*This visit took place in May 2016.

Check out my full Disney Springs Town Center walkthrough & dining review video on YouTube for some video walkthrough of Amorette’s Patisserie. 

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Amorette’s Patisserie is another new business at the recently opened Disney Springs Town Center. As a French bakery, they offer all sorts of decadent and beautifully crafted desserts with an elegant theme.

The bakery also has a delightful backstory, which you can find out more about on the Disney Food Blog.

I decided to stop by Amorette’s Patisserie to see what gluten free options they might have, as a post on the Disney Parks Blog indicated that they would have “gluten friendly” options.

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When I arrived at the bakery, it was very crowded, as I stopped by on opening day. It wasn’t as crowded as Sprinkles Cupcakes which had nearly hour long lines, but still, it was very busy.

The bakery consists of a seating area, several displays with grab and go baked goods, a display kitchen (where you can watch gorgeous pastries being decorated), and a full bakery counter with insanely gorgeous desserts.

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While there, I took a chance to look at some of the displays set up with grab and go items.

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Amorette’s Patisserie does at least have two “gluten friendly” grab and go items — one of which is the Macaron.

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Made with almonds, this is naturally gluten free, but definitely contains a whole lot of dairy. The box of Macarons appeared to be a variety of flavors.

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The second grab and go baked good was a Mickey Macaron Financier. It was adorable, and they do say everything is better Mickey shaped!

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The back of the box ingredients noted that it was made with Bob’s Red Mill all purpose flour, as well as almonds. It also has dairy in it, as well.

While I was there, I was able to speak with Chef Noah, who was on hand to answer any questions. I was particularly interested in the baking process, flours used, and cross-contamination issues.

Chef Noah was very nice and let me know that they use Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Flour and as he stated, “one to one flour,” which I think meant the Bob’s 1 to 1 flour. I tried to clarify, but he didn’t seem to understand what I meant by that.

He noted that they do use clean pans and bowls when making the gluten friendly items but that they are not dedicated equipment, but rather power washed by their dishwasher between uses between gluten free and gluten filled baked goods. When I noted that using dedicated equipment might be a good idea in the future, he also agreed and said he would look into that idea.

He also stated that he would recommend guests with Celiac Disease proceed with caution, as they cannot guarantee cross-contamination and that the bakery is not taking extra precautions with regards to that.

I was also told that the top level of the building is where their bakery is located and is also the same space in which D-Luxe Burger also bakes their house-made buns (the gluten free ones come pre-packaged from Local Oven, so no worries about cross-contamination there!)

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Chef Noah did point out two gluten friendly desserts in the baked goods counter – the Avant-Garde and the Pavlova. I was told, you could ask for fresh versions of these from the back too, if you wanted to avoid any counter cross-contamination.

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The Avant-Garde is a gluten friendly chocolate chiffon cake with chocolate crumble and has beautiful decorations, including edible gold leafing.

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The Pavlova is meringue topped with edible decorations and filled with a fruit filling. It appeared to have a yellow sponge cake (that I was told was gluten free) on the bottom of the Pavlova.

Overall, I cannot recommend Amorette’s Patisserie as a truly safe or reliable gluten free option for those visiting Disney Springs, as the location does not have a lot of safety precautions in place, with regards to cross-contamination. If you visit, definitely speak with a chef and use your judgement on whether this might work for you or not.

Thankfully, you can always visit Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC for a 100% gluten free & vegan bakery experience; or, if you are gluten free, check out Sprinkles Cupcakes (which has much better cross-contamination procedures in place).

What do you think of Amorette’s Patisserie? 

*This dining experience took place in May 2016.

Update: Alexis from Alexis’s Gluten Free Adventures was advised not to eat here if you have celiac disease due to risk of cross contamination. I was not advised of this when I dined but would recommend proceeding with caution if you choose to dine here. 

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The Daily Poutine is one Disney Springs newest food offerings and is a gourmet French fry stand that doubles as a snack or meal option when you’re visiting the area. Poutine is a classic Canadian dish of fries served with gravy and cheese curds.

