Book Brunch at Disney World’s Grand Floridian Cafe Right Now. You’re Welcome.
The Grand Floridian Cafe in Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is known for its relatively understated decor (free of Disney characters and over-the-top styling) and its relaxing atmosphere. But there’s one thing here that’s not at all understated: the food!
Grand Floridian Cafe sign at entrance
Last fall, I shared the Lobster Thermidor and the Floridian Pancakes, both of which were fantastic, and just a couple of months ago we let you in on a little chicken-and-waffles hack.
Grand Floridian Cafe Brunch Menu
There are tons of options on the brunch menu, which still features the Lobster Thermidor Burger I enjoyed in addition to other lunch-y options like Caesar Salad and Miso-Glazed Salmon. Breakfast items include traditional items like pancakes, eggs, and waffles.
Grand Floridian Brunch Menu
My table started with a fairly traditional breakfast: Steak and Eggs. There’s not much to say about the plating here; it’s boring and not cohesive. At all. But the Sirloin Steak, Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole, and Eggs were decent. The House-Made Steak Sauce was flavorful, but overall, this was pretty ho-hum.
Steak and Eggs
But that’s OK, because everything else happening this morning is FLAWLESS.
The Benedict Flight, y’all!!!! This trio of Benedicts includes one each of the restaurant’s options: Traditional, Lobster, and Spicy Chorizo. These are served with a side of lightly dressed greens, which are light and helped balance out the rich and heavy Benedicts.
Benedict Flight
The Traditional Eggs Benedict features Canadian Bacon, a Poached Egg, and thick, rich Hollandaise Sauce. This hit all the marks for a traditional eggs Benedict, and I enjoyed the salty hit from the ham.
Traditional Eggs Benedict
Lobster Benedict features the same egg and Hollandaise but includes a pile of Lobster and a stick or two of Asparagus. This was excellent, though some may argue that the Hollandaise was too strong for the subtle flavor of the lobster. In general, though, it’s rich on rich on rich.
Lobster Benedict
The Spicy Chorizo Benedict was terrific — my favorite of the three. The flavorful Spicy Chorizo and the Bell Pepper Relish were great counterpoints to the Hollandaise and the oozy egg.
Spicy Chorizo Benedict
And that oozy egg was beautifully oozy, if you like that sort of thing (and I do!).
Poached Egg
But how about a Grand Floridian Cafe food hack? A reader shared this tip with us a few months ago, and I had to give it a go. Order up the Buttermilk Fried Chicken (which is breaded with Corn Flakes!), and ask for it to be served on waffle instead of with the sides of potatoes and kale.
The chicken itself is insanely delicious. Super tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked. I’m a fried chicken snob, and this stuff is where it’s at.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Waffles
Yup, this is a huge, crunchy, awesome combination. The waffle (I went with Belgian, but you can get the Mickey Waffle instead!) was golden and toasty, while the fried chicken had loads of crunch.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Waffles
Add a drizzle of the Sriracha Honey syrup and you’ve basically got the best thing I ate all week at Disney World. I’m still dreaming about this. Chicken and Waffles can be disappointing — the chicken could be dry, the waffle could be tasteless…but HERE you have a slightly spicy, slightly sweet, completely delicious plate of Chicken and Waffles. Get it. Get it now.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Waffles
Whew. OK. I’ll give you a minute to recover from that because you’re going to need your full focus for what’s next!
If you opt for a (Disney) traditional Mickey Waffle or Pancakes, you’ll be offered the choice of adding on some toppings and a specialty syrup for $3.50. And, well, you know me and toppings/sauces: GET ‘EM ALL. Sooooo I ordered all three of the topping options to go with my Mickey Waffle!
(Remember, unless you’re crazy like me, you’ll probably only get one of these little trays and be a normal human being. But you CAN order all three if you’re my spirit animal.)
Mickey Waffle with ALL the toppings!
Topping combinations include
- Mandarin Oranges, Chantilly cream, craisins, and Citrus-Pecan Syrup (build your own Floridian Pancakes with these!!);
- Sugar Cookie Crumbles, Whipped Cream, Fresh Strawberries, and Strawberry Sauce; or
- Granola, Lemon Curd, Fresh Blueberries, and Blueberry Sauce.
Mickey Waffle Toppings
Honestly, we don’t know how anyone is supposed to choose. All of the toppings were tasty and combined well with their counterparts. But seriously? Sugar cookies on a waffle? Sounds like a lot (and it is), but when on vacation…
Mickey Waffle Sauces
I’m still full from all of this delicious brunchiness, but I’d go back to Grand Floridian Cafe in a heartbeat and do it all again. The quality of the food items here is top-notch, especially considering that this isn’t a particularly lauded member of the Disney World restaurant pantheon. And maybe that’s also part of the appeal. Grand Floridian Cafe is relatively peaceful and relaxing for a theme park-adjacent table service restaurant. Combine that with the great eats, and you’ve got a real perennial favorite on your hands.
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Have you dined in the Grand Floridian Cafe? Let us know what you thought in the comments below!
from the disney food blog http://bit.ly/2GBEsZ8
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