was the caprese salad which was just outstanding and so light and fresh.In addition to the buffet, Palo also has an a la carte menu with breakfast and lunch offerings. Both the chef and Corinne recommended that I try a few dishes to get a taste of all that Palo had to offer. First up, I ordered the famous Palo Grape and Gorgonzola Pizza. This is made on a gluten free crust (I believe currently Udi's Gluten Free on the Disney Dream). Pizza options are listed on the Palo menu, but this particular combination is not. But, if you ask the culinary team, they can still make it for you.The pizza is such a unique option, that we just had to try it. It is served with a red sauce, mozzarella, Gorgonzola, grapes, and a red wine reduction. Talk about decadent. Both Brandon and I tried this. I liked it a lot; Brandon thought it was just a bit too sweet for his taste. I would definitely get this again, though next time I might ask for it to be a white pizza without the red tomato sauce base, as I think I would have liked it more without it.The chef also said they can make gluten free (and dairy free) pancakes and waffles. The waffles are typically served as one giant Mickey shaped waffle (you can see a photo of it on Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures). But, I was told that their large waffle maker was down that day. Still, I got to enjoy 2 smaller Allergy-Friendly Mickey Waffles topped with powdered sugar and 100% pure maple syrup. I also had the option of ordering strawberry sauce or apple cinnamon sauce.These tasted just about identical to the versions of allergy-friendly Mickey waffles at Disney World and, I believe, were made using Namaste Pancake & Waffle Mix. They were nice and crispy and super tasty, and I would definitely order these again at Palo brunch. Hopefully, next time we go, they'll have the big Allergy-Friendly Mickey waffle maker working again!Although I did not ask for it, our server Corinne insisted I try a gluten free pasta, since we were in an Italian restaurant. She ended up bringing me Gluten Free Pasta with Smoked Salmon, Baby Spinach, Tarragon, Cracked Black Pepper, and a Cream Sauce. I didn't eat a ton of this, but I did try it. If you like seafood, it was quite good. It's not a dish I'd probably order again, but I was glad to try it.As you can see from this photo of our table, Corinne made sure we did not go hungry. In fact, we were both just plain stuffed by the end of the brunch. I really appreciated that she encouraged us to try lots of dishes, but next time we'll definitely reduce the amount of items we order!As if I could even eat another bite, Corinne brought out a plate of desserts for me from the chef. Three of the four desserts on the plate contained dairy, so if you're dairy free, be sure to ask for other options. The gluten free and dairy free dessert on my plate was a champagne gelatin with fruit. It was actually my least favorite of the desserts (I tried a bite of all of them), as I did not like the gelatin texture. But, I'm super glad that it was an option and something that was nice and light compared to the other desserts.The desserts included an espresso mousse (far left), vanilla panna cotta with mango, blueberries, and strawberries (center), and a raspberry mousse (far right). Every single one of these were very good. The panna cotta was probably my favorite with the raspberry mousse a close second. The espresso mousse was also very good and perfect for anyone who loves coffee.

Overall

Both Brandon and I absolutely loved the brunch at Palo. We really enjoyed that it included both a cold buffet and a la carte options. The cold buffet was super high quality with lots of options for any preference or special dietary need. We also found the a la carte options to include unique dishes that we might not have otherwise tried (Brandon enjoyed celery soup and artichoke ravioli -- both of which he would not typically order) and classic brunch favorites. Brunch also gave us a chance to enjoy Palo without missing out on our regular rotational dinner too.The atmosphere in Palo at brunch is so relaxing and our server Corinne was so great, that it made for a wonderful experience that we're both still raving about even after the trip. We wouldn't hesitate to book brunch again, though we both agreed that we want to go to Palo for dinner on our next cruise.Have you been to Palo for brunch or dinner? What did you think of the options available to special dietary needs guests? 

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Brunch & Dinner -- Table Service -- Disney Springs

*These dining experiences took place in June 2017. 

Brunch and Dinner at Raglan Road Irish Pub

Raglan Road Irish Pub, located in Disney Springs, is one of my favorite table service restaurants at Disney World. It has consistently great food, fantastic atmosphere, and tons of gluten free and dairy free options. It's always a winner and a restaurant I go back to again and again. Recently, I stopped by Raglan Road for both brunch and dinner, so I'm including both visits in this review.

