10 Places You Never Thought of Eating at Walt Disney World

As an itinerary planner for Walt Disney World, I am often asked "Where do you recommend we eat?" And I of course offer up some of my personal favorite places as well as some of the wonderful but not-as-popular locations on property. But, most often if my suggestion don't include Chef Mickey's or Cinderella's Royal Table I'll get the "Well, maybe. I think I'll just call back later and see what else is available" response.

This is the single most frustrating part of my job. The question I usually want to ask my guests but NEVER do is this "If you didn't want my suggestions why did you ask?" After all it is my job to know the things to do and the places to eat while you're visiting Walt Disney World.

So I've taken it upon myself to compile this list of restaurants on property that are often overlooked. Hopefully, this will encourage some of you Disney guests to try something different, some of the best places on property are the ones you've never heard of or the ones you're just to afraid to try out.

My #1 choice for this list has to be Jiko - The Cooking Place which fuses the bold flavors of traditional African, Indian and Mediterranean cuisine, located at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Twin wood-burning ovens roar and the soothing, warm colors of an African sunset bring energy to this remarkable restaurant. The menu includes vegan, vegetarian and meat-based dishes that change seasonally, such as berbere Grilled lamb, Durban shrimp curry and chermoula roasted chicken, along with conventional favorites. Imaginative appetizers include curried potato and corn samosas, and brick oven-fired flat breads. The smell is truly heavenly and the dishes are too.

The wine list features one of the largest selections of South African vintages in North America, and promises a bouquet to please varied palates. This list has won multiple awards, including the Orlando Sentinel Foodie Best Wine List Award and the Wine Spectator Excellence Award for Most Outstanding Wine List.

You can watch the chefs prepare each meal in a show kitchen with a rich atmosphere befitting the beauty of this unique restaurant.

For a truly unforgettable experience, if you happen to be staying at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge or Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas, make reservations for the Wanyama Safari. You'll enjoy up-close encounters with the Resorts wildlife, followed by a savory South African feast. Jiko is an experience not to be missed!

# 2 Citricos brings the cuisine of southern Europe toDisney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Chefs rotate dinner selections frequently for a focused menu of American dishes inspired by the cuisine of Provence, Tuscany and the Spanish Riviera-such as steaks seared on an oak-filled grill, creative risotto, pastas, and seafood depending on the season.

The main dining room is airy and decorated with hues of yellow and orange. Old-world furnishings, wrought-iron railings and mosaic-tile floors contribute to the warm Mediterranean décor.Located on the second floor, windows near select tables in Citricos provide a phenomenal view of the courtyard. Other tables allow you to peer into the bustling show kitchen.

Sommeliers assist in selecting wines from their award-winning international wine list. Wines are available by the glass or bottle.

For an exclusive gourmet dining event that brings you even closer to the action on the culinary stage, reserve The Chef's Domain at Citricos. Diners at The Chef's Domain may order from the traditional menu or choose to have the chef create a menu for them in a private dining room that seats up to 12 Guests. The Chef's Domain has one seating daily at 6:00 p.m.; reserve early.

Citricos is one of the few restaurants at Disney that do have a dress code so if you're planning to dine here make sure you packed some nice dinner outfits!

# 3 Captain's Grille at Disney's Yacht Club Resorts offers an a la carte or breakfast buffet, lunch, dinner and children's menu of sizzling seafood and American classics.

Start your day with the all-you-care-to-eat buffet, or, if you have a smaller appetite, opt for a la carte. At lunch, savor such sumptuous sandwiches as classic New England lobster roll and grilled ahi tuna. Cap your day on a high-seas note with a wide selection of steaks and seafood.

Amid the gleaming brass and polished woodwork, you'll almost believe you're at sea.This is definitely a top-deck experience! Cast off for fabulous fare at this charming nautical-themed cafe that serves a hearty menu perfect for land lubbers of all ages.

