The 2017 International Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot is here! This year’s event runs March 1 – May 29, 2017 and guests can expect to see over 70 Disney themed topiaries, walk through colorful gardens, take in seminars, see multiple exhibits and of course sample food and from around the world in dozens of outdoor kitches. All this plus a full outdoor concert series.
Admission to Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival is included with regular park admission and the concerts are free! Before I get into some of the great food you can expect to see during this year’s festival, let me run down the 2017 Garden Rocks concert lineup:
March 3 – 4: John Secada
March 5 – 6: Dennis DeYoung featuring the music of STYX
March 10 – 13: The Pointer Sisters
March 17 – 18: Simple Plan
March 19 – 20: Plain White T’s
March 24 – 27: Night Ranger
March 31 – April 3: Little River Band
April 7 – 10: Blood, Sweat & Tears featuring Bo Bice
April 14 – 17: Gin Blossoms
April 21 – 24: The Orchestra starring former members of ELO
April 28 – 29: Exposé
April 30 – May 1: Berlin featuring Terri Nunn
May 5 – 8: STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas
May 12 – 15: The Guess Who
May 19 – 22: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
May 26 – 29: The Spinners
Now, let’s talk about the outdoor kitchens which have become one of the highlights of Epcot festivals. Many of the favorites we tried during last year’s festival are making a return for this year, as well as some new ones. Here’s a list of the different food booths that will be lining the World Showcase Lagoon this year. I’ll update each with pictures and a review of the individual food items as we eat our way around this year’s festival!
Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market (Germany)
- Potato Pancakes with House-made Apple Sauce (V)
- REVIEW: Crispy, fried, potato goodness. What’s not to love? I opted for these without the apple sauce but with the herb sour cream. They weren’t overly greasy and were pretty good.
- Potato Pancake with Caramelized Ham, Onions and Herb Sour Cream
- Roasted Bratwurst with Curry Ketchup and Paprika-spiced Chips (GF)
- REVIEW: The brat lacked any flavor. As my dining companion said, “it tastes like tofu.” The lack of any flavor made the dish very bland. The only redeeming quality was the paprika chips and the sauce that went along with them. My recommendation? Go order a brat with sauerkraut from the Biergarden instead.
- Warm Cheese Strudel with Mixed Berries
- Hugo-Charles De Fere “Organic” Brut with Elderflower and Mint
- Paulaner Original Munich Lager
- Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen
- Köstritzer Schwarzbier Black Lager
- Beer Flight
Cider House (United Kingdom)
- Pear Cider-brined Shredded Corned Beef with Braised Cabbage and Branston Dressing with Pears
- REVIEW: Think St. Patrick’s Day and you pretty know what this is going to taste like. Shredded corned beef with good flavor and sweet cabbage make this a good choice and enough for two to share.)
- House-made Potato and Cheddar Cheese Biscuit with Smoked Salmon Tartare
- REVIEW: A weird combination that didn’t sit well with either of us who tried it. The biscuit was just “ok” and the salmon had a very, very strong fish flavor. We did not finish the dish.
- Freshly Baked Lemon Scone with Crème Fraîche and Mixed Berries (V) (GF)
- McKenzie’s Black Cherry Hard Cider, West Seneca, NY
- Florida Beer Company Caribe Blood Orange Tropical Hard Cider, Cape Canaveral, FL
- Ciderboys Magic Hard Strawberry Cider, Stevens Point, WI
- Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider, California (Non-alcoholic)
Fleur de Lys (France)
- Tarte à l’Onion Alsacienne: Alsatian Onion Tart with Sautéed Onions, Fresh Thyme and Rosemary on a Flaky Puff Pastry Crust (V)
- REVIEW: Think French Onion Soup on a tart. It was delicious with plenty of sweet onions on top of the flaky crust made this a nice dish to share.
- Poulet aux Écrevisses, Riz Pilaf: Baked Chicken with Crawfish served with Rice Pilaf
- Macaron Chocolat Framboise: Large Raspberry Macaron with Chocolate Fudge and Raspberry Jam (GF)
- La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushy: Grey Goose Orange, St. Germain Liqueur, White and Red Cranberry Juice
- Kir Pomegranate, Sparkling Wine, Pama Pomegranate Liqueur
- Brut de Pêche: Natural Peach Sparkling Wine
- C’est La Vie: Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blend
- Kronenbourg Blanc 1664
Florida Fresh (Between France & Morocco)
- Carne Asada with Black Bean Cake and Cilantro Lime Sour Cream
- Shrimp and Stone-ground Grits with Andouille Sausage, Sweet Corn , Tomatoes and Cilantro (GF)
- REVIEW: A good, solid, comfort food. Three shrimp seasoned just right over a bed of grits.
