Every year, Epcot plays host to an International Flower and Garden Festival. This festival is full of beautiful topiaries but the real star of any outdoor festival is the delicious food. A food festival can be challenging for a vegetarian, but Epcot usually does a good job of having a variety of options for those who don’t eat meat. John and I went to the Flower and Garden Festival on Friday and had a great time sampling vegetarian options throughout the day. Here are a few of my favorite options.
Urban Farm Eats
Disney World’s website says:
“Honor the earth and all it grows with a refreshing selection from this location’s all-natural menu. Choose from a hearty array of foods and beverages, many of which have been cultivated entirely from the soil.”
We ate:
- Kale salad, dried cherries, almonds and goat cheese with white balsamic vinaigrette (NEW!) (gluten-free) (vegetarian)
- Quinoa vegetable “Naanwich” with arugula pesto and oven dried tomatoes (NEW!) (vegetarian)
The verdict: The kale salad was a delicious explosion of flavor that was both light and powerful. The “naanwhich” was delicious but the cilantro was a bit strong. Moving the cilantro to the side made a huge difference. Even though it was a small dish, it was very hearty.
Fleur de Lys
Disney World’s website says:
“Tiptoe over to this tasty milieu, named after the famous art gallery in Paris’ Tuileries Gardens. Come—dine and imbibe as you indulge in many of the France Pavilion’s most magnificent culinary masterpieces.”
We ate:
- Gnocchi Parisien à la Provençal – Parisian-style dumpling with vegetables and mushrooms (vegetarian)
The verdict: This dish was absolutely amazing! It was the best thing I had all day! John described it as a French version of stuffing, which I think is pretty spot on.
Botanas Botánico
Disney World’s website says:
“Celebrate Latin America with a festive assortment of specialties, from refreshing snacks to zesty entrees. No matter your palate’s preference, take a siesta from your Festival travels and enjoy one or more of these all-new options!”
We ate:
- Cachapa con queso – Sweet corn pancake with farmers cheese (gluten-free) (vegetarian)
- Coconut tres leches (vegetarian)
The verdict: I don’t eat a lot of corn so I was pleasantly surprised by how good the cachapa con queso was. John was especially excited for coconut tres leches and rightfully so. It was so light, moist, and mouth watering.
Primavera Kitchen
Disney World’s website says:
“Say, “Ciao!” to spring as you set sail for a land of garden-fresh foods near the Italy Pavilion. On your stop, be sure to explore the countryside’s many featured flavors!”
- Cheese Manicotti – Egg pasta stuffed with mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, tomato sauce and béchamel (vegetarian)
- Limoncello Panna Cotta – Lemon custard, limoncello liqueur and raspberries (NEW!) (gluten-free) (vegetarian)
The verdict: You can never go wrong with Italian food. The manicotti tastes like something out of an Italian grandmothers kitchen and the limoncello panna cotta is my new favorite non-chocolate dessert.
Jardin de Fiestas
Disney World’s Website says:
“Make your way near the Mexico Pavilion where the tapas are spring light and cooked just right. Don’t miss your chance to take part in this celebration of festive flavors!”
We ate:
- Veggie quesadilla – Flour tortilla filled with Monterrey Jack cheese and mixed veggies (vegetarian)
- Flan de queso con chocolate abuelita – Mexican chocolate custard with whipped cream and cinnamon (NEW!)
The verdict: I could have probably eaten four more veggie quesadilla’s because they were so delicious. They seem like they would be easy to make so I will be attempting to make them at home this weekend. I normally don’t like flan so when John decided to get the chocolate flan, I had no intention of trying it. I am so glad he convinced me to give the flan a try because after the gnocchi parisien à la provençal, it was my favorite dish there! If you like flan, you will love this one and if you hate flan, you will probably love it anyway!
