Disney Food Guide: Disney Springs

Disney Springs is the sort of catch-all public entertainment and recreation area for any given person in the Orlando area on any given day. You have the hardcore Disney adults wearing matching shirts and Mickey ears even though they aren’t in the parks; the families pushing strollers and yelling at their kids after a long day at the Magic Kingdom; the just-turned-twenty-one crowd who have no issue wasting money on overpriced cocktails; and pretty much everyone else in between. For me, Disney Springs brings fond memories of shopping for stuffed animals at ages 5-10 (back when it was still Downtown Disney), losing my sequined Mickey purse with my very first earnings inside (tragic, I know), and more recently, a fun place to grab a drink on a night out with friends and family. Plus, it’s the only place I can play with cool lightsabers for free.

Now, I haven’t shopped, eaten, and drank at every restaurant and bar here, but I do know a great spot when I step inside. Below are my most recent recommendations, and I’ll include some honorable mentions that I haven’t gotten to photograph for the blog yet, too.

1. Texas Chili Cheese Dog - B.B. Wolf's Sausage Co.

Hot dogs are a food that get a lot of hate, but I will literally always stick up for hot dogs. No, I don’t really know what’s in them. Yes, they’re super processed and unhealthy. But give me a hot dog covered in chili and cheese and I’ll eat it every time. This one in particular was just lovely. Hot chili, melted cheese, toasted bun, topped with Fritos–just the perfect combo. The only thing that would have made it better is if it had nacho cheese instead of shredded. If I’m eating a hot dog, I’m going all out, people.

2. Loaded Frites - The Daily Poutine

French fries are arguably my favorite food on the planet (maybe second only to pasta) and poutine is arguably the best version of French fries you can get. These loaded frites were packed full of flavor, covered in pico de gallo, queso, bacon, lettuce and garlic ranch. I literally inhaled these in under three minutes. The picture is terrible because I had to screenshot it from the only three-second video I took before I scarfed them down. If you’re in Disney Springs and your tastebuds work, get these immediately.

3. Black Jack Chicken with Loaded Fries - Splitsville

Fried chicken is better than grilled, and loaded fries are better than plain. Those are just facts. And those facts are why I substituted fried chicken for the grilled on this sandwich, and loaded up the fries on the side. Aside from the chicken, this sandwich is topped with crispy bacon, tomatoes, Colby jack cheese and guacamole–YUM.

The fries are smothered in a delicious, creamy queso (none of that melted shredded cheese nonsense here, folks), and topped with super tasty bacon and fresh chives. You can also get the loaded fries appetizer for a HUGE portion to share as a group. In my opinion, it’s the best hearty meal to fill you up before a night of drinking. I can confirm it works wonders.

4. Spiked Vanilla Coke - Coca-Cola Rooftop Bar

The Coca-Cola bar is one of my favorite spots in Disney Springs, if not only for the view. The drinks are great too, but overlooking the whole area from above is really awesome, especially at night with everything lit up. If you’re a fan of Coke cocktails, this place is gonna be your heaven. I’m usually a rum and Coke girl, but their Spiked Vanilla Coke with vodka and Kahlúa is my go-to here. The whipped cream really makes the drink, doesn’t it?

5. Aperol Spritz - City Works

I have to admit something: this was my first-ever Aperol Spritz. I know, I know, but I saw it on the menu and realized I needed to try it before spending 3 months in Europe. This one from City Works was great! Definitely pricey at $14 (if I remember correctly), but that’s what you get for sitting at a fancy bar in Disney Springs.

6. Rum Runner - Splitsville

The Splitsville rum runner will never let me down. Splitsville in general will never let me down, but these drinks are guaranteed to put me in a good mood. Sometimes when I’m feeling fancy, I’ll swirl another frozen flavor in there, but the rum runner can do no wrong on its own. If you like strawberries and rum, there’s really no turning back once you get one.

But again with the paper straws–please stop. I was picking melted bits of paper off my tongue for like 10 minutes.

7. Frozen Sangria - Paradiso 37

This picture is from a past trip a few years ago, but I still think about this frozen sangria a lot. It’s the perfect chill drink to walk around the shops with, and it’s light enough that you can easily have a few, no sweat. Frozen sangria is top-tier, and nothing will change my mind. That’s all.

The Edison

This is one of my favorite spots to drink at Disney Springs–at least it will be when they reopen the dance floor and extend the curfew back to 2am. We stopped by this trip as our last stop of the night, and were super disappointed when they didn’t ID us at the door. Right now, it’s super casual dining, no DJ, no dancing, no fun nightlife fix that you can usually get from The Edison. I’m sure the food’s good, but I've only ever gone there to take shots and dance past midnight, so if that’s your thing, maybe wait ‘til the restrictions are lifted.

Raglan Road

A classic Irish pub smack in the middle of Disney Springs, Ragland Road is a super fun spot to hear live music and drink pints of beers at the bar. I’ve only ever gotten a table one time, but it’s much more fun at the bar anyway. There’s usually great Irish bands playing, and it’s a full bar, so if Guinness isn’t your speed, you’ve got options.

Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar

This one’s got a really cool atmosphere and really unique (albeit pricey) signature cocktails. It’s a cool nod to Indiana Jones and a cool dive bar all in one. I haven’t tried the food here either, but it all looks good. The cocktails are fantastic, too–the Fountain of Youth is my personal favorite.

House of Blues

If you’re looking for a lively sit-down dinner with great food and great atmosphere, House of Blues is the spot for you. Filled with iconic music memorabilia and delicious smokehouse restaurant staples, it’s a super fun place to grab a bite. Get the nachos–they’re a 10/10.

Ghirardelli Ice Cream Shop

Probably the most decadent ice cream you’ll eat in all of Disney can be found here. I don’t know how much convincing I need to do here… they have 14 specialty sundae options, milkshakes, hot cocoa, coffee, other sweet desserts, and if none of that sounds appealing to you, you can create your own cup or cone. Now I’m craving ice cream.

Stargazers

I went to Stargazers for the first time on my most recent trip, and it was really fun! I think it’s a restaurant as well, but we just went to the small outdoor bar for a quick drink. Well, we meant for it to be quick, but we stretched those drinks for at least 5 songs since there was an awesome live performer playing when we got there. I don’t know how often they have live music, but if it’s anything like the guy playing on the night we went, you’ll lose your voice from singing along so loud. Great vibes all around.

Wetzel’s Pretzels

I try to avoid putting chains on these lists, but Wetzel’s was too good to pass up. Their pretzels are perfectly fluffy and perfectly salted, and those are the only things that really matter when finding a top notch pretzel. Other than that, I don’t need to persuade you into thinking pretzels are good. But if you’re in Disney Springs and need a salty fix, stop here.