No, visiting Epcot is not the same as traveling to China or Italy or France, but on some level, the experience of eating and drinking “around the world” is supposed to impart a sense of adventure, to bring back memories of visiting distant nations or inspire the next jaunt abroad.
And so, I’ve long found it interesting that many of the Epcot festivals’ most popular food items, year after year, skew toward the domestic side of the culinary fence.
Epcot Festivals chef Tony Marotta had some sound theories upon hearing my observation.
“[American Adventure] is one of our busiest areas in the park, especially later in the day,” he noted. “It’s where a lot of the entertainment is, so you get the crowd back there.”
True. But although Walt Disney World certainly draws a formidable global audience, most of its visitors are American. And my theory says that most Americans want to eat American.
But also, who doesn’t love a lobster roll?
There’s almost always one on the Food & Wine menu, and this year’s iteration — a Gulf Coast-style seafood roll featuring warm-water lobster, rock shrimp, lobster bisque and sherry crème fraîche on a toasted brioche bun ($8.75) — topped the list of guest favorites I was lucky enough to spy before my recent rainy jaunt to the festival.
And the top award goes to… the Gulf Coast-style seafood roll, featuring warm-water lobster, rock shrimp, lobster bisque and sherry crème fraîche. Find it in Flavors of America. (Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel)
This year, there are more than 30 Global Marketplaces and more than 90 brand-new food and beverage items. I tried more than a few, but even I have to admit: that roll is definitely on a roll.
Three other guests asked about it as I shuttled mine to a table beneath rapidly darkening skies, careful to balance both the von Trapp Helles in one hand and the ramekin of melted butter balanced alongside the sando in its paper boat. One man jumped immediately in line.
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It’s rich and creamy. The brioche, too. I ate my half and stared at the butter, contemplating how many steps I’d be taking today, and submerged the last bite. No regrets.
The seafood at these outdoor marketplaces has always been a wonder to me, I tell Marotta.
“It’s something we’ve had to dial in,” he tells me. “It took a lot of training.”
The cast-iron-seared river trout was, without a doubt, my favorite plate of the new items sampled. Flawless crackly skin and beautiful fall-apart filet. This one’s at the Bramblewood Bites booth. (Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel)
They’re seasoned at this point. I’ve never had a poorly done scallop at an Epcot festival. Each is toffee outside, marshmallow inside. But this year, my top marvel is trout — cast-iron-seared river trout, to be specific ($7.25).
Flawless crackly skin and fall-apart flesh, it’s an ode to autumn atop vanilla-tinged squash puree and the beautiful textures of Brussels sprouts salad, candied pecans, toasted pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. It hits all the notes.
Pinxtos are perfect with wine! Find this trio at the Spain booth, where paella and cheesecake offerings are also all-new. (Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel)
“It’s especially hard to get a perfect piece of fish every time,” says Marotta. “Even harder when it’s a small piece.”
For one, it’s a nice serving. I shared mine. But had it been earlier in the festival exploration, and I’d been less full, I might not have wanted to.
This, my top pick of the new tastes I enjoyed, was Marotta’s, as well, and about the only one in his Top 5 that didn’t also appear on the guest roster.
The onion soup purses beat this one out, but guests still loved the street corn-style dumplings enough to make them No. 5. Filled with chicken, they’re served with tomatillo salsa verde, street corn salad, cotija cheese, lime crema and cilantro. (Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel)
The metrics involved are mixed, said Karen McClintock, Disney’s manager of global public relations for food and beverage, when it comes to deciphering guests’ favorites, a combination of sales, feedback and what people are talking about.
Whatever the formula, they do the math fast because two of the guests’ picks are from Gyozas of the Galaxy, a new booth that only opened in late September. Asian-inspired, the flavors are anything but.
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“The Buffalo chicken speaks for itself,” Marotta jokes, but it’s the other two that clocked in on the Top 10 — French onion soup-style dumplings (pork and beef soup dumplings with caramelized onions, sherry-beef broth and Gruyere soubise with a cheese cracker topper) at No. 2 and street corn-style dumplings (chicken dumplings with tomatillo salsa verde, street corn salad, cotija cheese, lime crema and cilantro) at No. 5.
The former were fun and unexpected, with a nice gush of soup inside. The latter were toothy and hearty, with nice play between the skin and the sauces and the crunch of the salad. All three go for $6.
Epcot chefs are seafood specialists and the Guest Top 10 New Picks roster reflected this. Behold, the seaside pot pie with shrimp, scallops, crawfish tails and lobster bisque. (Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel)
At Coastal Eats, the seaside pot pie would be a recommendation I might make over the seafood roll, as its ingredients and flavors (shrimp, scallops, crawfish tails and lobster bisque; $7.50) are similar, though this one comes topped with a beautifully done puff pastry that’s equal parts crispy and tender.
“This is one of those dishes where we really leverage technology,” says Marotta, speaking fondly of the vector oven involved in the process.
“We have these in several of our International Marketplaces and they’re able to produce items like this in a very short amount of time with very good results.”
This year’s bestselling Brew-Wing Lab offering: the Korean BBQ, with fiery gochujang barbecue sauce and toasted sesame seeds. Nice with a cider flight! (Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel)
In fact, these ovens are the secret to the festival’s popular pão de queijo, available at the Brazil booth.
“We can cook those to order all day long,” he says.
Of the rest of the list (if you’re not prone to overdoing it like me), I’d throw the Korean BBQ Wings ($7.75) up there as a go-to. Crispy skin and nice gochujang heat pair beautifully with the BRLO Wild Berries hard cider in the flight that’s also available at the Brew-Wing Lab at Odyssey. (My Epcot companion preferred the sweeter Local Press Apple and Cherry Hard Cider from Collective Arts Brewing.)
Rain or shine, Food & Wine! (Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel)
I made it through every guest pick save the apple cinnamon and caramel mino churros sundae ($5.25, Milled and Mulled), but I’m putting a pin in it if I make it back this year. They looked and smelled spectacular, and the guest who graciously permitted me to snap a photo was extremely happy with his purchase, despite the rain.
We’d both come poncho-prepped, a key element to enjoying Food & Wine when the weather’s still Florida-summer sketchy.
“Food & wine, rain or shine!” I said, raising my chardonnay.
He raised his churros.
And in a theme park moment for the ages, plastic cup to compostable bowl, we clinked.
Find me on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com, For more foodie fun, join the Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group.
Top Guest Food Picks: 2025 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
Gulf Coast-style seafood roll (Flavors of America)
French onion soup-style dumplings (Gyozas of the Galaxy)
Seaside pot pie (Coastal Eats)
Apple-cinnamon and caramel mini churros sundae (Milled and Mulled)
Street corn-style dumplings (Gyozas of the Galaxy)
Rodizio-style grilled beef skewers (Flavors of Fire)
Korean BBQ wings (Brew-Wing Lab at Odyssey)
Trio de Pinxtos (Spain)
Strawberry Champagne trifle (plant-based; Shimmering Sips)
Schiacciata sandwich (Forest & Field)
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/10/15/guest-chef-favorites-epcot-food-wine-disney/
