It’s almost time people, my favourite event at Walt Disney World is nearly upon us! The 2017 Epcot Food & Wine Festival kicks off on August 31st and you can explore all of the festival booth menus in detail below.
I have picked out a few favourites from past years and new menu items I am excited to try where relevant. Now to stop if this waffle (food pun get it?) and let’s take a look at the festival menus!
Africa
Highlights from Africa for me are the beef tenderloin tips and the spinach and Paneer cheese pocket!
Food
- Berbere-style Beef Tenderloin Tips with Onions, Jalapeños, Tomato and Pap
- Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew with Vegan Yogurt and Quinoa
- Spinach and Paneer Cheese Pocket with Mint Raita
Beverages
- Ernie Els “Big Easy” Chenin Blanc, Western Cape
- Simonsig Pinotage, Stellenbosch
- Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz, Western Cape
Almond Orchard Hosted by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze (New for 2017)
Though the banana almond sundae sounds intriguing, I will be heading straight for the cold brew coffee with almond milk foam!
Food
- Banana Almond Sundae layered with Fresh Berries and topped with Dark Chocolate and Blueberry Almonds
Beverages
- Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin “Yellow Label” Brut
- Dom Pérignon Brut
- Moët & Chandon Brut Rosé Imperial
- Cold Brew Coffee with Almond Milk Foam
Australia
Every year Australia is always one of the booths that I rate and this year looks fantastic with the shrimp and lamb t-bone being obvious choices for me!
Food
- Grilled Sweet and Spicy Bush Berry Shrimp with Pineapple, Pepper, Onion and Snap Peas (GF)
- Grilled Lamb T-Bone with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies (GF)
- Lamington: Yellow Cake Dipped in Chocolate and Shredded Coconut
Beverages
- Coopers Brewery Original Pale Ale
- Robert Oatley McLaren Vale Shiraz
- Hope Estate “Wollombi Brook” Semillon, Hunter Valley
Belgium
Last year I was disappointed with Belgium as they removed my favourite item from the food and wine festival, the chilled coffee featuring Godiva. In 2017 it’s back and automatically goes to the top of my list of things I am going to rush and grab.
I have been fortunate enough to travel to Belgium a number of times over the last few months so am intrigued to be able to compare Disney’s Belgian waffles to the real thing! Hoegaarden is also incredible and worth a try.
Food
- Belgian Waffle with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream
- Beer-braised Beef served with Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes
- Belgian Waffle with Warm Chocolate Ganache and Whipped Cream
Beverages
- Hoegaarden Witbier
- Leffe Blonde Belgian Pale Ale
- Stella Artois Hard Cidre
- Chilled Coffee featuring Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
Brazil
The crispy pork belly with black beans is one of my favourite items from the festival and I am very pleased it is returning for 2017! The cheese bread is also incredibly tasty!
Food
- Escondidinho de Carne – “Little Hidden One”: Layered Meat Pie with Mashed Yucca (GF)
- Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Tomato and Onions
- Pão de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread
Beverages
- M.I.A. Beer Company Barbosa Black Beer, Doral, FL
- Lidio Carraro Chardonnay
- Frozen Caipirinha featuring LeBlon Cachaça
Brewer’s Collection
I am very intrigued by the pomegranate beer and will also be giving the gingerbread heart a go!
Food
- Lebkuchenherz: Decorated Gingerbread Heart
Beverages
- Radeberger Zwickel Pilsner (Unfiltered)
- Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse Naturtrüb
- Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen Pomegranate Beer
Canada
Le Cellier is one of the best restaurants on property but unfortunately it is also one of the priciest. Canada allows you to try the filet mignon without paying the $50 price tag and is well worth a go. The cheese soup is also amazing and those that listen to the podcast will know how crazy I go for the pretzel rolls!
