Finding the Best Bread at Disney World

I love bread.  I salivate when the server approaches our table with a basket of warm rolls swaddled in soft cloth.  I bring zip bags to restaurants just in case there is an extra dinner roll I can rescue from the trash.  I look forward to dining at some Disney restaurants not for their exquisite steak or iconic salad (I’m looking at you, Brown Derby) but for their excellent bread service.  Many may overlook the humble dinner roll because of its ubiquity, but bread can be so much more than the precursor to an entree; the greatest bread can elevate a meal from enjoyable to unforgettable.  Today, let us honor the unsung hero of many a meal as I share with you my favorite breads across Disney World Resort.  

Brown Derby Rolls- Complementary 

The Hollywood Brown Derby offers guests an upscale dining experience inside a theme park; when available, their risotto dishes are delicious, and their grapefruit cake is a perennial favorite, but these are both supporting cast to the main roll, the bread service.  These rolls don’t boast any special ingredient that makes them unique.  Their perfect, familiar simplicity is what makes them remarkable: a basket of warm bread served with Himalayan Sea salt-garnished butter.  Comfort meets delectability in these unassuming rolls. 

 

Sanaa Bread Service - $22 

A few years ago, my family and I dined at Sanaa for the first time.  As soon as we made the reservation, I knew I had to order the famed Sanaa bread service, which I like to refer to as “Sanaan.”  This dish includes five types of naan—a soft, flat Indian bread—and nine dipping sauces.  I forget the exact details, but I remember the only type of naan I disliked was the onion naan, and that’s only because I’m typically not a fan of onions.  The other four were delicious, particularly the garlic-ginger naan.  People talk about this bread for a reason.  The sheer amount of food that comes with this dish is impressive.  It is an entree unto itself, and how could I not include bread that can constitute an entire meal on this list of distinguished loaves? 

Sea Salt-Dusted Potato Brioche at Steakhouse 71- $12 

Before I discovered my appreciation for the delicious Stack Burger, potato brioche was my go-to order at Steakhouse 71, along with a Caesar salad.  The pull-apart bread is dense from the potato, and yet still so soft.  Generous helpings of sea salt flakes atop the brioche offer the flavor this bread may otherwise lack.  While the brioche is enjoyable alone, the whipped butter and tomato jam make it memorable.  Whipped butter is always delightful, and the tomato jam, savory with a hint of sweetness, complements the sea salt.  This is another rather basic bread dish, but its simplicity does not diminish its delicious flavor. 

Tiffins Bread Service at Nomad Lounge- $18 

What could make a relaxing afternoon at the Nomad Lounge even more enjoyable?  Bread, of course!  Here at Nomad Lounge, you may order Tiffins’s bread service, which comes with a soft Thai milk bread, Indian Pappadum (almost akin to a cracker) and the beloved pao de queijo of Food and Wine Festival fame.  In addition, the dish is also served with a trio of dipping sauces, including coconut-curry, guava, and ginger-pear chutney.  Of the three breads, the Thai milk bread is my favorite; it is nice and soft, and it pairs well with all three sauces, of which my favorite, surprisingly, was the coconut-curry sauce.  (The curry flavor wasn’t overwhelming, and it coupled nicely with the light, sweet coconut.)  I also enjoy the Pappadum, but it just isn’t as remarkable as the other two.  Now, this may be a controversial opinion, but I prefer Nomad Lounge’s pao de queijo to Food and Wine’s because it seems fresher and more flavorful; the sauces also offer the bread more character.  This is a great dish to order when you need a break from the heat as well as a tasty snack. 

Citricos Bread- Complementary 

I was excited to dine in this elegant space for the first time, now themed, much like the guest rooms at Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, to Mary Poppins, but I was even more elated once our server brought two kinds of bread to the table.  The first variety was, though, tasty, pedestrian, unremarkable.  The olive loaf, on the other hand, was magnificent.  With a gentle, savory olive flavor, the loaf can easily shine without accompaniment.  Chefs in Gasparilla Island Grill, Grand Floridian’s quick service dining spot just beneath Citricos, bake this exquisite bread fresh daily, a fact you can feel in the fluffiness of this delicate loaf.  Our server was even kind enough to bring us some extra in a to-go box to enjoy later!  Although I do want to return to Citricos for their truffle macaroni and cheese, I admit, I’m more excited to enjoy that heavenly olive bread again! 

‘Ohana Pineapple Bread- Included 

It’s been years since my family dined at ‘Ohana, but the one thing that has stuck in my memory is the scrumptious Pineapple Bread.  I’d have to return to the restaurant to say for sure, but honestly pineapple bread is one of ‘Ohana’s, if not only, redeeming feature.  Light and sweet, this bread is the perfect breakfast treat.  It is an iconic Disney food truly worthy of the hype. 

Cheddar Biscuits at Roundup Rodeo Barbeque- Included 

Before they removed their Married Spuds (crispy “potato barrels”--Disney speak for Tater Tots—with green goddess dressing and cheese sauce) from the menu, Roundup Rodeo Barbeque was my favorite table-service restaurant in Hollywood Studios, in part because of the wonderful cheddar biscuits.  I usually don’t love biscuits because they can be so crumbly, but those at Roundup Rodeo Barbeque are what I always want biscuits to be: buttery, cheesy, and almost cakey, certainly not too flaky.  Are they carbon copies of Red Lobster’s cheddar biscuits?  Allegedly, yes, but they are fantastic wherever you may find them, and that includes Toy Story Land’s Roundup Rodeo. 

Trattoria al Forno Garlic Bread- $7.50 

Despite Trattoria al Forno’s complementary bread service, I highly recommend splurging on their delicious, underrated garlic bread, which you may find on the “sides” portion of the menu for $7.50.  Considering the small size, this is overpriced, but it is delectable.  Save for the size of the roll itself, everything about this dish is extra: the pool of marinara sauce, the parmesan cheese, the garlic.  These components combine to create a sumptuous bread perfectly befitting an Italian eatery.  Again, sauce, cheese, and garlic together aren’t groundbreaking, but it is a winning, tasty combination that keeps me reaching for more. 

 There you have it, my favorite breads at Walt Disney World.  From the unmatched olive loaf at Citricos to Nomad Lounge’s variety of breads and sauces, bread at Disney restaurants is nothing to overlook, rather it may be the crown jewel of a wonderful meal (or the entire meal itself in Sanaa’s case!).  Where can you find some of your favorite Disney breads?