Best Restaurants Outside Disney Springs

Why Locals Skip Disney Springs for This Place

Disney Springs has dozens of restaurants, and most of them are good at separating you from your money. The portions are designed for Instagram, the prices are designed for tourists, and the wait times are designed to test your patience. If you have already spent a day inside the Disney bubble and want a real dinner at a real restaurant, it is time to leave the property.

Ciao Italia Ristorante is 20 minutes from Disney Springs, just off International Drive on Westwood Blvd. The Navarra family has been running this restaurant since 1991, which is longer than most Disney Springs restaurants have existed. The pasta is handmade daily, the sauces are built from scratch, and the prices are what you would expect from a family restaurant, not a tourist trap.

What You Actually Get Here

The menu at Ciao Italia reads like an Italian grandmother's recipe book. Pappardelle al Cinghiale with wild boar ragu. Linguine alle Vongole with fresh clams. Risotto alla Pescatora loaded with seafood. Sauteed calamari that is tender and flavorful, not rubbery. Australian lamb chops with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Veal piccata with artichokes and capers.

The kids menu is $13 and includes gelato, which means your children eat well without a $30 kids plate. Beer and wine are available with dinner. Free parking right in front. No valet fees, no parking garages, no shuttles. You pull up, walk in, and eat.

The Disney Springs Alternative Nobody Talks About

Most visitors to Orlando assume they need to eat inside the Disney ecosystem. They wait 45 minutes for a table at a chain restaurant with a Disney markup, eat mediocre food, and call it a vacation dinner. The smart ones drive 20 minutes down I-4 and discover a family-owned Italian restaurant with 4,000+ reviews, 9 awards, and food that would hold up anywhere in the country.

Ciao Italia is open every night from 5 to 10 PM. Walk-ins are welcome. Reservations are recommended on weekends. The private dining room seats up to 60 for larger groups and celebrations.

About Dining Outside Disney Springs

Disney Springs is Walt Disney World's shopping and dining district, located on Hotel Plaza Boulevard in Lake Buena Vista. While it offers a curated selection of restaurants, many visitors find the prices elevated and the waits long, especially during peak season. Dining outside Disney Springs gives you access to Orlando's independent restaurant scene, where the food is often better and the experience more personal.

Ciao Italia Ristorante sits at 6149 Westwood Blvd, Orlando, about 12 miles and 20 minutes from Disney Springs via I-4. The Navarra family has owned this restaurant since 1991. The menu features handmade pasta, fresh seafood, veal, lamb chops, and sauteed calamari. With 4,000+ reviews and 9 awards, it is one of the most established Italian restaurants in the Orlando area. Beer and wine with dinner. Free parking. Open nightly 5 to 10 PM.

How to Get to Ciao Italia from Disney Springs

From Disney Springs, take I-4 East toward Orlando. Exit at Sand Lake Road (Exit 74A), then head south on International Drive. Turn right onto Westwood Blvd. Ciao Italia is at 6149 Westwood Blvd, about 20 minutes and 12 miles from Disney Springs. Free parking available in front of the restaurant.

People Also Ask About Restaurants Outside Disney Springs

About Dining Near Restaurants Outside Disney Springs

When you are visiting Restaurants Outside Disney Springs in Orlando, finding a genuine Italian dinner can feel impossible among the chains and tourist traps. Ciao Italia Ristorante has been the answer since 1991 — a family-owned Italian restaurant on Westwood Boulevard where everything is made from scratch.

The Navarra family runs the kitchen personally. Handmade pasta, fresh sauces, bread baked daily, and housemade desserts. The menu includes classics like lasagna and chicken parmigiana alongside refined dishes like pappardelle with wild boar ragu and risotto alla pescatora.

With 4,000+ reviews, 9 awards, and over 35 years of service, Ciao Italia is one of the most trusted Italian restaurants in the Orlando area. Italian wine and beer are available with dinner. Kids eat for $13 with gelato. Free parking. Walk-ins welcome nightly 5 to 10 PM.

How to Get to Ciao Italia from Restaurants Outside Disney Springs

Ciao Italia is about 20 minutes from Restaurants Outside Disney Springs. Head toward International Drive and continue to Westwood Boulevard. The restaurant is at 6149 Westwood Blvd, Orlando, FL 32821, with free parking right in front. Open nightly 5 to 10 PM.

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