For those who haven't visited the Festival before, each year the Festival includes Global Marketplaces where you can taste your way around the world, live entertainment and fun activities the whole family can enjoy. I tend to focus on the Global Marketplaces, because food is life :)
I spent two days in Epcot this month and was able to sample quite a bit! Here's what I tried and my thoughts on it all.
Appleseed Orchard
Location: Canada Theater
The first major pro of this booth is that it is indoors - enjoy a break from the elements! The food options are very limited here but the beer and cider options are plentiful. The apple crumble tart we tried was good but not great, we would have loved if it was served warm with some ice cream! We tried the Bourbon Barrel Aged Cherry hard cider and really enjoyed it quite a bit.
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| Apple Crumble Tart |
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| Blake’s Hard Cider Saint Chéri Bourbon Barrel Aged Cherry, Armada, MI |
Canada
Location: Canada Pavilion
The Canada booth menu hasn't really changed and we are a-okay with that as we love this soup every time. It is so good and the bread is the perfect dipping vessel. Even on a pretty hot October day, this cup of soup just hit the spot.
The Canada booth menu hasn't really changed and we are a-okay with that as we love this soup every time. It is so good and the bread is the perfect dipping vessel. Even on a pretty hot October day, this cup of soup just hit the spot.
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| Canadian Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Soup served with a Pretzel Roll |
Australia
Location: Across from Refreshment Port
Here I opted for a wine flight because I just couldn't choose what to drink and the roasted lamb chop. First, how gorgeous is that lamb dish? It is so vibrant and just pops right off the plate. It is cooked medium rare which is how we like it, but if you like your meat more well done you might not like this dish as much. Everything on the plate really went so well together although I don't know that we even really needed the pomegranate. The lamb was cooked beautifully and was tender and delicious! The peas were plentiful and the sweet potatoes were so fluffy. The wine flight consisted of Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Robert Oatley Chardonnay and Château Tanunda Grand Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon. While they were all great, the cabernet sauvignon was my favorite for sure.
Here I opted for a wine flight because I just couldn't choose what to drink and the roasted lamb chop. First, how gorgeous is that lamb dish? It is so vibrant and just pops right off the plate. It is cooked medium rare which is how we like it, but if you like your meat more well done you might not like this dish as much. Everything on the plate really went so well together although I don't know that we even really needed the pomegranate. The lamb was cooked beautifully and was tender and delicious! The peas were plentiful and the sweet potatoes were so fluffy. The wine flight consisted of Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Robert Oatley Chardonnay and Château Tanunda Grand Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon. While they were all great, the cabernet sauvignon was my favorite for sure.
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| Roasted Lamb Chop with Sweet Potato Purée, Bush Berry Pea Salad and Pistachio-Pomegranate Gremolata |
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| Wine Flight |
The Donut Box
Location: Near Test Track
We had no rhyme or reason to our order of eating today, so next up was a donut, why not? We went with a Chef's Donut of the Day - lemon blueberry. It was sizable and filled to the brim with a delicious lemon curd. We did wish there were more blueberries on top though because they really paired so nicely here!
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| Chef's Donut of the Day |
Mac and Eats
Location: Near Test Track
Okay so this one did not photograph well at all, but oh my gosh it was so good! We tried the cowboy mac and one of each wine (the IPA tap wasn't working) and everything was delightful. The mac and cheese was creamy and would have been delicious on its own, but the toppings definitely made it more meal-esque.
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| Cowboy Macaroni and Cheese with Smoked Pork Belly, Brisket Burnt Ends, Pickled Peppers and Onion Straws |
Brew-Wing at the Epcot Experience
Location: The Epcot Experience
While we weren't in the mood for wings, we did stop for some delightful beverages here. If you are a fan of sour beers, definitely give this watermelon sour a try. For cider fans, the roasted pumpkin cider was the perfect October treat! Beer and cider flights are also available here if you want to give more of their options a try. Again, this is an indoor booth so definitely worth a quick stop for a break from the elements.
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| Wicked Weed Brewing Watermelon Dragonfruit Session Sour, Asheville, NC & Blake’s Hard Cider Co. Apple Lantern Roasted Pumpkin, Armada, MI |
The Swanky Saucy Swine
Location: Near Disney Traders
First, the name is just too fun to say not to stop and get something here. Second, these pork rinds were a surprisingly large serving, we couldn't even finish it! The pork rinds were crispy and light and the pimento cheese was flavorful and creamy. However, this dish did have a slight kick which we appreciated but weren't quite ready for. This is also a great stop for gluten free options!
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| Crispy Barbecue Pork Rinds with Pimento Cheese |
Mexico
Location: Mexico Pavilion
While this taco was delicious, the line for the Mexico booth is always very long and this taco was SMALL, like three bites of food max. For the time and money, I would recommend skipping it in favor of other options this year.
