We all have a bucket list, a wish list, a “to do before I die” list, or some sort of register, index, docket, or spreadsheet of experiences or accomplishments we’d like to achieve in our lifetime. Some lists are short, some are long, some are challenging, and some are simple but powerful.

If you’re a Disney fan, you likely have one that strictly focuses on Disney experiences, which could be as straightforward as riding every attraction in Disney World or could be much more expensive and complex, like visiting every Disney theme park around the world.

Well, on January 31st, I got to check one item off of my bucket list. Dining at Victoria & Albert’s. And not just at Victoria & Albert’s but dining at the Chef’s Table at Victoria & Albert’s.

Planning

Like anything involved in a Disney World vacation, if you want to secure this exclusive experience, you have to plan in advance. But securing the Chef’s Table at Victoria & Albert’s is a whole new kind of planning. Victoria & Albert’s is only open five days a week (Tuesday through Saturday), they only have two dinner services (5:30pm and 8:05pm), and they have a restricted number of tables available. It also offers three different dining experiences.

We recently visited Victoria & Alberts for its reopening in 2022 and reviewed an experience from the Queen Victoria room, But today, I’m taking into the ultra-exclusive experience at the Chef’s Table. This is a coveted dining experience for up to 8 guests that lasts about 3 hours. Guests are again served a multi-course meal, but they get to sit right at the heart of the restaurant, with a view into the kitchen and the chefs. When you dine here, you get to interact with the team and really get an in-depth dining experience. Pricing is $425 per person, with optional wine pairings starting at $210 per guest, and zero-proof pairing starting at $145 per guest.

Needless to say, dining at the Chef’s Table is one of the most exclusive Disney experiences you can have. You’ll want to start trying to get your reservation as soon as that 60-day reservation window opens for your trip. Your best chance to secure a reservation is to stay at the Walt Disney World Resort Hotel to utilize the extended reservation booking window.

Some tables at Victoria & Albert’s are available to book online, but the Chef’s Table must be booked over the phone by calling (407) 939-3682. Once we secured our reservation, we received an email about a week before our reservation to confirm our dietary needs and note any celebrations.

The email also reminded us of the dress code, cancellation policy, and complimentary valet parking option.

Disney notes that the restaurant is an “exquisite and intimate upscale dining experience,” so guests are expected to “dress accordingly in semi-formal/formal attire that respects the restaurant’s elegant and opulent aesthetic.” There was also a reminder of the age requirement. All guests dining here must be 10 years old or above. Also, valet parking is included in the cost of your meal.

And finally, if you have any dietary needs, be sure to communicate that with the team when you book your reservation. The restaurant can accommodate most special dietary needs, but you’ll need to provide them with advance notice so they can prepare a menu that suits you. For me, I have an aversion to shellfish, so I was able to respond to this email and let them know of my dining preference so they could adjust the menu accordingly.

Atmosphere & Background

If you’ve never dined here, let’s go over a quick run-down. Victoria & Albert’s is truly THE place for the luxurious meal of your dreams. Dinner here is served via multiple courses over a few hours. The restaurant has actually received the AAA five-diamond rating, along with other accolades.

There are OVER 500 wines available, an entire menu dedicated to WATER (what?! YES!), and much more. There are 3 main dining experiences to pick from, The Dining Room, The Queen Victoria Room, and the Chef’s Table. Each room has its own menu ranging from 7 to 10 courses and its own prices, starting at $295 per person.

At the helm of Victoria & Albert’s is a finely-tuned culinary team. Israel Pérez has been at Victoria & Albert’s for over 20 years and is the maître d’hôtel and holds a first-level certificate with the Master Court of Sommeliers. In the kitchen, you’ll find Chef de Cuisine Matthew Sowers and Pastry Chef Kristine Farmer, who’ve assembled a stellar team and created unique and delicate dishes.

