Disney World’s Once #1 Counter Service Restaurant’s Culinary Comeback

Over the last decade-plus, we’ve had eight different #1 Walt Disney World counter service restaurants. This has included spots in all four parks–Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom, Sunshine Seasons in EPCOT, Flame Tree BBQ in Animal Kingdom, and Docking Bay 7 in Hollywood Studios.

It has also included locations in Disney Springs, one Skyliner resort, and the Magic Kingdom monorail loop. That last group has been especially crucial, since the park itself has a subpar culinary scene–and that’s putting it charitably! Captain Cook’s, Roaring Fork, Geyser Point, and Trail’s End have all ranked highly at various times–but none have ever claimed the top spot.

The two top picks in the past have been Gasparilla Island Grill and Contempo Cafe. Unfortunately, neither have held that crown for long. If you dined at either counter service restaurant at the “wrong” time, you’d think we were crazy with those selections. As great as they were in their primes, there were also times when both were arguably surpassed by Value Resort food courts. Thankfully, that time has passed. Both the Grand Floridian and Contemporary Resort now once again have superlative counter service.

Of the two, it’s Contempo Cafe that’s our focus today. While we’ve dined at both multiple times in the 6 months, we’ve done Contempo Cafe more than any other restaurant in all of Walt Disney World this year. That isn’t meant to be high praise, so don’t get too excited just yet. Our meals at the Contemporary are often a matter of convenience, and that has been the case with every visit in 2024, too.

This is quite the change of pace from the prior few years when we dined at Contempo Cafe a grand total of one time. A big part of that was its extremely scaled-back menu post-reopening. It was very basic and limited, with about the only appealing dish being a grilled cheese sandwich. Tasty, but not exactly the pinnacle of Walt Disney World’s culinary scene.

The other big reason was the allure of Steakhouse 71. For a while after it opened, that was our #1 restaurant in all of Walt Disney World in terms of frequency. There were things on the menu that appealed to both of us, it was a good spot to go with friends, and during solo trips, it was easy to get my beloved burger from the bar–perfect for a midday break from Magic Kingdom.

Baby Bricker has kinda changed the game when it comes to dining at Walt Disney World. While we can (and do) eat at table service restaurants, we don’t do bars. We’ve also found ourselves in a number of “the clock is ticking” scenarios when getting in and out quickly before a meltdown is priority #1. Or we just want to have a relaxing meal in our room, and the Garden Wing is quickly becoming our go-to pick.

All of that adds up to more meals at Contempo Cafe.

Before getting to the food, let’s take a quick tour of this counter service spot. Located in the Grand Canyon Concourse on the fourth floor, Contempo Cafe is literally the next door neighbor of Chef Mickey’s.

Contempo Cafe offers Mobile Order (for the full menu), grab-and-go fridges with pre-packaged foods, and cash registers that allow you to place orders in-person. Cast Members will typically ask if you’re dining in or taking your food to go, but in our experience, the plating of the food itself has always been in to-go containers no matter what we said.

If you order at the restaurant, Contempo Cafe uses a tracker system for ordering. After you order and pay, you receive a tracker and place it on your table. When your food is ready, it’s brought to your table, which the Cast Member locates through the tech-wizardry of this little device (assuming it’s working). Often, they just hunt around looking for the corresponding number.

There’s also a pick-up spot for Mobile Order. In our experience, all of these methods of ordering are efficient and result in freshly-prepared and hot food.

Like all counter service restaurants at the resorts, refillable mugs are available for purchase at Contempo Cafe.

Walt Disney World has really stepped up its game on the design of these in the last several years, but I still long for the days of a return to resort-specific refillable mugs. For now, I’ll have to settle for our ever-growing collection of resort Tervis cups. (They’re bigger, anyway.)

Probably goes without saying, but if you can purchase refillable mugs…you can also use them.

As someone who always orders water, my “review” of the Contempo Cafe beverage station is not positive. The water always has a blue Powerade flavor. Kinda like adding a lemon, except not good.

Tap water with a hint of blue Powerade is still better than these giant containers of Joffrey’s.

Not going to pretend like I’m above it–I still drink a lot of Joffrey’s at Walt Disney World and find it far superior to Nescafe (remember those dark days of WDW coffee?!). But I do this as a caffeine-delivery mechanism. I cannot imagine drinking decaf Joffrey’s. That’s like buying non-alcoholic Miller Lite. Who does that?! But I digress.

In terms of atmosphere, Contempo Cafe is a mixed bag. Being right next door to Chef Mickey’s, it’s likewise loud. The setting itself is basic, and feels dated thanks to an eclectic (not in a positive way) assortment of carpets and tiles.

And yet, we love Contempo Cafe. Part of this is undoubtedly nostalgia, but not all of it. There’s something special about the monorail gliding overhead, the gorgeous Mary Blair mural, and the large windows.