Food
- Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup served with a Pretzel Roll
- “Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce
Beverages
- Moosehead Radler: Lager infused with Grapefruit, Grape and Lemon Juices
- Neige Premiere “Apple Ice Wine”, Québec
- Fielding Estate Red Conception, Niagara Peninsula
The Cheese Studio, Hosted by Boursin Cheese
Wasn’t a huge fan of this booth in the past but I will be giving the cheese tart and cheese trio a go for sure!
Food
- Braised Beef “Stroganoff” with Tiny Egg Noodles, Wild Mushroom, and Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Sauce
- Savory Caramelized Onion Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Tart with Cold Arugula Salad and Aged Balsamic
- Cheese Trio: Profiterole topped with Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese and Orange Apricot Jam, Smoked Salmon Pinwheel with Boursin Shallot and Chive Cheese and Everything Seasoning and Strawberry Macaroon with Boursin Pepper Cheese
Beverages
- Leth Steinagrund Gruner Veltliner, Austria
- Liberated Pinot Noir, California
China
I don’t believe the menu here has been adjusted at all for 2017. This isn’t a bad thing, everything on the menu here is fantastic with the roasted duck Bao bun and black pepper shrimp with garlic noodles being the highlights.
Food
- Beijing Roasted Duck Bao Bun with Hoisin Sauce
- Spicy Chicken Bao Bun
- Black Pepper Shrimp with Garlic Noodles
- Chicken Potstickers
Beverages
- Tsingtao Lager
- Ritzy Lychee with Courvoisier Cognac VS and Smirnoff Vodka
- Happy Peach with DeKuyper Peach Liqueur and Myers’s Dark Rum
- BaiJoe Punch with Chinese Bai Jui Spirit, Lychee, Coconut and Pineapple Juice
- Mango Bubble Tea with Assam Black Tea and Milk (Non-Alcoholic)
Chocolate Studio
Both of the food items here are amazing with the dark chocolate raspberry torte being a highlight from the entire festival for me.
Food
- Liquid Nitro Chocolate-Almond Truffle with Warm Whiskey-Caramel
- Sweet Dark Chocolate Raspberry Torte with Whipped Cream and Raspberry Dust
Beverages
- Justin Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
- Banfi Rosa Regale, Piedmont
- Lenotti Recioto della Valpolicella, Italy
- RL Buller Fine Muscat
Coastal Eats (New for 2017)
Seafood is my favourite type of food. Though this is new for 2017, I am already certain this is going to be up there among my favourite booths for this year.
Food
- Lump Crab Cake with Napa Cabbage Slaw and Avocado Lemongrass Cream
- Baked Shrimp Scampi Dip with Sourdough Baguette
- Seared Scallops with Roasted Corn and Butterbean Succotash and Chili-Chipotle Butter Sauce
Beverages
- Erath Pinot Gris, Oregon
- Soter Planet Oregon Pinot Noir
Craft Beers
Fantastic local Florida beers and great food to go alongside them, what more could you ask for from this booth?
Food
- Chilled Scotch Egg wrapped in Sausage with Mustard Sauce
- Zesty Cheeseburger and Cheddar Cheese Macaroni Handwich
- L’Orange Cotton Candy: A mixture of Lime and Orange Cotton Candy
Beverages
- M.I.A Beer Company 305 Golden Ale, Doral, FL
- JDub’s Passion Wheat, Sarasota, FL
- Central 28 Trekkerbier Farmhouse Ale, DeBary, FL
- Playalinda Brewing Company Blonde Ale, Titusville, FL
- Florida Beer Company Passport 35 Triple Chocolate Milk Stout, Cape Canaveral, FL
- Cigar City Guayabera Citra Pale Ale, Tampa, FL
- Bright Horizons: Sprite® with Multi-flavored Boba Pearls (Non-Alcoholic)
Earth Eats from The Chew (New for 2017)
Not so sure on the food offering here (not a fan of peanut butter) but I will be trying out some of Kurt Russell’s wine!