Once we checked in for our dining experience, we followed maître d’hôtel Israel Perez through the brightly lit kitchen, and he announced our arrival to the kitchen staff, who all greeted us warmly as we walked through the kitchen and to our table. Through your meal at the Chef’s Table, you’ll be able to see the chefs and cooks working through the dinner service to prepare courses for you and the other guests in the restaurant. You can ask them questions and sometimes they’ll narrate their current task like they’re a host chef on a Food Network show.

Because this is a working kitchen, you’re required to stay in the Chef’s Table section. This is for your safety as well as for the chefs and Cast Members. If you need to leave for the restroom or other reasons, you’ll need to ask one of the serving staff to escort you through the kitchen, and then someone will escort you back to your table when you’re ready.

For each course, we had one of the chefs come to our table and explain the preparation and inspiration behind each dish, and they often told personal stories about their own love of food or their brush with fame on the Food Network show, Chopped!

At that time, we were informed that Chef de Cuisine Matthew Sowers would not be joining us because of a conflicting event. In his place, Chef Miguel Santeliz welcomed us with a toast.

While the kitchen staff bustled to life, Chef Miguel and our serving team duo, James and Craig, welcomed us to Victoria & Albert’s and explained the layout of the kitchen, the roles of the staff, and the intricacies of the menu.

Menu

The menu comes in a beautiful envelope (of course), ready for you to open it up and discover the secrets inside. Keep in mind that the menu does change depending on the ingredients that are in season and other considerations, so what we were served may not always appear on the menu. The menu you may be offered for your trip may be different.

Though each course is only a few bites, every ingredient is chosen intentionally and woven together intricately to create a piece of art to savor with the mouth and the eyes. Because of the detail of each dish, it was explained that the menu is rarely completely overhauled but adjusted one course at a time so each chef and cook has time to master it.

My husband and I each had our own customized experience. Since I have a shellfish aversion, my menu was tailored to accommodate my preferences, while his contained some shellfish delicacies. I also opted for the wine pairing for the extra cost. I’m going to preface this post right now by saying that I did not take taste notes on each wine. They were all hand-picked by Israel Pérez, and they were all impeccable. So, I won’t be going into too much detail about the wine pairings except to say that if you like wine, you should seriously consider it.

Now, let’s get to our food!

Eats

Amuse Bouche

Our meal started off with an Amuse Bouche course. This actually consisted of 3 separate little dishes. (For those who might be wondering, an Amuse Bouche is basically a fancy little bite-size options to start off your meal. Unlike appetizers, they’re usually free and picked by the Chef.) Chef Gaby Syvaniemi came to our table to introduce this course and the inspiration behind some of the dishes.

First was the Sweet Potato, Lomo Ibérico, Persimmon. This tasted essentially like a light and fluffy sweet potato hushpuppy. It was crisp on the outside and delicate and airy inside. The Ibérico ham is a delicacy that originates in Spain from a special breed of pigs that are fed almost exclusively on acorns and have a more complex, intense flavor with a note of sweetness that is unparalleled. This ham was sliced thinly, crisped, and layered on top of the sweet potato pastry to add a fatty, complex, sweet, and salty component to the dish.

The next of the trio was a Panisse (a.k.a. chickpea fries), with a Shiso leaf (an herb with a bright taste that has a taste somewhat similar to mint or basil), which had been crisped in a tempura-style, and was sitting on top of a plantain puree. 

This one had some interesting flavors. It has a sushi vibe without a fishy flavor, but more savory. In terms of texture, it was light and crunchy thanks to that tempura-style crispiness, and a bonus since it was vegetarian-friendly.

The final dish for amuse bouche course was Venison Carpaccio, Red Cabbage, Rutabaga. Chef Gaby mentioned how she was raised in Norway on a reindeer farm, and that venison was a common staple in her diet growing up. Though this bite visually looked like something that would come from an Asian-inspired cuisine, it was delicate and full of complex flavors.

This was INCREDIBLE. The venison was so tender and practically melted in your mouth. It did still have that unique venison flavor that distinguishes it from beef, but it wasn’t gamey. Throughout the progression of this meal, this one bite remained one of my favorites. If I’d have known how much I’d love it, I would’ve taken more pictures of it!

This course was also served with a welcoming warm apple cider.

