Must-Try Dishes at EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival
There are no bad options at Food & Wine, but here are some standouts and new entries from this year’s line-up.
Photos Courtesy of Walt Disney World. Photos 1,2,6,7 by Matt Stroshane
The Food and drink event of the year is finally here. Welcome back EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, presented by CORKCICLE! Running from July 27 to November 18, this annual celebration is a paradise for food and drink enthusiasts, showcasing a diverse array of delectable dishes and beverages from cultures worldwide.
With nearly 30 Global Marketplaces scattered throughout the park, guests are in for a mouthwatering journey filled with unique flavors and signature delights from various countries. This year’s festival introduces exciting new dishes, including the pickle milkshake from Brew-Wing Lab and the Cioppino from Flavors of America. Not to mention, there are four brand-new Global Marketplaces to explore – Bubbles & Brine, Char & Chop, Swirled Showcase, and Wine & Wedge.
For the adventurous foodies, Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey offers a flavorful adventure featuring the culinary creations (and amusing mishaps) of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant, Beaker, from Muppet Labs.
As you indulge in the culinary delights, don’t miss out on the returning fan-favorite, Emile’s Fromage Montage. Embark on a delightful food stroll by sampling several cheesy goodies from the Global Marketplaces. Grab a Festival Passport, collect stamps by purchasing five of these items, and head over to Shimmering Sips for a special redemption prize.
But the excitement doesn’t end there! As the sun sets, get ready to groove to the Eat to the Beat Concert Series presented by Florida Blue Medicare. Nightly performances by local and renowned musical acts will keep the festive spirit alive.
We’ve sampled all the items from this year’s menu (it was a hard job, but someone had to do it). Here are our top seven choices.
1. Shimmering Sips
The first rule of any good theme park day is treat yourself. So why not start with dessert first? Head to Shimmering Sips, hosted by CORKCICLE, as you enter World Showcase on the right (it’s catty-corner from the gift shop), and get the guava cake with whipped cream and coconut. It’s plant-based, but you’d never know it. It was moist, delicious, and refreshing. Get two so you don’t have to share.
2. Oh Canada!
If you choose to head right, the Canada Pavilion is first themed pavilion in World Showcase you’ll encounter. Think fancy steakhouses and theme parks don’t mix? Well, you haven’t tried their filet mignon. This spectacular dish features mushrooms, boursin black truffle & sea salt mashed potatoes and a boursin black truffle & sea salt whipped butter. It was amazing and just enough to satisfy savory cravings.
3. Seafood Sings
As you continue your culinary journey, make your way to the America Pavilion. There you’ll find The Flavors of America booth! The Flavors of America booth celebrates flavors from both coasts, with dishes from such regions as New England, the Southwest and more. From the New England coast, try the Cioppino, a seafood stew with saffron-infused tomato-fennel broth and crostini. The seafood quality is stupendous, and the broth was a ten out of ten. More bread for sopping, please!
4. Dandan Wows
Make your way to the China Pavilion for some amazing noodle action. Where do we start with these amazing Dandan noodles? The spicy pork is just spicy enough, the Sichuan sauce is fresh, and the peanut butter is not lacking in the least. You won’t be able to eat this fast enough!
5. Ramen by Any Other Name
The Noodle Exchange, located near the end of the World Showcase just after you leave Mexico, offers four incredible noodle bowl options with flavors from the Far East. For a hot day in Orlando, the ramen with Tofu was surprisingly refreshing! Served with shiitake mushrooms, pickled carrots and daikon radish, shaved peppers and baby Bok choy in citrus-sesame broth, it was full of flavor, and also fun to eat.
6 & 7. Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey
Walking the entire World Showcase offers a good 1.2 mile workout, and lets you take in all the culinary offerings. Before you leave, head to the Brew-Wing Lab at The Odyssey for two amazing treats: spicy and extremely tasty scotch bonnet pepper-curry wings with cool cucumber yogurt and the brand-new non-alcoholic Pickle Milkshake. Seriously. You may also have a chance to spot two of The Muppets most popular characters in action.
Now all that’s left is to ride Spaceship Earth and remember where you parked!
