Non-chain restaurants near Disney but NOT Disney
 

We will be at Disney World between Jan 22 and 26 2010 and are looking for interesting spots for dinner for two nights out without the kids (they will be enjoying the Disney resort activities!). I really don't care for chains and I hear Orlando is loaded with them. One caveat: we are traveling with another family and one of the grown ups likes to have some "safe" choices on the menu (steak, chicken). The rest of us are game for most anything. We are staying at the Contemporary if location makes a difference. Thanks in advance.

Columbia, the famous Cuban restaurant has a location in Celebration, just outside Disney's gates. Cuban cuisine includes steaks and basics. Columbia menu offers from sandwiches to superb fish.

Christinis is a locally owned Italian restaurant on Sand Lake Road in Doctor Phillips Plaza. This is a very good destination.

A couple of Disney's better restaurants are nearby the Contemporary. California Grill is often rated the best restaurant in the resort. California is pricey. Artist's Point at Wilderness Lodge features cuisine of Pacific Northwest and is very good.

Orlando Vic will probably comment on your posting. If not, if you search his responses, he often provides his list of local favorites that is worth having.

At the Contemporary, your best choice is California Grill, however you may have difficulty getting a reservation at this late date. It's worth a try. If you can possibly get through to California Grill's <b>Guest Services Manager, Sara Wallace</b>. She can literally work magic when squeezing people into non-existent reservations where none officially exist. Also at WDW is another superb restaurant, Artist Point in the Wilderness Lodge. Both have entrees for non-adventurous diners.

Scott Joseph, outstanding restaurant critic for the <i>Orlando Sentinel</i> for approximately 20 years offers these recommendations within WDW: http://www.scottjosephorlando.com/re...tings?catid=57 Just north of Disney (up I-4) is Orlando's restaurant Row near Sand Lake Road & I-4 and Scott offers these recommendations: http://www.scottjosephorlando.com/re...tings?catid=56 Of these one is technically part of a very small chair - Season's 52 - one of Orlando's best and most popular restaurants. Reservations in advance are essential.

Here is another thought:
Antonios Ristorante - Sand lake
The Fountains, 7559 West Sand Lake Road
Dr. Phillips, FL
407-363-9191
http://www.antoniosonline.com/AntoniosSandLake.asp

I have not personally dined there, but I have at their parent restaurant, Antonio's la fiamma in Maitland. It is a first-rate restaurant! You should find this one equally good.

Hemingway's at the Hyatt Grand Cyprus resort id definitely for adults and not kids. Pretty setting in the grounds and quite good food (great for Orlando)!

Thanks all. Due to my friend's diligence, we are all set for the DW restaurants (including California Grill which was booked way in advance at fireworks time). I am responsible for off-site grown up eats. I love this web site because of reliable recommendations like yours. Again, thanks.

You might want to consider something in the town of Celebration, which is about 6 miles from Disney. We've eaten several times at Cafe D'Antonio. I believe there are several other restaurants there, as well.

Nice little town with a walkable downtown area.

By chance you're willing to look at another WDW restaurant, we've eaten several times at Jiko in the Animal Kingdom. Yes, it's another Disney spot, but the food is a bit different and very good.

Adding to what OrlandoVic said, there are a plethora of restaurants on Sand Lake road (known as restaurant row)

http://sworlandoblog.com/2007/09/23/...n-dr-phillips/

http://www.orlandoinfo.com/articles/...aurant-row.cfm

Another place to look at is Pointe Orlando on I-drive:

http://www.pointeorlando.com/

We won't have a car. Is the transportation cost to Sand Lake Road high (or are there shuttles that you are aware of)? Also, Antonio's looked interesting but when I looked at Trip Advisor reports after Orlando Vic made the recommendation (which he clearly said was based on what he heard about that location, not his own experience) I saw that half of the reviews were very good and half were from very disappointed diners without an apparent axe to grind (with the same "canned" email response by the restaurant to each disappointed diner, which was a bit off-putting. While it is commendable that they take the time to monitor the feedback, the impact of the effort is lost when the responses become perfunctory).

