The best food at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is not where most people start. My number one plate this year is a basket of fries near Test Track. Second place is a bread pudding a few steps away.
I am not the festival's target customer. Sarah and I do not drink, so a big part of Food & Wine is closed to us, and on our first lap in September I gave the whole night a 6.3/10. Tiny plates, long lines. But I have done it twice now, I score everything, and a few plates are clearly worth your money. This is that list.
The 2026 festival runs August 27 through November 21, 2026, and it is included with EPCOT admission (Disney's festival page). Some booths open later in the season, so check the map in the app before you build a plan around one.
- The short list
- 1. The Fry Basket fry flight
- 2. Flavors from Fire smoked chocolate bread pudding
- The World Showcase winners
- Coastal Eats: Sarah's pick, not mine
- Brew-Wing Lab: next time
- How to do the festival without wasting money
- FAQ
The short list
- Fry Flight, The Fry Basket ($7.99). 9.2/10. My #1 food of the festival.
- Smoked Chocolate Bread Pudding, Flavors from Fire ($4.99). 8.3/10.
- Paella, Spain. 9.4/10 on our September night.
- Pineapple cheesecake, Hawaiʻi. 9.3/10.
- Waffle, Belgium. 8.8/10.
- Germany (schnitzel and apple strudel). 8.0/10, and the strudel is why.
1. The Fry Basket fry flight
My #1 food of the festival.
This is probably my number one food of the whole festival. The Fry Flight is $7.99 and you get three kinds:
- Sea Salt-Malt Vinegar Fries
- Truffle-Parmesan Fries with black garlic-truffle aïoli
- Sweet Potato Casserole Fries with cinnamon sugar, candied pecans, and marshmallow cream
The best part is the portion. Most festival plates are a few bites. This is a real basket, big enough to share. Savory, then sweet, all in one order. The Fry Basket is in World Discovery near Test Track.
2. Flavors from Fire smoked chocolate bread pudding
Smoked Chocolate Bread Pudding, $4.99, with chocolate ganache, vanilla bean bourbon sauce, and smoked sea salt. I give it an 8.3/10. It is really moist, which is the whole game with bread pudding. The only thing missing is a scoop of ice cream. Add that and it climbs. Still one of the highest-ranked things I have eaten at this festival, and at five bucks it is one of the better deals in the park.
The World Showcase winners
These come from our September date night, scored plate by plate in the full trip recap.
The best savory plate of that night.
Dessert to end the loop.
The schnitzel was fine. The apple strudel was the reason to wait in the longest line of the night.
And the ones I would skip: China's dumpling trio (5.0/10) and Greece's griddled cheese (4.8/10). Mexico's tostada (6.0/10) was mid.
Coastal Eats: Sarah's pick, not mine
Coastal Eats has two plates, each $7.49:
- Crab Cake with tropical fruit chutney, mustard sauce, and micro celery
- Seafood Pot Pie with shrimp, scallops, and lobster bisque topped with puff pastry
Sarah loved both. I thought they were just okay. If seafood is your thing, trust her over me on this one.
Brew-Wing Lab: next time
We did not order anything at Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey. The pickle items were not calling us. Wings are on the list for next time, and when I try them they get a score here.
How to do the festival without wasting money
- Start in World Discovery. The fries and the bread pudding are both there, and they beat most of World Showcase.
- Share everything. One plate per stop between two people is the move.
- Pick your booths first. Lines move slower than the crowd suggests. Skip the plates that do not earn it.
- Not drinking? You can still win. Lean on the big-portion and dessert booths.
- Take a break between booths. Pin trading outside Connections Café is a good one.
A full recap of the October 20 day. And if you want to get some work done while you are there, I added two EPCOT spots to Best Places to Work Remotely at Walt Disney World.
FAQ
What is the best food at EPCOT Food and Wine Festival?
For me, the Fry Flight at The Fry Basket ($7.99). It is a 9.2/10, my #1. Big portion, three flavors, easy to share.
When is the 2026 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival?
August 27 through November 21, 2026.
Is the Food and Wine Festival worth it if you don't drink?
Yes, if you pick booths on purpose. Fries, the bread pudding, Spain's paella, and Hawaiʻi's cheesecake are all great without a drink.
Is the festival included with admission?
Yes. Food and drinks are paid separately, booth by booth.
Where is The Fry Basket?
World Discovery, near Test Track.
The September night, scored plate by plate
Spain's paella was a 9.4/10. The plates worth a second lap, and the ones to skip, are in the full trip recap.