Goofy Gastronomy: Disney World Is Now Home to Its First Michelin-Starred Restaurant

Not too many people associate Disney World with fine dining. Park attendees are usually picking up ice cream bars or nachos, not searching for a location on any list of best restaurants. But for adult Disney fans, a dining room slightly off the beaten path promises a real culinary experience—one that’s just been granted a Michelin star.

Food & Wine reports that Victoria & Albert’s, which is located at the Grand Floridian Resort near the park in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, was recently recognized by the Michelin Guide, purportedly the first-ever theme park restaurant to ever receive the accolade.

“Chef Matthew Sowers cooks with contemporary verve and draws on influences spanning from Asia to the Nordics,” notes the Michelin Guide. “Think delicate tarts set with New Zealand langoustine, striking ‘sandwiches’ made with venison carpaccio and red cabbage, and bold sauces like cherry-cola bordelaise. Other details like water lists, an ornate coffee and tea service, and a serious wine program further impress.”

The location, which opened in 1988, boasts an eclectic multi-course menu served over four or more hours that can change depending on the season. Patrons can opt for the main dining room or “Queen Victoria’s room,” a more intimate area limited to four couples.

One thing that doesn’t fluctuate is the price: It’s a fixed-point ticket starting at $295 per person, with a wine pairing adding $150 or more to the bill. (When it originally opened in 1988, the dining room charged $65 per person; servers dubbed “maids” and “butlers” looked after guests.)

In 2022, Summer Hull of The Points Guy related the experience of a posh Disney dining affair. Describing it as “opulent” and with hardly any Disney iconography in sight—save for a Cinderella portrait—Hull appeared impressed by the experience. The 10-course feast included an éclair with Iberico ham, caviar, fresh yellowtail, lamb with pickled blueberries, and a cookie. A harpist provided musical accompaniment.

“This is the kind of place where your chair and napkins are reset every time you get up, your purse gets its very own seat, and you and your companions’ plates are served in synchrony, as if part of a practiced dance,” Hull wrote.

Just don’t consider it part of your all-ages Disney experience. Guests at Victoria & Albert’s must be aged 10 and over. And thanks to the semi-formal dress code, no Mickey Mouse T-shirts are permitted.

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