Atmosphere

One of the things that I love most about Raglan Road is that you'll feel like you were transported to Ireland when you walk in the door. From the outside dining areas to the charming interior, it all has an authentic Irish feel to it.Of course, on one of the days we visited, it was pouring rain, which made it perfect for a cozy Irish pub meal.The interior of the restaurant is dark, with lots of wood and cozy corners. There are two bar locations and a main stage for live entertainment, which you can see nightly and during the brunch time.It can get a bit loud in Raglan Road, so if you prefer a quieter area of the restaurant, I recommend asking for a table near the side of the restaurant. It's tucked away and much quieter and calmer.You'll also find lots of touches and nods to the pub's Irish roots in the restaurant, and we found a lot of them when we were seated on the side of the main dining room.For lots of excitement and action, you can also sit in the main dining area, which is a rollicking good time. You'll find a stage in the middle of the dining room and a main stage at the front -- all for live music and Irish step dancers. When we visited for brunch, we were seated right in front of the main stage and next to the smaller stage, so we got to see it all up close.You can check out some of the live music we saw that day on my video on YouTube.

The Food

Of course, the best part about Raglan Road is the food. Chef Kevin Dundon has done a fantastic job at making sure the restaurant has tons of gluten free and celiac safe options to choose from. And, that's good news for anyone who loves fried foods because you can get a ton of gluten free and dairy free fried foods made safely in dedicated fryers at Raglan Road.Raglan Road does not carry an allergy friendly menu, but you can find gluten free options listed on their website. You can also ask your server for assistance too. Because Raglan Road isn't owned by Disney, they don't necessarily follow the same Disney allergy menu protocols, but I can tell you they do a great job handling requests. On both visits, the first thing our server asked was if anyone had special dietary needs, which is great.But, before your main meal, don't forget to enjoy a good beverage. They have plenty of delicious non-alcoholic drinks like iced tea.Or, you can enjoy a pint of Magners Irish Hard Cider, which they have on tap. It's a must-do whenever I go.When we went for brunch, I couldn't help but order the Onion Rings, which can be made gluten free and dairy free. They are served with a mild mayonnaise mustard combination but also taste amazing with other condiments, like cocktail sauce.*Note: A few readers reached out to me and told me that the gluten free onion rings could not be made dairy free anymore (they have been dairy free for years). But, thanks to a live from Raglan Road report from Erica from Celiac and the Beast, who spoke with the management team and was told they can still be made dairy free. I also ordered the Fish and Chips, which can be made gluten free and dairy free. The tartar sauce that comes with it is also gluten free and dairy free too. This is always a hands down winner. Where else can you get proper gluten free and dairy free fried fish and chips?!If you like sauce as much as I do, definitely ask for extra tartar sauce because it's amazing with the fish and the chips.The chips served here are thick cut, steak fries. They do a great job frying them, and they pair really well with the fried fish. I do always recommend that you add a squeeze of fresh lemon and some salt on the fish and chips before you eat them. Sometimes, I find the fish and chips to be undersalted here, but it's an easy fix, and you can adjust it to your personal taste level.A brunch, they also serve the Pork Hash Tagged, which is both gluten free and dairy free. My mom ordered this and really enjoyed it, and I've ordered it before too. One note, the eggs are served over-easy, so if you want them cooked a bit harder, let them know. My mom hates runny egg yolk, so she asked for them to be cooked longer.If I visit Raglan Road again for brunch, I need to order this again. It's so good!My brother ordered the Kevin's Heavenly Ham entree that includes Irish Mist glazed loin of bacon with savoy cabbage, colcannon potatoes, parsley cream sauce and a raisin cider jus. It can be made gluten free by removing a bread component to the dish. Since my brother didn't request it to be gluten free, I didn't get a chance to try it, but you can see more or less what it would look like.I may have to order this one sometime because it looked amazing, and my brother said it was really good.When Brandon and I went back for dinner, our server mentioned that they had a special for the night -- Wild Boar Burger made with local wild boar. It sounded intriguing, and he checked with the chef to confirm it could be made gluten free. Thankfully, it could be, and I believe the only change was to a gluten free bun.I have to say, this may have been one of the best things burgers I've had out in a restaurant in a while. I didn't know how the wild board would taste, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it to be very mild. It was a cross between a regular burger and a pork burger, but super tender and flavorful.The burger was topped with blue cheese and a pear compote, which added some tanginess and sweetness that went perfectly with the boar. I also find that pork of any type and fruit flavors go really well together, and this just really worked.There was a small side of slaw on the side, which was lightly dressed in a vinaigrette or oil of some type. It didn't have a ton of flavor on it, but it worked beautifully when added to the burger for some crunch.The burger was served with steak fries, but I asked to substitute them for Garlic & Parmesan Truffle Chips, which can be made gluten free. Since I've reintroduced some dairy back into my diet, these are a must do on occasion. The rich parmesan and truffle oil make for a perfect French fry. I also loved the richness of these fries along with the richness of the wild board burger. It definitely felt like a decadent and rich meal.I do hope they continue to have this and other specials on the menu. It was super unique, and I was so glad I got to try it.