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| Taco de Ribeye: Shaved Ribeye, Red Onions, and Poblano Peppers on a Corn Tortilla with Ranchera Salsa, Cotija Cheese and Chives |
China
Location: China Pavilion
This was our first real disappointment of the day. The flavors just didn't work for us in this bao bun. The bun was cooked well and the beef was tender though, it just almost tasted Mexican to us which was weird. The drinks were tasty though and the ByeJoe Punch definitely packs a punch!
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| ZiRan Beef Bao Bun: Grilled Beef with Cumin, ByeJoe Punch: Chinese BaiJiu Spirit, Lychee Syrup, Soda Water and Piña Colada Mix, Kung Fu Master: Absolut Vodka, Triple Sec, Mango Syrup and Orange Juice |
Japan
Location: Japan Pavilion
Now this steamed bun was big and delicious! Definitely more in line with expectations and a welcome surprise after that disappointment from China. And teriyaki chicken can definitely be kid friendly as well, so great for everyone here. However, the drink here was a disappointment. It just tasted... weird.
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| Teriyaki Chicken Bun: Steamed Bun filled with Chicken, Vegetables and Teriyaki & Kochi Lemon Drop: Vodka, Yuzu, and Lemon Juice garnished with a Lemon Jelly |
Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina
Location: Morocco Pavilion
This booth was the absolute highlight of our day. One, everything sounded delicious so we definitely got too much food, but we still managed to finish it all because - so good! Two, inside again so a nice little break from the elements but also Morocco is a beautiful pavilion to find a spot to sit and eat or drink around. Three, SO GOOD. That beef skewer was so tender and so yummy, the sauce complimented it beautifully. The bread was a yummy pillow and having three sauces to dip into was a delight. The falafels were crispy and delightful although the pita they were in was a little dry, the only disappointment really. If I had to prioritize one booth to come back to, this would be it for sure.
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| Stone-baked Moroccan Bread with Hummus, Zaalouk and Zhoug Dips |
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| Grilled Kebabs with Couscous, Tomato-Onion Salad and Garlic Aïoli: Harissa-marinated Beef Tenderloin Tips |
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| Fried Falafel Pita with Tahini Sauce (plant-based item) |
India
Location: Near China Pavilion
We were getting full at this point but the smells wafting from the India booth were too strong to resist. The korma chicken was calling our name and it was a great portion size of comforting creamy chicken and the crispy chickpeas on top were such a great texture contrast! We also tried the Chenin Blanc here and found it to be delightfully crisp and refreshing. One of our favorite wines of the day.
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| Korma Chicken with Basmati Rice, Crispy Chickpeas and Spiced Yogurt Sauce |
Okay a little break from food, here's a princess and some merch :)
Rotunda Bistro
Location: The American Adventure Rotunda
For many people, this is about the halfway point in their eating and drinking around the world adventure. This is another great indoor option to get a break from the elements and even has a few tables with chairs inside in addition to the high tops. Also, it is just beautiful in here. We were full at this point, but did stop for a rose and a break in the A/C on both of our Epcot days.
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| Domaine Carneros Cuvée Brut Rosé, California |
Lobster Landing
Location: Near Test Track
Okay so I don't like lobster, so the food here didn't appeal to me one bit, but I did overhear some very happy people with their food from this booth.
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| Steenberg Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa |
Earth Eats
Location: By the Imagination Pavilion
By the time I got to Earth Eats I wasn't super hungry so I opted to just try a drink this year, but I will say this booth is a great stop for my vegan and vegetarian friends out there! Things I've tried from this booth in the past I have really enjoyed and they are all plant based!
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| Spiced Apple Twinings of London® Chai Tea with Whiskey |
Funnel Cake
Location: Near America Pavilion
So this one isn't necessarily a booth since it is a permanent feature but it has had a festival feature over the last few years and this year it is a s'mores funnel cake. I liked that this year's funnel cake was mini so we could try more things and the ice cream was a great touch on a hot October evening.
Italy
Location: Italy Pavilion
Every year I want to love the Italy booth because Italian food is something I could eat every day, and every year I am let down. These fried raviolis were just bland and boring. I wouldn't waste my calories here.
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| Mezzelune Croccanti: Crispy Half-moon Breaded Mozzarella-filled Ravioli with Pomodoro Sauce |
Germany
Location: Germany Pavilion
We rounded out the evening with a festival fave that hasn't changed much since last year, the Germany booth. While I still can't pronounce "Schinkennudeln" I will continue to order this baked pasta dish which is basically a fancy mac and cheese and love it. It is homey and comforting and I'd say kid friendly as well. And I'd pick this apple strudel over the apple crumble we started with for sure.
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| Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce |
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| Schinkennudeln: Pasta Gratin with Ham, Onions and Cheese |
If you make it all day and into the night, be sure to catch Spaceship Earth light up as a beacon of light and Harmonious light up the World Showcase Lagoon to top off your evening!
Do you have any festival favorites from this year or years past? Let us know in the comments below!
Maci is an avid foodie and loves trying out new restaurants and seasonal food offerings in the parks. You can email Maci at maci@kingdomkonsultant.com.
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