The 29th Annual 2024 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is heading toward a close, but not just yet. There are still a few weeks left to nosh your way through the event before it comes to an end on November 23. This year boasts over 90 food items at more than 30 EPCOT Festival Marketplace Booths. I hope you enjoy reading my best food picks and let’s see how they stack up against yours.
Best on a Plate
For me, the Grilled Bison served with Butternut Squash Puree, Roasted Mushrooms, and Huckleberry Gastrique came in number one. Simply put, it was incredibly delicious. The bison, cooked fresh on the grill, was quite flavorful on its own. However, when combined in a bite along with the puree, gastrique and mushrooms the dish rocketed to the next level. The pleasant earthiness was nicely counterbalanced with the bright acidity of the huckleberry. This dish tasted refined, like a mini version of something a signature dining restaurant would serve. This was one of the pricier items at $8.75, but well worth it based on the quality of ingredients and size.
This delightful plate can be found at the Bramblewood Bites booth located on the walkway between World Showcase and the Imagination Pavilion.
Best in a Bowl
The Autumn Chili consists of Bison, Lamb, and Pork Belly, Root Vegetables in addition to Jalapeno Cornbread, Smoked Cheddar and Creme Fraiche. This incredibly hearty dish boasted an amazing depth of flavor, tasting of low and long-simmered tender meats and vegetables. The cornbread was pleasantly moist and a great way to soak up the last bits of chili in the bowl. Trust me, you won’t want to leave even a smidge of this rich and satisfying dish behind. These slightly cooler days in Orlando are perfect to sample this satisfying stew.
The $7.75 price tag for this incredibly filling and substantial item is well justified. It can be found at the Forest & Field booth located between World Showcase and the Imagination Pavilion.
Best Cheese
The Griddled Cheese is served with a topping of Pistachios and Honey. The semi-hard Greek cheese, traditionally made of sheep’s and goat’s milk, tasted deliciously tangy and pleasingly salty. Due to the method of cooking, the top layer of the cheese was nice and crispy (almost like the top of a creme brulee), followed by a warm and melty inside. The contrasting textures of these two layers was further accentuated by the crunchy pistachios and smooth sweet honey. It’s no wonder that this item is a popular favorite of the fest that keeps coming back year after year.
This cherished cheese item isn’t big, but it is quite rich in flavor and only $5. It can be found at the Greece booth in World Showcase.
Best on a Bun
The Steakhouse Blended Burger is a Beef and Wild Mushroom Slider with Truffle Brie Cheese Fondue, Arugula, and Truffle Potato Chips on a Sesame Seed Bun. Another festival item fresh off an on-site grill made all the difference in taking what could have been a basic burger and elevated it to something much more. The earthy mushroom and truffle added a depth and umami flavor to the juicy beef. The unique choice of a fondue enveloped the patty and provided even more cheesiness to the dish. The arugula added a sharp brightness and the chips a nice textural element. My only critique was that the burger could have been a bit larger to better fit the size of the bun.
This “packs a punch” burger is $6.25 and can be found at the Flavors From Fire booth located near the Refreshment Station close to Test Track.
Best Fry
Here we have a simple dish with a straightforward description – Fried Pickle Spears with Dill Ranch. If done well, sometimes simple and uncomplicated food can end up being the most delicious. Most fried pickle options at restaurants are pickle chips that are small, thin, and often times dry. Here we had a fry that was light (but nicely seasoned) to let the plump and briny dill pickle spears shine. The sauce added an extra punch of herby dill and creaminess to awaken the taste buds.
This zesty shareable item is $5.75 and can be found at the Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey in World Celebration. Thank you to our beloved Muppets for perfecting this delicious “food-based experiment.”
Best Veg
This category had a clear winner with the Cast Iron-roasted Brussels Sprouts and Root Vegetables with a Bacon Vinaigrette, Dried Cranberries, Candied Pecans and Maple Bourbon Glaze. Not only was this my favorite vegetable item, it was also my second place for overall best food at the fest closely behind the grilled bison. This was such a cohesive dish with all ingredients melding so well together, a perfect combination of savory and sweet. The chunks of vegetables were surprisingly substantial while cooked to just the right level of doneness of soft yet firm enough. The pecans also brought out the natural nuttiness inherent within the autumn vegetables.
What a huge bargain this item is at just $5.00 for its complexity and variety of ingredients. The veggies can be found at the Bramblewood Bites booth located on the walkway between World Showcase and the Imagination Pavilion.