This was a delicious way to start the meal and open the palate. Imagine the best apple cider you’ve ever had, concentrated down, and then improved by like 50%, and that should give you an idea of this flavor. It was a classic apple cider with no twist or artistic embellishment, but it was just executed better than any other apple cider I’ve had.

First Course

Chef Gaby hung out with us for a few more minutes and introduced the next course to us.  The next dish follows the classic sequence of transition to caviar after the amuse bouche and pays homage to Chef Scott Hunnel, the former Chef de Cuisine of Chef at Victoria & Albert’s.

This was so delicate. The parsley root was an unbelievably smooth puree with a sweet flavor, and the caviar added the slightest (but most delicious) level of saltiness.

It was served with the most thinly sliced and lightly crisped potato ribbons that were seasoned with dill.

And yes, I did just want to eat a whole bowl full of the elevated potato chips. At first glance, I thought of using the potato ribbons to dip into the caviar and parsley root puree, but they were much too delicate for scooping.

So, I resorted to just enjoying the caviar with the little baby spoon they gave us and enjoying the potato ribbons on the side.

This dish was a perfect balance of sweet and salty. The puree was light and fluffy, and everything you never knew you always in a parsley root puree. This course was paired with Palmer & Co., Brut Reserve, from Reims.

Bread

Then it was bread time! The bread we got was an Epee Baguette. Honestly, this didn’t taste all that special, which was sort of a letdown. Don’t get us wrong, it was definitely good bread with an amazing quality to the crust, and a great mix of crunchiness and chewiness, but on its own, it wasn’t anything to write home about.

With the bread, we also got some butter that was incredibly creamy and delicious. If we weren’t in such a fancy restaurant, you might even catch us eating that butter straight off the plate on its own with a spoon — it was THAT good. The salt on the butter was chunky, but not overpowering. Mixed with the bread, the butter was a true delight.

Second Course

For the second course, I received a Kohlrabi with Lemon Verbena and Horseradish, while my husband had a similar dish but with Norwegian King Crab. 

Though the presentation is something to be admired, this was probably my least favorite dish.  It was light and citrusy and crisp, and a nice palate cleanser before taking on some of the more complex courses to come, nothing about it really stood out.

Still, even the 2004 World Series winning Boston Red Sox had someone at the bottom of their batting line-up. So, I can’t fault the Kohlrabi for batting last in this flavor line-up. But for face value, this little beauty was a classic example of looks: 10, taste: 3 in the Chef’s Table Thunderdome of flavor.

This course was paired with Lail Vinyards, “BluePrint”, from Napa Valley. And I will say this was my favorite of the wines I tasted during the meal service. I am partial to white wines, so take that for what it’s worth, but next time I’m at my local Total Wine store, I’ll be looking for this one (or just ordering it online because we can do that in my state!).

Third Course

For the third course, my menu deviated again, but in a happy New York deli inspired way! Ok, the chef didn’t come out and say it was New York deli inspired, but Chef Chris, who introduced the dish, said he was Hoboken, NJ. So I gotta think there was some regional inspiration to it.

This course consisted of Arrowhead Cabbage, “Waygu Pastrami,” and Pumpernickel — like that signature pastrami you might find at places like Katz’s Deli!

In essence, it was meant to be a Reuben made of vegetables, and, truly, it unbelievably replicated the flavors of a pastrami sandwich. The mustard seeds represented the dark mustards associated with this New York classic, and the sauerkraut, rye, and pumpernickel were all represented in such unique ways. It was absolutely delicious!

This course was paired with Bodegas La Caña, La Caña Navia from Rias Baixas.

More Bread

Then, it was time for more bread! We were served salt and pepper seasoned focaccia bread with classic virgin olive oil.

It was paired with Spanish olive oil.

This bread was everything you’d want in a focaccia. It had a salty, crunchy crust and a soft, pillowy inside full of alveoli bubbles perfect for dipping into oil. This bread led perfectly into the next course, which was pasta!