As a former Midwesterner with Canada only a few hours away from my home town, I’d had poutine many times growing up, especially on trips to places like Quebec. Poutine is so popular in Canada that you can even get it there at McDonald’s.

Poutine has gained popularity on Disney property at Le Cellier, where they even have a gluten free version listed on the allergy friendly menu. So, when I heard about the newly opened The Daily Poutine stand, I wanted to check it out to see what options were available.

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The Daily Poutine carries 4 different versions of fries with some type of sauce. They have a variety of flavor profiles and are totally different, giving you a chance to try all sorts of options.

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When Brandon and I arrived, we checked with a cast member and another cast member came up immediately, who was also gluten free. She gave me an allergy friendly menu and said that 2 of the 4 poutine options are gluten free. She recommended the Latin Poutine and noted that I could get it without the cheese and lime sour cream.

At the time I am writing this post, there were no vegan options and no dairy free cheese alternatives.

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I decided to get the Latin poutine based on the cast member’s recommendation and the fact that I could get it dairy free. I was also curious how it would taste because the base was not French fries but was instead Yucca fries.

As far as flavors go, I really enjoyed this. The menu calls the black beans a sauce but really, it’s just refried black beans. The roasted pork in a mojo sauce was flavorful and delicious. And I absolutely loved the Yucca fries which were salty and a little sweet and surprisingly crispy. Even Brandon enjoyed the Yucca fries and was surprised at how tasty they were. In fact, he said he might have to get the Latin poutine on our next visit.

I was bummed to see that the gravy based poutines could not be made gluten free, but sadly the gravies are flour based. Still, it’s nice that there were two options to try if you’re gluten free.

I would definitely get the Latin poutine again, as I think it made for a hearty dish. But, The Daily Poutine isn’t a cheap option (the poutine was around $10), and I might opt for D-Luxe Burger over The Daily Poutine if I had the choice. Still, it was nice to see a kiosk have some gluten free options and even a small allergy friendly menu!

For more details and general info about The Daily Poutine, check out the Disney Food Blog’s review.

What do you think of The Daily Poutine? What would you order if you dined there?

*This dining experience took place in May 2016.

Update: Alexis from Alexis’s Gluten Free Adventures was advised not to eat here if you have celiac disease due to risk of cross contamination. I was not advised of this when I dined but would recommend proceeding with caution if you choose to dine here. 

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The Daily Poutine is one Disney Springs newest food offerings and is a gourmet French fry stand that doubles as a snack or meal option when you’re visiting the area. Poutine is a classic Canadian dish of fries served with gravy and cheese curds.

As a former Midwesterner with Canada only a few hours away from my home town, I’d had poutine many times growing up, especially on trips to places like Quebec. Poutine is so popular in Canada that you can even get it there at McDonald’s.

Poutine has gained popularity on Disney property at Le Cellier, where they even have a gluten free version listed on the allergy friendly menu. So, when I heard about the newly opened The Daily Poutine stand, I wanted to check it out to see what options were available.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The Daily Poutine carries 4 different versions of fries with some type of sauce. They have a variety of flavor profiles and are totally different, giving you a chance to try all sorts of options.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

When Brandon and I arrived, we checked with a cast member and another cast member came up immediately, who was also gluten free. She gave me an allergy friendly menu and said that 2 of the 4 poutine options are gluten free. She recommended the Latin Poutine and noted that I could get it without the cheese and lime sour cream.

At the time I am writing this post, there were no vegan options and no dairy free cheese alternatives.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I decided to get the Latin poutine based on the cast member’s recommendation and the fact that I could get it dairy free. I was also curious how it would taste because the base was not French fries but was instead Yucca fries.

As far as flavors go, I really enjoyed this. The menu calls the black beans a sauce but really, it’s just refried black beans. The roasted pork in a mojo sauce was flavorful and delicious. And I absolutely loved the Yucca fries which were salty and a little sweet and surprisingly crispy. Even Brandon enjoyed the Yucca fries and was surprised at how tasty they were. In fact, he said he might have to get the Latin poutine on our next visit.

