Boatwright’s Dining Hall Dinner Review [2025 Gluten Free & Food Allergy Options]
*This gluten free dining experience took place in June 2025. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, chicken/turkey & cabbage allergies.
Lunch at Boatwright’s Dining Hall
Boatwright’s Dining Hall is a table service restaurant located at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort. The food has a Southern, Louisiana style vibe with lots of different options that you might expect to find in New Orleans. We haven’t dined at Boatwright’s since 2022, so we were excited to check out the menu.
Atmosphere
Boatwright’s and Port Orleans Riverside hold so much nostalgia for me. Add in the fact that the resort and the restaurant look virtually unchanged for 30 years just adds to the nostalgia vibes.
Boatwright’s Dining Hall Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Boatwright’s itself is supposed to resemble a shipyard, and you can see signs of that throughout the restaurant.
Boatwright’s Dining Hall Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Most noticeably is the large display of a partially built boat set high above the restaurant’s entrance and seating area.
Boatwright’s Dining Hall Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The restaurant’s interior has a homey vibe with a roaring fireplace (a real one!) and lots of decor inspired by ship building. While we do love the relaxed atmosphere and general nostalgia, we both agree that this restaurant could use a good refurbishment, as it’s starting to look very dated.
The Food
What I was most excited for about Boatwright’s was the food. Like most Disney owned and operated restaurants, Boatwright’s does have an allergy-friendly menu. You can also always speak to a chef about options and modifications — or to answer any questions that you might have.
Boatwright’s Dining Hall Allergy-Friendly Menu / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On this visit, we spoke with the amazing Chef David, who we have known for a while from his time at Sebastian’s Bistro at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. He let us know several months ago that he was moving to Boatwright’s, so we knew we had to come visit him to say, “hello.”
As always, Chef David is the loveliest, and he went over the various options that we could have. He also told us about a new dish on the menu that he created that was entirely gluten free, dairy free & vegan — so of course, I had to order it.
Allergy-Friendly Cornbread at Boatwright’s Dining Hall / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Up first was our bread starter. Boatwright’s serves up cornbread, and if you have special dietary needs, you are served an allergy-friendly cornbread. We didn’t get the brand of mix that they are using currently, but it is gluten free, dairy free, allergy-friendly, and vegan. We did hear from a follower that the mix contains oat milk, which we didn’t know.
If you’re a celiac and are oat sensitive, you probably know that oat in any form can be a challenge due to cross-contamination issues in processing oats. Next time, we will make sure to ask what kind of oat milk they are using, as I do try to avoid oats unless they are certified gluten free & purity protocol. Thankfully, I didn’t get sick from this — because I am definitely oat sensitive.
Overall, the cornbread was good, though a bit on the sweet side. It’s definitely more like a dessert cornbread versus a more savory style. If you’re dairy free, they do serve non-dairy butter at Boatwright’s.
Gluten Free French Onion Soup at Boatwright’s Dining Hall / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For starters, we both got the French Onion Soup, which can be made GF by swapping out the bread for a GF option. It is marked GF and safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Sesame Allergies on the allergy-friendly menu. Brandon was especially excited, because the soup is not made with chicken stock (he’s allergic to chicken), so he could actually get soup.
Brandon absolutely loved this soup. It was very cheesy and savory, and he said if he didn’t have a big meal coming that he would order two bowls of soup. I liked the soup but didn’t love it. As far as French Onion soups go, it was a bit middle of the road for me.
Creole Lentils and “Chorizo” at Boatwright’s Dining Hall / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Our entrees were really where Boatwright’s shined. I took Chef David’s recommendation to try the new plant-based option, Creole Lentils and “Chorizo.” This was made with Lentils, Okra, Peppers, and Onions slow cooked with "Chorizo" Sausage and whipped Ricotta "Cheese" served with Rice. It was marked GF and safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut, Sesame Allergies.
This was a very surprising dish. I was very impressed by the flavor profiles, the richness of the lentils and vegan chorizo, and I was especially blown away by the whipped ricotta “cheese” made with tofu. It had amazing flavor and worked perfectly with the spicy dish. It cooled things down and added a lot of depth to the dish. I would absolutely get this again. If you do eat meat, we did hear that you can add a meat protein to the dish too.
Brandon with Taste of the Bayou All-You-Care-To-Enjoy Platter at Boatwright’s Dining Hall / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon ordered the Taste of the Bayou All-You-Care-To-Enjoy Platter. This comes with Hickory-smoked Pork Ribs, Crispy Cajun Chicken, Smoked Sausage, Barbecued Beef Brisket with Mashed Potatoes, Mac & Cheese, Roasted Corn with Cajun Butter, and Seasonal Vegetables. It’s marked safe for Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Sesame Allergies.
You can order a version of this gluten free by adjusting some sauces and swapping out the mac & cheese and chicken. Brandon’s version was also modified for his allergies an had the chicken omitted.
Brandon really enjoyed this a lot. His favorites were the brisket, mashed potatoes, and mac & cheese. He said he would definitely get this again but that it’s a ton of food (even without seconds).
Gluten Free & Dairy Free Pecan Pie Tart / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For dessert, I had to try the gluten free, dairy free & vegan Pecan Pie Tart. It sounded amazing, and from the photos I had seen from other guests, it looked like a must order. It was marked GF and safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut, Sesame Allergies on the allergy-friendly menu.
I have to say that this dessert did not disappoint. The flavors were amazing, and it was an outstanding version of a pecan pie — which is a favorite pie for me. This is a high recommend from me!
If you want to hear more about our experience at Boatwright’s, check out the vlog we did for our YouTube channel for more information.
Overall
We had an absolutely wonderful meal at Boatwright’s. Chef David, as always, was incredible and so accommodating. Add in some delicious eats, and you have a great hidden gem of a spot for special diets options at the resorts. If you’re staying at Port Orleans (French Quarter or Riverside), it’s a great option. It’s always worth a visit if you’re looking for a hearty meal and an excuse to also go get allergy-friendly beignets over at French Quarter for dessert. We can’t wait to go back again soon and try other menu items.
Have you been to Boatwright’s Dining Hall? What was your experience dining there gluten free or with other special dietary needs?