Fourth Course

Our fourth course was freshly made Garganelli pasta in a creamy sauce made from parmesan and romanesco (a fancy cousin of cauliflower) and topped with toasted hazelnuts.

This dish was also presented to us by Chef Chris, who described his passion for making pasta. Garganelli are traditionally made by hand by wrapping squares of fresh egg pasta dough diagonally around a wooden stick, then rolling each one across a ridged surface to form their characteristic grooves.

Overall, it was really delicious. Did I only get four little pieces of pasta? Yes. Did I want a heaping cereal bowl full? Also, yes. But this is a fancy spot where you nibble like a lady, and not chow down like a fieldhand. At least, that’s what I had to keep telling myself.

This course was paired with Massolino Barolo, Serralunga d’Alba from Piemonte.

Fifth Course

And I’ll be honest, at this point, I’ve had 4 glasses of wine plus a sparkling wine welcome toast, so this is where I warn you to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. Also, something I never really considered until after the fact, you don’t have to drink all of the wine they bring you! You can just sip on the wine during the course it’s paired with and set it aside when the next course arrives. But did I do that? Noooooo…. Again, not sipping like lady, but guzzling like a fieldhand because I figure I’ll only be here once and as a bucket list experience I want don’t want to waste a sip or moment.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled review.

Chef Gaby returned to our table to introduce the fifth course to us. This dish was Koji-aged Quail accompanied by a sunflower “risotto” which she said she made by cooking sunflower seeds in a pressure cooker to break them down for a risotto-like consistency.

The quail had a nice crisp skin and was tender and juicy inside, but the stand out was the “risotto.” It had a rich, nutty flavor that was enhanced by the parmesan cheese that was incorporated into it. It was so good, it had me looking at sunflower seeds to see if I could replicate this dish at home!

Chef Gaby went on to describe how the demiglace reduction on the plate was made by using her own homemade cherry coke recipe and cooking it down. Her explanation of this process of just making the cherry soda, which she then used as the base of the demiglace sounded laborious and tedious. This is a perfect example of all of the detailed preparation that each chef puts into all of the individual components of each dish. It’s truly a labor of love for guests to experience in just a few bites.

This course was paired with Domaine Faiveley, Gevre-Chamertin from Burgundy.

Sixth Course

It seems to be a tradition for the sixth course to be a lamb course. And this time was no different. This course featured Rocky Mountain Lamb, Sicilian Pistachios, and Castelvetrano Olives. This was a delicately seared lamb tenderloin served beautifully alongside the olive puree that was nestled into a leek stalk.

The lamb was tender and full of flavor without being too gamey. It was so tender it didn’t require a knife, and the texture was so smooth and succulent it almost melted in your mouth. The olives on the leek stalk were, sadly, forgettable. Though it offered a savory, salty contrast to the rich meat, the leek was stringy and difficult to cut.

Ultimately, this dish ended up being at the bottom of the line-up with the Kohlrabi. The flavors just weren’t quite as dazzling as some of the other ones were. But the variety of the lamb was nice.

This course was paired with Anakota, Knights Valley from Sonoma Valley.

Breads…AGAIN

Yes, it’s time for MORE bread folks, and we ain’t mad. This was meant to be an Austrian bread that is used often to welcome individuals into their house.

We were also served some ribboned butter.

This was our least favorite of the pieces of bread served, as it was VERY dense. Now, don’t get us wrong — the bread still had great flavor, and it was evident that it was of high quality, but it was just very dense and a bit dry. One reporter shared that they really had to dip it in olive oil to help with how dry it was.

The ribboned butter was similar to another butter we were served (as it did use the same base), and was pretty good. The moral of the story here? Don’t fill up on the bread here — you’ll want room in your stomach for the other stuff!

Seventh Course

The seventh course is the famous Waygu course. (Because it can’t be a beyond fancy meal without Waygu). Miyazaki A-5 (A-5 being the highest classification of beef from Japan), Niigata Koshiibuki Rice and Furikake. It was prepared in a tataki style.

