Disney World becomes the first theme park to have a Michelin-starred restaurant

A restaurant at Orlando’s Walt Disney World Resort has become the first theme park eatery to earn a Michelin star.

Victoria and Albert’s, which opened in 1988 at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, made history on 18 April when it became the first and only restaurant owned and operated by a US theme park to earn the coveted award.

The fine-dining establishment, which is self-styled as “the culinary crown jewel” of the resort, is located just minutes away from the gates of the Magic Kingdom area. But take note, it does not allow diners under the age of 10, despite it’s location in one of Disney’s most famed theme park destinations.

Unsurprinsgly, meals at Victoria and Albert’s don’t come cheap, with fixed-price menus starting at $295 (£236) per person, and wine pairings offered from $115 (£92). The menu changes seasonally, but example dishes include gazpacho, Miyazaki wagyu beef and desserts involving champagne and various liqeurs.

The restaurant has a strict dress code too, with the website stating that “guests are expected to dress accordingly in semi-formal/formal attire that respects the restaurant’s elegant and opulent aesthetic”.

The Michelin website states that the star was awarded for “high quality cooking”, explaining that “the setting is intimate, and the pacing is that of a leisurely, three-hour waltz orchestrated by a gracious brigade of veteran servers”.

Though it is “by no means an easy reservation”, Victoria and Albert’s offers “water lists, an ornate coffee and tea service, and a serious wine program” alongside it’s impressive dishes, while head chef Matthew Sowers “cooks with contemporary verve and draws on influences spanning from Asia to the Nordics”.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Sowers said that it is “an incredible honor to be recognized by Michelin for the innovative dining experience our team brings to life here”.

He added: “Everybody on our team earned this Star, from our stewards to our culinarians to our pastry chefs, and we hope to inspire future generations of culinary professionals to follow their dreams.”