- Florida Larder Board: Orlando-made Ricotta Cheese, Cahaba Farms Micro Onions, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic, Country Pâté and House-made Pickles
- Key Lime Tart with Toasted Meringue
- Florida Orange Groves Winery Key Lime Sparkling Wine, St Petersburg, FL
- Tampa Bay Brewing Company Quat Seasonal Fruit Ale
- Barley Mow Brewing Company Mirth and Merriment Golden Ale, Largo FL
- Florida Beer Company Feast of Flowers Farmhouse Ale, Cape Canaveral, FL
- Beer Flight
- Watermelon Cucumber Slushy with Tamiami Florida Gin
- Watermelon Cucumber Slushy (Non-alcoholic)
- Fresh-Squeezed Watermelon Juice (Non-alcoholic)
Hanami (Japan)
- Frushi: Fresh Pineapple, Strawberry and Melon rolled with Raspberry Coconut Rice, sprinkled with Toasted Coconut and Whipped Cream on the side (V)
- Ahi Tuna Poke Sesame Ginger
- Beef Teriyaki Udon: Thin-sliced Beef, Onions and Noodles tossed on the grill with Soy and Ginger
- Sapporo Premium Black Lager
- Kirin Ichiban Pale Ale
- Matcha (Green Tea) Sake Cocktail
- Amabuki Kurenai Junmai Sake
- Ozeki Shin Junmai Sake
Jardin de Fiestas (Mexico)
- Chile Relleno de Picadillo: Battered Poblano Pepper filled with Ground Beef covered with Tomato Sauce and Garnished with Queso Fresco and Toasted Almonds
- Brocheta de Pollo con Salsa Morita: Grilled Chicken with Red and Green Bell Pepper served with Salsa Chile Morita and Garnished with Micro-Cilantro and Edible Flowers
- Tres Leches: Vanilla Sponge Cake, Cajeta, Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk and Garnished with Orange Zest
- Hibiscus Margarita
- Elderflower Pineapple Margarita
- Watermelon White Sangria
- Pacifico Draft Beer with Kahlua Floater
La Isla Fresca (Caribbean)
- Jamaican-braised Beef with Pigeon Pea Rice and Micro Cilantro
- REVIEW: Beef was well seasoned tender! No knife was needed and it melted in your mouth. Not enough to share here tho. Recommended!
- Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer with Steamed Rice and Coconut Lime Sauce
- REVIEW: For the price there was a good amount of shrimp, however, it wasn’t a very flavorful dish. The sauce didn’t do much to add flavor.
- Caribbean Conch Salad with Avocado, Mango and Onions
- FlanCocho: Vanilla Caramel Custard with Chocolate Coffee Cake (V)
- Red Stripe Lager
- Frozen Simply Tropical™ Juice Drink with Cruzan Mango Rum
- Frozen Simply Tropical Juice Drink (Non-alcoholic)
Lotus House (China)
- Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wrap
- Beijing-Style Candied Strawberries (V)
- REVIEW: While the Beef Buns are a favorite at this stand, the strawberries are the runner-up. The crisp sugarary shell does break off as soon as you bite into them, but they are still sweet and juicy.
- Vegetable Spring Rolls (V)
- Oolong Peach Bubble Tea
- Kung Fu Punch: Vodka, Triple Sec, Mango and Orange Juice
- Dragon Pearl: Beer, Honey, Cream and Tapioca Pearls
- M.S.G: A cooler of Mango Wine, Strawberry and Ginger Ale
- Plum Wine Cooler
- Tsingtao Lager
Northern Bloom (Canada)
- Seared Scallops with French Green Beans, Butter Potatoes, Brown Butter Vinaigrette and Apple wood Smoked Bacon (GF)
- Beef Tenderloin Tips, Mushroom Bordelaise Sauce, Whipped Potatoes with Garden Vegetables
- Nanaimo Bar
- Maple Popcorn Shake with Crown Royal Maple Whiskey – NEW!
- Maple Popcorn Shake (non-alcoholic) – NEW!
- Unibroue Maudite Amber Ale, Chambly, Québec – NEW!
- Unibroue À Tout Le Monde Saison, Chambly, Québec – NEW!
- Unibroue Éphémère White Ale, Chambly, Québec – NEW!
