When it comes to food at Disney, Epcot is hands-down my preferred park! Future World is home of one of my very most favorite Disney eateries—Sunshine Seasons. For starters, as someone who places a high value on nutrition, I’m thrilled at the selection of healthy food there. Much of the produce is grown on-site (right there in The Land pavilion). The sheer variety of the “grab-n-go” offerings is amazing. And, above all, there are food bargains to be had! Complete meals—entrees and two sides—for around $10, and various a la carte offerings under $5. My favorite is a large side salad for around $3!
But let’s move on to what I’m most excited about: fabulous ethnic cuisine! I have never met a country whose food I didn’t like, and Epcot provides me an opportunity to sample some of my favorites. I could literally eat my way around the “World”—World Showcase, that is—in a day. Don’t believe me? Let’s give it a theoretical try! (We’ll go in an organized, clockwise around-the-lagoon fashion.)
- Ah, Mexico! How my children love your Grand Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros! You can grab an order of Churros from La Cantina de San Angel!
- Next stop: Norway. If you have little princesses, like me, you’ll want to check out Akershus Royal Banquet Hall for the Storybook Princess Lunch. Yes, it’s a bit pricey (OK, a LOT pricey), but you’ll see six princesses in the span of an hour. Can you really put a price on that? But if you’re trying to stick to a budget, at least drop by the Kringla Bakeri og Café for a sandwich or pastry. Try the Lefse, traditional potato bread with butter and cinnamon sugar.
- Before you grab a seat to watch the Dragon Legend Acrobats in the China pavilion, stop by the Joy of Tea stand and select your favorite brew. They have both hot and cold selections, as well as some interesting ice cream flavors—Strawberry Red Bean, anyone?
- Guten Tag! (That’s about the extent of the German I remember from my three years of studying it…sad, right?) No visit to the World Showcase is complete without a visit to the Biergarten in Germany. At about $25/adult lunch, this buffet meal is actually a pretty good deal, and oh-so-entertaining! Lederhosen-clad servers…an oompah band…and imbibing tourists…now there’s a funny combination. But if you want to grab a quick snack or brew without all the fuss (and at significantly less expense), stop by Sommerfest. You can get Apple Strudal and a German beer. Sehr Gut!
- You can visit Tutto Italia for a nice relaxing authentic Italian dining experience or stop by the cart for Italian ice or authentic Italian wine.
- I cannot, in good conscience, recommend stopping by the American Adventure to eat, when one is surrounded by all this exotic cuisine. But if your family is of the “burgers, dogs, & fries” ilk, feel free to stop here and have some. Or a funnel cake.
- I love sushi! Sadly, my family doesn’t share this love. That’s why I enjoy eating at kiosks and counter service restaurants: we each grab what we like and meet up to eat. Everyone wins! At the Katsura Grill in Japan, I like the Spicy Tuna Roll.
- At this point, if you’re eating alone, you might be getting a bit full. (I probably should have mentioned that sharing is a great option for sampling!) In Morocco, you might want to head into Tangierine Cafe for a quick little snack. Gotta save room for what’s coming next. Trust me, it will be worth it.
- This is it. What I’ve been anxiously waiting to tell you about. My favorite Epcot eatery. Of course, it’s in the country known for its food: France. It is a hidden gem: Boulangerie Patisserie. This tiny bakery is home to quiche, croissants, soufflés…many of the same items sold for much more at those other France restaurants, but for less. You are cheating yourself if you do not try the chocolate mousse. Indulge!
- I’m not a huge fan of fried food, but on our last trip to the World, I finally tried the Fish & Chips at the Yorkshire County Fish Shop in the United Kingdom. I admit it—I was pleasantly surprised! I quite liked it. It’s the same food you’d order at the Rose and Crown, but it’s a real bargain.
- Our final stop: Canada. And here’s the thing: Canada doesn’t really have a kiosk or quick service restaurant. So, I’m going with the “go big or go home” philosophy here. If you can swing a visit to Le Cellier, it’s well worth it. Yes, it will cost you your first-born child (unless you have the dining plan), but it is always mentioned in any discussion of the finest restaurants on Disney property. So if you opt to indulge, I recommend the Mushroom Filet Mignon. You only live once, right?
Did you enjoy our trip around the world? Outside of that last stop, and if you were sharing among, say, a family of four, you could easily sample something from each country for an average of around $20 per person. Not bad at all! What are your favorite World Showcase eateries?
Learn more about Walt Disney World Dining and get suggestions for where to eat, how to use the Disney Dining Plan and more.
(Thanks Valerie!)