Overall

Raglan Road consistently wins me over with excellent service (both of our servers were outstanding), terrific atmosphere, and fantastic food. There are always so many gluten free and even dairy free options, that I find myself wanting to try something new on every visit (even though, I'm prone to ordering the fish and chips over and over again). Everyone raved at both meals, and I can't wait to enjoy another visit again soon at this must-do Disney Springs table service restaurant.Have you been to Raglan Road Irish Pub? What's your special diets must-order on the menu?

The Wave -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Contemporary

*This dining experience took place in January 2017.

Breakfast at the Wave

I recently stopped by the Wave, a table service restaurant located at Disney's Contemporary Resort. I've had sort of hit and miss experiences with the Wave in the past. But, my last visit was amazing, so I decided to grab brunch there again because I was craving their gluten free and dairy free sweet potato pancakes, which I've had on previous visits.The Wave does have an allergy-friendly menu and after being seated I took a look of it, but was also a bit tempted by the breakfast buffet that is also offered. You can order a la carte for breakfast or dine off the buffet, which is around $25 per person. Luckily, with any buffet on Disney property, you can ask a chef at any time for food to be brought directly from the kitchen, instead of off the buffet line to avoid cross-contamination.Chef Laura came out, who helped me on my last visit, and I was so glad to see her! She is beyond fantastic and made me a great breakfast. We talked through some options, and she also confirmed that they can still make the sweet potato pancakes gluten free and dairy free again.Hurrah! After some debate, Chef Laura sold me on the buffet, as she said she'd make me most of my dishes, plus a good portion of the buffet had gluten free options. So while she was making my custom omelet, potatoes, and pancakes, I decided to get some items from the buffet.

Atmosphere

A quick note about the atmosphere. I like the Wave's interior. It's very modern and clean (fitting for the Contemporary Resort). I also love the entrance which always feels like you're going into an airport tunnel. There's a quaint bar area which I love and the main dining area while clean and bright is nice but I wouldn't say anything too remarkable.Let's face it. It's all about the food!