Food
- Ricotta and Zucchini Ravioli with Rustic Tomato Sauce
- Grilled Beef Skewer with Romaine, Apricots, and Feta Cheese
- Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Mousse with a Caramel Drizzle
Beverages
- Kurt Russell’s Gogi Wines Chardonnay Gogi “Goldie”, California
- Kurt Russell’s Gogi Wines Pinot Noir, California
- Redstone Meadery Black Raspberry Mead
Farm Fresh
Mango Mama Wine is the real highlight here. It’s so good we have ended up purchasing several bottles to bring home in the past!
Food
- Crispy Chicken with Griddled Cornbread and Red Eye Gravy
- Roasted Beet Salad with Green Beans, Feta Cheese, Minus 8 Vinaigrette and Toasted Walnuts
Beverages
- Gumption Citrus Freak Hard Cider, Middlebury, VT
- Woodchuck Raspberry Hard Cider, Middlebury, VT
- Two Henrys Elderberry Cream Hard Cider, Plant City, FL
- Florida Orange Groves Mango Mama Wine
Flavors from Fire (New for 2017)
Everything here sounds incredible and it looks like this will be another booth where I will need to try everything on the menu!
Food
- Piggy Wings: Roasted Pork Wings with Korean BBQ Sauce and Sesame Seeds
- Smoked Corned Beef with Warm Crispy Potatoes, Pickled Onions and Blonde Ale Beer Fondue featuring BelGioioso Romano and America Grana Cheeses
- Sweet Pancake with Spicy Chipotle Chicken Sausage, Onion Jam and Maple Butter Syrup
- Chocolate Picante: Dark Chocolate Mousse with Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder and Raspberry Dust
Beverages
- Orlando Brewery Smokin’ Blackwater Porter
- Ravenswood Zinfandel, Napa Valley
- Swine Brine featuring Evan Williams Bourbon
France
Always love the croissant with snails at France alongaide the Martini slush. The warm goat cheese pudding sounds fantastic and something I will be giving a go this year!
Food
- Moelleux au Fromage de Chèvre et Épinards: Warm Goat Cheese Pudding with Spinach
- Croissant aux Escargots: Escargot Croissant with Garlic and Parsley
- Boeuf Bourguignon, Purée de Pommes de Terre: Cabernet Sauvignon Braised Beef with Mashed Potatoes
- Crème Brûlée à la Confiture de Framboises: Crème Brûlée with Housemade Rasberry Jam
Beverages
- La Passion Martini Slush: Vodka, Grey Goose Le Citron, Cranberry and Passion Fruit Juice
- Chardonnay, Bouchard Ainé & Fils
- Château les Graves de Barrau: Merlot and Cabernet Blend, Bordeaux
- St-Germain Sparkling Kir: Sparkling Wine and St-Germain Elderflower liqueur
- Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 Pale Lager
Germany
Never been a huge fan of the food in this booth (despite loving German food) but I may give the bratwurst in a pretzel roll a second chance.
Food
- Schinkennudeln: Pasta Gratin with Ham and Cheese
- Roast Bratwurst in a Pretzel Roll
- Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce
- Lebkuchenherz: Decorated Gingerbread Heart
Beverages
- Radeberger Zwickel Pilsner (Unfiltered)
- Selbach Bernkasteler Kurfürstlay Riesling Kabinett, Mosel
- Dr. Heyden Oppenheimer Sacträger Riesling Spätlese, Rheinhessen
- Selbach Riesling Classic Dry, Mosel
Greece
Having been to Greece since the last Food & Wine Festival it will be interesting to compare Epcot’s take with the food I had in Athens!
