Amorette’s Patisserie Review
Amorette’s Patisserie is a bakery in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World that serves up high-end cakes and pastries in its dessert shop. In this review, we’ll share food photos of these beautiful desserts, and share thoughts on this exceptional bakery and how it compares to the competition at Disney Springs.
If you’ve never heard of Amorette’s, you’re not alone. It debuted with Town Center at Disney Springs last year, but it feels like it got lost in the shuffle. While it seems like everyone was gushing over the third-party Sprinkles chain expanding into Florida, Disney-owned and operated Amorette’s Patrisserie was flying under the radar.
I’m not entirely sure why, as it has the hallmarks of a popular Walt Disney World dessert spot: great variety, exceptional taste, and (most importantly?) eye-catching designs that are highly Instgrammable. After waiting far too long to finally give Amorette’s a try, we’ve now done it a couple of times and wanted to share some thoughts on it…
Frankly, I’m not sure why Amorette’s is not the “it” dessert spot among Walt Disney World fans. Aside from occasional mentions of it on Twitter, I’ve heard almost nothing about it. I still see exponentially more people posting pictures of their Starbucks cups on the hub grass than I do from Amorette’s. Perhaps it’s because cupcakes aren’t in the Amorette’s wheelhouse? Maybe there’s some truth to the jokes about Walt Disney World and cupcakes? Whatever the explanation, Amorette’s definitely deserves your attention.
Personally, I feel there’s a place for both cupcakes and desserts like Amorette’s serves. Disney cupcakes are like summer blockbusters: flashy and fun. By contrast, the desserts served at Amorette’s are like an arthouse film (perhaps a French one?): nuanced and worth savoring, and likewise beautiful.
At Amorette’s, you step into a French patisserie with an open kitchen where pastry chefs decorate signature cakes, and put the finishing touches on other desserts. The attention to detail is incredible, both on the presentation of the desserts themselves, and the boutique-style hatbox packaging.
In terms of theme and backstory, the idea is that a pair of sisters are the current owners of the shop, which has been passed down through many generations of their family. Amorette’s family-run patisserie dates was established in the early days of Disney Springs, around 1900.
I’m not sure why this family in Florida would’ve chosen an Art Nouveau design style with clear French influences, but that’s no doubt in the backstory, too. Whatever the explanation, I just hope it involves time travel, Owen Wilson, and Jean Cocteau. If these backstories are going to be convoluted, they might as well be weird, too.
In any case, the bakery is charming. It’s large enough to capably absorb crowds (although we’ve never seen it crowded), but with enough design flourishes that it has a sense of intimacy and warmth. It’s certainly not the thematic high-bar of eateries at Walt Disney World, but at this point, I’m willing to award some points simply because it didn’t rehash the ‘repurposed ____, and now a mid-tier hipster restaurant’ concept. For what it is, Amorette’s has a really pleasant environment.
Amorette’s Patisserie truly offers something for everyone. There are eclairs, cheesecake, opera cake, macarons, and tarts. Most of the desserts are around $1-2 more than what you’d find at other counter service spots around Walt Disney World, but what you’re getting here is table service quality.
When viewed through that lens, the desserts at Amorette’s are about $2-5 less expensive than comparable alternatives around Walt Disney World. (Yes, that’s exactly how we justify it to ourselves.) We’ve been incredibly satisfied with the desserts we’ve tried at Amorette’s thus far, and felt they represented good value for money relative to other Walt Disney World desserts.
The Mickey Mousse is probably the most popular thing at Amorette’s, and definitely succeeds at being both photogenic and delicious. This consists of chocolate chiffon cake, dark chocolate mousse and white chocolate mousse.
While I liked this, the dark chocolate was a bit rich for me. With that said, the flavors played well with one another, and the variety of textures really enhanced the dessert. Clearly high quality, not just superficially pretty.
The 49th and Broadway Cheesecake is one of the best desserts we’ve had at Walt Disney World. The cheesecake itself was rich and creamy, while the lemon curd and blueberries were (literally) the icing on the cake, but also went a long way in further elevating an already exceptional dessert. Highly recommended.
About the only thing I cannot quite stomach price-wise is the macarons. At over $2 each, these seem steep to me. In fairness, this is my reaction to almost everywhere that sells macarons. I still cannot comprehend why these pretentious little cookie wannabes cost so much money!
Then there’s Amorette’s Signature Cakes. The first time I gazed at the price tag on one of these, I got a bit of sticker shock at the $55 price, but given the size and quality, that doesn’t seem too far off. These cakes are beautifully decorated, with multiple layers, and most are covered with fondant. We still need to find an excuse (and enough people to share it with) to buy one of these.