This course was SO rich. The meat was beautifully tender and flavorful but was also incredibly fatty and rich. The marbling made this steak so tender and the flavors so complex. This is the headliner of the meal, no doubt. But since it is so complex and heavy, it’s almost disappointing that it comes so late in the meal that it’s battling with all of the other dishes in your memory, tastebuds, and stomach.

When the course you’re paired up with is the Miyazaki A-5 Waygu, you’ve really gotta be a dish that can hold your own. And this one is it.

It’s hard to describe this rice dish. The Koshiibuki rice is renowned in Japan as one of the best quality kinds of rice in existence. It has earned this reputation from its sweet and sticky texture. In this dish, it had a nutty, cheesy, almost risotto experience but it was also toasted, so it had that additional complexity to it both in flavor and in texture. As much as I loved the A-5, I would’ve asked for a second helping of this rice!

This course was paired with Château Haut Nouchet, Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux.

Cheese

Next, it was time for cheese, of course! Chef Gaby returned to introduce the cheese course with some options inspired by her time spent on a reindeer farm. From a bold bleu cheese to a soft and smooth brie, these cheeses came with a complement of a tapioca rice cracker and a calamansi (a tart citrus fruit from the Phillipines).

This really was an amazing cheese board and we found that it was best when you got a little bite of everything mixed together. The cheese was so soft and oozy (in the best way possible). And we especially loved the tartness added by the calamansi.

This course was paired with Barone Pizzini Franciacorta, “Golf 1927” from Lombardy.

Palate Cleanser

This was neither another course, nor was it really dessert. Perhaps we can lump it into a bonus round. But it consisted of a Fastelavnsboller. This is a Norwegian pastry that is typically a sweet bun, cut in half and filled with whipped cream or custard.

I probably won’t be doing this dish any justice, but just imagine a well-laminated pastry that is soft and pillowy on the inside but crisp and toasty on the outside. Tucked in with the pillowy, doughy inside is a rich vanilla almond iced cream and it’s topped with what I can only describe as flattened pieces of Capt Crunch cereal.

Have you ever had the Croque de Glace at L’Artisans de Glaces in the France Pavilion in EPCOT? This is like an elevated version of that! Like a thousand times better!

I also ordered a shot of espresso, which I enjoyed thoroughly. But looking back on it, I do regret not asking for a coffee menu to see about all of my options. When you’re a coffee person (like I am) and you’re dining at one of the most fanciest spots you’re likely to ever dine in, don’t settle for just plain, ol’ espresso — get a show-stoppin’ coffee beverage. But I’ll blame the fact that I’d had 8 glasses of wine at this point and give myself a break.

This was also when they brought a special birthday treat for me. I had let them know in advance that it was my birthday, since the quintessential birthday button wasn’t exactly the right accessory for this posh event (but yes, I did wear my birthday button everywhere else because when you’re in Disney, that’s what you do!).

And before you ask, no, the entire kitchen staff did not come over and sing “Happy Birthday” to me, nor did they make me wear a birthday sombrero or sit on the birthday saddle. This is a classy joint, so there are no raucous shenanigans, just elegant birthday pastries!

Dessert

Finally, we got to dessert, the FINAL course of the night! This consisted of a variety of items.

First, there was a Raspberry Bakewell with whipped cream on top. It was wonderfully light after such an extensive meal.

Next was the Pomegranate Pate de Fruit. This is the one that looks like a red and pink spiral, and it tasted like a bougie fruit roll-up!

Then we had the Balsamic Fig Ganach. This is made of a checkerboard biscuit base and topped with a thick swirl of balsamic fig ganache.

 

Finally, there was also a Gingerbread Madeleine. Remember when I talked about the apple cider they served at the beginning of the meal being like the best apple cider you’ve ever had times like a million? Well, adapt that same math/flavor logic to these gingerbread madeleines.

There was nothing super “culinary” about them, nothing too artistic, or bougie, or over the top. But imagine warm, soft gingerbread, fresh from the oven, filled with those delicious, autumnal spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove. And imagine the best possible version of that and that might be what this tasted like.

