I’m going to cut right to the chase. The ideal lunch at a Disney World Resort comes from an unlikely place, an open-air lounge that also doubles as a pool bar. Behold the Banana Cabana, a gem at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

The My Disney Experience app describes this meal as follows:

Jerk Chicken Wings with Pickled Vegetable Ribbons and Cilantro-Lime Crema

Pineapple-Coconut Bread Pudding topped with Caramel Sauce and served with a side of Vanilla Ice Cream

Why the best? Simply, because this is the most consistent and reliably delicious lunch from start to finish. Have I had great meals at other resorts? Of course, but this one reigns supreme without any missteps. Each component is as good as it can be. The perfect protein paired with the perfect side followed by the perfect dessert.

Jerk Chicken Wings

Let’s start with a quick overview of the base for jerk sauce. Ingredients such as garlic, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar and soy sauce are all present. The trick is bringing all of these components into proper harmony. The sweet, heat and savory must combine in a pleasing way. Banana Cabana hits just the right notes in executing this balance of flavor. The heat is on the milder side, so the complexity of the symphony of spice flavors comes forward. The chicken wings are incredibly meaty and substantial. The marriage of the sauce and wings arrives at your table with just the right amount of crispness and depth of flavor. You will go through a fair number of napkins while devouring this dish. Don’t worry; it happens to the best of us.

Vegetable Ribbons & Crema Sauce

The accompanying cilantro-lime crema provides just the right tangy cooling agent to give the wings an entirely different spin and flavor. The addition of lime provides a jolt of zestiness to the sour cream base and is nicely rounded out by a touch of cilantro. Vegetable ribbons are such a pleasant surprise as a side item rather than the same old boring fries or tots that you find virtually everywhere. Not only a vegetable side, but a unique and bright one! The ribbons are allowed the proper length of marinating time, so the result is a bold flavor but still packs an appealing crunch.

Bread Pudding

Where do I start with a description of literally one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever eaten? This pudding is a substantial square portion with a hearty serving of vanilla ice cream on top. It’s most certainly enough to share, but you may not want to. The dessert is tropical in flavor, with an abundance of pineapple that melds with undertones of coconut. This not-too-sweet dessert is a very pleasant consistency, not dry in the slightest. I sometimes scoot the ice cream off to the side to indulge in the pudding all on its own. However, taking a bite along with the ice cream creates a brand new flavor profile. The extra creaminess and additional notes of vanilla combine well with the fruity pineapple. I find it best to use the caramel sauce sparingly. This end-of-meal indulgence is a work of art all on its own.

After Lunch

Although you may be tempted to lay in the hammocks nearby, you will definitely need to walk off this sizable lunch! You’ve now got the energy to tackle the parks or shops at Disney Springs for hours on end. Trust me, you will remember this delicious meal that takes you on a culinary journey. It is the one I think about later on, the next day, and frankly, weeks after I’m back home.