Frontera Cocina Breakfast Review [2026 Gluten Free & Food Allergy Options]
This gluten free dining experience took place in January 2026. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, chicken/turkey & cabbage allergies.
Breakfast Frontera Cocina
Frontera Cocina, located in Disney Springs, is a table service restaurant operated by Chef Rick Bayless, well known for authentic Mexican cuisine. I have been to Frontera many times for lunch and dinner and have always enjoyed the food there, and I especially appreciate how gluten free friendly it is too. In fact, Rick Bayless’ daughter has a food allergy, so he has been featured a lot in food allergy publications about his advocacy and attention to special dietary needs in the kitchen. Brandon had never been to Frontera, and I had never been for breakfast/brunch, so we decided to head to their weekend Mariachi brunch which sounded like the perfect combination for a first time breakfast visit.
Atmosphere
The exterior of the restaurant is warm and inviting, with lots of windows and some foliage surrounding it. You will find that there is an outdoor patio for dining as well as indoor dining.
Frontera Cocina in Disney Springs / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Though the outside is a bit more plain looking, the inside of Frontera Cocina is really vibrant. You’ll see pops of orange, red, and blues that really make the inside bright and cheerful. The added light from all the windows in the restaurant really make it shine.
Frontera Cocina Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
I especially love the large tile mosaic you’ll see when you enter the restaurant. It’s a lovely focal point and brightens up the whole room.
Frontera Cocina Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Seating at Frontera Cocina is a mix of freestanding tables and large booth type tables connected with booth style bench seating. The seating is not too close all things considered, which I appreciate — especially since some other Disney restaurants can really squish tables together.
The Food
Because Frontera Cocina is a 3rd party operated restaurant, it doesn’t have the traditional allergy-friendly menu that you’ll find at Disney owned locations. You will find that Frontera Cocina does indicate if a dish contains a specific allergen though, which is great to see. You can also speak to a chef or a manager, along with your server, about your special dietary needs or if you have questions.
On this visit, because we had multiple food allergies for Brandon, the server recommended we speak directly to a chef to talk about options. They were very helpful at guiding us through the menu and talking about what might be safe or not.
Fully Dressed Guacamole & Chips from Frontera Cocina / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Because Brandon is a guacamole connoisseur, we had to order the Fully Dressed Guacamole which came with bacon, cotija cheese, and pumpkin seeds. It was marked as containing dairy, seeds, and pork on the menu. We confirmed that this was gluten free and safe for Brandon’s allergies (fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, chicken/turkey, and vegetables in the cabbage family). The chips are made in a dedicated gluten free fryer. This also came with a smoky chipotle salsa and a salsa verde.
We both liked this a lot. While the guacamole was good, it’s hard to top our favorite at Disney World, which is the table side guacamole from Rosa Mexicano at Disney’s Dolphin Resort. The bacon added a nice bit of saltiness to the guacamole, and there was a nice bit of heat to it too. If you’re dairy free or vegan, this can be easily made DF by omitting the cheese or vegan by ordering the classic guacamole without the bacon.
We also enjoyed the salsas quite a bit. Our only complaint about this appetizer is that there were not enough chips.
Brandon with Scrambled Eggs, Bacon & Carne Asada from Frontera Cocina / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For Brandon’s breakfast, he opted to do a build your own style entree. He ordered Scrambled Eggs, a side of Bacon, and a side of Carne Asada. This is another gluten free option and one that is perfect if you like to customize our dish into exactly what you want for breakfast. It wasn’t the most cost-effective, but it ended up being perfect for Brandon.
Overall, he really enjoyed this and would get it again. Our server even gave him some corn tortillas (also gluten free), on the side so he could make some breakfast tacos. He used the leftover salsa to add to it, which worked perfectly.
Note if you’re dairy free, this could be a good gluten free and dairy free option, as the only modification would be to make the eggs dairy free.
Huevos Motuleños from Frontera Cocina / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
At the recommendation of our server, I ordered the Huevos Motuleños entree. This is a traditional Mexican breakfast from the Yucatán Peninsula and includes fried eggs on top of crispy tostadas with a tomato based sauce with ham, peas, queso fresco, refried beans, and plantains. This was gluten free as is with no modifications needed. It does contain dairy and pork but may be able to be modified.
While I love a good chilaquiles or huevos rancheros, it was great to try something completely different. The combination of sweet and salty along with different textures made this a very interesting dish. I ended up enjoying it a lot, and while I wouldn’t order it every time I had breakfast at Frontera Cocina, I would definitely get it again. It’s aways fun to try new things, and I would recommend this dish.
Papas Rancheras from Frontera Cocina / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
As potatoholders, we couldn’t go to Frontera Cocina and not get the Papas Rancheras. I’ve had these before, and I knew they would be a delicious potato side for our breakfast. And, they did not disappoint. These are gluten free but do contain dairy (can be modified, though they’ll be a bit more plain).
Wow are these good. The potatoes are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. There is some spicy heat from the two sauces and the crema really cools it down. If you’re a potato fan, these are a must get.
If you want to hear more about our experience at Frontera Cocina and see some of the live Mariachi music, check out the vlog we did for our YouTube channel for more information.
Overall
We were both very pleasantly surprised by our breakfast at Frontera Cocina. Our server, the chef, and the overall experience with the Mariachi brunch were all really great. We loved the live music, which made it a lovely and relaxed atmosphere (and fun!). The food itself was very delicious, and Brandon has already said he wants to go back again soon. If you’re looking for a hearty brunch and in a location at Disney Springs that isn’t jam packed, we do think Frontera Cocina is a good location to visit. We are really looking forward to going back again both for breakfast and for lunch/dinner.
Have you been to Frontera Cocina for breakfast? What was your experience dining there gluten free or with other special dietary needs?