The Epcot Food and Wine Festival is one of my favorite events at Disney World, offering guests a chance to taste their way around the world. This year, the festival ends on November 12, so there’s still time to try some of these dishes if you’re headed to Epcot this week!
Only around 20% of the menu for this annual festival changes from year to year, which means there’s a good chance these items will be offered next year. Food and Wine is usually held from the end of August/beginning of September to the middle of November.
Belgium
Belgian Waffle with Berry Compote
The Belgian Waffle with berry compote is certainly sweet and is heavy on the berry compote and whipped cream. While I wouldn’t say it’s amazing, but at $4.00 it makes a pretty good snack. Especially if you love waffles.
Brazil
Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)
At $4.25, the Brazilian cheese bread could maybe seen at not too bad of a price for these two pieces of bread. While many people seem to love this dish, I wasn’t really all that impressed. (And I love cheese!) I would say to save your money and try something else.
Canada
Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Soup with Pretzel Roll
The Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup has become a staple of the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, a clear favorite among return guests and definitely a favorite of mine. Something I get every time I go to Disney World when the festival is taking place. The portion is on the small side for a price of $5.00, but I think it’s worth the price, especially compared to other dishes offered. You should really give it a try if you can. (Unless you don’t like cheese.)
China
Beijing Roasted Duck Bao Bun with Hoisin Sauce
I think there’s too much slaw and not enough duck in this dish. That being said, it tasted good, but I don’t think I would get it again. I just wish they would add more duck or go light on everything else so you could taste it more. At $6.75, the price is about average for food dishes at the festival.
France
La Passion Martini Slush
The La Passion Martini Slush is made with vodka, Grey Goose Le Citron, cranberry juice and passion fruit juice. This was one of my favorites of the Epcot Food and Wine Festival this year. At $10.75, it’s certainly a little more expensive side, but you get a decent amount of booze and the taste is awesome! It’s refreshing and cool, making it perfect to enjoy in the Florida heat.
Germany
Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce
I love strudel, so I can’t pass up trying the apple strudel from the Germany food booth. While not really exciting, the strudel is well made with the flaky exterior holding up pretty well. You also get plenty of vanilla sauce. (The sauce tastes quite a bit like melted good vanilla ice cream. At only $4.00, if you’re a fan of pastries or desserts, I would give it a try.
India
Warm Indian Bread with Pickled Garlic, Mango Salsa, and Coriander Pesto Dips
Excuse the picture, please! I ate some of it before I realized I hadn’t taken a photo of the dish. While the bread was obviously fresh made and the dips were okay. I probably wouldn’t recommend this dish. If you want a good Indian bread service, go to Sanaa at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. If you can’t make it there and want to try the stuff at Epcot, the sample isn’t bad at $4.75. (Don’t get too much of the ginger in one bite!)
Sula Shiraz
The Sula Shiraz (as seen in the picture above) was okay. I would say to skip it. There’s better drinks at the Food and Wine Festival.
Ireland
Warm Irish Pudding with Irish Cream Liqueur Custard
I was a bit disappointed when I tried the warm Irish pudding. I had heard great things about it, but I think mine either wasn’t made properly or wasn’t the right temperature. It’s supposed to be comparable to a molten lava cake, but the chocolate inside of mine was congealed, not flowing at all like a lava cake. You can definitely taste the liqueur in the sauce.
Italy
Fritto Misto
The Fritto Misto at the Italy food booth is made up of crispy shrimp, fried zucchini, and sweet potatoes topped with a spicy sauce. I would say that this was one of the better food dishes I tried this year. It’s on the higher end price wise for food at $8.00, but you get eight shrimp. So at $1 per shrimp, it’s a fairly good value for festival/theme park food.
Fior d’Arancio Montegrande Moscato
The Moscato was $9.00, so I would maybe say to skip it if you’re on a budget, although it was some pretty good Moscato.
Japan
Beef Nigiri with Shrimp Sauce and Diced Pickled
Jalapeños
I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this one, but I actually enjoyed the beef nigiri a lot more than I thought I would. The sauce definitely helped the dish. I heard from some people that the dish was bland, but that wasn’t the case with mine. At $5.95, it wasn’t too bad.
Fuji Apple Cocktail
Don’t let the color turn you off from this cocktail. It’s actually really good, but I’ll warn you that it is sweet. The Fuji Apple Cocktail is made up of Sake, Peach Schnapps, and Green Apple Syrup. The picture doesn’t really do it justice, but at a price of $8.50, I’d say it’s probably not worth the money for the somewhat small cup.
Mexico
Shrimp Quesadilla
The Shrimp Quesadilla from the Mexico booth is a corn tortilla with shrimp and Oaxaca cheese served with a spicy Guajillo sauce and sesame seeds. I would have to say that at $7.25, it’s a more overpriced dish for what you get. The Guajillo has a bit of a punch to it, which is nice if you like spicy food. Overall, the quesadilla was okay. Nothing too special.
El Padrino
The El Padrino, on the other hand, I think is a must for anyone drinks alcohol. This was probably my favorite out of everything I tried. The drinks is made with Blackberry Mexican Punch and Velo Blanco Tequila. It costs $9.50, but I think it’s worth it. You get a decent portion for the price.
New Zealand
Steamed Green Lip Mussels with Garlic Butter and Toasted Breadcrumbs
These mussels are pretty good, and at $4.50 they don’t set you back too much compared other food dishes at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. They soak up the garlic and butter flavors fairly well. They’re also easy to share if you have three people.
Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar
Tropical Mimosa
The Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar is new the Food and Wine Festival this year and is located inside of the Festival Center. The Tropical Mimosa is by far the best choice in my opinion. With a price tag of $6.00, it’s not too bad for an alcoholic drink and for how much you get.
Food and Wine Festival Tips
- Avoid weekends if you can. Weekends are always going to be busier. The first and last weeks of the festival also tend to busier.
- Stop by the Festival Center. There’s a lot to see and sample there, including drink booths, a Ghiradelli section, films about coffee and other topics, and seminars (which usually charge a fee and require reservations).
- Set a budget. It’s always wise to go into the Food and Wine Festival with a budget because the cost of the drinks and food can add up quickly. You get a gift card that can be scanned at the booths to help you stick to your budget. (You can also load more money onto the card if you want.)
- If you’re on the Disney Dining Plan, you can use your snack credits at the booths.
- Go when the World Showcase opens at 11:00am. Lines will be shorter or non-existent right when everything first opens.
- Share samples with others so you can try more!
- Use the food booths as your lunch instead of making a lunch reservation one day of your trip.
- Look at festival information before your trip. One my favorite resources for information about the Epcot Food and Wine Festival is Disney Food Blog.
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