EPCOT’s 2021 Food & Fine Festival opened on a blisteringly hot Thursday, July 15. Despite the heat, the staff of WDW Magazine ate and drank our way around the world, trying every new Food & Wine menu item on offer, plus several of our favorites from past years.

Photo by Tatjana Lazar

I’ll admit it: I gained 10 pounds during this Disney trip, and it was Food & Wine that did me in, despite all the walking!

But don’t worry: We ate and drank all the things so that you don’t have to. If you’re doing Food & Wine on a budget or just don’t want to force-feed yourself every menu item, make sure you prioritize the best of the best.

Our ranking of the best food and drinks at the 2021 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival considers portion, taste, and value. Each trait was rated on a scale out of 5:

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

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What to Eat: Best 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Menu Items

Man, did we eat a lot. But after all those calories (and a nice lil buzz walking around EPCOT), we have narrowed our list down to some of the best food and drinks at EPCOT Food & Wine this year. Don’t skip any of these winners:

Best Food at 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine

After letting our bellies take a break, the WDW Magazine staff put our heads together to battle it out over what we thought was the best of the best EPCOT Food and Wine Festival foods and drinks this year. Sometimes, the discussions got heated, but we all feel very confident in this list. Here’s what to eat at EPCOT Food and Wine this year:

1. Tuna Poke – Hawai’i Booth – $7

Tuna Poke from the Hawaii booth was our top-rated food at the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. Photo by Rain Blanken

• Eel Sauce, Spicy Mayonnaise, and Crispy Shrimp Chips

Editorial Director, Rain Blanken: “The poke here is seasoned just right, with a teriyaki sauce that isn’t overwhelming. The best feature for sushi lovers is the generous portion … It’s a full cup of poke! I almost needed help eating this one. Almost. The puffed chips are more of an accessory, without much flavor, but they were very useful to expedite the delivery of poke into my mouth.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

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2. Braised Beef Poutine – Refreshment Port Hosted by Boursin Cheese – $9.50

Photo by Tatjana Lazar

• French Fries, Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese Sauce, Cheese Curds, and Gherkin Relish

Communications Director, Tatjana Lazar: “I’m a born-and-bread Canadian from Quebec, and that’s good poutine. It has really good flavors and textures. You know a good cheese curd by how much it squeaks, and these cheese curds had a nice little squeak to them. An added bonus was the braised beef, served in nice hefty chunks alongside thin pickle slices. And to top it all off is that melty, delicious, Boursin cheese. The heat of the poutine melts it almost immediately, making the whole dish cheesy and creamy.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑

3. The Corned Beef Corner Route – Flavors from Fire – $5.50

Corned Beef Corner Route at Flavors from Fire. Photo by Todd Turner

• Smoked Corned Beef with Crispy Potatoes, Cheese Curds, Pickled Onions, and Beer-Cheese Fondue from Emile’s Fromage Montage

Managing Editor, Timothy Moore: “Man, oh man, I’m bummed this isn’t at the top of the list. For me, this was undeniably the best food at the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. The potatoes were the perfect level of crisp, the cheese curds had that just-right squeak, and I could’ve even eaten those pickled onions all by themselves for a meal. They were that good. We all just wish there was more.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

4. Char Siu Pork Udon – The Noodle Exchange – $5.50

Pork Udon. Photo by Tatjana Lazar

• Served with Enoki Mushrooms, Bok Choy, and Soy Pickled Egg

Communications Director, Tatjana Lazar: “Our group tried all three noodle dishes, and it was unanimous: The pork udon was the best! This dish has a good amount of meat and just makes your mouth sing. The noodles have a nice texture: chewy and substantial. This dish came scorching hot out of the booth, but I still finished the entire dish. I liked it that much!”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

5. Griddled Cheese with Pistachios and Honey – Greece – $4.50

Griddled cheese at the Greece booth. Photo by Rain Blanken

• Cheese from Emile’s Fromage Montage

Managing Editor, Timothy Moore: “How is this cheese just $4.50? That’s insane. I cannot overstate how well the honey glaze and sweet pistachios work together with the salty, warm cheese for a sweet yet savory snack worthy of at least two or three helpings. And the best part? One side of the cheese is cooked on the griddle, giving it a nice “barely burnt” cheese taste and texture.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

6. Kālua Pork Slider – Hawai’i – $5.75

Kalua Pork Slider at the Hawaii booth. Photo by Rain Blanken

• Served with Sweet-and-Sour Dole Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise

Managing Editor, Timothy Moore: “For me, this was the must-eat in Hawaii, but Rain still favors the Tuna Poke. (It probably doesn’t help that I’m not at all into raw fish … But this pork slider was the perfect blend of sweet and sour (thank you, as always, DOLE). The pork was so succulent, it could’ve been plucked straight from the Flavors from Fire booth.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

7. “Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon – Canada – $8.75

Filet Mignon from Canada. Photo by Tatjana Lazar

• Served with Truffle-Butter Sauce

Communications Director, Tatjana Lazar: “This is a great way to get a taste of Le Cellier even if you don’t have the time for a full sit-down meal (or can’t even get a reservation). The filet is really easy to cut and melts in your mouth. It also has a nice gravy on top with delicious mushrooms. And the best part: The portion is fair for the price, especially when you consider Le Cellier prices. This is a festival staple everyone should try at least once.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑

