Salt & Straw — Restaurant in Lake Buena Vista

There's a few things that I look for when visiting an ice cream shop for the first time: #1 Quality. #2 Service. #3 Atmosphere and #4 is Price. I keep price last because the first three determine if it's worth what I'm paying for.

Quality. I'm an ice cream biter, so how relatively firm the consistency is affects the experience a lot for me. The consistency of the ice cream didnt melt quite as quick as a soft serve but can get messy if youre trying to eat it from on a cone but arent fast enough. Its was a bit soft for my liking but it may just be because of how busy they are which doesnt allow them to keep the fridge closed long enough. I really liked that they have very unique flavors. One of my take aways is that though they had different names they seemed to have somewhat of a similar underlying taste when I sampled them. The ones that stood out the most were the two scoops that I got (Arbequina Olive Oil & Panther Coffee Chocolate Tres Leches; the latter being an exclusive flavor for FL shops ONLY). Another take away is that they dont offer any toppings other than Rainbow Sprinkles (for $0.50) to add to your order. Which is kind of a bummer because there isnt much customization you can do other than choosing which scoop you want under and on top.

Service. Everyone is very welcoming despite what may seem like a very overwhelming amount of customers that constantly walk in. A server receives you from the time you get in and politely offers samples served on metal spoons that are conveniently dispensed through a slot in their counters that reads "spoons". They highly encourage to test ALL of their flavors so there's no need to feel ashamed on taking them up on their offer. Super glad they offer samples too because by their flavors' names alone it might be kind of difficult to imagine what they taste like. There were 3-4 servers helping customers at a time when I was there. You pay AFTER you order and the register is right in front of their exit.

Atmosphere. The establishment is clean despite the consistent flow of customers. No seating available inside but they do have some benches just outside their exit doors. The menu is clear and easy to read. Depending on what time of the day you go and how busy they are, you might have to wait outside where they offer a QR code for you to view their menu. And being that we're in FL, unless its night time or Winter, you might be waiting in in the sun or out in rain during the summer months. This was my 3rd attempt at getting in because the other 2 times I had to debate whether I wanted to wait in the heat or not.

Price. I ordered (2) scoops in a waffle cone and (2) scoops in a cup and paid $12.58. Not sure if I didnt understand the menu correctly or if I was offered a discount on the house but I was charged less than I expected, thats for sure. Based on the menu, I thought it would be more but then again, l'm not complaining.

Overall thoughts? Its the best place for ice cream at Disney Springs. I would return for more if Im already there but I cant say that its a place that I would make the trip for. If the price for the servings I got was indeed $12.58 then I'd say its definitely worth it. Otherwise, its a bit pricey in my opinion. If youre not an avid ice cream aficionado I suppose you might find this place pretty good. But if you are, you might be a bit dissappointed with how long you have to wait versus the quality and options...

Located inside of Disney Springs, free parking, use Orange Garage to get here. Just outside of AMC Theaters.

Salt & Straw is one of the newest spots to open at Disney Springs, though it has been a while since their opening. The staff here is super nice and helpful, shoutout to the wonderful Jade! They are eager to tell you all about the flavors and knowledgeable in the ingredients which as someone with allergies, I loved to see that!

This is not your traditional ice-cream place and you can expect an array of seasonal and ever changing wacky flavors such as Salty Donut Guava Cheese or a full Thanksgiving menu including Caramelized Turkey & Cranberry sauce. I knew what I was getting myself into though since I've previously been to the one in Seattle. If you don't have a palate to try new and different flavors, this is not the place for you.

We were able to sample quite a few of the seasonal and classic offerings. The Pumpkin & Gingersnap Pie was one of the best flavors but know that the Gingersnap is strong with this one! Parker House Rolls with Salted Buttercream was probably the runner up. We also tried some of the Hallowren holiday disappearing flavors, Double Bubble Toil & Trouble (Vegan) and Jack O Lantern Pumpkin Bread. Most Vegan flavors have a coconut base and the coconut is bold.

We ended up going with Freckled Mint Chocolate Chip (Vegan) and Mom's Mango Pie in waffle cones.

Can't wait to go back and try the next seasonal...

love me an ice cream shop that's not afraid of playing with unique flavor profiles and combinations. it's a nice addition to the chain-y landscape of disney springs.

we were lucky to go at a time where there was no line. the staff were happy to let us try a variety of their flavors before settling on a scoop. pretty efficient process, and generous samples.

we tried a chocolate potato salad ice cream. it was strange. not bad but not something i could eat more than a spoon of. the strawberry honey balsamic with black pepper sounded like something i'd like... but it wasn't. also tasted the blackberry tamale which was pretty good, but the chocolate champurrado w/ sesame toffee won out. the sesame toffee flavor was super unique.

they do have some more traditional flavors like chocolate brownie and vanilla for those less-adventurous types. a little pricey at $6 for a kids size scoop, but that's par for the course at a tourist spot like disney springs.

overall, far from the best quality ice cream i've had (there were some ice chunks and the texture of the ice cream base itself wasn't the greatest) but the flavor combos make up for it.

... except the 'don bugito's creepy crawly critters' seasonal flavor which has actual mealworms and crickets in it. nope, won't catch me...