- Beer Flight
Pineapple Promenade
- Spicy Hot Dog with Pineapple Chutney and Plantain Chips
- Pineapple Soft-Serve (V)
- Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Pineapple Wine, St. Petersburg, FL
- Maui Brewing Company Pineapple Mana, Hawaii
- Pineapple Soft-Serve with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum
- Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade (Non-alcoholic)
Primavera Kitchen (Italy)
- Antipasto Misto: Cerignola Olives, Sweet Soppressata and Salami, Ovolini, Mozzarella, Sweet Roasted Peppers and Ciabatta Bread
- Meatball Parmigiana: Hand-made Beef and Veal Meatballs, Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, Parmigiana and Fresh Basil
- REVIEW: A nice portion at a good price. The meatballs had a goof texture to them and were soft. The sauce was very good. Recommended!
- Strawberry Tiramisu: Ladyfingers, Mascarpone Cream and Marinated Strawberries topped with Strawberry Sauce
- Pinot Grigio
- Chianti
- Prosecco
- Corbinello
- Moscato
- Bellini: Sparkling Wine and Peach Purée
- Rossini: Sparkling Wine and Marinated Strawberries
- Frozen Italian Margarita with Limoncello and Tequila
- Moretti Lager L’Autentica
- Moretti La Rossa
Taste of Marrakesh (Morocco)
- Merguez “Hot Dog” Sausage: Spicy Beef and Lamb with Sautéed Onions and Green Peppers
- Home-Made Falafel with Pickled Beet and Turnip, Tomato Salad and Tahini Sauce
- Baklava (V)
- Desert Rose: Sparkling Wine topped with Pomegranate Liqueur
- White Sangria
- Guerrouane Red Wine
- Casa Beer
The Berry Basket
- Lamb chop with Quinoa Salad and Blackberry Gastrique
- REVIEW: I had high expectations for this one. The lamb chop had no flavor to it, no seasoning, no nothing. It was very bland. The quinoa salad? Not a fan. I was disappointed, as it looked better than it tasted.
- Field Greens with fresh Strawberries, Blue Cheese, Strawberry Vinaigrette and Spiced Pecans (V)
- Warm Wild Berry Buckle with Pepper Berry Sorbet (V)
- Founders Raubeaus Pure Raspberry Ale, Grand Rapids, MI
- Island Grove Blueberry Moscato, Hawthorne, FL
- Twinings® Green Tea Berry Mint Julep (non-alcoholic version also available)
THE SMOKEHOUSE: Barbecue and Brews (America)
- Pulled Pig Slider with Coleslaw
- REVIEW: A heaping helping of pork topped with the onions and slaw made for a great slider, however there was way too much bun.
- Smoked Pork Ribs with Black Bean and Corn Salad (GF)
- REVIEW: You get about two ribs per portion and we’ve had a few portions so far, and some are very meaty and some are not – but that’s how ribs are. They have an excellent smoky taste as they are smoked right there! Several BBQ sauces are available to try. Delicious!
- Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with White Cheddar Fondue and Pickled Jalapeños
- REVIEW: Not my favorite dish here at The Smokehouse. The brisket was flavorful but there was too much of the cheese sauce.
- Warm Chocolate Cake with Bourbon-Salted Caramel Sauce and Spiced Pecans (V)
- Zen of Zin Old Vine, California
- Orange Blossom Pilsner, Orlando, FL
- 3 Daughters Phantasmas Spicy DIPA, St. Petersburg, FLShipyard Maple Bacon Stout, Clearwater, FL
- Beer Flight
- Frozen Lemonade with Firefly Blackberry Moonshine
- Frozen Lemonade (Non-alcoholic)
Urban Farm Eats
- Watermelon Salad with Pickled Onions, B&W Gourmet Farms Baby Arugula, Feta and Balsamic Reduction (GF) (V)
- REVIEW: Definitely worth trying! If you’re looking for something light and refreshing after walking around Epcot, give this salad a try. Very tasty and recommended.
- Seared Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Ragoût, Spring Vegetables and Fingerling Potatoes
- REVIEW: Pork was tender, the vegetables and potatoes were cooked perfectly and the sauce was good. Only regret was there wasn’t enough for two to share.
- Crabless Cake with Crispy Vegetable Slaw, Lemon Vinaigrette and Old Bay Remoulade (V)
- Avivé Natural Peach Sparkling Wine, France
- King Estate Acrobat Pinot Noir, Oregon
- Wildflower Pale Ale, Forbidden Root Brewery, Chicago, IL
- Urban Mary with House-made Pickled Green Bean
- Urban Fairy Cocktail
If you’re going to this year’s International Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot, be sure to pick up an even guide book to mark off what you’ve tried and to see the entire schedule of events.
This page will be updated as we sample the individual items throughout the festival.