I was bummed to see that the gravy based poutines could not be made gluten free, but sadly the gravies are flour based. Still, it’s nice that there were two options to try if you’re gluten free.

I would definitely get the Latin poutine again, as I think it made for a hearty dish. But, The Daily Poutine isn’t a cheap option (the poutine was around $10), and I might opt for D-Luxe Burger over The Daily Poutine if I had the choice. Still, it was nice to see a kiosk have some gluten free options and even a small allergy friendly menu!

For more details and general info about The Daily Poutine, check out the Disney Food Blog’s review.

What do you think of The Daily Poutine? What would you order if you dined there?

*This dining experience took place in May 2016.

Check out my brief building walkthrough of Sprinkles on YouTube.

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Sprinkles Cupcakes is a newly opened bakery at Disney Springs Town Center. A well-known cupcake chain, the grand opening of the bakery on May 15, 2016 proved to be hugely popular, as I found out in person that morning. Never underestimate the power of cupcakes.

Located in the new Town Center and near the bridge that connects it to Raglan Road Irish Pub and Morimoto Asia, Sprinkles is not hard to miss in Disney Springs. Just follow the trail of guests searching for cupcakes and the smells of sugar!

Sprinkles Cupcakes has a gluten free cupcake, a gluten free chocolate chip cookie, a vegan cupcake, and a sugar free cupcake, so I knew I wanted to check it out. Little did I realize that everyone else in Orlando did too.

On opening day, I was joined by Alexis from Alexis’s Gluten Free Adventures and her family, so thankfully, I had some company while I wanted in line. You can also read her full review (including the cupcake ATM) on her blog.

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While waiting in line, we also got a chance to speak with a cast member there who answered our questions about the gluten free items, including their cross contamination procedures.

All gluten free baked goods are prepared in a separate area of the kitchen with dedicated pans and utensils. Employees also change their gloves for all special diets orders, and even better they keep all gluten free items safely stored in the back away from all gluten filled baked goods.

We were also told that if you are using the cupcake ATM, all gluten free items inside have been boxed with clean gloves and dedicated utensils.

As far as other special dietary needs, unfortunately, the gluten free cupcake is only gluten free and does contain dairy. Additionally, the vegan cupcake is only vegan and not gluten free. There is also a sugar free cupcake, as well.

If you are concerned with nut allergies, Sprinkles is probably not the best option for you, as the bakery does carry and serve items with peanuts and tree nuts in them.

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While waiting in line, which extended over the bridge (as shown in the picture above), I got a chance to check out some of the outdoor seating, which is bright and plentiful.

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Once inside the bakery, you can enjoy the bright and chipper decor. And check out all the cupcakes. They had really gorgeous displays. But, oh how I wished they would have been gluten free and dairy free.

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The bakery also carries cookies, ice cream, and other treats too. So, you can definitely get a sugar fix on if you can have gluten. I did not check if any of the ice cream is gluten free or if the sorbet options were gluten free or dairy free.

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I love the Disney touches in this bakery too. Check out the adorable Mickey ears near the Sprinkles logo.

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Because I’ve been re-introducing a bit of dairy into my diet, I did decide to try both the gluten free red velvet cupcake and the chocolate chip cookie. I had all intentions of trying them while at Disney Springs but ended up taking them home because I was too full from my lunch at D-Luxe Burger.

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The actual cake for the red velvet cupcake was quite delicious. It was very moist and not dry at all. The cocoa flavor was rich, and I didn’t find it to be overly sweet either.

The frosting was way too much for me, both in taste and in quantity. If you like cream cheese frosting, you will like this. But, overall, I thought they overfrosted the cupcake quite a bit.

All gluten free cupcakes have a candy G on them to note gluten free. But, it was hard and gross. If you eat a gluten free cupcake from Sprinkles, throw it out. Yuck.

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Because I can never turn down a cookie, I did also purchase a gluten free chocolate chip cookie, which also contains dairy.

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This was a really good and huge chocolate chip cookie. Lots of chocolate flavor and very rich. If you can have dairy, this was a real winner and a nice alternative option from the cupcake.

