Best Disney View

California Grill (Disney’s Contemporary Resort)

Contemporary cuisine at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Dinner only; business casual dress. Open nightly 5:30-10 p.m.

This sensational restaurant should be at the top of every visitor’s list to Walt Disney World. I am a view fanatic, and this drop-dead-gorgeous setting on the fifteenth floor of the Contemporary Resort enjoys Disney’s best-period. From its lofty heights diners can see the Magic Kingdom, the sparkling Seven Seas Lagoon, and, best of all, the Wishes fireworks. An inventive approach to seasonally focused food  including sustainable fish is this restaurant’s claim to fame. That along with their sensational desserts can only be topped by more than one hundred wines available by the glass from the exceptional list. And while great sushi and sashimi might be the last thing one would expect at Walt Disney World, here only the best is served.

First course choices are among my favorite dishes, in particular the Vietnamese-style lobster and shrimp cakes accompanied by a tasty melon relish, fresh lime, and tangy mint. I normally don’t order vegetarian as my main entree, but on my last visit I dined on wild mushroom, spinach, and fontina cheese whole wheat vegetarian ravioli swimming in a rich broth; absolutely phenomenal, the icing on the cake being heady shavings of black truffles. Other great choices include the ever-present grilled pork tenderloin with a zinfandel glaze accompanied by renowned goat cheese polenta, or I’m sure you’ll be more than content with whatever version of salmon is on the menu. It’s a kick to watch the kitchen action from the dining room, and the cocktail lounge has some of the best vistas of the Magic Kingdom in the house. Procuring a window seat can be tough, but don’t be discouraged; time your meal around the fireworks and head outside to the super observation platform for a bird’s-eye view of the extravaganza.

Cara's Tip: Reservations here go quickly, so plan ahead. Check-in is on the second floor where you’ll then be escorted upstairs. Reservations require a credit card number at the time of booking with a $20 per person cancellation fee for cancellations or no-shows within twenty-four hours of the reservation.

Best Known For:

Disney’s best views along with an intriguing menu and wine list.

Sample Menu Items:

Dinner entrees: Spiced tuna with sweet potato purée, mustard greens, red wine braised beef rib ravioli, natural reduction; seared ostrich filet with buttery potato purée, wild mushrooms, globe carrots, fig and honeyed port reduction; pan-roasted Florida black grouper fillet with "stir-fry” vegetables, sticky rice, ginger-soy-hijiki broth; Palmetto Farms crispy chicken with apple glazed pork, parsnip purée, golden beets, and natural jus; day boat scallops with blue hubbard squash and bacon gratin, baby brussel sprouts, apple cider-veal reduction.