REVIEW: Is the Best Italian Food OUTSIDE of EPCOT’s Italy Pavilion?

Sometimes, you just gotta leave the Disney World bubble to find something spectacular.

We know you probably come to Disney World to well, go to Disney World but Central Florida is packed with great restaruants, entertainment, and just about everything in between, and if you’re renting a car, drove in yourself, or don’t mind taking rideshare, visiting somewhere outside the parks can be agreat way to mix up your vacation and see what else Orlando has to offer. We headed to Simply Capri, just a few minutes from the parks, to see if it was worth a visit.

Simply Capri is in Flamingo Crossings, which is near the Disney College Program housing, so it doesn’t always feel like you’re leaving Disney with all of the Cast Members around. There are also a Target and a Walgreens, which are great places to grab last-minute essentials like snacks, sunscreen, and even souvenirs.

The restaurant brings the best of Italy’s Amalfi Coast with wood-fired pizza, house-made pastas, modern cocktails, and classic dishes. They like to highlight the ingredients and give you a nice space to sit back and relax in. It’s such a nice escape from the chaos of the parks.

We started with the Cozze e Vongole for $21, which features PEI mussels, top neck clams, nduja, garlic, Terre di Tufi biano Teruzzi, and cherry tomatoes. Simply put, it’s spaghetti with mussels and clams!

The appetizer was very fresh and was more than enough for two people. The meat inside the clams and mussels was chewy, in that ideal fatty way, and had an excellent flavor. The base it was served with had a nice acidity from the tomatoes and just a smidge of heat, which complemented the mussels and clams well. It also came with two pieces of bread, which were perfect for dipping into the base.

We also had the Ossobucco di Vetello for $51, which is braised veal Ossobuco and risotto Milanese. Slow-braised veal? Say less.

This dish was so tender that we didn’t even need to pick up our knife. The meat was flavorful, and we thought the portion size was really good. The risotto was also creamy and savory. We’re always looking for restaurants like this in Orlando with the authentic tastes we know and love in such a comfortable environment.

We weren’t skipping dessert! We tried the Delizia Al Limone for $14. This is a Limoncello sponge cake covered with lemon cream.

The sponge cake was super smooth and had a beautiful lemony taste that reminded us of a lemon cookie. The cream also had a nice, smooth texture. The manager of the restaurant told us that they ship the sponge cake, which is underneath the cream, from Italy, where it actually won an award for being the best Italian pastry.

Throughout our meal, we also sipped Fresh Lemonade for $6. 

We could definitely tell this was freshly made! It had a nice sour taste and was subtle with the sweetness. It’s hard to find classic lemonade like this, and on a hot Florida night, we felt like little kids with this iconic drink.

Overall, we think this is a total hidden gem. The servers were very knowledgeable, and the restaurant was so pretty and relaxing. There’s indoor and outdoor seating, and it’s great for more intimate groups. The atmosphere was not overwhelming, and when you’re in the middle of a Disney World vacation, everything can feel overwhelming, so taking time to relax over dinner helps the entire trip run smoothly.

Make sure you keep following AllEars for more of the best food reviews you need to know before going on your next Disney World vacation.

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Disclosure: We were invited by Simply Capri to attend a tasting. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.

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