We’re welcoming back guest author Melissa Sue Sorrells Galley with a review of Pinocchio Village Haus. And since the new menu was recently revealed, we’ll also include a review of one of the new flatbreads available!

After recovering from One More Disney Day, I headed back into the Magic Kingdom where I found myself exiting Mickey’s PhilharMagic to the realization that I was starving.

That’s when a Cast Member with a puppet waved at me, and I knew what I had to do.

Atmosphere

Tucked between the new Fantasyland construction walls and it’s a small world, Pinocchio Village Haus is a bit confusing. It’s in Fantasyland, and the food is Italian, but the restaurant itself is based on the Bavarian architecture that Walt and Lillian Disney were so fond of.

In fact, it’s set in a little German village, where there’s oompah playing over the speakers and you order lunch in what appears to be a charming courtyard.

Once you’ve got your food in hand, it’s time to find a seat. The dining room is massive — much bigger than you’d think to look at it from outside. I was there at a peak lunch hour, and it felt busy — but never crowded.

The building is split into a variety of smaller rooms, each decorated with intricate cuckoo clocks and colorful frescoes that depict scenes from the story of Pinocchio.

If you plan to eat during a less busy time, make a beeline for the Monstro Room, which overlooks the loading area for it’s a small world, or the second floor, which gives you a birds-eye view of the action.

No matter where you end up sitting, you’ll still enjoy the great touches. The tables and chairs have a rough-hewn alpine feeling, with hearts and pine trees carved into the chair backs. Authentic beer steins adorn the shelves, and serviceware is displayed in a partitioned barrel.

And, if you don’t want to dine among the alfrescos (and love heat stroke for some reason), there’s even an entire outdoor seating area.

Eats

Despite the German décor, the food here is decidedly Italian, including chicken parm, meatball subs, and a Mediterranean salad. Your order here goes much the same as at any Disney quick service location: order and pay, then head up to the counter to exchange your receipt for your food. It can be a little hectic at busy times, but it works.

Now, for a little news flash before I move ahead with my review: the Pinocchio Village Haus menu changed shortly after my visit! New flatbreads were put on the menu to replace the standard pizzas. The new menu shows a choice of Pepperoni, Barbecue Chicken, Caprese, and Cheese flatbreads.

Luckily — AJ’s got a quick review of these for you before I talk about side dishes…

Editor’s Note: Our roving reporter, Erin Foster, shares her thoughts on the Caprese Flatbread:

They’re trying. And it’s definitely better than the pizza they had before. But still not stellar. All the flavor is in that balsamic glaze ribbon. And I wish the basil had looked fresher. It tasted fine, but could have been prettier.

Thanks, Erin and AJ!

So while I unfortunately wasn’t able to try the new flatbreads, I was coming off more than 14 hours without food, so my eyes were a bit larger than my stomach. I ordered a personal pizza with a side salad, an order of fries and a chocolate cake.

The food wasn’t anything special. The “Caesar” side salad was really just romaine lettuce with some parmesan cheese. You can pick up your croutons and dressing at the condiment carts.

And color me nerdy, but this was my first experience with Disney quick service chocolate cake, and I was pretty excited to try it. It’s extremely moist, very rich and sweet, sweet, sweet. It’s also sort of addictive. I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!

Overall

I can’t really say there’s anything wrong with Pinocchio Village Haus. But I can say I won’t be rushing back any time soon. With Sleepy Hollow (and their delicious waffle concoctions) just a few steps away and a wide variety of more adventurous mid-priced options a mere monorail ride away, I’ll probably be spending my Disney dining dollars elsewhere.

That said, if you’re a big fan of Disney’s take on quick service Italian, have a hungry brood about to melt down in Fantasyland, or really love Pinocchio, don’t hesitate to stop here. You’ll appreciate the speedy service, the hearty menu and the warm sustenance.

Are you up for trying the new flatbreads at Pinocchio Village Haus? Let us know in the comments!

Melissa Sue Sorrells Galley works in higher education communications in upstate New York, where she lives with her husband, Robert, and her cavapoo, George. She’s is the co-editor of Mouse on the Mind.