Disney’s Riviera Resort had its grand opening last year, and it has brought us some pretty solid eats!

Not only can you dine at the charming Topolino’s Terrace, but there’s also an incredible Italian-based quick-service location called Primo Piatto! We haven’t visited for a full review since the grand opening where we absolutely adored the unique eats and the chic design, so we are excited to take you back with us and see how the place is holding up. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

Atmosphere

Primo Piatto currently serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is the main quick-service spot for the resort. The hours are 7AM-11PM, so just about any time of day, you can grab a quick meal!

While there is not necessarily a specific backstory like some other Disney World restaurants, the decor features black and white photos of Walt Disney and vintage lighting fixtures. We think the decor is simple and elegant, especially with the black, white, and red color scheme and sleek design of the restaurant.

The restaurant is located on the first floor of the resort. The curved windows look out to the courtyard/pool area giving guests beautiful views as they eat. The restaurant offers both booths and chairs, and the geometric tile is a super unique floor pattern that we love. There’s an average amount of seating here by quick-service standards. We haven’t had trouble finding a spot to eat, but then again the restaurant is ofter fairly empty on our visits. Being located in the Riviera, it’s not one of the most trafficked locations for many guests, making it relatively quick and easy to get your food.

To comply with health and safety measures, tables are spread out to maintain physical distance between groups. Some tables are marked off with a sign saying “For Your Health and Safety This Table Is Not Available,” but there was plenty of seating on our visit.

Typical with most quick-service restaurants, utensils, napkins, and condiments are currently self-serve. At Primo Piatto, there was a small table set-up where guests could grab these items.

While the atmosphere has stayed pretty much the same, it’s time to check out the food you can grab here!

Eats

Primo Piatto offers several Italian and French-inspired dishes and salads, burgers, and quick snacks. For lunchtime, you can grab a pizza or hot and cold sandwiches. The Croque Monsieur was our favorite thing we tried last time, and we’re glad it’s still on the menu!

If you’re looking for something lighter, there are soups and salads, as well as a couple of plant-based options. On our last visit, we tried the Tuna Niçoise Salad and loved the flavors in it! The only side options currently are fries and romano & herb fries (so basically FANCY fries with cheese and herbs for the same price as regular fries!).

The kids’ meals are pretty standard Disney kids’ meals with a burger, chicken strips, and cheese pizza on the menu (but served with grape tomatoes (because, Italy??) and a fruit cup, so be sure to note that if your kid might turn their nose up to a side of tomatoes and sub out your side when ordering.

And we can’t forget about dessert! This location is currently offering Mickey Mouse Celebration Cakes plus classic Italian treats like tiramisu and gelato.

There is also a bakery assortment including pastries and snacks that are easy to grab on-the-go!

Primo Piatto is known for its selection of specialty coffees! Lattes, mochas, cappuccinos, espresso, and macchiatos are on the coffee menu and prepared fresh as you order them.

There are also SO many drinks to choose from here. Just about any bottled drink you can think of is available and there is a selection of wine, beer, and a few cocktails. It’s a great spot to grab a quick drink and relax at the end of the day.

Since this is a quick-service location, guests are encouraged to order through Mobile Order. You can place your order on the My Disney Experience app and pick it up during the designated time window. Our order was all bagged up and ready to go when we arrived! Last time we visited, our order was on a plate (a big step up from most quick-service spots around Disney World!), but because Mobile Ordering is essentially required right now, everything came in boxes and to-go containers.

From the specialty coffee list, we decided to order the Caffe Latte! This drink includes a shot of Joffrey’s Arabica Bean Coffee and Steamed Milk. Yum!

This coffee hit the spot! We thought this was much better than regular coffee you can get at other quick-service locations around Disney World. To us, it had just the right amount of sweet, however if you are used to sweeter coffee, you will probably not like this one unless you add packets of sweetener to your taste. If classic lattes are your thing and you are having trouble finding a good one on property, grab this for $4.29. This spot is a great alternative to Starbucks or Joffrey’s in the parks for guests of the hotel. It’s not a super convenient coffee stop for most other guests though.

For our entree, we ordered the Croque Monsieur AGAIN! Since this was our favorite last time we visited, we wanted to see how it was holding up! The sandwich is a Classic French Ham and Swiss and is served with a side (we chose Tomato Soup). The meal is $12.99.

