If you’re looking for Italian food in Disney World, there’s one restaurant you HAVE to try.

You can find Trattoria al Forno on Disney’s BoardWalk, where you can opt to eat breakfast or dinner without even needing a Disney Park ticket. Recently, we decided to stop by and give dinner a try again, so find out all our thoughts here!

Atmosphere

Immediately upon walking in, we felt like the atmosphere of Trattoria al Forno was very classic. It feels like an Italian restaurant, with plenty of booths and sizable tables. We have to note that the chairs are really low, which kind of surprised us but they were super comfortable!

The centerpiece of Trattoria is the open kitchen, where you can see the pizza oven as well as the chefs cooking and handing out dishes to servers. We were seated right next to the kitchen and we loved the lively vibe!

Once we were seated, we received an extensive wine menu.

It even included a map of Italy…

…as well as a diagram of the wine regions in Italy!

Let’s check out the menu!

Menu

Trattoria has an a la carte menu, complete with quite a few selections in each restaurant course. For appetizers, choose from Coasted Mussels, Calamari, Salumi, Insalata Caprese, Roma Tomato Bruschetta, Kale Caesar Salad, Tuscan Salad, and Minestrone Soup. Appetizers range in price from $9 to $18.

Entrees cost between $27 to $39, with options such as Oak-grilled Strip Steak Florentine, Veal Osso Buco, Rosemary-Tuna Carpaccio, Grilled Swordfish Salmoriglio, Shrimp Papardelle, Lasagna al Forno, Parmigiana di Pollo, Plant-based Rigatoni Bolognese, and Truffle Gnocchi.

You can also order pizza, with five different pizza options to choose from, including Pizze Carni, Pizze Pepperoni, Pizze Blanca, Pizze Margherita, and Pizze Sicilian. Pizzas cost between $19 and $23.

Side options include Crispy Pancetta Arrancini, Shrimp Scampi, Garlic Bread, Grilled Chicken Breast, Olives, and Polpette, costing between $5 to $14.

For dessert, you can get Tiramisu, Chocolate Semolina Torta, Panna Cotta, Affogato al Caffe, and House-made Gelato, with prices from $6.25 to $10.

Kids have appetizer and entree options, including Mixed Green Salad and Tomato-Basil Soup for $3 each. Entrees cost between $13 to $16 for dishes such as Grilled White Fish, Grilled Chicken Breast, Meatballs, Mickey Pepperoni Pizza, and Cheese Pizza.

Kids can get a Speciality Character Drink for $6.50 and there are a variety of non-alcoholic drinks available too.

A number of cocktails are available in cost ranging from $12 to $17.50, or $31 for a pitcher of Sangria.

And you can also select one of 10 beers available, costing between $8 to $12.50.

Now, it’s time to feast!

Eats

Our meal began with Bread Service, which included housemade ciabatta served with butter and a garlic spread and olive oil dip. The bread was perfectly airy with a nice crunch on the outside and a soft texture on the inside, and our server told us it was made with just flour and water! The butter was also high quality and nicely salted, but the true star was the garlic and olive oil.

The garlic spread was super soft and spreadable, and it was PACKED with garlic flavor without the burn from raw garlic. Our reporter said that it basically created “the perfect garlic bread” and it was one of the best things they ever had on bread.

Now that we’re full of delicious bread, let’s check out the appetizers! We ordered three different dishes, including the Insalata Caprese for $13, the Tuscan Salad for $12, and the Roma Tomato Bruschetta for $13.

The Insalata Caprese was made with house-made burrata, ripe tomatoes, and extra virgin olive oil, and it was definitely a top contender for our favorite appetizer! The burrata was delicious and the tomatoes were extra fresh. The balsamic vinegar added a nice acidic flavor.

Our reporter was a little nervous about missing the basil flavor since there didn’t appear to be any fresh basil, but the basil was basically mixed into the dish in the sauce and it was just the right amount of flavor. Overall, it was a perfectly balanced caprese dish.

The Tuscan Salad came with countryside greens, almonds, gorgonzola, blackberries, and lemon vinaigrette. We thought it was well-balanced with all the ingredients and the dressing was super light but it still added a nice citrus flavor.

One thing to note is that there was a lot of gorgonzola cheese which can be overpowering for some people, so if you’re not a huge fan we’d recommend ordering it on the side. We loved how light and enjoyable this salad was!

And the Roma Tomato Bruschetta was made with grilled ciabatta, Genovese basil, and plant-based aged balsamic. This is the other top contender for the best appetizer! The tomatoes were so fresh and delicious and we absolutely loved every bit of this dish. The ciabatta bread was soaked in the oils from the bruschetta but it was still super soft and not mushy.