If you’re gluten free and dairy free or have other special dietary needs, you may be better off going to Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC, as it is a 100% dedicated gluten free facility and all items are dairy free and vegan.

If you do head to Sprinkles, don’t forget to register on their site for their rewards program. You’ll score a free cupcake (which includes the gluten free red velvet cupcake) on your first visit!

Are you looking forward to Sprinkles Cupcakes? 

*This dining experience took place in May 2016.

Check out my YouTube walkthrough & dining review of D-Luxe Burger too. 

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D-Luxe Burger is Disney Springs newest quick service restaurant, opening on May 15, 2016. Ever since learning about this restaurant, I’ve been waiting patiently (or maybe not so patiently!) for its grand opening. So needless to say, on grand opening day, I was there to saddle up and grab some burgers and fries.

If you’re wondering where D-Luxe Burger is, it’s easy to find in Disney Springs. It’s just across the new Town Center bridge, next to Morimoto Asia and Raglan Road Irish Pub.

While many of the Disney Springs restaurants aren’t owned and operated by the Disney Company, this one is, so I knew I was in for a real treat and great special dietary accommodations to boot!

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It was a very busy grand opening day, so I didn’t get as many photos as I would have liked. But, be prepared for the onslaught of photos in this review. The restaurant is gorgeous and beautifully themed, and I didn’t even scratch the surface on taking photos or investigating all the little details.

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While waiting in line (which lasted about 20 minutes due to popularity), one of the cast members told me about the history of D-Luxe Burger. It has a charming back-story about the Glowing Oak Ranch, which is the setting for the burger joint. In fact, if you look next to the restaurant, you’ll notice an oak tree. Legend has it that when the sun hits it just right, it glows…hence the name “Glowing Oak Ranch.”

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Glowing Oak Ranch was founded by the Sinclair family, and their son, headed out to the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 and got the idea to open up a burger restaurant after enjoying the burgers at the Fair (that’s a pretty good reason to “meet me in St. Louis!”) Soon after D-Luxe Burger opened.

D-Luxe Burger is a quick service restaurant so its menu is limited. It’s burgers and fries, and honestly, you don’t need anything else when it comes to simple and tasty food. According to Chef Bill and Chef Lenny, pretty much anything on the menu can be made gluten free (and most can be made dairy free) with simple modifications.

Here’s the current menu (note this does NOT include the modifications for special diets)

• Classic Cheeseburger – Beef patty topped with cheddar, lettuce, tomato and pickle
• Barbeque Classic Burger – Beef patty topped with a fried onion ring, smoked Gouda, bacon, barbeque sauce and lettuce
• El Diablo Burger – Chorizo-and-signature-blend patty, fried banana peppers, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayonnaise
• Southern Classic Burger – Beef patty, topped with fried-green tomato, pimento cheese, lettuce and bacon
• Cluck Burger – Ground chicken patty, garlic herb sauce, avocado, lettuce and tomato
• Veggie Burger – house-made patty topped with Tzatziki, green bean salad, lettuce and tomato

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The great option with burgers here is that you can get a gluten free bun (currently, Local Oven brand) or a lettuce wrap, based on your preference.

The chicken burger, which I was concerned might have a gluten filled binder, is gluten free, as is the veggie burger.

The French Fries are made in a dedicated fryer, and I’m told by the chefs that this is the only thing put in the deep fryers.

And, because you know I love a dipping sauce, every one of the sauces is gluten free!

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For my order, I opted for a modified version of the BBQ Burger which was made without the fried onions and minus the cheese (the cheese is GF so you can get it with it, if you consume dairy). I also ordered a side of small fries and three, yes, three dipping sauces.

I was then given a pager and told that I could pick my burger up at another counter in the restaurant. Everything at D-Luxe Burger is made “to go” so you can easily grab and go, take it out or eat it someplace else, or enjoy in the restaurant.

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Wanting to enjoy in the new restaurant digs, I found a cozy spot outside with an amazing view of the new Disney Springs. It was a bit hot out, but there were ceiling fans outside that helped keep things cool too.