Food
- Loaded Greek “Nachos”: Pita Chips, Meatless Sausage Crumbles, and Vegan Tzatziki
- Taste of Greece: Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lemon Dill Sauce, Grilled Octopus and Feta Cheese Dip with Warm Pita
- Spanakopita
- Bougatsa: Warm Phyllo Dough Strudel with Sweet Vanilla Custard, Lemon Honey Syrup and Cinnamon
Beverages
- Domaine Skouras Moscofilero, Peloponnese
- Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko, Santorini
- Argyros Atlantis Red Blend, Santorini
Hawai’i
The pork slider is amazing here and this year I will also be trying the passion fruit cheesecake and the grilled tuna. Would be rude not to also have the Mai Tai featuring Sammy’s Beach Bar rum!
Food
- Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour DOLE® Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise
- Grilled Tuna Tataki with Seaweed Salad and Pickled Cucumbers and Wasabi Cream
- Teriyaki-glazed SPAM® Hash with Potatoes, Peppers and Onions and Spicy Mayonnaise
- Passion Fruit Cheesecake with Toasted Macadamia Nuts
Beverages
- Maui Brewing Company Bikini Blonde Lager
- Florida Orange Groves Sparkling Pineapple Wine
- Mai Tai featuring Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum
Hops & Barley
One of my favourite booths at the festival and one you can get real value from if you are on the Disney Dining Plan. Everything on the menu is just so good here!
Food
- New England Lobster Roll
- Smoked Beef Brisket and Pimento Cheese served on Griddled Garlic Toast
- Freshly Baked Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Icing
Beverages
- New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire White Ale, Fort Collins, CO
- Anchor Brewing Liberty Ale, San Francisco, CA
- Orange Blossom Brewing Foxtail Cold Brew Coffee Pilsner, Orlando, FL
- Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands
- Atalon Pauline’s Cuvée Red Blend, Napa Valley
India
I don’t recall seeing this booth before at the festival but the warm Indian bread and Korma chicken dishes have me intrigued! I have been to India so again it will be interesting to compare to the real deal!
Food
- Warm Indian Bread with Pickled Garlic, Mango Salsa and Coriander Pesto Dips
- Madras Red Curry with Roasted Cauliflower, Baby Carrots, Chickpeas and Basmati Rice (GF)
- Korma Chicken with Cucumber Tomato Salad, Almonds, Cashews and Warm Naan Bread
- Pistachio Cardamom Bundt Cake with Chocolate Coconut Mousse
Beverages
- Sula Chenin Blanc, Nashik
- Sula Shiraz, Nashik
- Kingfisher Lager
- Mango Lassi (Non-Alcoholic)
Intermissions Cafe
Key Lime Pie, do I need to say more?
Food
- Asian Chicken Salad with Noodles
- Southwest Chicken Wrap
- Tuna Salad with a Croissant
- Vegetable Wrap
- Hummus with Carrots and Celery
- Fruit and Cheese Plate
- Grapes
- Assorted Blue Diamond Almond Packs
- Duda Farms Celery Snackers
- Key Lime Pie
- Brownie
Ireland
Warm chocolate pudding and honey wine sounds like the perfect combination to me. I will also be going for the Irish sausage with colcannon potatoes and onion gravy for sure!
Food
- Roasted Irish Sausage with Colcannon Potatoes and Onion Gravy
- Warm Irish Cheddar Cheese and Stout Dip with Irish Brown Bread
- Warm Chocolate Pudding with Irish Cream Liqueur Custard
Beverages
- Bunratty Meade Honey Wine
- Guinness Blonde American Lager
- Twinings® Pumpkin Chai Tea Frozen Cocktail with Caramel Vodka
- Twinings Pumpkin Chai Tea and Caramel Shake (Non-Alcoholic)
Islands of the Caribbean
I have to admit, I wasn’t overly impressed by the Islands of the Caribbean at the 2016 festival. I will be checking out the white sangria though!
