When my dad approached me and said we were going to Disney to review a bunch of restaurants we’d never been to, I was beyond excited. Disney? Food? These are a few of my favorite things! I love trying new places at Disney. Every restaurant has its own story and vibe and total experience. This is absolutely true for Enzo’s Hideaway in Disney Springs.
Most of the restaurants in Disney Springs have incredible theming and storylines. One of my favorite stories is from Maria and Enzo’s. This Italian place is designed to look and feel like a 1920’s airport. The massive grand dining truly feels like you’re waiting for a flight to somewhere exotic. My family and I have visited this restaurant once and enjoyed our meal, but it wasn’t the most amazing thing we had ever experienced. But we were excited to try out Maria and Enzo’s underground restaurant: Enzo’s Hideaway. While the restaurants exist in the same universe, they are completely separate spaces.
Enzo’s Hideaway is supposed to be a hidden speakeasy for the rum runners in Florida in 1920. Such a cool storyline! The inside of the restaurant completely reflects the rum runner story. The main space is dark and full of brick and stone. It feels like a secret place. I loved the edgy, sumptuous vibe. We were seated in a big booth on the back wall that overlooked the whole restaurant, including the gorgeous bar and marble island bar table.
An Evening Underground
None of us were feeling particularly starving that night so we decided to just order a bunch of appetizers and share them. We also ordered a while sangria – one of the specials of the night – to taste test as well. I’m normally not a huge wine drinker, but I really enjoyed this sangria. It was light and fruity and frankly, absolutely delicious. And for those who do enjoy drinking, the wine, beer, and cocktail menus were incredible. It is, after all, a speakeasy. But I loved this restaurant even as a non-drinker!
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Our first appetizer was the Calamari with dipping sauces. We love calamari in my family, so this was a no brainer for us. But we were still very impressed! The squid was tender and easy to eat, while the breading was light and tasty. The sauces on the side didn’t distract from the calamari, rather they complemented them beautifully.
Next we tried the Burrata Caprese. Caprese is one of my favorite meals anyway, so I’m always down to try it. Most capreses come with mozzarella cheese, basil, and tomatoes, so the addition of the Burrata was unexpected, but well received. This cheese is so creamy and flavorful. I was a big fan. Even the bread with it was delicious. We were all very sad when we finished this one. I could have eaten three plates.
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The one entree we did try and split was the Pasta Della Nonna. This dish was comprised of rigatoni pasta, short rib, meatball, and sausage in a Pomodoro sauce. I’m a sucker for all pastas. Chances are if there is pasta on a menu, I will order it. So I was hugely surprised when I didn’t care as much about the rigatoni and just wanted more of the meats! The flavors in these items were so rich and good. We especially loved the short rib and wished they hadn’t skimped on that one as much.
The last appetizer we tried was probably our favorite: the Polpettine. These are simply braised meatballs with whipped ricotta and parmesan cheese, but they were SO good! They were incredibly moist and flavorful. My dad wasn’t a fan of the whipped ricotta, but the rest of us loved it. It added a layer of depth and creamy goodness. We could have easily eaten just those meatballs all night and been perfectly happy.
Related: 8 Things You’ll Love About Maria and Enzo’s Ristorante at Walt Disney World
Our final splurge of the night was dessert. It’s very difficult to go to an Italian restaurant and not get a cannoli as dessert. So that’s exactly what we did! We were once again extremely impressed with the quality of this dish. Cannolis can be hit or miss, but this one hit the mark. My favorite part of this dessert was the addition of candied oranges to the ricotta cream filling. Delicious!
Related: Chocolate Lover’s Guide to Disney Springs
Excited to Hideaway Again
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Enzo’s Hideaway. This feels like the perfect place to relax on a busy day at Disney Springs. While Disney Springs is a super fun place to hang out, it can be tiring after shopping all of the shops in the district. This may not be the best place to have a four-course meal with all the kids and the grandparents, but if you’re looking for some snacks and drinks and a cool place to hang out, Enzo’s is the spot. I am very much looking forward to heading back to Enzo’s Hideaway sometime soon!
Have you been to Enzo’s Hideaway in Disney Springs? What did you think of your dining experience? Tell us in the comments below!
