*DIS Contributors review meals, resort stays, and entertainment that they have paid for during their own vacations. They only utilize discounts and offers if they are available to the general public, such as annual passholder discounts, Tables in Wonderland, or DVC membership discounts. They receive no additional compensation for dining experiences or events, so that they may give their honest opinions about price and value.
Mickey Mouse and I have the same favorite food: cheese! Thankfully, cheese is well represented at the 2019 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. As a true cheese aficionado, I had several dishes on my list to try. Here is my personal ranking of the 7 cheesy dishes that I purchased:
#1 Italy – Ravioli Carbonara- The cheese in the ravioli was excellent and full of flavor. The sauce and bacon really brought this dish to a new level. With about six ravioli, the portion size was pretty large for the price. I can’t wait to go back and get this one again! It was hands down the favorite cheesy thing I ate!
#2 Brazil – Pao De Queijo- I know this Brazilian cheese bread has been around for several years, but I finally tried it this year. I expected something akin to a cheddar bay biscuit, but that is definitely not what I got. The cheese-filled the entire piece of bread and tasted surprisingly like brie. It was extremely hot when I ate it. This is another dish I can’t wait to try again! It is also part of Emile’s Fromage Montage, so make sure you get a stamp in your festival passport for purchasing.
#3 Active Eats – Loaded Mac and Cheese- I tried to order this one without leeks and was disappointed to find they were already mixed into the dish. Despite this, the spicy kick in this mac and cheese, plus the nice crunch of the bacon and breadcrumbs, made this one a winner for me.
#4 The Alps – Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese- This is the dish I was most excited to try at the festival. The cheese went very well with the potatoes and the bread. I really enjoyed the flavor of the cheese, and the potatoes were well cooked. I had been warned to eat this quickly before the cheese congealed, so I ate it pretty fast. I look forward to going back and eating it a bit more slowly. This dish is also a part of Emile’s Fromage Montage, so you’ll get a stamp in your festival passport for purchasing.
#5 The Cheese Studio – Maple Bourbon Cheesecake- The flavors in this desert are excellent, especially with the sauce. It is a creamy cheesecake with a spongecake-like bottom. I had it last year and had to go back for it again this year. The nuts are added after it is made, so you could probably request them to be left off if needed.
#6 Ireland – Warm Irish Cheddar and Stout Dip- This dish would be a lot higher on my list were it not for the brown bread. You get a large cup of cheese and two small pieces of brown bread. I had a lot of cheese dip leftover after the bread was gone. The bread isn’t my favorite as it is very grainy. The cheese, however, has an excellent strong flavor.
#7 France – Fondue Savoyarde- I felt like I was having déjà vu when I ate this. It was very similar to the Irish Cheddar and Stout Dip in consistency, but with a less strong taste. I did not like the three very hard croutons it was served with. In all honesty, the croutons were so hard that I worried I would break a tooth. Like the Irish counterpart, I had tons of cheese leftover with nothing to eat it with. I wouldn’t get this again unless the bread was changed completely.
I tried each of these dishes only once during this year’s festival. At the Food and Wine Festival, experiences can differ depending on if food has been sitting under the heat lamp.
Click here to see the full list of 2019 Epcot Food and Wine Festival menus.