# 4 In Greece, the Kouzzinais the Kitchen - and now you can savor celebrity chef Cat Cora's time-honored Mediterranean family recipes and personal favorites as her casual family restaurant on Disney's Boardwalkcomes alive through the sights, sounds and aromas of its fabulous open kitchen.

Discover these creative and flavorful dishes, cooked to order in the Kouzzina's wood-burning grill and oak-fire ovens: Oak-grilled steak and pork, Lamb, Fresh Seasonal Seafood, Calamari, Greek Spinach Pie (spanakopita) and Greek Salad.

And for the perfect ending to your meal, enjoy house-made Greek donuts or baklava.

Cat Cora's hand-selected beverage menu features her favorite cocktail recipes, including: Cat's "Ouzo-tini", Mediterranean Sangria, Greek Beer and Wines, Plus Cat's private label wines from California.

To experience the Mediterranean without leaving the country Kouzzina is a must!

# 5 The Wave at The Contemporary Resort is a casual restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner offering American-style cooking blended with world flavors, healthful fresh menu selections and trendy cocktails.

For breakfast they're serving up classic American choices along with plenty of egg creations, make-your-own muesli and Beta Berry Smoothies.

For lunch, light eaters can choose from lettuce wraps with five-spice chicken, water chestnuts and shitake mushrooms or a lump crab cake with Napa cabbage slaw and ginger tartar sauce, crispy salads or a delicious vegetarian sandwich. And for the heartier eater, the menu includes a classic Reuben sandwich and an Angus chuck burger topped with cheese and applewood smoked bacon. YUM!

Evenings bring distinctive dinners that combine American and world flavors, such as a sustainable fish selection paired with corn and edamame (soybean) stew and cilantro chutney, braised lamb shank accompanied by bulgur lentil stew and red wine sauce, and nouvelle chicken pot pie with thyme pastry.

Enjoy the featured trendy cocktails, like the Mudslide Martini (Baileys Irish Cream, vanilla vodka, Kahlua and vanilla ice cream) or the Antioxidant Cocktail (wild berry vodka, black raspberry liqueur, acai and other juices). Delight in sparkling wines from Tasmania, Rieslings from South Australia, floral New Wave whites from Argentina and Pinot Noirs from New Zealand, along with certified organic ales from Wolaver's Brewery.

Top it all off with The Wave's signature dessert trios. Choose from chocolate mousse with chocolate ganache, yogurt sorbet with blueberry compote, coconut panna cotta with passion fruit and more!

Catch The Wave through the brushed steel arch "tunnel" and find out what culinary treats await you!

# 6 Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano in Disney's Hollywood Studios is a casual and colorful Italian restaurant that offers Italian favorites like pizzas baked in a brick oven. Lunch and dinner are served in a setting inspired by scenes from Disney's classic animated film Lady and the Tramp.

Mama Melrose's tempting traditional Italian cuisine includes wood-fired, oven-baked flat bread pizzas, eggplant Napoleon and oak-grilled salmon. Start the meal with crispy calamari or vegetarian minestrone soup, and top it off with a creamy cappuccino crème brulée! My personal favorite dish is the Pasta Penne with Vodka Sauce! YUMO!

A bottle of Moretti beer or sweet Mama's Sangria sold by the carafe,complements the food. Or choose a wine to taste like Chianti, Pinot Grigio or a select California favorite.

When making reservations for Mama Melrose's ask for the Fantasmic! Dinner Package to receive priority seating during this spectacular nighttime show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Witness up close the heroic struggle of Mickey, as he faces Disney villains in this lavish spectacle sure to thrill the whole family.

# 7 This list just wouldn't be complete without The Trail's End Restaurant at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground which offers a bountiful buffet for pioneer dining during breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Start your day right with an array of breakfast options including: Fresh fruits, Cereal, Sausage, Bacon, Scrambled eggs, Biscuits & gravy, Grits, Oatmeal, Mickey Shaped waffles, Hot cinnamon spiced apples and freshly baked pastries!

Fill up at Lunch on your favorite comfort foods like: Soup of the day, Chili, Fried Chicken, Pulled Pork, Macaroni and Cheese, and Fresh seasonal vegetables.

