Are you looking for gluten-free dining in Orlando without going to Walt Disney World? This is the blog for you. I visit Orlando yearly for an Orange County Convention Center trade show. After a long day of walking the show, the last thing I want to do is visit a theme park, but I always want to explore gluten-free dining options. Instead, I ventured to Disney Springs.
Disney Springs
Disney Springs is an entertainment and restaurant venue on Disney property. It is free to visit. It was a short ride from the Orange County Convention Center and I met my friend Seely (@safedisneyfood on Instagram & TikTok). She is the expert for all things gluten-free and allergen-free at Disney World.
We ate at Chef Rick Bayless’ Fronterra Cocina. I was so excited to eat there because I had followed him since seeing him on Bravo's Top Chef. The fresh guacamole with chips from a dedicated fryer was the perfect start to the meal. The salsas were so delicious. I had the Shrimp Mojo de Ajo and it was incredible.
After dinner we got dessert Erin McKennas Bakery which is dedicated gluten and dairy free. That meant I could eat anything there. It was a tough choice.
The thin mints were great, but I think my favorite was a churro sandwich. Soft cinnamon sugar cookies with a cinnamon icing in the middle. So good!
Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter
Another day, we met Seely at Disney Port Orleans. We spoke to a chef who put in a special allergy order for gluten-free. I choose the French Dip sandwich with fries. The fries are cooked in a dedicated fryer. When the food came out, it was on a purple tray for allergy orders and the sandwich had a special allergy tag. The bun looked like it had gluten in it. Gluten-free bread is often crumbly and hard. This was soft. Suki was so excited to check the plate that she gave a little jump. She settled in quickly and gave it a good sniff. She booped my leg, letting me know it is gluten-free. The sandwich was so delicious. The bun was one of the best gluten-free buns I have eaten, and the meat was lean and flavorful. I was very impressed.
At the top of the Port Orleans allergen-friendly options are some amazing beignets. They are top 9 allergen-free and come with different sauces. I chose caramel and chocolate, but you can also choose strawberry. Of course, we opted for the dusting of powdered sugar. The lastnets was in the real French Quarter of New Orleans. These were light and fluffy and pipping hot, just like I remembered from Café Du Monde the last time I had beignets before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. It was a special treat I highly recommend.
If you want more food recommendations and guides for Disney World be sure to check out Seely's Website, Mouse Ear Memories.
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