The Food

There was so much, that it's hard to know where to start. First off, I grabbed a sampling of some of the fruit options, some breakfast meats, and some Tillamook Cheddar Grits (since I'm re-introducing some dairy back into my diet).I really loved the fruit options they had. The first serving I had was Tropical Fruit Cocktail with Coconut Syrup. I absolutely adore tropical fruit and coconut, so this was right up my alley. It was filled with pineapple which is one of my most favorite fruits. This is definitely something I need to recreate at home! They also had grapes and strawberries and Melon Fruit Cocktail -- all of which were pre-portioned in their own containers, which helps reduce cross-contamination too.I also got the Apple and Honey Spiced Hot Quinoa which was near the hot oatmeal (not certified gluten free). You could ask for this from the back, but since neither of them looked like anyone had scooped any recently, I decided to get the quinoa. It was good, but a little too "spicey" for me. I thought the cinnamon was just a little overpowering.The breakfast meats were nothing special. I did enjoy both the bacon and pork sausage, but the bacon was the same old stringy Disney bacon. Nothing special there.The star of the buffet was the Tillamook Cheddar Grits.Good time of day these were good.I didn't eat much of them because they were clearly loaded with dairy. A few bites though...heaven. They were some of the creamiest dreamiest grits I've ever had. I may have actual dreams about these. So good.If you can have dairy, do yourself a favor and get these.Chef Laura also made me an omelet with ham, cheddar cheese, and onions. It was super delicious and SUPER cheesy! I'm pretty sure I could eat that Tillamook Cheddar for days. The roasted red potatoes I had were quite good too. The hashbrowns off the buffet were gluten free but also loaded with dairy, and well, if you're limiting your dairy best to go with the cheddar grits? Amiright?!While I was waiting for my pancakes, I went back to the buffet and tried the Deviled Eggs along with a serving of Strawberries & Grapes. The eggs were good but nothing special. The smoked salmon on the buffet was also gluten free too, but I skipped that on this visit.The gluten free and dairy free Sweet Potato Pancakes are always well worth any wait. They are so delicious. They taste like fall on a plate, and I love that. Oddly, mine didn't come with toasted pecans, just the plain maple syrup on this visit, but I was so full at that point, I didn't mind.One word about getting gluten free and dairy free sweet potato pancakes. A lot of people ask if you can just get them even though they aren't listed on the allergy friendly menu. The short answer? Usually. On my last several visits, they've been able to make them with no advance notice. But, I've also been told that if you really have your heart set on them that you should contact the restaurants at least 2 weeks in advance to let them know. You can do this by emailing Disney's Special Diets Department at special.diets@disneyworld.com.Want to recreate these at home? I love that I can easily make these at home using Namaste Pancake & Waffle Mix (which is what they use in the restaurant). You can check out my YouTube cooking series for the recipe!

Overall

I really have enjoyed my most recent visits at the Wave. The food has been outstanding and Chef Laura is a gem. She's definitely quickly become one of my favorite new chefs at Disney. Plus, my server Steven was amazing. We chatted Star Wars all while enjoying a delicious breakfast. Talk about the perfect brunch!I will definitely be going back again soon, and I just may get the buffet again. I do prefer ordering a la carte, but this visit reminded me that the buffet there has some fantastic options.Have you been to the Wave? What did you think of the breakfast offerings there?

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Brunch -- Table Service -- Disney Springs

*This dining experience took place in December 2015.'Tis the luck of the Irish when you dine at Raglan Road Irish Pub, located at Disney Springs. Raglan Road is well known among the gluten free dining community as THE spot at Disney for proper gluten free fish and chips, onion rings, and more. Though not owned and operated by Disney, they consistently provide some of the best gluten free accommodation around and have even been voted the best gluten free restaurant in Orlando.Raglan Road is the restaurant of Irish celebrity chef Kevin Dundon, whose simple and fresh recipes make the food at Raglan Road so good. I've had the chance to meet him several times, including sharing the stage once with him at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival.Ireland actually has a fairly high rate of celiac disease, so a lot of the food prepared at Raglan Road is naturally gluten free or can be easily made gluten free. Chef Kevin even works with the Coeliac Society of Ireland. So, when you dine at Raglan Road, you can be sure they do take gluten free safety pretty seriously!On this occasion, we had seats at the bar, where you can still order off the full brunch, lunch, and dinner menus. For brunch, we were coming in a bit late (around 1 pm). We started off with a Magners Hard Cider because it's a Raglan Road tradition whenever we go to the bar. We also were very hungry and quickly ordered some gluten free and dairy free onion rings along with a side of sweet chili jam and lime mayonnaise.Sometimes the fried foods at Raglan Road can seem under-salted. I recommend adding more salt yourself or by utilizing the various condiments available. I can't recommend the sweet chili jam and onion ring combo enough!In addition to our onion rings, we noticed that there was a new pork belly hash listed. I asked if this was gluten free and dairy free, and to my surprise, it was. You can order it as a full entree with eggs or as a side. Not wanting all breakfast food, I ordered it as a side just to try.Filled with crispy pork belly, potatoes, and green onions, this was absolutely delicious. It was perfectly seasoned and so tasty. In fact, it was probably the dish that got eaten the fastest during our meal. I would definitely order again, and maybe even ask if I could swap out in place of fries (with sandwiches and such). The breakfast entree with this is bound to be amazing too.Of course, Raglan Road is known for their gluten free fish and chips. Crispy and flaky, they are a must order. Make sure to enjoy the house-made tartar sauce, as it's hands down my favorite tartar sauce in a restaurant. It's the perfect accompaniment to the fish and chips.The pancetta and chicken sandwich can be ordered gluten free with a gluten free bun (as pictured above) or minus the cheese and herb aoili, as it was when I ordered it for brunch last January. I will say that if you can't have dairy, this might be a dish to skip, unless you like condiments, as ordering it plain made it quite dry. On my previous visit, I doctored it up substantially with various condiments.Overall, Raglan Road continues to be my go-to table service location at Disney Springs. I do enjoy Splitsville on occasion for their sushi and rice bowls but for amazing food with lots of variety and consistent special dietary needs accommodations, my bet is always on Raglan Road.Have you been to Raglan Road? What do you enjoy ordering there?

