Learn about The Edison’s special September Mixology Series, which includes craft cocktails and a great cause.
The Edison’s industrial, turn-of -the-century building design (complete with a sky-scraping tower) is Disney Springs’ tallest and most inviting building in The Landing. Once you step through the polished glass doors, you are immediately transported back to when flappers, underground lounges, and prohibition swept the nation.
Today, The Edison prides itself as one of Disney Springs’ most coveted spots for great food and even better crafted cocktails. The Edison chefs and bartenders take their culinary expertise to the next level each and every month, as they collaborate to create a monthly mixology series that features artfully curated dishes and cocktails. This month, we were invited to The Edison to experience a twist on this monthly mixology series!
The Edison Mixology Series
Photo by Maria Salerno
Each month, The Edison hosts a mixology series that combines the expertise of both their skillful chefs and award-winning bartenders. The chefs and bartenders collaborate monthly to create both a food and cocktails menu that will pair synonymously to create unexpected and unique flavor profiles.
Guests can expect a three-course meal served along with three handcrafted cocktails. Each month’s menu is different, meaning that no two mixology series will ever be the same! When I spoke with one of The Edison’s bartenders, I learned the chefs work so closely with the bartenders that the handcrafted cocktails are often infused in the dishes to better enhance the flavor profiles while the participants eat and drink!
The monthly Mixology series is a specially ticketed event that offers two seating options. To make this event even more unique, guests have exclusive access to seating on the sprawling outdoor patio that overlooks the gorgeous waterways of Disney Springs and the surrounding Disney resorts. Space is limited and reservations are required, so be sure to visit to The Edison’s page on the Walt Disney World website to purchase your ticket in advance!
Mixology Benefiting The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando
Complete with light bites, live music, a silent auction, and themed drinks, the September Mixology Series at The Edison was a twist on the usual monthly offering. This month, the Mixology Series served as a fundraiser for one of my favorite organizations in Central Florida: The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando. They help shelter, and ultimately find both foster and permanent homes for thousands of stray and abandoned animals every year. To have The Edison and Disney collaborate to host an event for the benefit of such a great cause made this month’s event that much more special!
Various Disney Springs and Disney Partner restaurants, hotels, and organizations donated some very high-ticket items to be bid on at a silent auction during the event. Planet Hollywood, Morimoto Asia, Space 220, Kennedy Space Center, The Edison, JW Marriott, and Drury Hotels are just a few of the dedicated partners who donated incredible silent auction items to the cause.
Live music from the stage created a wonderful atmosphere in the bustling restaurant. Women in gorgeous flapper dresses and men decked in timely fedoras graced the stage and sang in harmony as the event milled around them. No matter if you visit The Edison for their Mixology series or just for a regular dinner seating, the performers are always a huge highlight here!
Try Some Pet-Themed Cocktails
The Edison’s Meow-jito. Photo by Maria Salerno
The Edison’s bartenders once again showed their incredible skill in the creation of adorable, pet-themed drinks made specially for this month’s event. The Meow-jito – complete with lemon ‘cat ears’ and a rosemary sprig ‘tail’– served as the night’s rum-based cocktail. Earthy flavors of rosemary and mint made this drink unique among the rest, as it was not overly sweet so that each ingredient shone through strongly in the flavor profile.
The Edison’s Salty Chihuahua. Photo by Maria Salerno
The Salty Chihuahua was a twist on a classic margarita. Combining blackberry flavors with a Florida orange twist, this sweet, tequila-based cocktail was the overwhelming favorite of the evening. How could we not love a drink with lime wedges serving as chihuahua ears?
The Edison’s Best Buds Zero Proof smoothie. Photo by Maria Salerno
Rounding out the specialty drinks was a mocktail twist on a sweet smoothie. The creamy, coconut-forward Best Buds Zero Proof packed both a texture and flavor surprise. The creamy texture immediately reminded me of a smoothie, while the chunks of candied coconut that were in the drink served as a textural contrast to the cream that had me returning for sip after ever-evolving sip.
Dine on Tail-Wagging Bites
In lieu of the Mixology series’ usual seated meal, this month’s fundraiser opted for passed light bites. While items like fresh oysters topped with house-made marinade, crispy yellowtail tacos, and vegan chili-stuffed potato skins were all flavorful and enjoyable, the wagyu sandwich station was the clear highlight of the evening.
Photo by Maria Salerno
The paper-thin, slow-smoked Japanese A5 Wagyu stole the show at The Edison. Right before serving, the beef was hand-torched to release the fats (and the flavor!) before it was sandwiched between freshly baked herbed focaccia bread.
The Wagyu was paired with the guests’ choice of two extremely select beverage pairing options. Whistle Pig 12 Year Rye tastings were being poured to accompany the Wagyu, as the flavors of the rye brought out subtle, even richer flavors from the already-tender Wagyu.
A look at the bites at The Edison Mixology Series. Photo by Maria Salerno
My preferred pairing of the evening though, was the Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon and Wagyu beef. The dry, oaky red wine was one that was clearly meant to be sipped slowly, as its almost overwhelming complexity helped to elicit even juicier, more tender bites of the fatty beef.
This month’s Mixology series at The Edison reminded us just how incredible the restaurant’s chefs and bartenders collaborate to create unique flavor profiles that are both unexpected and almost nostalgic. The atmosphere combined with the curated food and beverages made for a memorable night beneath the stars at Disney Springs!
For more about The Edison’s Mixology Series as well as other offerings, keep reading below:
A Closer Look at the Edison’s Shaken & Stirred Cocktail Classes in Disney Springs
We Tried Patron Tequila at The Edison Mixology Series – Here’s Why it’s Worth It
