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Attention, foodies! A new dining experience is coming to the Walt Disney World Resort in 2023, and it promises a deliciously elevated take on traditional Mexican cuisine just steps from EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Credit: Disney Dining
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One of the newest restaurants planned for the EPCOT Resort Area is Rosa Mexicano, which promises diners “an ‘elevated fiesta’ deeply rooted in authentic Mexican cuisine.” The new table service restaurant will open in early 2023 in the space formerly occupied by Fresh Mediterranean Market at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort.
Rosa Mexicano should be an exciting addition to Crescent Lake, offering a type of cuisine not yet available in other 22 restaurants at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, and an alternative for Guests looking for Mexican cuisine without using a Park ticket to enter EPCOT’s World Showcase.
Concept Art of the new location at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, Credit: Rosa Mexicano
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While the new location at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort will be Rosa Mexicano’s first in Florida, the restaurant does have several eateries in other states, including New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia, and Connecticut. As such, we recently ‘previewed’ some of the eats for ourselves at Rosa Mexicano’s Burlington, MA location to see what’s in store for the new Walt Disney World spot next year.
Our meal started with complimentary fresh tortilla chips perfectly fried and salted alongside the restaurant’s original salsa. While menu items may vary when Rosa Mexicano opens its Disney World location, guacamole made tableside, queso, and nachos remain some of the brand’s signature dishes and will likely be available at its next location. We opted for the queso with chorizo, which was delicious.
Credit: Brittany DiCologero / Disney Tips
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For drinks, Rosa Mexicano has quite the lineup of margaritas available by the glass or pitcher (that serves up to five Guests!) We tried an old standby and enjoyed a strawberry margarita on the rocks. If you are skeptical of margaritas at Walt Disney World as you worry they will be pre-mixed (and not strong enough…) we don’t think you’ll run into issues here as these drinks were freshly made and quite tasty without being too sweet or covering up the flavor of the blanco tequila.
Credit: Brittany DiCologero / Disney Tips
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The menu at this Rosa Mexicano location featured entrees like enchiladas, tacos, chile relleno, and more, along with Parrilladas, “Rosa’s own mexican-style mixed grill, served on a sizzling platter. Accompanied by freshly-made corn tortillas, roasted onions, frijoles borrachos, cheese stuffed jalapeño, charred tomato salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole.”
We tried the Grilled Certified Angus Beef NY Strip Steak Taco Plate, which came with tacos topped with guacamole, pico de gallo, and cotija cheese, on a flour tortilla, served alongside rice and beans. The tacos were well-seasoned and cooked to perfection, so they could certainly be a nice addition to an afternoon or evening at the Swan and Dolphin.
Credit: Brittany DiCologero / Disney Tips
The dessert menu at Rosa Mexicano looks incredible, with options like churros and flan, along with after-dinner drinks and Mexican coffee, served with “ancho reyes, 1921 crema, milagro reposado, canela-agave, chocolate bitters, and kahlua cream.”
Sadly, we were too full to order dessert this time, but something sweet is on our list when the restaurant’s next location at the Swan and Dolphin opens.
Our final thoughts? Rosa Mexicano will be an exciting addition to the dining scene in the EPCOT Resort Area, and we could easily see it becoming a popular spot at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin for lunch and dinner, or apps and cocktails. Pricing was also reasonable (at least at this location, it is possible it could change for Walt Disney World) with some entrees being $25+ but plenty of delicious options below $20. (For instance, our tacos were $19, but there were others on the lunch menu priced as low as $14.)
Moreover, Disney does not have many options for Mexican cuisine, especially for Guests looking for lunch or dinner without a Park ticket, so we could see Rosa Mexicano being a great option for dining out during a break from the theme parks.
The restaurant has not yet confirmed an opening date for its Walt Disney World location aside from “early 2023,” but we will continue to monitor updates and will report back with more information as we have it here on Disney Tips.
