Flatlands Bar & Grill is at Flamingo Crossings, not Disney Springs, and its executive chef came from Cítricos and Topolino’s Terrace.
Flatlands Bar & Grill opens to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at Flamingo Crossings Town Center.
Flamingo Crossings sits on the western edge of the resort, reached from Western Way past Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It is on the opposite side of the property from Disney Springs, just outside Disney’s western entrance.
Where exactly is Flatlands Bar & Grill?
124 Ruby Red Place, at Flamingo Crossings Town Center.
The development is a full shopping plaza with hotels, restaurants, stores, and services, including a Target, a Wendy’s, and an AdventHealth ER. It is the area where a lot of Disney College Program participants live, and it has quietly turned into a real dining district over the last few years.
Flatlands sits directly across from its sister restaurant, Simply Capri. Both come from restaurateur Nick Valenti, the former chief executive of Patina Restaurant Group, the company behind a long list of Disney Springs and EPCOT restaurants.
Who is the chef at Flatlands Bar & Grill?
Dominique Filoni, whose résumé will be familiar to anyone who eats on property.
He was previously Chef de Cuisine at Cítricos in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and at Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riviera Resort. Those are two of the better-regarded kitchens at Walt Disney World, and both are signature-dining rooms rather than casual ones.
What is the Flatlands concept?
Central Florida’s citrus boom in the 1920s and 1930s.
The restaurant takes its name from the flat Florida landscape that arriving immigrants found when they came to work as growers, haulers, packinghouse workers, and tradespeople. Italian and Irish influences run through the menu and the design, representing the communities that built those lives.
The exterior is styled after an old citrus packing house, with weathered brick, red awnings, vintage graphics and a large covered patio.
Inside, wooden ladders hang from the ceiling at angles as the room’s signature feature, with oversized metal fixtures holding Edison bulbs, exposed ductwork, reclaimed wood, vintage advertisements and murals. The centerpiece is a long wooden bar lined with red stools, backed by illuminated glass shelving that climbs toward the ceiling.
Is it worth leaving Disney property for?
Off-property dining near Walt Disney World has improved substantially, and Flamingo Crossings in particular now has options that did not exist five years ago. A signature-level chef cooking a Florida-history concept a few minutes from Animal Kingdom is a reasonable trade for the drive, especially for anyone staying at one of the Flamingo Crossings hotels.
For guests without a car, there is no Disney transportation to Flamingo Crossings, so getting there from a resort hotel means a rideshare in both directions.
Flatlands is open to the public starting Tuesday. Reservations are available, and opening weeks at a new restaurant near Disney tend to book up faster than the restaurant expects.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
WDW News Today (Sept. 20, 2026), the preview visit, the Sept. 22 public opening, the address, the Valenti and Filoni background and the interior details. WDWNT attended as invited media with food and beverages provided.
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