8. Coq au Vin, Pommes Dauphine – France – $6.25

Coq au Vin Pommes Dauphine. Photo by Tatjana Lazar

• Chicken braised in Burgundy Wine with Bacon and Puffed Potatoes

Communications Director, Tatjana Lazar: “Bacon and potatoes, yum! The potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside; in fact, so is the chicken. There’s not a strong bacon flavor; I think the bacon was used in the cooking to enhance the other flavors. This is a very nicely balanced plate, with fair portions for the price. The taste was so much better than I expected; we all had ‘oh wow’ moments when trying it.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑

9. The Chimichurri-up Offense – Flavors from Fire – $7.25

Chimichurri-up Offense at Flavors from Fire booth. Photo by Todd Turner

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• Charred Chimichurri Steak on a Smoked Corn Cake with Pickled Vegetable Slaw and Cilantro Aïoli

Editorial Director, Rain Blanken: “My only regret is that I had to share this with someone else. Save this meal all for yourself if you like juicy steak, fresh slaw, and the moistest of moist corn cakes. This was my favorite meat-based dish of the day. But for the small portion, it’s quite pricey.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑

Best Drinks at 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine

We’ve told you what to eat at the 2021 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival, but half of this festival’s name is dedicated to an alcoholic beverage. And it is EPCOT after all, the place famous for enabling guests to drink around the world. But don’t worry: It’s not just wine on offer. You can get wine, beers, cider, and cocktails at the Food and Wine Festival.

1. Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company Pineapple Vibes Blond Ale – Brew-Wing – $9 (12 oz)

Photo by Timothy Moore

• Orlando, FL

Managing Editor, Timothy Moore: “I had the pleasure of trying the Pineapple Vibes Blond Ale as part of the beer flight at Brew-Wing. While I definitely don’t regret the flight (all three beers are delicious), I so wish that I had grabbed a full pour of the Pineapple Vibes. It’s light, not too hoppy but with enough hops to keep me interested, and the pineapple is subtle but refreshing. Don’t miss this beer; it’s the best beer at EPCOT Food and Wine this year.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

2. La Passion Martini Slushy – France – $12.50

La Passion Martini Slushy. Photo by Tatjana Lazar

• Vodka, Grey Goose Le Citron Vodka, Cranberry, and Passion Fruit Juice

Communications Director, Tatjana Lazar: “This is a very refreshing and flavorful cocktail! I thought it was overhyped, but it was honestly just as good as everyone says it is. Not too icy, but a nicely blended frozen drink and a good portion. It’s a little on the expensive side though.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑

3. Frozen Apple Pie (Non-Alcoholic) – Appleseed Orchard – $4.50

Frozen Apple Pie. Photo by Tatjana Lazar

Communications Director, Tatjana Lazar: “Not every drink at Food and Wine must come spiked! This is a wonderfully refreshing virgin drink for a summer/fall festival in Florida. The crunchy little bits of apple pie topping are a great addition to this smoothly blended drink. The portion and price were both favorable. There’s even some apple pie filling in the bottom of the cup so bring a spoon!”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑

4. Swine Brine – Flavors from Fire – $11

Photo by Timothy Moore

• Featuring Jim Beam bourbon

Managing Editor, Timothy Moore: “After a long day of pounding back fruity cocktails in the name of journalism, a whiskey-based drink was a welcome change of pace. I loved everything about this drink from the biting Jim Beam to the edible pork garnish. As a whiskey drink, it was quite small, but it made up for it in the amount of whiskey they put in this thing. This was by far the strongest cocktail I had at the festival.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

5. Mimosa Flight – Shimmering Sips Hosted by Corkcicle – $13

Mimosa Flight. Photo by Tatjana Lazar

Communications Director, Tatjana Lazar: “All three of the mimosas were absolutely scrumptious! Very easily enjoyed in the Florida heat. Each mimosa had a distinct flavor, and the portion was reasonable considering the price.”

The flight includes the Tropical Mimosa, Blood Orange Mimosa, and Key Lime Mimosa.

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑🤑

6. Fig Cocktail – Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina – $11

Fig Cocktail in Corksickle tumbler at Tangierine Cafe. Photo by Rain Blanken

• with White-Cranberry Juice and Fig Vodka

Managing Editor, Timothy Moore: “Easily my favorite part of the Tangierine booth. This cocktail is refreshing and super sweet. You can really taste the fig. What you can’t taste? The vodka. Like, at all.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑

7. Kochi Lemon Drop – Japan – $8

Kochi Lemon Drop. Photo by Tatjana Lazar

• Vodka, Yuzu, and Lemon Juice garnished with a Lemon Jelly

Communications Director, Tatjana Lazar: “Small but strong; lip-puckeringly good. We really wished there was more of this drink in the cup. It was that good. Quite a strong drink, but somehow the sweetness and sourness balance out the alcohol perfectly.”

• Portion: 🍽️🍽️🍽️
• Taste: 👅👅👅👅👅
• Value: 🤑🤑🤑

Video Magic: Eating Our Way Through Food and Wine at EPCOT

Maria Papadakis, a great friend of WDW Magazine, is also an internet sensation with a YouTube channel. She met up with our Communications Director, Tatjana Lazar, and one of our gifted Reporters, Tina Chiu, for a portion of opening day at EPCOT’s 2021 Food and Wine Fest. Check out some highlights from her day dining around the world:

Now that you know what to eat at the ECPOT Food and Wine Festival, expand your horizons with food across the parks. Our November issue covers all the details on eating at WDW. Subscribe by October 31 to get a dose of food magic delivered right to your door.

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