I really wish Grand Canyon Concourse would be fully reimagined so it’s not as much of a hodgepodge–just imagine a cohesive mid-century modern style–but I still love the vibe of Contempo Cafe as-is. This is especially true when dining here late at night after the park has closed and Chef Mickey’s has cleared out. It’s something special.

Moving along, our newfound “appreciation” for Contempo Cafe has coincided with not one, but two menu upgrades at the counter service spot. Let’s dig in…

First up is the Chicago-style’ Italian Beef Sub: Shaved Italian Beef, Mozzarella, Giardiniera, and Seasoned Au Jus.

I’d like to think this was added to the menu as a synergy play with the Bear on Hulu, but it’s probably just a coincidence. Regardless, it’s a sandwich that would leave Cousin Richie satisfied.

With that said, it should go without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that this “Chicago-style” Italian beef is nothing like what you’d find at a hole in the wall spot in Chicago. Heck, it’s not even as good as Portillo’s down the street. We went to school in The Region, and have no shortage of experience with great Italian beef.

This isn’t that, so beef snobs need not apply. If you’re expecting truly exceptional Chicago-style Italian beef at a Walt Disney World counter service restaurant, you have unrealistic expectations. If you’re expecting authentic anything at WDW, you’re at the wrong place.

What this beef sub offers is crowd-pleasing competence. The roll has just the right amount of crispness and chewiness, doing an admirable job of soaking up the juices of the beef and dip. The cheese is likewise good and generously applied, but not to the point that it totally smothers the beef. Speaking of which, that’s also juicy and tasty, and there’s a lot of it.

No, this Italian beef isn’t going to win any awards, and a restaurant serving it in Chicago would surely be laughed out of town…but by Walt Disney World counter service standards, it’s good. Cravable-worthy, even.

Next up, we have the Vegetable Flatbread with Zucchini, Red Onion, Roasted Red Pepper, Roasted Tomato, Asparagus, Mozzarella, Parmesan, and Pistou finished with Balsamic Glaze and Chives.

What I most appreciate about the current ‘generation’ of flatbreads at Contempo Cafe is that they’re not-so-flat. I prefer a thicker, doughier crust and this delivers on that. To be sure, it’s not the highest quality crust you’re ever going to have, but it’s miles better than those at Pinocchio Village Haus or PizzeRizzo.

The toppings are incredibly flavorful and abundant. Just look at the flatbread!

Sarah ordered the Vegetable Flatbread, but I actually ended up liking it more than her. The last flatbread I had at Contempo Cafe was several years back, and it was a rather underwhelming and basic meat lover’s flatbread. A similar one still exists on the menu and if left to my own devices, I would’ve ordered that. This was much better.

The variety and quality of the toppings are excellent and harmonious. They elevate what might otherwise be a fairly pedestrian pizza into something special. I loved it and would order it again.

By contrast, Sarah thought it was a bit too heavy and indulgent–but she prefers healthier foods. That’s not what I’m looking for on vacation, so this was perfect at fulfilling my ‘vegetable quota’ while also being delicious. Big win, from my perspective.

Speaking of Sarah, her go-to at Contempo Cafe is now the Kale Power Greens Salad featuring Greens, Farro Wheat, Quinoa, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Avocado, Pickled Onions, Toasted Garbanzos, Lime Vinaigrette.

Sarah first had this at the end of a long Walt Disney World trip–her first time traveling in over a year–during which we “had” to eat at a lot of unhealthy places for the sake of research. The way Sarah raved about this salad, you’d think it were the finest food on earth.

Dear reader, I assure you that this Kale Power Greens Salad is not, in fact, the finest food on earth. But you probably already know that. There are three dead giveaways that this is nothing extraordinary. Those are the words: Kale, Greens, and Salad. (Something something “Power” actually could be good food.)

She implored me to try this superlative salad. I did and offered some snarky remark (“tastes like rabbit food,” maybe?) as my review. “You sound like your dad,” she replied, the ultimate dagger that admittedly bested all of my dumb jokes about the salad and shut me up.

Sarah was impressed by the freshness and the variety of the different vegetables. Even as Walt Disney World has really stepped up its salad game, this is hearty and quite varied, closer to the quality of a table service salad than a counter service one. She highly, highly recommends it. I actually found it to be pretty good–I’d consider this as a good entree to share and offset an unhealthy indulgence.

And that’s exactly what we did during our next meal at Contempo Cafe.

Next up is the main event–the Four-Cheese Patty Melt featuring Four-Cheese Grilled Cheese, Beef Burger Patty, Caramelized Onions, and Patty Melt Sauce. This was added to the menu relatively recently, replacing the four-cheese grilled cheese (pictured three photos above, next to the salad). It’s a very similar idea, but with meat.

We first had this Patty Melt right around 11 pm after a very long travel day and a month without burgers. It was a revelation. Too good to be true, to the point that I felt compelled to try it again two nights later (“for research”) to confirm that my taste buds did not deceive me. And they did not–it was every bit as delicious the second go-round.