As you can tell by the photos, the portions were pretty big at D-Luxe Burger. The burger, is hand formed and made to order. They aren’t the pre-frozen burgers, which is great. Perfectly juice and smothered in BBQ sauce and thick cut bacon, lettuce, and tomato, this was a delicious burger. Probably my only complaint was that the bun was just a little dry because it wasn’t heated properly. But overall, a really solid and delicious burger.

It was messy, so make sure you grab some napkins at the table too!

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The hands down winner for me at D-Luxe Burger are the hand cut French Fries. Holy moly. Just order these. They are totally worth it. They are slightly thick-cut and so flavorful. I was told that they take 3 days to make. 3 DAYS! All that preparation is worth it because these were so good.

Even better where the dipping sauces. The three that I had were curry ketchup, honey mustard, and chipotle mayo. *Note: I was told that these three sauces were both gluten free & dairy free; however, others have noted that the chefs told them the only dairy free sauce is the curry ketchup. Update: As of June 3, I have had reports that chefs have noted the only dairy free sauces to be the honey mustard and curry ketchup (both pictured above).

The curry ketchup tasted like a homemade ketchup with curry powder in it. It was thick and not overpowering on the curry. The honey mustard was so good and one I will get every time I go there. But, for me, the favorite was the chipotle mayo. Not too spicy and a little sweet, it’s the perfect vessel for a French fry!

If you go to D-Luxe, get the sauces. Just do it. You will not regret it.

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I loved the food at D-Luxe Burger, and as you can tell by this photo, I really loved the food, especially those fries.

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After scarfing down all that delicious food, I took a bit to chill and relax at the outdoor seating and enjoy the beautiful Disney Springs view.

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And, I also took a tour of the restaurant to check out all the seating, which is pretty spacious.

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Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to D-Luxe Burger. I hope to go back soon & try some of the other options and explore more. Plus, I really need those fries and dipping sauces in my life!

What are you most looking forward to when visiting D-Luxe Burger?

*These dining experiences took place in April 2016.

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Cookes of Dublin is my hands-down favorite quick service at Disney Springs. With gluten free options like fish and chips and shrimp and chips, it’s no wonder it’s my go-to whenever I want a quick bite to eat.

In fact, I go there so much, when we went recently one of the cast members recognized me from the week before. Yes, I’m officially a Cookes of Dublin regular!

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Cooke’s of Dublin can make several gluten free and dairy free fried food items (fried in a dedicated fryer). These include:

• Fish & chips
• Shrimp & chips
• Chicken tenders & chips
• Battered sausages & chips
• Onion rings
• Chips (aka French fries)

You can also get garlic Parmesan skinny chips made gluten free (but not dairy free, due to the Parmesan).

On my first visit, I ordered the chicken tenders and chips, as I’ve never tried the tenders before. All I have to say is wow. This portion was huge. I literally had to cut my chicken tenders up with a fork and knife because the size was so large.

Overall, I liked them but didn’t love them. I would say of the gluten free and dairy free fried dishes there, this would be my personal least favorite. But, it’s a great option for those who prefer chicken or kiddos (as you can order a kid size version of this).

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On my next visit, I ordered the shrimp & chips, which continues to be my absolute favorite of all the dishes at Cookes of Dublin. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, and I really enjoy their cocktail sauce (which was brought out to me on the side). Be warned though, the fried shrimp are served on skewers and can be a bit challenging to eat.

For the side, I ordered the gluten free garlic Parmesan skinny chips. I have been adding a bit of dairy (usually in the form of aged cheeses) into my diet on occasion, and I had heard nothing but rave reviews about them from Alexis at Gluten Free in Orlando.

The skinny chips are a $1.00 upcharge currently, but were definitely worth it for something different. Brandon and I shared these, as he had ordered them on their own on our previous visit (which costs $5.00). My only suggestion would be watch out for grease. When we got to the bottom of our chip dish, we saw a giant pool of grease. Um, yuck.

Overall, Cookes of Dublin continues to be my favorite quick service spot at Disney Springs. I absolutely love the options and always enjoy my meal when I dine here.

Have you been to Cookes of Dublin? What’s your go-to dish to order?