The best places to eat at Disney World

Years ago, perched on a bench in Tomorrowland, I struck up a conversation with an affable couple from Michigan. I mentioned that I had just moved from London to Paris.

The wife gushed, “Oh, we love France! We always have breakfast there!”

“Oh, and, we love England! We love the pub there,” the husband went on. “What’s the name of it?” There are a lot of pubs in the U.K., I replied. “No, no, no. There’s only one pub in England,” he insisted. The wife nodded. “We’re thinking of going to France for dinner tonight. Have you been to the restaurant there?”

I contemplated the bizarreness of the conversation. Then, came the dawn: Epcot.

Growing up in Florida with annual passes to Disney, I’ve developed a whole raft of suggestions for dining a la Disney.

As the couple noted, starting the day with a hot croissant lures many to the Boulangerie Patisserie in Epcot’s French Pavilion. The elegant Bistro de Paris offers well-executed classic French dishes for lunch and dinner. The Coral Reef Restaurant and its dramatic underwater views of The Living Seas exhibit is another great dinner destination. For an outstanding view of the closing fireworks display, consider the couple’s favorite pub in the United Kingdom, the Rose & Crown, where they allow diners to stand at water’s edge for the show, even if seated inside.

At the nearby Boardwalk area, Spoodles serves a great breakfast. At the Swan & Dolphin Resort, go for “surf” at Todd English’s stylish BlueZoo or “turf” at Shula’s Steakhouse.

The Prime Time Diner at Disney’s Hollywood Studios wins the “most fun meal” award for its quirky 1950s theme that includes vintage dining tables and reruns of TV shows from the era.

Disney veterans will tell you that you should always start your day in the back of any theme park. The Tusker House Restaurant, located in the far left corner of Animal Kingdom, offers a good destination for breakfast. Later, adventurous eaters can head over to the African buffet at Boma, or to the more upscale Jiko – A Cooking Place at the striking Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Inside the Magic Kingdom, the quiet air-conditioned Kona Café at the Polynesian Resort offers a nice lunch break, with its vaguely exotic décor and succulent pork sandwiches. The California Grill at the Contemporary boasts arguably the best view of any Disney eatery, including a view of the iconic Cinderella’s Castle; its New American menu includes some of the finest fare, too. But if you’d like to eat in the castle rather than look at it, book the “Royal Table experience.” One of the “character dining options” and most appreciated by people with pint-sized princesses, you’ll dine inside the castle, be greeted by Cinderella and have your dinner served by footmen.

If you’ve got a splurge-worthy reason to celebrate, dress up, grab your Miss Manners guide and head to Victoria and Albert’s, a gilded jewel box of a restaurant at the Grand Floridian Resort. By far the most expensive place to dine in the Disney empire, the V&A offers private “butler” service and harp music for an over-the-top level of formality that’s an experience in itself.

— Kathleen Flinn

Kathleen Flinn is a widely traveled food writer and author of the best-selling memoir “The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry,” chronicling her experiences at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.