Homecomin’ at Disney Springs celebrates Flavors of Florida with Chef Art Smith

Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ is synonymous with southern comfort food at Walt Disney World. This Disney Springs destination combines family friendly dining, elevated ingredients and some of Walt Disney World’s best known cocktails (moonshine margaritas, anyone?). I was invited out to sample some of their Flavors of Florida items with Chef Art Smith himself.

I have never hidden my love of Homecomin’, and have probably had 100+ of their Church Lady Deviled Eggs since they first opened. This destination makes food for the soul, from the fried chicken to the shrimp & grits or the chicken & dumpling soup. As part of Disney Springs’ Flavors of Florida event, this eatery has highlighted some of their signature servings.

Brunch at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’

A limited time Flavors of Florida Brunch Event was held (and if you are reading this article the day it was posted you may have time to grab the last event date). But, these flavors continue on past the Chef meet and greet brunch. In fact, you can keep an eye out for these flavors this summer – and beyond.

The Rise ’n Shine Brunch offerings at Homecomin’ are only offered on Saturdays and Sundays, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. You can checkout the main menu, dessert, drinks and brunch offerings on the Homecomin’ website. But, if brunch isn’t your goal, you can still get many of these Florida inspired flavors on the daily menu.

Flavors of Florida at Homecomin’

What makes a flavor “Floridian?” Local ingredients, long-standing traditional meals and favorites from (you guessed it) Floridians. A quick Google search of “Florida food” shows you: Florida’s iconic oranges, fried foods, cuban sandwiches, tropical flavors and seafood, among many others.

This tasting included some of my personal favorite items, as well as items on the Homecomin’ menu I have never tried before: Dragon Fruit Mojito, Bee Haven Bay Fried Green Tomatoes, the Hallelujah Biscuit, a Southern Mary drink and more. A tip for those interested in visiting, don’t eat beforehand or plan a strenuous day after, you will leave as full as you can possibly be.

Sweet & savory meals are served

A first for me, the Hallelujah Biscuit. An open-faced biscuit topped with Chef Art’s famous fried chicken, two over easy eggs, pimento cheese, pecan-smoked bacon and sawmill gravy. This was served with a side of potato gratit mash, otherwise known as cheesy mashed potatoes.

On a standard brunch day, side options include Pecan-Smoked Bacon, Bradley’s Grits, Potato Gratin Mash, Griddled Country Ham or seasonal fruit. And, this will be mentioned again, but seriously, the Church Lady Deviled Eggs are the best I have ever found in Florida. To go to Homecomin’ and miss the deviled eggs is to not visit at all.

Other entree options include the Fried Egg & Avocado Toast or the Fried Chicken & Donuts. For clarity, the images seen in this article were taken by myself, the author. These aren’t over exaggerated photos from a big media team with days of prep. This is how the food is served in restaurant, day-to-day. I have eaten there enough to stand by that claim. The only fancy part of this photoshoot was that I used a DSLR camera instead of a smartphone.

Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ serves food, appetizers and desserts in LARGE portions. This is a great place to visit if you want to try multiple items and share with the table. In fact, they even have an entree called the Kitchen Plate which is an ensemble of your-choice of three different sides.

Cocktail options at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’

The cocktail selection today was colorful and wide in variety. From the sweetness of orange juice or an espresso martini, to the strong and distinct flavors of the Southern Mary. As listed above, these cocktails are:

• Florida Crush: Tito’s vodka, muddled orange and strawberries, a splash of fresh-squeezed orange juice and agave syrup
• Dragon Fruit Mojito: Siesta Key Silver Rum, dragon fruit, prickly pear simple syrup and fresh mint
• Southern Mary: Dixie Black Pepper Vodka, Whiskey Willy’s Bloody Mary Mix with pecan-smoked bacon, fried green tomato, pimento cheese-stuffed olives and a salted rim
• Espresso Martini: Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur, vodka and cold brew concentrate are shaken to a frothy delight

As listed, these cocktails vary significantly, with my personal top choice being the Florida Crush, a classic summer cocktail. The largest and most filling drink by far was the Southern Mary. This bloody mary inspired drink was topped with many of the flavors we tried in the appetizers and entrees. If you are wanting to try the Southern Mary, you will have to plan accordingly for the brunch offerings. But the rest of these cocktails are available daily.

Alongside these Disney Springs Flavors of Florida options, Homecomin’ also has its iconic Moonshine Cocktails. There are numerous shines on tap, like the Moonshine Margarita, the Strawberry Lemonade or the Blue Hooch, among others. If you are a moonshine fan, you can consider the 22oz Jumbo Squeeze Cup for $9 more dollars. This allows you to get 22oz drinks in a themed cup for the price of the 15oz whenever you return. And, this does work for grab-and-go cocktails as Disney Springs allows drinks all around the area and in shops.

Reservations for Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ at Disney Springs

If you are planning to try out a meal for yourself, I highly recommend grabbing reservations. Disney Springs is one of the most visited shopping & dining districts in the country. While there is some limited walk-up bar seating, Homecomin’ is a frequently visited location for many locals.

I was joined today by Dominic from Ally & Dom’s Wild Ride and Kristen from Wright Down Main Street, both of which have spoken on Homecomin’ in the past. Dominic stated his favorite item today was the Florida Crush. Kristen said her favorite was the Hallelujah Biscuit. My personal favorite was also the Hallelujah Biscuit, but many other items were close (alongside the deviled eggs, of course).

If you are looking for dinner and show, the long-standing Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue at Walt Disney World just celebrated its 50th anniversary. Located at the Fort Wilderness Resort, this show combines cornbread, comedy and a musical production.