This year’s Epcot® International Food and Wine Festival is slightly modified from years’ past due to the recent Walt Disney World® Resort closures, as it begins as soon as the parks reopen in the summer and it includes merchandise from the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Still the festival has its traditional food kiosks, with more new unique, innovative dining options this year. With so many new options, picking standouts this year is harder than it has ever been before, but below are some dishes you should make it a priority to try:
Impossible™ Farmhouse Meatball with Lentil Bread, Spinach, Marinated Vegetables and Creamy Herb Dressing
This plant-based dish was a guest-favorite at last year’s festival, and meat fans shouldn’t turn up their noses at the notion of imitation meat. Disney does it better than many dedicated establishments, with the similarly constructed Felucian Garden Spread at Docking Bay 7 in Disney’s Hollywood Studios® bring one of the best quick service menu items on property. It packs a ton of flavor into an easy-to-eat package, and will either be a favorite for vegans and vegetarians or a gateway to fantastic plant-based foods for those who prefer meat with every meal.
Price: $5.75
Location: Earth Eats
Ribeye Taco: Ribeye Steak with Ranchera Salsa in a Corn Tortilla topped with Onions, Chives and a Lime Wedge
The Mexico Pavilion already has some of the best quick service options in World Showcase during non-festival seasons, so it should feel natural that it has some of the most exciting options during festivals, too. This dish should be a crowd pleaser that will be friendly to pickier party members and is inventive and tasty for the foodies in the group.
Price: $6.95
Location: Mexico
Spicy Hummus Fries with Cucumber, Tomatoes, Onions, Tzatziki and Chipotle Sauce
The hummus fries have been a hit since they were introduced, and the extended festival length this year means guests have more time to enjoy them. An inventive concept even in their return every year, the hummus fries highlight everything that is so unique and special about the festival, and epitomizes the creativity and flavors that go into every item at the event.
Price: $8.00
Location: Morocco
Lobster Macaroni and Cheese with Boursin® Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Sauce and Lobster Cream topped with Herbed Panko
The Mac and Cheese booth is an easy festival highlight every year, with new options with names that speak for themselves. Any option here is an easy choice, which makes picking a dish at this location so difficult. With buffalo chicken, gourmet and Italian sausage options, it is hard to go wrong, but the lobster macaroni and cheese stands a head above the rest in creativity and composition.
Price: $6.50
Location: Mac and Cheese, Hosted by Boursin® Cheese
Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet-and-Sour DOLE® Pineapple Chutney and spicy Mayonnaise
Each year’s pork slider, regardless of the variation, will make the must-try list. It has forever been lauded as the best item at the festival, and likely will continue to be for years to come. Its combination of flavors and authenticity to its home makes it an easy pick for the most appealing festival dish. And though the event’s smaller dishes are often great for sampling and sharing with your party, we will do you the favor on this one: get everyone who wants one their own.
Price: $5.25
Location: Hawai’i