The menu may say “classic” sandwich, but we think this is pretty unique by Disney standard! With the ham and swiss, you can find a creamy Bechamel sauce (Bechamel is really just a fancy name for white or cream gravy similar to what you might recognize poured over biscuits in the South!) and another piece of cheese melted on top. If there’s one thing we could say about this sandwich, it would be CHEESE. This guy is SO cheesy.

This thing is GOOD. If you like ham and cheese and have a mouth, this is likely going to be your jam. Even though it’s just a sandwich it IS pretty heavy though, so be prepared to be FULL after eating this guy. If you’re not in the mood for a burger or just looking for something a little more unique than your average sandwich, this is a good option to have.

The Tomato Soup was a standout as well! The soup comes with Focaccia Croutons, and they really added a nice crunch. This is perfect for a cold day because it was warm and super smooth and creamy and warmed us right up!

If you want to have an elevated grilled cheese + tomato soup experience, this is your chance. We recommend dipping the sandwich in this creamy deliciousness, but it was also great on its own. While the soup was a side with our sandwich, you can also buy it on its own for $4.59.

The soup and sandwich were impressive, but we found ourselves intrigued by the Romano & Herb Fries. These fries are exactly what they sound like – topped with Romano cheese and herbs! These were delicious especially with the cheese, but they are not the best fries we’ve had at Disney. The cheese and herbs didn’t really cling to the fries, so we had to scoop up the cheese with each fry. They were just your average Disney fast-food fries, but the toppings DID kick them up a notch.

These fries are the same price as the plain fries, so you can jazz them up with some cheese for no extra cost! You can snag a side order on its own for $4.49

Nosh or Not

You might want to dine at Primo Piatto if…

• You’re looking for something unique. While some items on the menu are pretty standard, the Croque Monsieur and coffees are unique to this location. The food was especially nice to get plated on real plates on our first visit and took some of the “fast food” vibe out of otherwise relatively standard quick-service fare. The food is as good or better than much of the quick-serivce meals we’ve had at Disney World hotels recently.
• You are staying at Disney’s Riviera Resort. Since you’re this close to Primo Piatto, why not try it out! Plus, it is open a significant amount of the day so it’s a great spot to grab a quick bite on your way in or out of the resort.
• You LOVE coffee and cheese. That sandwich is cheesy so if you love cheese and you enjoy trying specialty coffee, this is a spot you should totally check out. Plus they offer up Charcuterie and Cheese Plates if you want to go even meatier and cheesier.

You might NOT want to dine at Primo Piatto if…

• You are on a tight budget. Although this is not a super expensive meal compared to other locations, some of the items are slightly pricier than we see elsewhere. That being said, the food we’ve had so far has been reliably good quality.
• You are not staying at the resort. Lots of people venture out to other resorts for table-service restaurants, but it can be a hassle getting from resort to resort, and may not be worth it for some in the end. However, if you’re staying at a Skyliner Resort or on your way to or from EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, it’s super quick to hop off here on the Skyliner!
• You have kids. This isn’t a super fun or entertaining environment, but they would probably like the food.

Overall

In the year that Primo Piatto has been open we’ve enjoyed our experiences here. We’ve reliably had well-prepared food that didn’t disappoint. The food is worth the price, in our opinion, for what you get.

On the flip side, this isn’t the most exciting spot in Disney World. The vibe is definitely more “adult” than most fast food spots on property. Many quick-service restaurants at Disney World resorts are not known for the atmosphere, but some have televisions or bright and colorful palettes or otherwise seem to cater more to kids and families. Primo Piatto is very simple and clean in design and puts off a much more quiet, mature vibe. This is even seen with the coffee bar offerings and more “adult” selections on the menu. Kids will likely be able to find something to enjoy here, as will pickier adults, but the sleek and simple design will likely not impress everyone.

The location is truly one of this spot’s biggest hindrances. It’s by no means a destination eatery for most guests, but, if you’re staying at the Riviera, you’re in luck. Unless you’re OK with going fairly out of your way for some fast food that’s not all that different from what you’d find at your own resort or other locations in the parks, you may never find yourself over here. If you find yourself a bit peckish while riding the Skyliner, maybe consider hopping off at the Riviera for a light meal at Primo Piatto. The food is well made, the atmosphere is calming, and we’ve enjoyed every experience we’ve had here so far!

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