The Best Dishes Returning To EPCOT’s Flower & Garden Festival

Trio of Dips from Yacht Grub
The Whipped Feta with Lemon is back, friends! This sampler made our Best $50 You Can Spend list for 2025 and I’m already holding a spot for it on this year’s list. We eat a lot at EPCOT festivals. We take one or two bites of every single dish, make notes, take pictures and video, and keep it moving. This dish was one of the few that caught our attention last year. Not just us – everyone around us was making impolite noises as they tried these dips. As a proper(ish) older lady from the south, I have very firm opinions, but none more staunch than my views on good pimento cheese. The Pimento Cheese and Pickles in this trio is top tier. Can’t wait for this one, especially since the price is holding steady.
Grilled Street Corn on the Cob from Beach Grub
Another item that reads as pedestrian but tastes special. Plant-based cheese and all, this is a hard yes for me. The folks handling this grill last year were excellent – look at that char! Since this isn’t really an easy to share item, just plan to get a few – totally worth the $6.00.
Seafood Bake from Beach Grub
My standard for good EPCOT festival food has remained the same for years. Unless something is truly special, a festival dish should be 1) something you either can’t or won’t make at home, 2) delicious, 3) easy to share, and, 4) reasonably priced for the size of the dish & ingredients. That’s it. If I wouldn’t spend my own money on a dish, I won’t recommend you spend your money. This Seafood Bake is one of those dishes that ticks all the boxes for me. The price, $8.50, is reasonable, the serving is huge, it’s so easy to share, and it tasted fantastic last year! A nice mixture of Clams, Mussels, Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, Red Potatoes, and Corn with the most heavenly White Wine Broth! Save the bread to sop up the juice when you’re done. The only bad news here is you may be too full to continue.
Chicken and Waffles from The Honey Bee-stro
Hooray for not making this a “hot honey” dish this year! This is the plate I present to visiting family and friends who are new to Flower and Garden, and it’s always a winner! Who doesn’t love Crispy Chicken and a Honey-Bacon Cornbread Waffle?!? The Orange Blossom Honey isn’t as strong as it sounds but it surely is fragrant. This dish gets a bit sloppy to share but it’s so good that nobody is going to care. Keep in mind that the Honey Bee-stro is just steps from Yacht Grub and Beach Grub, so this stretch is going to require focus or a few trips.
Liquid Nitrogen Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake from Swirled Showcase
If you only have the budget and waistband elastic for one sweet treat at Flower and Garden, I implore you to make it the Liquid Nitrogen Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake at Swirled Showcase. Don’t send the kids through this line alone! Watching the chef scoop at the cheesecake, dip it in the liquid nitrogen, and crack it in preparation for the glorious toppings is half the fun! The inside is cool and creamy, the frozen outer shell is crunchy, and there was never a better pair than honey and blueberry. This dish was reasonably priced last year and we expect the same this year. It’s easy to share and the flavors are so special.
Avocado Toast from BRUNCHCOT
Arguably the face of this floral festival, the Avocado Toast from BRUNCHCOT tastes as bright as blooming hyacinth smells. Forgive the whimsy, but anything with perfectly ripe tomatoes and shaved watermelon radish is a win from me. Salty cheese and a huge pile of avocado are just bonus. The price went up a smidge from last year but I stand firm on my praise of this glorious dish. I refuse to think of the number of times I’ve spent my own money on this as I was making my rounds in EPCOT for work. It was worth the money every single time.
Scallops from Farmer’s Feast
These scallops will only be available during the “Early Bloom Menu” at Farmer’s Feast, then a new menu rolls out. If you have a chance to try this bowl of perfectly seared scallops, bright and sweet spring pea risotto, and lemon-beurre blanc, you absolutely should. Mind you, I had this multiple times last year and the wait was always around 20 minutes, but the reward was solid.
Len will be hitting the kitchens with us this year on opening day of the Festival, so stay tuned for his reviews!

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