BoardWalk Bakery Review

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BoardWalk Bakery is a counter service restaurant and bakery at BoardWalk Inn at Walt Disney World. Located along the boardwalk itself, it’s an easy spot to grab breakfast on the way to Epcot, or–as we often do–dinner when walking from Epcot to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This review features food photos both the baked goods and sandwiches, our opinion of the restaurant, and thoughts as to how it stacks up to the competition in and around Epcot, as well as whether it’s a good use of Disney Dining Plan credits.

As the name suggests, BoardWalk Bakery serves up a lot of baked goods. If you are looking for a decadent dessert, you’re unlikely to find a better selection anywhere at Walt Disney World. Fortunately, BoardWalk Bakery isn’t a one-trick pony, also serving up some delicious sandwiches, on a variety of house-made breads. For sandwich and dessert fiends like me, BoardWalk Bakery has a lot of upside.

One of the downsides of BoardWalk Bakery is that it can be packed here sometimes, especially first-thing in the morning or in the evening. As the de facto counter service option at BoardWalk Inn, it has all of those guests to feed. Then you add in guests at the Swan, Dolphin, Beach, and Yacht Club Resorts, none of whom really have a satisfactory dedicated counter service option among them. Then you add in random guests not staying at any of those hotels, but strolling the BoardWalk. It’s sort of a wonder to me that there’s none of these resorts have a large food court. I’d think there would be ample demand.

Willing to brave the crowds or time your visit midday when the place is dead? Here’s what you’ll find…

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One popular option at BoardWalk Bakery is the Maine Lobster Roll (or “lobstah” for the New Englanders out there). Like its counterpart that was introduced a couple of years ago at Contempo Cafe, this is much more expensive than what you’ll find inside the park at Columbia Harbour House, but the lobster to filler ratio is also considerably better here. It’s too bad this isn’t served at Liberty Inn at Epcot, as this really showcases great, regional American cuisine.

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Just look at those delicious chunks of lobster. It’s not something I’d get regularly given the $16+ cost (making it more expensive than some table service entrees), but in terms of quality, this is a home run. It’s a good option a vacation occasional indulgence or way to leverage Disney Dining Plan credits to get better bang for your buck, it’s a great option–one of the best choices in the Epcot area.

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If you’re not a Dining Planner/high roller, a more reasonable yet similarly delicious option is the Roast Beef and Salami sandwich. This also features provolone, sweet pickled peppers, and herb mayonnaise on a house-made ciabatta bread. It’s absolutely perfect toasted, and the herb mayo boosts the flavor and balances out the bread in a way that brings it home. Highly recommended.

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This is the Turkey Club, or rather, was that sandwich when I ordered it last fall. It appears to now feature a bacon maple spread, which my sandwich did not. My version was fairly unremarkable. The dryness of the turkey and too much breading made for a dull sandwich.

It’s worth noting that the menu changes fairly regularly at BoardWalk Bakery. Items appear, disappear, reappear, and daily “specials” that don’t appear online are advertised at the location.

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If you’re looking for a lighter option, here’s the Herb Grilled Chicken and Apple Mixed Greens. This has dried cranberries, goat cheese, and apples with pomegranate vinaigrette for a salad that goes beyond the basic, phoned-in version you might find elsewhere.

Still, BoardWalk Bakery does sandwiches pretty well in my experience, and I’d sooner roll the dice on one of those than going for even an above-average salad. There’s a good chance the sandwich will be considerably better.

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Here’s the Seasonal Cupcake they were serving earlier this year. I didn’t realize caramel had a “season,” but now you know it’s in season in Florida during January. The more you know, and all that.

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The cupcakes and other sweets at BoardWalk Bakery change pretty regularly, but one constant seems to be the Mickey Mouse Oreo Cupcake. We have photos of this from 5+ years ago, and although the look of the cupcake changes (to keep up with cupcake trends) the delicious taste has remained more or less the same. As an added bonus, it’s sure to get a ton of “likes” on social media, and isn’t that what visiting Walt Disney World is all about?!

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I’m a total sucker for Tiramisu, and BoardWalk Bakery’s does not disappoint. (In fairness, I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed by tiramisu, but this one is better than the norm.)

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A friend of ours ordered the Key Lime Tart. It struck me as on the small side, which seems to be a trend with a lot of desserts as they move to a more ‘gourmet’ presentation.

Overall, this just scratches the surface of the great items you’re likely to find at BoardWalk Bakery. With a display that seems radically different each time we visit, it’s like each trek down to the bakery is its own adventure, with a new cupcake to be conquered. Sort of like base-jumping, except with exponentially less death and exponentially more deliciousness. Other than that, totally the same. There’s a reason that BoardWalk Bakery makes our list of the Best Bakeries at Walt Disney World, and being able to have dessert for breakfast on your way into the park or a delicious sandwich for dinner on your way home makes it not only a strong and diverse bakery, but a solid counter service option, too (unless you have an illogical hatred of delicious sandwiches).

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.

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YOUR THOUGHTS…

Are you a fan of BoardWalk Bakery? Do you think it’s one of the best bakeries at Walt Disney World? Any sandwiches you like here? Favorite desserts? Share your thoughts in the comments!

7 Responses to “BoardWalk Bakery Review”
  1. Jane November 23, 2019
  2. Maggie McDermott June 23, 2019
  3. Erica July 29, 2016
  4. Ben July 12, 2016
  5. Joe July 11, 2016
    • Tom Bricker July 12, 2016
    • Joe July 12, 2016

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