Ultimate Guide to Brews and BBQ at Disney Springs
Remember the Bourbon Trail at Disney Springs? It was the first themed food/drink pairing that Disney Springs attempted that debuted back in the spring. The experience was pretty straightforward: pick up a map and visit the ‘trail’ of participating restaurants for a signature bourbon cocktail and a chef-selected dish to pair it with! The experience was rolled out under limited time trial basis parameter, and judging from last week’s Brews and BBQ announcement, the foodies not only came out for the bourbon-soaked event…they’ve demanded more!
No one does ‘variation on a theme’ better than Disney (if you’ve been to the Epcot Festivals you’ll know what I’m talking about) and Brews and BBQ at Disney Springs is the newest incarnation of food and beverage pairings that’s landed, and it’s just in time for those hot summer days that require a refreshing cocktail to cool you down. A whopping 23 restaurants are in on the action this time around, so it looks like you’ll have to visit Disney Springs a few times if you’re hoping to check off each and every stop on the map this time around! After a look at the offerings, I’m certain everyone will find plenty of choices to suit their tastes (yep, even folks like me who don’t care for beer), so let’s take a look at the highlights!
- STK Orlando- For the high rollers, STK is the place to begin and end your night. They’re offering a strong IPA here and suggesting a pairing of fire-roasted shrimp with sweet potato salad and goat cheese, aka my dream meal!
- Morimoto Asia- Where are all of my Asian food fanatics who don’t like sushi? Now’s your most perfect chance to try Morimoto Asia and not feel like you’re missing out by opting for something other than the signature sushi offerings! Unholy Trippel beer is paired with chili-glazed spare ribs.
- The Boathouse- If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written about The Boathouse, you’ll know that their outdoor bar is my absolute favorite dining atmosphere at Disney Springs…and now they’re telling me I can sit at the shaded, lagoon-front bar and enjoy slow cooked pulled BBQ pork topped with fried pickles. Not to be confused with heaven, although it’s an easy mistake!
- T-Rex- If you’re traveling with kids, expect them to protest a night at Disney Springs. I can’t blame them, after all, you’ve traveled all that way to visit the parks, of course they want to maximize their time inside! T-Rex is the perfect compromise- you and the kids can dine in prehistory, back when dinosaurs ran wild! It’s the perfect all-in-one experience: the kids are entertained by the dinos while the adults can relax to a table service meal. The food is standard American fare for the most part, but anytime you tempt me with a rotisserie chicken, I’m there! Plus, this dish is served with ribs, fries, and slaw…pair that with the suggested ale and you’ve just scored yourself a relaxing evening at the Springs…with happy kids to boot!
- The Ganachery- No, the Ganachery isn’t serving beer. Nor are they soaking their signature truffles in BBQ sauce (thank goodness), but every night out should end with a sweet treat, especially a night at Walt Disney World! I guess it’s not technically BBQ, but The Ganachery is keeping with a fireside eats theme by way of a decadent sounding s’mores sandwich complete with their house made chocolate, a house made marshmallow, and caramel ganache…yum. Another positive to this sweet finale is that their featured drink to pair with the s’mores is a beer-free chocolate chiller- I know which drink I’ll be getting!
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Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article: Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer thrilled to be a part of you Disney vacation planning! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: NYCtoAP and find me on YouTube: NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!