Seriously, this may not look like much, but it’s amazing. It is basically the fan-favorite four-cheese grilled cheese, but with a burger in the middle as well as cheese on the outside of the sourdough, caramelized onions, and patty melt sauce.

I could swear that this is higher quality beef than the standard Walt Disney World counter service burger, but I’m not 100% confident in that assessment. It could just be that the symphony of flavors with the cheeses and sauce mask it a bit. But my normal complaint about Disney counter service burgers is that they taste cheap and are dry. That’s not the case here.

This is fantastic–highly, highly recommended. The Contempo Cafe Patty Melt is so good that I don’t feel much of a need to spend the extra time or money at Steakhouse 71 for that burger–even if it is better than this.

Other relatively-recent additions to the Contempo Cafe menu are the signature bowls, which are only available at dinner.

There are four different options for these: Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shrimp, Crispy Tofu, or Braised Beef.

All bowls include Cilantro-Lime Rice, Black Beans, Street Corn, Avocado, Pico de Gallo, Carrot, and Pickled Red Onion.

Wanting something on the healthier side, Sarah ordered the Grilled Chicken Bowl. She found this to be fine. The chicken itself was a bit on the dry and bland side (it also seemed like the portion of meat was much smaller than mine, but that’s luck of the draw), but all of the other ingredients more than masked that.

Without even trying them, my assumption was that the Braised Beef Bowl would be the best of the bunch. This was based on past experience–Contempo Cafe has had a lot of braised beef dishes over the years that have been shockingly good. Ones you might describe as way better than a counter service restaurant has any right to be.

That description is apt for the Braised Beef Bowl. The meat is juicy, tender, and flavorful–I would’ve been satisfied with just this beef plus some mashed potatoes and gravy!

Mixed together, the beef plus the other ingredients are just flat-out fantastic.

I’d go as far as to say that this Braised Beef Bowl is one of the best counter service entrees in all of Walt Disney World right now. (The Grilled Chicken Bowl is good, but there’s a big gap between the two.) Aside from the glorious beef, the other toppings were fresh, flavorful, and well-seasoned. The street corn is a definite highlight, and it’s also nice to have actual, fresh avocado instead of watered-down guacamole.

The Braised Beef Bowl is yet another highly, highly recommended entree at Contempo Cafe. With that said, I would personally be more inclined to order the Patty Melt “for fun.” Even though the Braised Beef Bowl is probably objectively better, there’s just something about that Patty Melt. It has an addictively good flavor and texture combo that I find myself craving right now as I write this. I can’t say the same about the Braised Beef Bowl.

Finally, we have the Monorail S’mores Brownie for dessert. This is a Fudgy Brownie with a Graham Cracker Crust topped with Marshmallow Crème and Chocolate Décor.

Neither of us cared for this. It was thick and chewy, but also dry and dense. The flavor wasn’t bad, but the mouthfeel was just the worst possible combo that made it a slog to eat this thing. Don’t get me wrong–I still ate the whole thing, but I wished I would’ve tried something else.

Contempo Cafe has added a ton of new desserts over the last few months, but we haven’t had the inclination to try them. Some do look quite good, but I still miss the good ole days when Contempo Cafe had the most unique and best cupcakes in all of Walt Disney World. I know cupcakes are “played out” now, but I’d still love to see the return of the Chocolate Peppermint Cupcake this Christmas.

Ultimately, it’s great to see Contempo Cafe at least partially restored to its former glory. I still don’t think it’s quite as good as during its heyday around 2013-2016, but that could just be nostalgia talking and longing for a bygone era of Walt Disney World as a whole. What I am confident in saying is that there are at least a half-dozen good to great dishes at Contempo Cafe, including a few craveworthy ones. And that’s not all–there’s depth and variety even beyond the highlights.

Perhaps most importantly, the gap between the quality of Contempo Cafe and Magic Kingdom counter service restaurants is far wider today than it was during the aforementioned heyday of Contempo Cafe. As we’ve pointed out repeatedly, the current state of counter service in Magic Kingdom is sad. Contempo Cafe offers a convenient and easy alternative to that–somewhere you can go for a midday break or even after the park closes for a late night meal.

The bottom line is that Contempo Cafe now has a number of dishes that are filling, flavorful, and great values for money. There’s still basic theme park fare that’s probably best ignored, but there are also now a number of standouts. This isn’t enough to restore Contempo Cafe as #1 on our List of the Top 15 Counter Service Restaurants at Walt Disney World, but it’s once again easily top 10 and probably top 5. That’s quite the improvement from a few years ago!

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YOUR THOUGHTS

Have you dined at Contempo Cafe in the last year or so? What did you think of the meal? If you’ve dined there previously (in the last ~5 years), do you think it has improved? If you dined at Contempo Cafe during its glory days, how do you think the current menu stacks up? Agree or disagree with our review and restaurant redemption tale? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!