Top Eats in Epcot (We Tried Them All)
/We recently visited Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Although Damon and I had been before, with our own families, this was the first time we went together. We booked the trip only a few weeks in advance and spent a great deal of that fortnight researching and planning.
If you’re reading this article, it’s probably because you’re aware of the breadth of food Epcot has to offer and you don’t want to miss out on any particular gems.
Snacks
Cola From Club Cool
Club Cool near the fountains in Future World offers cola from around the world in a range of flavours. The best part? It’s free. Damon and I would wander in here if we were thirsty and happened to be nearby.
They offer cola from Italy, Greece, Thailand, Japan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Peru and Brazil. My recommendation would be the Peruvian Inca Kola. It’s sweet, fruity and refreshing.
Iced Tea From China
If you’re needing a caffeine fix, Joy of Tea in the China pavilion is the place to get it. They serve snacks, desserts, smoothies, cocktails and beer here as well but the iced tea is the main attraction.
The Iced Tea, currently at $4.95 plus tax, is a sweetened, Lychee flavoured Black Tea. This is especially good if it’s hot in summer. It’s cold, refreshing and delicious.
Jumbo Pretzel From Germany
Most Disney fans will be aware of Mickey Pretzels, but the Jumbo Pretzels from the German Pavilion in Epcot are in a whole other league. This salted, baked good is available at the beer cart near the lagoon in the German Pavilion. Alternatively, you can also purchase the Jumbo Pretzel at Sommerfest, the quick service restaurant near the back of the German Pavilion.
At $9.39 plus tax, it’s not a cheap eat but trust us on this, there’s enough for 2. The pretzel comes with a cheese sauce or a chocolate sauce. We thought the cheese sauce looked a bit artificial so went for chocolate. It did not disappoint.
The pretzel has a savoury and salty flavour which pairs really well with chocolate. And you will feel full for a good while after you’re finished.
Booking a Table
For any sit down meal outside of a quick-service restaurant, we would recommend booking ahead. If you don’t, there is a high likelihood you won’t get a table. You can book through My Disney Experience on the WDW website, or through the ‘Reserve Dining’ section on the Disney World app.
A credit card is required in order to book. This is due to Disney’s no-show/cancellation policy. Currently, if you cancel after 11:59PM Eastern Time the night before your reservation, Disney will charge you per person. They will also charge you if you are a no-show.
Pro Tip: If you couldn’t get a slot, keep checking on the app. If any guests cancel, you can immediately reserve that slot. Damon and I got a table at Be Our Guest this way.
Lunch
China - Nine Dragon's Restaurant
If you’re a fan of Chinese food, Nine Dragon’s Restaurant in the China pavilion is a great pick. The restaurant is well themed with wood carvings, traditional Chinese lanterns and glass artwork. And, of course, the food is delicious.
To start, I opted for the Pot Stickers, a mix of chicken and vegetable dumplings with soy sauce on the side ($7.00). Damon opted for the Sichuan Dumplings which were chicken in a chilli oil sauce ($13.00). We would recommend either but at nearly half the price, I would definitely go back for the Pot Stickers if we went again.
For the main, we both opted for the Honey-Sesame Chicken ($18.00). The meat was juicy and tender and the Honey-Sesame seasoning was sweet and savoury. The chicken was accompanied with fried rice and asparagus, both full of flavour.
Dinner
Japan - Tokyo Dining
There are two restaurants situated in the large pagoda building in Japan. Tokyo Dining is on the lagoon side of the building.
Plenty of people aim to eat here and watch the fireworks. We looked into this and decided against it for a few reasons. Firstly, whilst you will be able to see the fireworks, the view of the water is obstructed by trees and the large Japanese Torrii gate beside the water. Secondly, you’re not guaranteed a window table.
We had one course in here before heading to see the fireworks. Damon and I both ordered a Bento Box ($34.00) and were not disappointed. Like a selection box for your main course, you are given shrimp and vegetable tempura, sirloin steak with garlic-ginger sauce, chicken teriyaki, salmon poke salad with sesame-ginger dressing, tuna roll, salmon roll, shrimp nigiri roll and vegetable roll.
They’re also happy to switch out any part of the box if it doesn’t sound appealing to you. I swapped my shrimp tempura for more vegetable tempura. We knew we would only need a main course based on the size of the box so skipped the starter and dessert.
Japan - Teppan Edo
Teppan Edo is the teppanyaki-style restaurant which you can find next to Tokyo Dining (in the same building towards the back). I had never experienced teppanyaki-style cooking before, where the chef prepares and cooks the food in front of you, show style, at your table.
We ate here on our last night in Epcot as our Disney holiday was coming to an end and, like every other experience on this list, it did not disappoint.
Damon and I started with a Miso Soup ($4.00) followed by Nihonbashi, a steak and chicken combo ($35.00). Everything was wonderfully cooked in front of our eyes by the Chef. If you’re looking for a show stopping meal, this is a great pick.
One important anecdote here. Since you’re seated at a table with strangers, this can, as you might expect, have its pitfalls. Whilst we were waiting for our table to be ready, a large family came and sat down next to us. They were, how would I put this, not the quietest of groups.
Knowing our luck, we were all called in as one large group. Determined to sit as far away from them as possible, we waited until they had gone in front and then quietly asked the cast member if we could wait for another table to open up. Very apologetically, she said ‘of course’. We were seated about 10 minutes later with a much quieter family and enjoyed the whole experience.
Moral of the story. You’re paying through the roof to enjoy your time at Disney, so never be afraid to ask.
Conclusion
This list is by no means exhaustive. This is only a taster of the food you can get in Epcot. Our advice? Be open minded and use this as an opportunity to try something new and expand your horizons.
What do you think of our list? Let us know your thoughts and provide your Epcot food recommendations in the comments section below.
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