When our family goes to Disney we do “Epcot Crawl.” We start in Canada and get something (to share) to eat and drink (adult beverage) in each country and then finish up at the restaurant in Mexico (make sure to make a reservation). The kids do the Kidcot stations in each country and if you time it right you can catch some really good shows in each place.
We do the mexican restaurant because it the scenery is so good and after drinking all afternoon a good meal helps sober everyone up! We share drinks in each country too so that we have not collapsed by the end though.
We usually do this on the night we are going to do the lightshow at epcot (better than Magic Kingdom if you ask me). By the time dinner is over we can mosey on out and find a spot for the show!
If that is not a day of fun for adults and kids alike, I don’t know what is!
For a great cheap lunch we get the cheese plate at Boulangerie Patisserie. It is $6 and is the same offering as Chefs de France. It has 3 really wonderful cheeses and a huge piece of french bread.
Another great meal is at the Yakitori House in Japan. The Shogun Beef and teryaki chicken plate is around $7. It comes with rice and is enough to fill up my large husband. A great deal!
Our third favorite is the counter service restaurant at Morroco. With great wraps that come with 2 sides for around $9 it is a yummy and healthy meal. You can also get great platters including my favorite Vegatarian platter. A huge plate of food for $11. We often eat dinner there.
omigosh, i am so with on the sunshine seasons! it is the yummiest, best selection of any “food court” i’ve ever seen. we once got smashed potatoes and grilled salmon there, and the quality rivaled most steakhouses!
I lived in Germany for a few years and agree that the German food in Epcot is great! and yes, the curry ketchup is something I have missed since moving back to the states! And of course there is the German Bier for adults!!! Yummy! (We made a special point to eat at the German buffet twice last time!)
I LOVE eating at Epcot and it’s also a great way to introduce my kids to new foods! We were there last month and got reservations at Restaurant Marrakesh in Morroco! It’s a bit pricey, but certainly cheaper than some of the other full-service restaurants, and the portions are large enough to share – we got two appetizers and two entrees and shared them among the four of us, and had just enough room left for dessert at Boulangerie Patisserie! The food is totally awesome – I had to practically battle the kids for a bite of the Chicken Bastilla!
I’m an army brat so I was born in Germany and lived there until I was 7. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the buffet in the Germany part of Epcot. It’s 100% authentic, even down to the kind of ketchup served. When I was little my biggest disappointment moving back here was that I no longer could get curry ketchup like in Germany! Thank goodness for Epcot!
We have a contest to see who can get how far around the world. You have to buy one food item in each country.
I was at Epcot two weeks ago and the Mexico restaurant is open. Maybe they haven’t started yet, or it is finished (but it looked the same to me). It is our favorite.
Just to clarify, the San Angel Inn (the table service restaurant inside the pavillion) IS open. But La Cantina De San Angel (the counter service restaurant that sits near the water) is closed for refurbishment until fall. Confusing, I know, since their names are so similar. :-)
GROAN! This reminds me of when my friend and I went to the World and ate (and drank!) our way through every country in Epcot. : )
By the time we got to the UK, we could only split a packet of salt and vinegar chips and a half pint of Guinness! At the time, we were able to get a cup of cheese soup from a stand in Canada. Do they not have this anymore?
Can’t wait to do it again! ; )
Do they still have that little boat tour through Mexico? I have such wonderful memories of that from my childhood. I haven’t been to Disney World in over 15 years, and from all these posts, it sounds like a much different place. We’re hoping to take our kids there in the next couple years and I can’t wait to see it again.
Yes, they still have the boat ride, but the theme has changed. The misty river at the beginning remains the same, drifting past the restaurant, but instead of being about the history of Mexico and the people and tourism of Mexico, the ride is now primarily about the Three Caballeros (Donald Duck and friends). You can check the old and new rides out on youtube.
Some things have changed, but much is still the same and always fun no matter what! : )
The nachos at Cantina de San Angel are yummy, cheep and quick. Inside, at San Angel Inn, the ambiance draws you in and more delicious foods (and a higher tab) await.
At Le Cellier, the steak is to die for. Seriously. Talk about melt in your mouth! And don’t forget to try the Cheddar Cheese Soup. You’ll be so happy you did!
At Boulangerie Patisserie, the cheesecake and napoleons are out of this world!
At the fast food Lotus Blossom Cafe’ in China, having some egg rolls is a MUST. They are the best I’ve ever had!
At Rose & Crown, we don’t care too much for British fare, but we do like to go in there and have a cup of tea while listening to the entertainment. A cheap thrill! : )
Don’t forget…if it is your birthday or Anniversary, stop and get the free pins at Guest Relations, to let everyone know. Our Anniversary pins got us a free dessert and/or appetizer and special treatment in almost every restaurant we went in!
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I love the Bakery in Norway, my absolute fave!
Yummy!