Food
- Jamaican Beef Patty with Mango Salsa
- Mojo Pork with Black Beans, Cilantro Rice, and Pickled Red Onions
- Quesito: Puff Pastry with Sweetened Cream Cheese and Guava Sauce
Beverages
- Carib Lager
- Caribbean White Sangria
- Frozen Mojito
Italy
Lots of great choice here, the crispy calamari and chocolate covered cannoli will be making it to the top of the list for me. Maybe I will wash it down with a glass of Pinot Grigio!
Food
- Crispy Calamari with Spicy Pomodoro Sauce
- Costoletta di Agnello alla Marchigiana: Braised T-Bone Lamb Chops and Potatoes with Vidalia Onions, Thyme, Bay Leaf and Lamb Jus
- Absolut Penne: Vodka Sauce with Shrimp
- Cannoli al Cioccolato: Chocolate-covered Cannoli filled with Sweet Ricotta, Chocolate and Candied Fruit
Beverages
- Pinot Grigio
- Chianti
- Prosecco
- Corbinello
- Moscato
- Frozen Margarita with Limoncello and Tequila
- Moretti Lager Beer
- Moretti La Rossa Double Malt Beer
Japan
Despite being a huge fan of Japanese food, I have never been a great fan of the offering at the Food and Wine Festival. I will give it another go through and will try the steamed pork dumplings.
Food
- Wasabi Shumai Steamed Pork Dumplings
- Salmon BLT Sushi Roll
- Teriyaki Ginger Pork
Beverages
- Pom Pineapple Sake Cocktail
- Kara Tamba Tarekuchi Dry Sake
- Yukikage “Snow Shadow” Junmai Sake
- Sapporo Lager
Light Lab (New for 2017)
Love the sounds of this new booth, the vanilla tonic water and cotton candy has me very interested!
Beverages
- T=CC2: Vanilla Tonic Water and Cotton Candy (Non-Alcoholic)
- RGB: Citrus Apple Freeze (Non-Alcoholic)
- Bleu Spectrum: Blanc de Bleu Cuvée Mousseux with Boba Pearls
- Founders Brewing Company Green Zebra Watermelon Gose Ale, Grand Rapids, MI
- Elysian Brewing Space Dust IPA, Seattle, WA
- Blue Point Brewing Company Hoptical Illusion IPA, Patchogue, NY
- Sixpoint Brewery Mad Scientist Radian Flux, Brooklyn, NY
- Playalinda Brewing Company Robonaut Red Ale, Titusville, FL
- Left Hand Brewing Company Polestar Pilsner, Longmont, Colorado
Mexico
I have always loved the Mexican booth and the rib eye taco, tequila chipotle shrimp and sangria are all items I will having at this years festival.
Food
- Rib Eye Taco: Marinated Rib Eye, Roasted Chipotle Sauce and Grilled Scallions on a Corn Tortilla
- Tequila Chipotle Shrimp: Served on a Black Bean Huarache garnished with Red and Green Cabbage, Queso Fresco and Crema Mexicana
- Cajeta Mousse served with Cajeta Sauce and White Chocolate Flakes
Beverages
- Prickly Pear Margarita
- Classic Pomegranate Margarita
- Mexican-style Sangria
- Pacifico Lager with Floater
Morocco
Everything is good at Morocco though the chocolate baklava is a highlight. If you haven’t noticed the trend yet, I will be going for the Moroccan sangria too!
Food
- Kefta Pocket: Seasoned Ground Beef in a Pita Pocket
- Spicy Hummus Fries with Cucumber, Tomato, Onions and Tzatziki Sauce
- Chocolate Baklava: Rolled Phyllo Dough with Toasted Almonds and Dark Chocolate Sauce
Beverages
- Moroccan Sangria
- Casa Pale Lager
- Les Trois Domaines Guerrouane White Wine, Meknes
- Mimosa Royale: Sparkling Wine and Orange Juice topped with Orange Liqueur
New Zealand
I love every item on the menu here, the steamed green lip mussels is a highlight but seriously, everything here is incredible.