One thing we have not had the chance to try yet is the drinks, which we’ve heard are good. Amorette’s Hot Chocolate Ganache with Chantilly and Shaved Dark Chocolate is particularly intriguing, but it’s probably not something that’ll be of interest until the weather chills out a bit.
The thing I find myself wondering is how a place like Sprinkles can compete with Amorette’s. I keep coming back to this cupcakes v. Amorette’s debate, which is admittedly one of my own invention. This final comparison is based more on Sprinkles being the most popular bakery at Disney Springs than it is what they sell.
Don’t get me wrong–Sprinkles is a pretty good cupcake. However, the cupcakes look totally ordinary and don’t have the obvious ‘hook’ of Disney styles (they defy categorization as the ‘summer blockbuster’ mentioned above), and are expensive. Their appeal is that they are gourmet and high-quality.
That’s also the appeal of Amorette’s, except its products also have Disney style. If I have to choose between Sprinkles and Amorette’s, I’m choosing Amorette’s every single time. I literally cannot think of a single selling point that puts Sprinkles ahead of it. At least with a “normal” Walt Disney World cupcake, there’s the prospect of a giant monkey rising from the top or Oreos forming Mickeys on it. Amorette’s trumps Sprinkles on both style and substance.
After overlooking it last summer, we’ve quickly gotten to the point that Amorette’s is a must-visit every trip to Walt Disney World for us now. We still have several desserts to try from Amorette’s, and are making it our mission to try them all.
Inarguably, Amorette’s Patisserie is the best bakery/dessert spot at Disney Springs, and arguably the best one in all of Walt Disney World. The real question is whether it’s so good that you should skip dessert at a table service restaurant and do it at Amorette’s instead. That’s a bit tougher to answer, and I really think it depends. There are a lot of Disney Springs restaurants that do desserts really well, and signature dishes that are worth ordering (places like the Boathouse, Raglan Road, and Frontera Cocina come to mind). If you’re at a table service restaurant that doesn’t have a compelling dessert menu, absolutely wait and do dessert at Amorette’s. You will not be disappointed.
Want more dining tips? Check out our 101 Delicious Walt Disney World Dining Tips. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts…
Have you had a chance to visit Amorette’s Patisserie yet? What do you think of it? On par with table service desserts for you? Better than Sprinkles or other Walt Disney World cupcakes? Any favorite desserts here? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I have not tried Amorettes yet, though it is a definite for my next trip. I CAN tell you, however, why my wife and I were definitely going to try Sprinkles on our last trip. It’s a two word answer: CUPCAKE WARS. We don’t have a Sprinkles anywhere near us, and the founder of Sprinkles, Candace Nelson is one of the judges. I’m a food show nerd, so I could’nt pass it up! I don’t know if anyone out there has my particular obsession though lol.
We specifically did not eat dessert at Homecomin’ Kitchen on our last trip so we could have the Mickey dessert at Amorette’s. Totally the right decision!
Hey Tom! I had this same experience a few months ago when I went to WDW and I couldn’t believe how I was the only one in the shop on a Saturday night. The pastries were delicious and super high quality. Just wanted to add that $2-3 for macarons are totally acceptable and i will tell you why. As a Pastry cook, I can 100% confirm that they are one of the trickiest and most finicky confections to make. There’s a specific science behind making those shells look and taste absolutely perfect and so many variables that could make it go wrong. The reason they cost what they do is because it requires special skill and talent to make them, as well as labor.
Really not sure how Amorette’s can be less popular than Sprinkles. I bought 2 Sprinkles cupcakes and an Amorette’s pastry (opera cake, I think) last time I went. The opera cake was FABULOUS and I wish I had bought another pastry or two. The Sprinkles cupcakes were dry and the icing, which should have been the best part, was weirdly flavorless.
I thought Sprinkles was awful. As a part-time cake decorator and hobby baker, I am very picky about cupcakes. I was expecting perfection and agree they were dry, rather flavorless and underwhelming 🙁
I will say one thing working against Amorette’s is its location. It is tucked away and kind of hard to find. I went to Disney Springs knowing about it and wanting to go, and was still surprised when I finally stumbled upon it.
Personally, I did not enjoy the Sprinkles cupcake I had (particularly in comparison to Pavlova from Amorette’s), but its location makes it hard to ignore, since it is right outside of a parking garage, I believe.
Just like there’s no such thing as too rich or too thin, there’s no such thing as too rich dark chocolate.
Disney Springs is big. One can only see and do so much. It’s no wonder people don’t know about Amorette’s. Plus, it’s difficult to think of indulging in a rich dessert after having just consumed a tremendous amount of food at a restaurant. All one can think is, ‘if I eat one more morsel of food, I will explode’. And what about weight gain? Darn good thing there’s all that pesky walking.