I frankly value the input of Fodorites more, particularly you Orlando locals who dine at places enough to know the ebb and flow. Input (and thanks again)?

LizTD, could you have looked up a restaurant with a name similar to Antonio's on Sand Lake Road? The reviews here look good:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...o_Florida.html

I would guess a cab from WDW to Sand Lake Road restaurants would run around $30-$35, but you can get a better idea using the taxi estimator here: http://www.mearstransportation.com/T...eEstimator.asp

I'm half Italian. I've grown up in the New York area eating my Sicilian born Grandmother's pasta. I've been to some of the best Italian places in New York.

We've been to the Cafe D'Antonio location in Celebration multiple times. Now sure what other reviews have said, but I can tell you that we think it's good. It's usually our "on the way to the airport" meal.

Actually Cafe D'Antonio and Antonio's on Sand Lake Road are related and have the same "parent" restaurant. Check out their web site: http://www.antoniosonline.com/ It's not surprising that they are both (or all) good.

A taxi to Sand Lake Road or Celebration will cost some $$$, but then so would a car rental which you are not using. It's hard to say which would be cheaper. The one positive thing is that you have another couple with whom to share the costs. Disney makes it so very convenient to stay on property your entire stay and not patronize any other business establishment. It is a key part of their business plan for you to give them 100% of your business and all of your money. Don't do it! Get out and explore. There are other good restaurants and hotels in the area.

Certainly keeping you on Disney property is part of Disney's business plan, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, and certainly there are grown-up restaurants on the property, including Victoria and Albert's, the Todd English restaurant at the Swan/Dolphin and Jiko at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (although my last visit there I thought they had gone downhill), as well as the aforementioned Artist Point and CA Grill.

FYI, you can get to Celebration on the Lynx bus from the Ticket and Transportation Center (which is a monorail ride away from the Contemporary).
http://www.golynx.com/assets/userfiles/routemaps/56.pdf

On second thought, I wouldn't take that Lynx bus, doesn't seem to take you close to the center where the restaurants are. Celebration would be a bit closer than Sand Lake Dr. for a taxi ride, and you'd have a nice area to wander around before or after dinner (with buildings by reknown architects Michael Graves, Philip Johnson, Cesar Pelli and others).

I want to correct the record about my "perfunctory reply" comment. Mea Culpa, Antonio, it was Columbia and NOT Cafe D'Antonio or Antonios! Mi Dispacia!

you MUST do California Grill. I have lived in Orlando for 20 years and this restaurant is worth every penny. The restaurant has floor to ceiling windows and you can see all of Disney world, including the castle. Just a gorgeous view. HOWEVER, it really is only worth it if you can get a reservation at these particular times:

1) Can get a table by the windows when the sun is setting.
2) When the fireworks are going off.

Here's an inside tip on California Grill - if you cannot get a reservation during fireworks time, then don't worry. Just make it a point to go up there for a glass of wine and dessert. There are small lounge areas (some couches and chairs arranged for socializing) that don't require reservations. You just check in on the 2nd floor of the hotel, tell the host that you are just going up for a glass of wine and dessert and are going to just sit at the bar/lounge area and they will bring you right up. It is totally worth it. To hear the music timed to the fireworks ( and the restaurant dims all the lights - it is quite the romantic experience.

As far as Celebration goes - that is a must see. The architecture is so adorable and unique. It also provides some things to do after dinner. You can take a lovely stroll around the town. I have dined at Columbia and it was fantastic.

Also, if you do end up going to Dr. Phillips, eat at Seasons 52. It is on the water and you can sit outside (if it is warm enough) and enjoy the lake view. The food is amazing. The change the menu weekly (hence the name Seasons 52) based on the weekly freshest ingredients. I usually go to lunch there before it is so pretty to sit by the water during the day. That is up to you. For amazing Mexican food, try Cantina Laredo which is across the street.

Let me know if you need anything else! Have fun! Orlando is a great place.

Do not take a Lynx bus. The public transportation is not like New York or Europe. If you ask me, I do not think it is safe....