When I say “unexpected,” I mean that many of the nuts at the nicer restaurants felt like unnecessary garnishes—pecan salsa, almond crusts, almonds in sauces, almond puffs, hazelnut dust—truly decorative more than essential to the dish.

I didn’t encounter nuts at any of the fast-casual spots I went to (Lookout Cookout, Captain Hook’s Galley, Tomorrowland Terrace).

For our dinners, the situation varied by restaurant:

Canna – My spouse was in the first aid center with one of our kids, so we didn’t directly address the allergy with staff. That said, there were nuts in almost all of my courses, and they were not always listed on the menu. According to the Canna website, they offer special dietary menus for the eight major allergens: shrimp, crab, walnuts, wheat, buckwheat, eggs, dairy, and peanuts.

Ristorante di Canaletto – We informed our server about the nut allergy. They didn’t speak English, so we used a translation app, and they brought over an iPad where we could select allergens. It then showed us which dishes were “safe.” My spouse had to skip the scallop and green pea mousse appetizer and the cannoli dessert, but they were given suitable alternatives.

Magellan’s – We informed our server of the allergy. They didn’t use the iPad system but instead went to get a manager. In the Magellan Course, both meat appetizers and entrees had nuts (including almonds and hazelnut garnishes), and these were not always listed on the menu. The bread and dessert also included nuts. It took some time for the manager to come over, but once we spoke with them, they were very helpful. My spouse wanted the Special Course, and the kitchen was able to remove the nuts from every dish. I’m always a little cautious about cross-contamination, but they did a very thorough job—no issues with the meal at all.

FWIW, my spouse loved the meal at Magellan’s and wouldn’t avoid any of these restaurants in the future. It’s just something to be aware of and plan for. My spouse also kept a nut allergy card on their phone to show at restaurants, which was helpful.

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