Best Seafood
The Tostada de Camarones, a Tempura-battered Shrimp atop a Fried Corn Tortilla with Guacamole, Cabbage, Chipotle-Aioli, Diced Mango, and Chili-Lime Powder, took the top prize for the seafood category. The shrimp were large and meaty but also so tender and delicately fried. The tostada was pleasantly crunchy and tasted very fresh. The contrasting flavors and textures of the cabbage, aoili, and cubes of citrusy mango made for a delicious and cohesive dish.
This delightful item is $7.75 and can be found at the Mexico booth in World Showcase.
Best Sweet Treat
Here we have a Chocolate Amarula Mousse with White Chocolate. Be sure to quickly dive into this large domed dessert as the midday sun can start to melt it right away. The flavor was amazing – think zebra dome on a larger scale with a twist. This reimagined version has a layer of almost cake-like chocolate in the middle in addition to a cookie layer on the bottom. These added extra surprises improve upon the original mousse dome, something I didn’t think was even possible.
You can purchase this large-and-in-charge dessert for $6.25 at the Refreshment Outpost in the World Showcase.
Best Not-As-Sweet Treat
I’m one of those people that actually prefer a dessert a bit less on the sweet side. We have a real winner at the fest this year for this category. The Pan de Elote is a traditional Mexican Cornbread topped with Chocolate Sauce and Queso Fresco. I know it sounds like an unusual combination of ingredients, but it was absolutely delicious. The cornbread was quite moist and the pleasant fresh corn flavor and texture matched perfectly with the silky chocolate sauce and hint of soft and crumbly cheese.
This unique item is $6.00 and can be found at the Mexico booth in World Showcase.
Best Duo
Which two items paired perfectly together? The Potato and Pea Samosa with Coriander-Lime Cream and the Mango Lassi. The samosa’s encasing pastry provided a delicious vessel, in sturdiness and flavor, to hold the warm potato and spice mixture on the inside. There was a pleasant and surprising amount of spice level heat in this dish. Mango Lassi is a typical mango pulp blended with milk, yogurt and ice. This delicious version was very fresh in flavor and wonderfully frothy, thus a perfect cooling agent to match up with the samosas. The diced mango on top was a nice added touch.
This was also a very filling pair, and a good deal at just $5.50 for the samosa (a plate of two) and $5.00 for the lassi. You can find this dynamic duo at the India booth in World Showcase.
Best Surprise
Who knew this vague description of Stone-baked Moroccan Bread with Assorted Dips would be the best surprise of the fest? I almost didn’t order this item, as it didn’t sound very interesting. What kinds of dips? How many were there? Well, for only $5, I decided to give it a try. The bread was pulled out of the oven piping hot, and it puffed up like a pillow. The dips were so delicious and each was uniquely different. One was clearly a hummus, showcasing a smooth texture and just the right amount of tang. The other two? I’m not sure, but they were both complex and incredibly flavorful. One had more of a concentrated peppery and paprika taste and the other was perhaps a chermoula, a splendidly herbaceous sauce with a garlic punch.
This surprise item can be found at the Tangierine Cafe: Flavors of the Medina in Morocco in the World Showcase.
Best Food Booth
Bramblewood Bites, a new booth for 2024, took the top prize for me. Two of the top dishes detailed above (the “Best Plate” Bison and “Best Veg” Cast Iron Vegetables) came from this booth. In addition, the only other food item it serves, the Grilled Cider-brined Pork Tenderloin, was also one of my favorite dishes this year. The grill, located to the left of the booth, played an integral part in producing freshly prepared and exceptional food offerings. Another plus is the new “Harvest Hollow” seating area located just next door. This area boasts a shaded area, plenty of picnic tables, and a few games to keep kids and families entertained. Look for Bramblewood close to Figment’s Journey Into Imagination ride.
Best Merch
As a huge Muppet fan, this item was hands down my favorite. The shirt features the iconic Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker, a dynamic pair that have been performing scientific discoveries since the 1970s. As of the end of September, these shirts were already sold out in sizes large and above. The popularity of this apparel shows the adoration many of us have for The Muppets. Other 2024 Festival Merchandise is available at Epcot as well.
Best Extras
Without a doubt, the Eat to the Beat Concert Series is the best extra offered during the festival. I had a great time seeing Sheila E. perform live in September. Concerts are nightly until November 18 at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:00 PM at the America Gardens Theatre near the America Pavilion in World Showcase. It’s so nice to have a choice of three times to see an act each night. There are still several popular singers and bands covering a wide array of music genres set to perform before the festival wraps up. Eat to the Beat Dining Packages are also available where festival goers can dine at a participating Epcot restaurant and be guaranteed a seat for a concert on that day. You can check the My Disney Experience App for availability of those packages.
Did you have an opportunity to visit the 2024 Food & Wine Festival? If so, what were your favorite foods and booths?