You’ve really pushed me over the edge this time though Tom. Well, guess I can always skip Ghirardelli’s. Or do it another day. (I know me. Probably won’t skip it.)
I can understand that, but given the popularity of Sprinkles AND its location right next to World of Disney, I’d just expect this to have be busier.
Just remember: you can find Ghirardelli’s all over–there’s only one Amorette’s in the entire world! 😉
Maybe Sprinkles is emptier because the world’s fascination with cupcakes is wearing down. Really, anyone can make cupcakes, but not too many people can make pastries like the ones at Amorette’s. Knowing my group, they’ll be up for two trips to Amorette’s once they see it. Staying at POFQ in November, and have no big agenda, so it’s doable.
See, this is why we need articles like yours Tom. You’re the go-ahead guy who tastes and tests, letting us know what you think is worthwhile and what isn’t. You get to spend time and money checking it all out, and we get to save time and money. It’s a good recipe.
So, they got me in there – I walked into Disney Springs and smelled this AMAZING smell! I followed my nose right to their door. WOW! I had peeked in the windows before, but the smell got me inside and I’m so glad it did! A glass of champagne and a macaroon later I was in heaven! I’ve never understood the fascination with macaroons until I had one from there. So light and flavorful. Two more weeks until I get to go back!
It is AMAZING – full stop. The Dancing with Pavlova treat pictured in a neat row above was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. I went twice while I was last at WDW, and ordered one of the mini-signature cakes to split after breakfast for my mother-in-law’s birthday. It was the second best dessert I’ve ever had. The taste and texture of these desserts is out of this world, and the techniques seem to be spot on and well-executed. (Will say, passed over the macaroons here for the ones at Les Halls. When in France…) #dessertgeek
Good to know about the (mini) signature cake. Maybe we’ll give that a try next time!
I’ve never heard of Amorette’s, but then again, I also hadn’t heard of Earl of Sandwich before this past May. We don’t spend a lot of time in Disney Springs when we go, because we are more thrill seekers than shoppers. But we are most definitely eaters!
These little treats are seriously *adorable*. I will have to remember the name for our trip next October! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Even if you don’t remember the name, just remember that it’s the bakery right next door to World of Disney!
If you’ve ever tried to make macarons at home, you know why they’re so expensive to buy…
It’s just SO. MUCH. WORK.
😉
I literally cannot cook anything that doesn’t go in the microwave, so I’ve never tried. (But as soon as there’s a “Macaron by Microwave!” recipe, I’m ALL OVER IT. 😉 )
As long as Paul, the “pedantic gentleman,” is not around, I would definitely want to give this place a try (the Midnight in Paris reference made me laugh) 😉
Solid late period Woody Allen. It was not at all what I expected, but I really enjoyed it.
My guess for Sprinkles being more visited is that they are a known commodity. Americans know cupcakes. Not so much fancy French pastries. Disney is pushing the envelope with this place. Hopefully it will catch on.
I think you’re totally right. It also probably doesn’t hurt that Sprinkles is popular with celebrities and on social media, so people are drawn to it.
Torrential rains can’t dampen the scorching blaze of a tombricker hot take. On FIRE!
We tried 5 desserts earlier this month (each of us had to choose one LOL) and they were ALL delicious! Also with the AP discount we basically got one free. It is going to be a “must stop” every trip now. You can get cupcakes and chocolate anywhere!
“Also with the AP discount we basically got one free.”
I like your logic! 🙂
I’ve seen a lot of people with Amorette’s bags on this trip when I have been at the Springs.
I always want to go but I end up pigging out in Ghirardelli & dont have room. I’m old school.
We ordered the Mickey Mouse cake for my
Mothers 60th birthdays dinner at jiko. The AKL staff was kind enough to pick it up for us (so as not to ruin the surprise) so I didn’t get to see the interior, but I must say that the staff (over the phone) were so friendly and helpful. And the cake was the best I have ever had! For a special occasion and 5-6 people this cake is just perfect!
Love it there. When I went it was so busy at disney springs yet the place was totally deserted. Could not understand why…but no complaints here.
We went last winter and loved our dessert. As a pastry chef I can tell you that macaroons cost so much because they are very fussy hard to make cookies that are very labor intensive and costly considering the almond flour they require.
We will be sure to visit this during our trip to WDW for MNSSHP this year. Your blog is just wonderful! Thank you! It has helped me immensely in planning our trips and our enjoyment level once we’re there.
I’ll be in WDW in 2 weeks (yea!), and this is on my must do list. Do you know if they still have the s’more?
I think the s’more is at the Ganachery not here.
Ah that’s right. Thanks!!