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Lunch -- Table Service -- Disney Springs

*This dining experience took place in February 2015. Raglan Road Irish Pub located in Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs) is always my favorite table service restaurant to go to the in the Downtown Disney area. It's so good, and how can you resist all the gluten free (and dairy free) deep fried goodness that they serve up here? Their gluten free and dairy free fish and chips are the real deal.On this particular occasion, I was joined by my friend Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando (you can read her lunch reviews of Raglan Road HERE) and my brother. I had emailed the Raglan Road team ahead of time because they debuted a new spring menu, and I was curious about the offerings and if any of the new desserts could be made gluten free and dairy free.I was excited to hear that I could order the chocolate cake with advance notice gluten free and dairy free and that the strawberry crumble could also be made dairy free (it's already gluten free). The restaurant did ask for 24 hours notice to request the chocolate cake. You can contact them on their website for more info. For an appetizer, I had been wanting to try the Dalkey Duo which is gluten free and dairy free fried sausages with a Dalkey mustard. I have to say that while this was good, I'm not sure it would be a repeat on my appetizer rotation -- the Raglan Road onion rings and scallops are definitely crowd-pleasers and would be my first picks for appetizers.  The sausages themselves were quiet good, but more like a bratwurst than a smoked sausage which is what I was expecting. You get a decent sized portion (9 sausages), but these are definitely a sharing appetizer, as they were quite heavy and greasy. The mustard was a nice accompaniment as it cut the greasiness down a lot.  For my entree, I chose the lobster club with avocado and french fries. The sandwich came on a gluten free and dairy free bun. When I had visited Raglan Road for brunch, I got the same bun and was told that they ordered it from a local bakery. On this visit, the manager told me that they make it in-house, adhering to cross-contamination standards while baking. The bun itself tasted like an Udi's Gluten Free bun to me, so I hope to investigate this further to find out if they are made locally or in-house.  The lobster club itself was very good. Sometimes lobster salad can be over-mayonnaised (not sure that's a word but that's the best way I can describe the over-use of mayo) or overly seasoned (case in point - the lobster club at Artist's Palette at Saratoga Springs), but this version was perfect. The creaminess of the avocado and butteriness of the lobster were terrific together. This would definitely be a sandwich I'd order again.  For my dessert, I was surprised to see a fairly large gluten free and dairy free chocolate cake. This is definitely for splitting! The cake itself was good -- not overly sweet or rich. I would have liked to see a bit more of a fudgy texture (more like a lava cake), but it was still a great choice. The real winner to this dish was the fruit that accompanied it. It was so delicious and paired very well with the cake. With a touch Cointreau, everyone at the table agreed that the fruit was really delicious (yes, I made them all try it!).Overall, I enjoyed my lunch at Raglan Road. While I wouldn't probably order the sausages again (just too heavy for me), I wouldn't hesitate to pre-order the chocolate cake from Raglan Road. They do such a terrific job at handling special diets diners, and I'm glad they continue to be my go-to restaurant in Downtown Disney. Have you been to Raglan Road Irish Pub? What are your favorite dishes to order?

