It was a scorcher here today in Orlando – we were in the typical mid-90s this afternoon. Naturally, that made it the perfect day to head over to Disney Springs to cool off. This visit included stops at two places I had never been before – the Morimoto Street Food window and the Vivoli il Gelato Gelateria! I can’t wait to tell you about the experience – and the food!

First, we grabbed lunch at Morimoto Street Food. It is tucked into the back side of the Morimoto table service location – don’t overlook it! We got to speak to Head Chef Fujinaga who told us about the street food offerings. He was inspired to create a menu of foods that would be easy to eat while walking (although they were so good they deserve your full attention) and also offered a “Daily Special” menu that varied based on guest and chef input. There was no shortage of options, and EVERYONE was leaving with big smiles on their faces! I especially enjoyed their cocktail menu – it featured more exotic ingredients like keffir lime and soba!

I tried the Chilled Sesame Lo Mein Noodle and it was the PERFECT choice in the hot weather. The cold noodles and the crunch of cabbage was divine. I also sampled the South Seas Slush – a combo of Black Tea, Lemonade, Guava, Mango, Pineapple, and Ginger – and can’t wait to go back for more. It was really refreshing and fresh tasting, and didn’t leave any of that fake/chemical aftertaste you get from so many slush drinks these days. I really enjoyed it!

After lunch we strolled over to Vivoli il Gelato for some authentic gelato. We were lucky enough to meet Silvana, a third generation gelato artisan and founder of the Disney Springs location! Silvana was delightful, and made me want to come back just to spend more time with her. She is from Italy (her grandfather opened the original Vivoli il Gelato location there!) and has a real passion for adding some magic to everything she makes (maybe that’s why she’s at Disney!). She spoke to us from behind the counter and was standing next to a huge basket of fresh peaches. When I asked about them she was excited to tell me that she came across them in Georgia. They looked and smelled so good to her she knew they needed to be the next Fall flavor – so she brought them to the store! I might be a little jaded from living so close to the mouse, but one thing we usually don’t find at Disney is fresh seasonal ingredients – so this was a real treat.

When it came time to sample the flavors, Silvana offered us mini cones of anything we wanted to try. I opted for Pistachio (they are imported from Italy!) and was expecting some good ice cream. Wll that was a grant understatement because this gelato was NEXT LEVEL good. Like, add it to your vacation plans good. Seriously, do it!

I was excited to learn that this gelato is also served at Morimoto and the Italian Pavillion in EPCOT! If you’re lucky enough to be in NYC you can grab a taste of this goodness too – it’s served inside Macy’s!

Overall, the summer stroll was a ton of fun. I am a huge fan of Disney Springs during the afternoon (it’s so much less crowded!) and when you pair it with some delicious food it’s a no brainer! I hope you will visit Morimoto and Vivoli il Gelato on your next visit!

PS – pro tip: if you can’t find a Morimoto table in the Disney app check Open Table! Shhh… don’t tell anyone else!

Here are some live videos from our friend Courtney