Flavors of Florida
Disney Springs has so much to offer when it comes to dining that it’s honestly overwhelming to select a destination. That’s why I was excited when I was invited to get a sampling of several different restaurants during the Flavors of Florida event that Disney Springs is currently hosting now thru September 2nd.
Several of the restaurants are participating with two Florida-inspired dishes or drinks on their menu that feature local ingredients, flavors unique to our state, or something citrus, often showcasing our most famously Florida fruit, the Orange. I brought some friends along to turn this adventure into a food crawl, sharing these dishes so we could visit as many spots as possible.
A few tips or a Disney Springs food crawl:
Parking in the Lime Garage is the best access to get you centrally located to most of these restaurants.
For faster in-and-out service at Morimoto sit at the bar area.
Don’t miss the Yesake kiosk which is located to the left of the Planet Hollywood entrance.
Check out Jock Lindsey’s Hangar bar for a nice view overlooking the water.
Don’t miss out on shopping. My favorite is the sale room at Anthropolgie on the second floor.
The shopping area has lots of great intricate backdrops for photos.
If you stop to take a break at Starbucks, go around back and enjoy the back patio overlooking the water instead of fighting for a seat inside.
If you are looking for any Star Wars or Marvel merch head over to the West Side.
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money at some of the more popular large restaurants, map out a route of some of the kiosks and carts.
First stop: Morimoto Asia
Morimoto is the Disney Springs restaurant that I visit the most frequently, so I wanted to make sure I didn’t neglect one of the places that never does me wrong. We ordered the Orange Gator and Waffle Cone which is tempura alligator that is wok-tossed with a sweet Florida Orange sauce and served in a house-made waffle cone. We tried to order the local brew on the menu but sadly they were all out. I also made sure to add my favorite appetizer, the shishito peppers, into the mix. If you are looking for a healthier salty snack I highly recommend these over fried alternatives.
Second stop: D-Luxe Burger
I had not dined at D-Luxe before, so I made sure to get both items offered on the Flavors of Florida menu. The Southern Burger was topped with fried-green tomato and a heavy helping of pimento cheese. If you love pimento cheese you’ll be happy with this burger! The beverage offered is the Orange Creme milkshake which is vanilla gelato blended with zesty orange flavors and tastes just like creamsicle. This is a quick serve restaurant, so it’s easy to try a menu item and continue your food crawl journey.
Third Stop: Polite Pig
Sadly the Polite Pig was the only miss when it came to the offered entrée. The Smoked Prime Rib slider mixed a citrus aioli and green papaya horseradish slaw that didn’t really compliment the meat. I personally wouldn’t recommend it. I did however enjoy the extra side of their brussels sprouts that have always been a hit. The Florida Mango frosé was definitely sweet and refreshing, so you could just stop here for some sides and this beverage.
Fourth stop: Amorette’s Patisserie
Amorette’s Patisserie is always a fun dessert stop because you can gaze at all the beautiful treats being created while enjoying the air conditioning. The seasonal item here is the Blood Orange Mousse. It’s a small lemon chiffon cake with Grand Marnier, simple syrup, and grapefruit gelée. It’s such a light and airy dessert with great flavor it was hard to not want to eat the whole thing myself. It doesn’t hurt that it looks like an adorable edible orange. I would definitely recommend.
Last stop: Yesake
The heat is no joke when walking around Disney Springs so any and all cool beverages are a necessity. That’s why I made Yesake my last stop so I could try the Violet Sky Slushie. It’s meant to look like the sky on a Florida summer evening, and if you’ve seen some of the more stunningly vibrant pink skies at dusk you’ll agree this drink is very Florida inspired. It features Japanese sake, prickly pear, lime, and it’s topped with konpieto candy. You can get it without alcohol if you’d like.
I was invited to try these items at Disney Springs, and hosted by Disney, therefore while I chose my destinations I did not pay for these items personally.