After several trips to the EPCOT® International Festival of the arts, we've put together our list of must-try dishes from the first major theme park dining event of the year. The festival runs until Feb. 19, 2024, with the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival scheduled to start soon after.
Tomato Soup with pimento cheese, bacon, and fried green tomato grilled cheese
Found at Pop Eats
Gourmet grilled cheese has long been among this festival's stars, and this year is no exception as one of our favorite dishes from last year makes a triumphant return. The soup is solid as a dipper, but the rich grilled cheese is the king of this castle.
Grilled Pork Belly with salsa verde, broccoli rabe, pickled peppers, and raclette cheese on grilled sourdough
Found at The Craftsman's Courtyard
Pork belly is among Disney's specialties (and this festival's deconstructed interpretation is also quite good) and one of the new festival dishes echoes that sentiment. The sour bite of the pickled peppers and salsa verde balance the decadence of the pork and the thickness of the bread. If you try one item during this year's arts festival, make it this one.
Beef Wellington: Mushroom duxelles, prosciutto, and puff pastry with red wine demi-glace
Found at Cuisine Classique
The miniature version of this notoriously difficult-to-cook dish is not a mere valiant attempt, it's a delicious one. The beef was surprisingly tender, and the flavors impressively complex.
Duck and Dumplings: Smoked duck breast, ricotta dumplings, baby vegetables, and duck jus
Found at The Artist's Table
There's a trend at this festival we've been hoping to see for quite some time, and this year, Disney has jumped off the deep end in providing complex, difficult dishes.
And it should be commended not just for attempting them, but nailing them. Smoky and tender, this dish goes straight to the top of our must-eat-again list.
Mozzarella Fritta: Flash-fried breaded fresh mozzarella with artist palette condiments
Found at L'Arte di Mangiere
With the portion size improved on one of last year's most exciting dishes, this sharable dish now makes the list of one of the most fun tries of the festival. The sides of dips make it a great piece to sidle at a nearby table in the Italy pavilion and chat about.
Chorizo and Potato Empanada with turmeric aïoli and annatto aïoli
Found at Vibrante & Vívido
We're pleased to report that our favorite recurring Festival of the Arts dish remains one of our favorites. It is unchanged from prior years, but the balance of filling-to-pastry and the overall portion size make this flavorful snack as perfect as always.
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