The dinner buffet satisfies cavernous appetites with: Salad Bar, Soup of the day, Chili, Sandwhich Bar, Peel n Eat Shrimp, Smoked Pork Ribs, Fried Chicken, Pasta Selections, Hand carved roasted meats, Pizza, Catch of the day and for dessert soft serve ice cream and homemade fruit cobbler.

Trail's End Restaurant's rustic décor is warmed by a pot-bellied stove. Beamed ceilings, split-log walls and a flagstone floor contribute to the home-on-the-range frontier feel. Located in Pioneer Hall, a meal at Trail's End Restaurant is casual dining at its coziest! You can even pack up your food to go and serve it up camping style at one of the picnic tables outside.

Note: Due to vehicle restrictions, you may need to take either the boat or the internal bus at this Resort. Please allow enough time to travel to this location.

# 8 Restaurant Marrakesh at Epcot serves fragrant Moroccan cuisine delicacies for lunch and dinner, such as roast lamb, shish kebab, couscous and brochette of chicken, as well as a vegetarian selection and a kid-friendly menu.

This North Mediterranean oasis for culinary adventurers offers the undecided the Taste of Morocco: Royal Feast, which includes everything from Harira soup to Moroccan pastries-all on one platter. From the full bar, select such specialties as the Casablanca Sunset, the Sahara Splash and the Marrakesh Express.

Yet there is more to this fabulous restaurant than its savory cuisine: In the splendor of a sultan's palace, belly dancers entertain you with their sinuous movements to the percussive music of this exotic country. The dance, the sounds, the colors, flavors and rhythms of Morocco take you to another land when you dine at Restaurant Marrakesh!

# 9 Artist Point restaurant in Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort draws inspiration from the sprawling dining rooms found in National Park lodges across the Pacific Northwest region that encompasses Washington State, Oregon and British Columbia.

This unique and elegant location serves specialties from the Pacific Northwest where the focus is on seafood, sirloins and game meats. Though menu options change seasonally, the kitchen's signature dish is a cedar plank-roasted salmon. For dessert, the chef's special creation is an Artist Point cobbler: seasonal berries and house-made black raspberry ice cream.

The comprehensive, award-winning wine list contains 131 selections exclusively from Washington State, Oregon and the Greater Pacific Northwest wineries. Wines are available by the glass, bottle or as part of the dinner and wine pairing. If sampling is your style, take a tour across the Port Wine or Ice Wine selections.

Grand Food, Grand Views.

The rustically elegant Artist Point offers a relaxed and warm atmosphere where the spirit and romance of the American frontier is captured in beautiful murals and paintings.

Ornate iron lanterns are suspended from tremendous timber columns. Immense windows frame stunning views of the Resort's Bay Lake and Silver Creek Falls. An impressive 2-story center ceiling and field stone fireplace contribute to the lovely rustic feeling.

Eat in the dramatic indoor dining room, or during pleasant weather, retreat to the outdoor terrace to take in the spectacular landscape views of Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort.

# 10 My final choice for this list is The Maya Grill, at the Coronado Springs Resort whichis open for breakfast and dinner and offers a menu that pairs more traditional American fare with the exciting tastes of Nuevo Latino. Celebrate the flavors of Latin American cultures in a spacious, majestic dining room with Spanish tiles, graceful columns and the welcoming Mayan motifs of fire, sun and water.

Begin your day with a hearty breakfast buffet. The selection includes a mix of traditional American and Latin-influenced breakfast favorites such as egg burritos, French toast, hash browns and biscuits with gravy-something for every appetite.

For dinner, savor a selection of seafood and poultry cooked Latin and Caribbean style. Or try the sizzling beef fired over an exhibition oak and mesquite grill. Follow your entrée with one of many tempting desserts, including chocolate mousse or a spiced churro served with a scoop of coconut ice cream.

I hope this list of yummy options has inspired you to step out of the box and venture into some unknown territory. You'll never know what you've been missing until you try it! Bon Appetite'!