Wine Bar George

 Hello Again!

    We are continuing our little set of Disney World posts with one of the restaurants over at Disney Springs. If you've been to Disney Springs you know the endless amount of restaurant options that are available (there are currently 69). Wine Bar George is known for being one of the top three most popular. It is also my personal favorite. We have been here a couple of times, but this is my first time featuring it in this blog. They serve brunch, lunch, and dinner along with a "quick service" walk-up outside (you can see the menus on their website). We love the evening atmosphere inside the restaurant, so that is what I wanted to highlight. 

     Let me start off by saying I am a big fan of dim lighting in the evenings, and Wine Bar George delivers the perfect ambiance. During the day the restaurant has massive windows that bring in the sunlight, but the evening brings in the Florida sunsets and then fades to dark. The lighting is not too dark that you can't see what you're eating or who you're with, but not bright enough to see if you've spilled something on your shirt. The restaurant itself gives rustic yet modern Italian vibes with black, brown, and burgundy colors and exposed brick. The restaurant is two floors and we've sat both upstairs and downstairs. The first floor is a little more lively and bustling because the bar and kitchen are downstairs. The second floor tends to be quieter and more intimate. There's another bar upstairs as well, but it's not as busy as the first floor. 

    The waitstaff are always very friendly and knowledgeable about the wines and menu items. If you get lucky, you can see George walking around and attending to tables. We've seen him twice, but haven't had the pleasure of speaking to him. In our past visits, we paired our wine choices with charcuterie boards upon recommendations from the waitstaff and they did not disappoint. This visit, we wanted to try a few small plates and I wanted to try the house sangria. I love sangria and will order it 95% of the time if I see it on a menu. This is boasted as a secret family recipe, which makes it all the more enticing. It had a very crisp, light citrus flavor with a very smooth sweet red wine. Some sangrias can be heavy on a particular citrus such as orange, but this one had a wonderful balance where no flavor outshined another. 

    All our small plates came out at one time. The first one we tried was something we haven't had before: Saganaki. It is a pan-seared Greek cheese made with sheep's milk and flambèed tableside and served with crostini. My brother loves anything set on fire (he bought a torch for making Crème Brûlée at home for this reason), so he insisted we were getting this. It was fun to watch it be set on fire, then put out by our server at the table. He recommended we eat it while warm because the cooler it gets, the harder it turns. It had a very mild flavor and was salty and slightly chewy while still being a little gooey. It reminded me of a grilled swiss cheese. We would definitely get this again for a little excitement, and it was very delicious. 

    Next up was the seasonal salad. The ricotta green goddess dressing was tangy and smooth. The salad to dressing ratio was perfect. It featured parsnips and apples which gave it a sweet yet earthy flavor. Finished with pepita pecorino crisps for an added crunch, it was refreshing and light. We really enjoyed it as a lighter option to our meal. 

    We had heard many great things about the meatballs with polenta. This used to only be featured on the lunch menu, but now is a small plate at dinner. We were anxious to try them. The polenta was creamy and cheesy. The meatballs were mixed meats and tasted wonderful. They were moist (sorry if you cringed) and not at all dry. The red sauce was light and flavorful. Not a deep red sauce like most Italian restaurants. You could actually taste the tomatoes. We wished the portion was bigger or was done based off of how many people are in your group. I may just order them for myself and not share next time. 

    Lastly, we got the burrata with sourdough bread and fresh corn and tomatoes. The corn and tomatoes were definitely bright and fresh. Unfortunately, the bread was burnt and dark. This dish wasn't a big standout compared to the others, so it's the only one of the group we wouldn't get again. 

    I have eaten at all of the current top three restaurants at Disney Springs, but Wine Bar George still holds at #1 for me. I love the menu of charcuterie boards, small plates, and shareable entrees. I haven't had a wine that I didn't like. I need to venture into the cocktail menu because I've heard they have the best espresso martini. I love the ambiance and the wonderful staff. It just gives chill vibes and maybe it's the Italian in me that gravitates towards the deep, rich decor and dim lighting. It is something I look forward to every trip and will continue to make it a point to make a reservation each time. 

    Let me know if you've been to Wine Bar George or what your favorite Disney Springs restaurant is in the comments!