Food
- Lamb Meatball with Spicy Tomato Chutney
- Steamed Green Lip Mussels with Garlic Butter and Toasted Breadcrumbs
- Seared Venison Loin with Wild Mushroom Marsala Sauce and Kumara Purée
Beverages
- Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
- Nobilo Icon Pinot Noir, Marlborough
- Frozen Wine Cocktail featuring Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Patagonia
Both the empanada and skewer sound great here, not so sure on the beverage options though!
Food
- Beef Empanada
- Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Purée
Beverages
- Verum Pinot Noir, Rio Negro
- Bodega Noemía de Patagonia “A Lisa” Malbec, Rio Negro
Refreshment Cool Post
Spicy hot dog with whisky and coke on the side? Yes please!!
Food
- Spicy Hot Dog with Kimchi and Mustard Sauce
Beverages
- Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky & Frozen Coke
Refreshment Port
Don’t kill me but I am not a big fan of Dole Whips (don’t like pineapple) but the nuggets and croissant doughnut sounds awesome!
Food
- Croissant Doughnut with Cinnamon and Sugar
- Fried Chicken Breast Nuggets with DOLE Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Pineapple Dole Whip Soft-Serve Ice Cream
Beverages
- Pineapple DOLE Whip Soft-Serve Ice Cream with Bacardi Coconut Rum
- Dragon Berry Refresher featuring Bacardi Dragon Berry Rum
Scotland
I have had the fried potato pancake with salmon in the past and loved it, this year I will be giving the lamb stew a go for sure. The difficulty is trying to eat something like a lamb stew in the Florida heat!
Food
- Traditional Scottish Lamb Stew with Neeps and Tatties
- Fresh Potato Pancake with Scottish Smoked Salmon and Herbed Sour Cream
- The Tipsy Laird: Whiskey-soaked Cake with Lemon Cream and Toasted Oats
Beverages
- Citrus Thistle featuring Hendrick’s Gin
- Belhaven Brewery Scottish Ale
Spain
Paella is one of my favourite Spanish dishes, seafood paella is even better and is a real highlight from this years Spanish menu!
Food
- Charcuterie in a Cone with a selection of imported Spanish Meats, Cheeses, Olives and an Herb Vinaigrette
- Traditional Spanish Paella with Shrimp, Mussels, Chicken and Crispy Chorizo
- Seafood Salad with Shrimp, Bay Scallops and Mussels, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, White Balsamic Vinegar and Smoked Paprika
- Sweet Olive Oil Cake with Powdered Sugar and Lemon Curd
Beverages
- Rafael Palacios Bolo Godello, Valdeorras
- Bodegas y Viñedos Artazu Garnacha Rosado, Navarra
- Casa Castillo Monastrell, Jumilla
Thailand
Food
- Marinated Chicken with Peanut Sauce and Stir-fried Vegetables
- Seared Shrimp and Scallop Cake with Cold Noodle Salad
- Red Hot Spicy Thai Curry Beef with Steamed Rice
Beverages
- Helfrich Gewürztraminer, Alsace
- Singha Lager
Wine & Dine Studio
Scallops are must for me from this booth, when done correctly they are incredible and used as a snack on the Disney Dining Plan are well worth grabbing!
Food
- Pulled Duck Confit with Cannellini Bean Ragoût and Zinfandel Reduction
- Seared Scallops, Truffled Celery Root Purée, Brussel Sprouts and Wild Mushrooms featuring Melissa’s Produce
- Trio of Artisan Cheese
- Artist Palette of Cheese and Wine
Beverages
- Round Pond Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Rutherford
- St. Francis Chardonnay, Sonoma County
- Recuerdo Malbec, Argentina
- Eden Canyon “Jolie” Red Blend, California
- Meiomi Rosé, California
Do you have a favourite from this years menu? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to keep an eye on the podcast as I am sure we will be dedicating an episode to the 2017 festival menus closer to the opening of the festival in August!