Tutto Italia - Epcot's Italy Pavilion

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From the Disney Food blog...

Guest Review: Epcot’s Tutto Italia

Jan 4th, 2012 by AJ.

Join me in welcoming back guest author Aaron Crum with a review of Epcot’s Tutto Italia! Grazie Aaron!

This classic Italian restaurant is tucked back behind the tower in Epcot’s Italy, and as soon as you see the sign out front and enter the lobby you know you are in for a special treat.

We had reservations at lunch, and while I stayed outside to snap a couple of photos, the rest of our party went ahead into the lobby.

By the time I headed in, our party was already seated at our table. We were promptly greeted by our waitress and a welcoming basket of bread and olive oil.

Tutto Italia Sign

Lobby

Atmosphere

The restaurant itself has a quaint feel to it, and the walls are lined with “replica” Italian paintings.

Seating Area

If you happen to be at the restaurant when it isn’t busy, it can be very romantic and relaxing. However, with such a large and open room, when Tutto Italia gets busy, it can be very loud and feel quite crowded.

Dining Room

Eats

As stated before, we had an assortment of bread waiting on our table for us, accompanied by a plate of olive oil and a small dish of assorted olives. This is complimentary for all guests.

Bread Service

Olive Oil

Olives

Our party of four proceeded to order, and we ended up with 3 different dishes: The Lasagne “al forne”, Rigatoni Bolognese, and Saltimbocca alla Romana.

The lasagna was layered beautifully and presented just as well. The dish was full of flavor and very filling.

We happened to be eating with an Italian, and he ordered the dish and gave it his seal of approval. The only criticism was that the dish could have used a little more sauce, mainly because the sauce was so good!

Lasagna

The Rigatoni Bolognese was a huge portion of food. The balance between the meat in the dish and the sauce was fantastic. The flavor came out and punched you in the mouth (in good way!).

Rigatoni

Lastly, was my dish, the Saltimbocca alla Romana. I like to play a little game occasionally when we eat at restaurants in the World Showcase, so I asked our waitress to bring me out her favorite dish. I told her not to tell me what it was, just let it be a surprise.

Upon setting it on the table, she said this was the best dish the restaurant served and it came highly recommended. It didn’t disappoint! The veal burst with flavor from both the prosciutto and white wine sauce. The potatoes and Swiss chard were a very nice compliment to the dish. Although I was a little hesitant about both sides because they didn’t look very appetizing, they both ended up being quite delicious.

Veal

The best part of being on the Disney Dining Plan is, of course, dessert! And Tutto Italia has some of the best desserts around.

We had Raspberry Sorbetti, which was fresh and had chunks of real raspberries. It was a nice treat on a hot Orlando day.

We also ordered a cannoli — the sweet ricotta was magnificent and the pastry had just the perfect amount of crunch to compliment the filling. (According to our resident Italian, this was the second best cannoli he had ever had — the first of course is made by his Italian grandmother!)

And last, but the real gem, was the Coppetta Sottobosco. It was a glass full of berries and biscotti, topped with a creamy gelato, and crowned with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. As far as desserts are concerned, this easily has entered the upper echelon of desserts in the World Showcase.

Dessert

The mix of fresh fruit, creamy gelato, and chocolate is unmatched and can’t be beat. Trust me on this one, or better yet, try it for yourself!

Overall

While this restaurant can be easily overlooked (or not even seen!) by the casual passerby, it truly is a great place to get a meal. However, it can get pricey, so I would suggest eating here while you are taking advantage of the Disney Dining Plan.

It can get a little crowded at times, and perhaps a little noisy occasionally, but all that can be easily overlooked with a fantastic meal and an even better dessert!

Don’t miss out on this great little place!

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/01/04/guest-review-epcots-tutto-italia/

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

We ate there on one of our trips last year, we enjoyed it!!! Also, ironically when looking for reservations for our anniversary, it was the only Epcot restaurant without availability!!!