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Brunch -- Table Service -- Disney Springs

*This dining experience took place in January 2015.Whenever I want a bit of the luck of the Irish and some amazing gluten free fried food options, I always head to Raglan Road Irish Pub located in Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs). With an extensive amount of gluten free (and dairy free) food offerings, they have been voted one of the best restaurants in Orlando for gluten free diners.I've enjoyed many meals here and typically order the fabulous gluten free fish and chips or their citrus salmon salad. I've never been disappointed with my meals here. One of the things I've been dying to do is try their brunch offerings on Sunday.And thankfully, I had the opportunity recently to meet up with friends Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando and Amanda from Eating Out Without for brunch (none of us had ever been). You can read the reviews of their brunch meals on each of their blogs!  If you love live entertainment, the Rollicking Raglan Brunch serves up traditional Irish folk music and dancing. We were close to both the stage and the dancing stage in the middle of the dining room. It can be pretty noisy in there, but there are breaks in between sets. If you're interested in a more quiet area of the restaurant, just ask the hostess.  We were greeted by our server that day who asked us first thing if anyone had special dietary needs. I love that Raglan Road always asks this early on in the dining experience. Our server was very knowledgeable in options and very willing to ask the kitchen any questions that we might have. She also let us know that the restaurant was now carrying a gluten free and dairy free bun that was available for sandwiches (you can't get it with anything but sandwiches at this time due to limited supply). Ever the curious one, I decided to order a sandwich as many of the breakfast-type brunch offerings didn't appeal to me. Many were gluten free but very few were dairy free, so I stuck to the regular menu. I ordered a side of gluten free and dairy free onion rings with the Pancetta and Chicken sandwich. First up, came the onion rings. I do love a good onion ring, but my biggest complaint with them has always been a lack of a dip. Well, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a house-made remoulade brought with the onion rings. Hurrah! I will say that if I hadn't ever had the remoulade from Port Orleans I would proclaim this version to be my favorite at Disney; however, I have to say that the Port Orleans one trumps the Raglan Road version any day. It was still a great sauce but nothing compared to the amazing version at Port Orleans restaurants.A few notes about the gluten free fried foods at Raglan Road. They are currently made with Domata Gluten Free Flour blend (which includes chickpea flour). I was unable to obtain the recipe, but if you have specific allergens and questions, I would recommend contacting Raglan Road with questions. Additionally, Raglan Road tends to undersalt their fried foods. If you find the batter to be bland, just add some extra salt when it comes to your table. I always find this the best route. Or cover them in one of their many delicious condiments. That's always my solution!   For my entree, I had the steak fries with the Pancetta and Chicken Sandwich. The sandwich was traditionally served with a herb aioli; however, the aioli contained dairy, so the sandwich was served plain. I asked for plenty of condiments so that alleviated any blandness issue but I'll get to that in a minute.First up, the bun appeared to be Udi's Gluten Free. The server told us it came from a local bakery, but everyone at the table agreed that it looked an awful lot like Udi's, and I thought it tasted exactly like Udi's. We weren't able to get anymore information, but I'll be curious to go back again to check this out.I found the sandwich to overall be fairly good -- nothing special. What made it special were the sauces that I asked for at the meal.  As many of you know, I'm known as the condiment queen, and this visit to Raglan Road was all about the condiments. I always get the sweet chili jam for my onion rings (it's so good and a perfect combination of sweet and spicy) and the tartar sauce for the fries. With the addition of the remoulade, I had three condiments to compliment my meal. I added the tartar sauce to my sandwich (which would have been amazing if it was a fish sandwich), as well as to my fries. The remoulade and sweet chili jam were used on fries and onion rings. So good! If I had been thinking of it, I probably should have tried the remoulade on the chicken sandwich. Instant makeshift Po' Boy!Overall, I had a great time at Raglan Road's brunch. I would love to see an increase in gluten free AND dairy free breakfast offerings, but was pleased that I could still enjoy my lunch and dinner-time favorites. I can't wait to visit for brunch again soon!Have you been to Raglan Road for brunch? What did you order?