It also had a great garlic flavor, and one thing to note is how perfectly shareable this is between two people, although our reporter was happy to not have to share!

Now it’s time for the entrees! We ordered the Truffle Gnocchi for $28, the Plant-based Rigatoni Bolognese for $27, and the Pizze Carni for $23.

The Truffle Gnocchi came with parmesan, fontina, and pecorino cream, and although we loved it, it’s not a super crowd-pleasing dish. It was VERY heavy on the truffle, and it was basically like eating truffle potato noodles. The cheese crisps on top accentuated the truffle flavor, too.

The gnocchi was cooked very well and the truffle flavor really packed a punch! Our reporter enjoys truffles so it worked for them, but it wasn’t a super classic Italian dish. If you’re not a fan of truffles or you’re looking for a more traditional Italian dish, you might want to order something like the Lasagna al Forno instead.

The Plant-based Rigatoni Bolognese was made with semolina rigatoni and slowly braised ragu, and it was obvious that the chefs put a lot of love and care into this dish. It had a delicious meaty flavor despite having NO meat in it, and the pasta was delish, it was just a bit softer than al dente.

We were really impressed by how well-made this dish was, and it’s an excellent option for plant-based eaters!

And the Pizze Carni was made for meat lovers, topped with prosciutto, salami, sausage, and capicola. This was a well-made pizza that definitely tasted like it came from a pizza oven, with bubbly cheese and a nice, fluffy crust.

It had so much meat in it that it was almost too much for us, but it would surely please any meat lover. Note that some of the meat was a little too fatty for us, so keep that in mind if you’re not a fan of that kind of texture.

For dessert, we ordered the Panna Cotta, which came with fresh fruit and a florentine lace cookie for $10. It was SO good! Perfectly prepared, smooth, and melt-in-you-mouth good. It was rich in flavor and a little smoother than custard, with a sweetness of chocolate but in a lighter way, if that makes sense.

It doesn’t look like much but it WILL fill you up just like a big slice of chocolate cake! We loved the fresh berries on top but kind of wished there were more, and the cookie was like a carmelized sugar waver, and it added a nice sticky crunch.

Nosh or Not

You should head to Trattoria al Forno if:

• You’re a big Italian food lover. There’s an excellent range of Italian dishes at Trattoria, and anyone who loves Italian food can surely find at least one dish they would like, or they could go a more adventurous route with the Truffle Gnocchi.
• You need a last-minute reservation. Trattoria frequently has open reservations and you may even be able to walk up to the restaurant without a reservation at non-peak meal times. Also, you don’t need a Disney World park ticket!
• You’re looking for a low-key but still upscale date night vibe. We loved how the restaurant had a nice balance of a classic Italian restaurant with an upscale feel, but it still had a relaxing and low-key atmosphere.

You can skip the Italian food if: 

• You’re looking for a light meal. Although we thought some of the dishes were lighter than other Italian meals we’ve had, it’s still Italian food, which means it might not be the meal you’re looking for.
• You want a quick dinner. Our meal was fairly long and leisurely, which we enjoyed, but if you’re looking for a fast sit-down meal, you should probably skip Trattoria.
• You’re interested in a fancy, very upscale dining experience. While we did feel like Trattoria had an upscale vibe, it’s not as upscale as some other Disney World restaurants, like Victoria & Albert’s, for example. If that’s what you’re looking for, you should probably find a different restaurant.

Overall

We were really impressed with this restaurant! We thought the food was prepared very intentionally and it wasn’t overly heavy, which some Italian food can be. Unless you go at peak meal times you can typically easily find a reservation or even just walk up to the restaurant, which is a major perk in Disney World. And we loved how the experience felt relaxed but still upscale!

Also, we want to note that the service was incredible! Our server, Alejandro, was attentive and helpful, and one of the best servers we’ve ever had in Disney World. We spoke with some people in the restaurant who said that they specifically head to Trattoria because they have also had such good experiences with the service there!

Because of its location on Disney’s BoardWalk, Trattoria is a quick walk from several Disney World hotels and also EPCOT, and you also have the option of taking the Skyliner to the EPCOT station and walking a short distance. You don’t need a Disney Park ticket to get to the BoardWalk, which means it’s also a good option on days you’re not heading to the parks.

So if you’re looking for a filling and tasty Italian meal in Disney World, consider heading to Trattoria al Forno! Keep following DFB for more Disney World restaurant news and reviews!

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Have you ever eaten at Trattoria al Forno? Tell us in the comments!

The post REVIEW: Some of the BEST Italian Food is HIDING in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.