Looking for prime pub-crawl territory?
Look no further than Disney Springs. Find out more, plus check out Dewayne Bevil’s last ride on Epcot’s Ellen ride as well as movie reviews for “Kidnap,” “Detroit” and more,
Disney Springs’ regular food and shopping additions have fans ignoring the real allure of the entertainment district: It’s prime pub-crawl territory.
Think of the selection: moonshine from Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, sake from Morimoto Asia, a pint from Raglan Road Irish Pub and mojitos at Bongos Cuban Cafe, to name a few.
Theme Park Ranger Dewayne Bevil and OS Foodie Lauren Delgado recently had their own pub “meander,” visiting four Disney Springs restaurants, sipping on one drink at each spot. Remember: Bring a designated driver or opt for an Uber, Lyft or taxi if you plan to imbibe a bit more heavily.
Here are their thoughts:
Stargazers Bar
This no frills outdoor bar adjoins Planet Hollywood Observatory in Disney Springs’ Town Center neighborhood.
Dewayne: It was a dark and stormy Florida night, but we scampered from the Orange Garage to the nearest available shelter, the Stargazers Bar. You can go with a space theme here with the cocktails, including the Moonwalk ($16 for blood orange vodka, pineapple vodka, orange juice, pineapple juice, Sprite), Sparkling Sputnik ($12 for Candoni Prosecco, sparking water, lime, mint), Space Monkey ($16 for coconut rum, banana liqueur, coconut, chocolate milk) and so on. But I went for a land-based beer: Orlando Brewing I-4 IPA ($9). Because if anything will drive you to drink, it’s Interstate 4.
It was good not to be in the hubbub inside the Planet with my giant, wet umbrella. We had room to spread out and watch tourists scamper. Bonus: the “Grease” megamix was on the monitors behind the bars. Had me a blast.
Lauren: Important to note, craft-beer fans: This is the only spot to find Florida brews at Planet Hollywood — and it has the largest selection in Disney Springs. The Stargazers Bar doesn’t offer any snacks, but it’s a quick walk to Planet Hollywood for some all-American sustenance.
The Polite Pig
Part of Winter Park’s “Swine Family” (think The Ravenous Pig), The Polite Pig brings a local touch and taste with its Town Center neighborhood eatery. The roomy space is modern — but has some rustic touches. Lauren: Cocktails flow from taps at this barbecue joint. Sip on a whiskey sour, gin and tonic, vodka lemonade and more. I went with the Pig’s old-fashioned ($10), a respectable rendition of the traditionally bourbon-based drink. Speaking of bourbon — The Polite Pig offers 60-plus varieties of whiskey. ‘Cue is on the menu at this restaurant and I’m a fan of the fork-tender brisket in particular. Dewayne: I was a teetotaler here, even though the taps are mesmerizing. The bartender explained it well, completely debunking my theory that old-fashioneds were piped in directly from an old-fashioned factory, which would totally go with the Disney Springs turn-of-the-century storyline.
Frontera Cocina
This bright, airy restaurant in the Town Center neighborhood celebrates Mexican cuisine with a menu from one of its biggest proponents: six-time James Beard award winner Rick Bayless.
Dewayne: After Stargazers, I became committed to a Florida theme in my head, and that made the watermelon pink flamingo ($16) irresistible. It was nicely balanced, not too much melon, perfectly pink. (On previous trips here, the margaritas got high marks.)
We sat at the bar alongside folks waiting for a table. From our perch, it was either loud or superbly social, depending on your mood. Noise sure bounces around in the Cocina, but that might be the flamingo talking.
Lauren: I arrived at Frontera with one goal in mind: to sip on an ant-rimmed margarita. You read that right. The bartender looked at me like I was nuts, but the restaurant offered this protein-packed drink when it first opened. Apparently it has crawled off the menu. Bring back the ants!
Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar
This dive bar-esque pub serves some creative tropical drinks along with hearty bar food.
Lauren: Disney’s penchant for heavy theming is very evident at Jock Lindsey’s — the name alone will get any Indiana Jones fan excited. The Landing neighborhood bar is “imagined as the ex-home of Indy’s pilot.” Drinks skew to the tropical cocktail side, but there are plenty of wine and beer options as well. The Cool-Headed Monkey was a refreshing mix of Starr African Rum, Van Der Hum Tangerine Liqueur and lime, watermelon and pineapple juice.
Bar food is filling at Jock Lindsey’s — better to fuel your adventure. Fräulein's Flatbread ($16) upgrades the BLT by adding spicy shrimp, arugula and basil pesto to the crisp bread.
Dewayne: The menu here is elaborate and looks a little daunting. I say pick your poison quickly and spend time exploring the crannies of the room. The bar is smaller than it looks from the outside. If you get claustrophobic or start to OD on Indy, the porch is way less themed and has a nice waterfront view.