There are some things that are so fancy that you can only eat them once and savor those experiences. But things like the Gingerbread Madeleine, the Venison Carpaccio, the Nigata Koshiibuki Rice, and the Apple Cider and all items I could eat every day and never grow tired of!

Bonus

Now, I opted for the wine pairing, and after 8 glasses of wine, I’m glad I didn’t go overboard with other cocktails and spirits because then I probably wouldn’t remember enough to write this post. HOWEVER, after mentioning to our serving team, Craig and James, how much I love Old-Fashioned cocktails, Craig indulged me with a little sample of his perfectly curated and crafted Old-Fashioned!

And just like you’d imagine at a swanky place like V&A’s, this was a super fancy Old-Fashioned. The bourbon (no, I don’t remember what bourbon he used) was infused with rendered pork belly, his own recipe for orange bitters that he then carbonated and portioned out from a soda siphon, and made his own candied Amarena cherry.

I wish I could recall all of the details that went into making this mixology masterpiece, but just like how Tinker Bell flies from the top of the Castle during Happily Ever After, this will just have to remain chalked up to Disney magic.

PHEW! 8+ courses and plenty of wine, food, and even coffee and cocktails. We did it! We made it to the end!

Nosh or Not

Victoria & Albert’s is not for everyone, because of the price tag, the menu, or the setting. But if you’re considering it, here are some questions to ask yourself:

Consider dining at Victoria & Albert’s if:

• You seek the ultimate Disney World experience: While it might not become a regular dining spot, Victoria & Albert’s offers a potentially once-in-a-lifetime meal, showcasing the best of what Disney has to offer in terms of food and service.
• You appreciate multi-course meals: With an extensive selection of courses, including the option for a 9-course meal in the exclusive Queen Victoria’s Room, this is an ideal choice if you enjoy sampling a variety of dishes rather than opting for a single large entree.
• You are celebrating a special occasion: Whether it’s a significant achievement or a romantic getaway, Victoria & Albert’s, especially the intimate Queen Victoria’s Room, provides an excellent setting for special moments.

On the other hand, it’s best to skip Victoria & Albert’s if:

• You prefer to avoid high expenses: With a substantial price tag (excluding tax and tip), this restaurant may not be suitable for those looking for a fine dining experience without the hefty cost. Other Disney signature dining options like California Grill offer a more budget-friendly alternative.
• You are not a fan of fine dining: If you lean towards casual fare like chicken tenders and fries, Victoria & Albert’s might not align with your dining preferences. While it’s a Disney bucket list item, it’s essential to avoid it solely due to a sense of obligation.
• You prefer a single, large dish: Victoria & Albert’s revolves around multiple courses, making it less appealing for those who prefer a traditional dining experience with a singular, substantial entree.

Overall

Overall, Victoria & Albert’s has long been on my bucket list of things to experience at Disney World. The cuisine lives up to high expectations, showcasing quality. The service is impeccable, set against a backdrop of beauty and elegance. Moreover, they excel in tailoring the menu to accommodate dietary preferences. Not to mention, the majority of the dishes we sampled were undeniably delightful. It truly fulfills all the criteria in that aspect.

But it may not be for everyone. Though I have no problem dressing up and attending fancy dinners, the theater, ballets, and concerts, my husband, for example, is not as comfortable. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience, especially the fancy, pinkies-up, sit-up-straight parts, but this was indeed a big ask of my husband, who enjoys more blue-collar, just be comfortable and eat comfort food kind of experiences. If you love to pretend like you’re in the first-class dining room on the Titanic, dining in Downtown Abbey, or having tea with the Bronte sisters, you’ll probably love this.

What’s truly worth the cash? That’s a question only you can answer. But if you’re looking for the fanciest, most elaborately elegant restaurant in Disney World, you know where to go.

Click here for our full page ALL about Victoria & Albert’s

Have you ever eaten at Victoria & Albert’s? Do you think it’s worth it? Tell us in the comments!

The post REVIEW: We Ate the MOST EXPENSIVE and EXCLUSIVE MEAL in Disney World. Here’s What It Was Like. first appeared on the disney food blog.