Food Reviews from EPCOT Festival of the Arts

EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts is in full swing, and we’re sharing our food reviews from our recent trip!

This annual EPCOT festival celebrates the visual, culinary, and performing arts. Guests attending Festival of the Arts will enjoy live artist demonstrations, musical performances, and art-inspired cuisine at the various food studios. 

This was our first visit to EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts, and I was most excited to try the food!

For a full list of EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts food studios, head to Walt Disney World’s website.

A little background information: This trip was just my four-year-old son and me.  And while that meant this was an incredible bonding experience for the two of us, it also meant we couldn’t do as much damage snacking around EPCOT as I would have liked. I only had one other tummy to help me, and a particularly small one at that! 

So, my plan of attack with Festival of the Arts was to get food items I thought my four-year-old would enjoy sharing. And I think we did a pretty good job of sampling several cuisines in one day. Plus, now I have reviews from a four-year-old’s perspective that parents of small children may benefit from!

The Craftsman’s Courtyard (Between World Showcase and the Imagination Pavilion)

Cuisine Constructed with the Natural Aesthetics of the Arts and Crafts Movement

Beef Wellington-Inspired Croissant Supreme – with Creamed Spinach Croissant Pinwheel, Mushroom-Gorgonzola Ragout, Mustard-grilled Flank Steak, Red Wine Sauce, and Pickled Mustard Seeds

The first food studio we visited during Festival of the Arts was The Craftsman’s Courtyard to sample the Croissant Supreme.  And let me tell you – this was fantastic!  The steak was tender, well-seasoned, and cooked perfectly.  The croissant was flaky, and the gravy was rich and savory with a tangy zip from the pickled mustard seeds.

My son wasn’t interested in this one, and I was totally fine with not sharing this dish.  I hate to say this so early on, but this was my favorite dish of the fest!

The Deconstructed Dish (World Discovery)

Classic Dishes Fragmented and Presented as Never Before

I was most excited to visit this food studio because I love the concept of deconstructing popular dishes in this artistic way. However, I had concerns my four-year-old would not be interested in this food.

Deconstructed BLT – Pork Belly, Soft-poached Egg, Onion Bread Pudding, Watercress Espuma, and Tomato Jam

First up was the Deconstructed BLT.  I really loved the inclusion of a soft-poached egg in this dish (which was cooked perfectly).  The onion bread pudding was also a creative substitute for the traditional toasted bread. 

My only complaint was that the pork belly was quite dry.  But mixing all the components together with the silky egg yolk and zesty tomato jam created a very delicious bite.  And better still, my four-year-old approved of this dish!

Deconstructed Key Lime Pie – Flexible Key Lime Curd, “Key Lime” Mousse, Graham Cracker Cake, and Meringues

Now I’m typically not a fan of key lime pie, but I couldn’t pass up sampling this aesthetically pleasing dish. And I’m glad I did because it was delicious!  The key lime curd was a great balance of sweet and tart.  And the “key lime” mousse was adorable. 

My favorite component was probably the graham cracker cake.  It had a hint of warm spices to it, but I didn’t have a chance to discern what those spices were before my son shoved the whole thing in his mouth!  Four-year-old approved. 

Deconstructed Strawberry Mint Julep – Frozen Mint and Simple Syrup blend with Strawberry Puree and Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon

The strawberry mint julep was…ok.  I personally think it could have used more mint and bourbon.  The flavors were rather muted besides the overall sweetness of the drink from the simple syrup.

L’Arte di Mangiare (Italy)

Flavorful Baroque Cuisine, Prepared with Rich Color and Dramatic Flavor

I specifically stopped at this Festival of the Arts food studio because I thought my son would enjoy the food here.  And luckily, he did!  Italy may just be the most kid-friendly booth of this festival.

Mozzarella Fritta – Flash-fried Breaded Fresh Mozzarella with Artist Palette Condiments

The plating of this mozzarella perfectly embodies Festival of the Arts – it’s very creative!  The breading on the cheese was crispy and not too thick, which I appreciated.  The cheese, however, wasn’t super melty, but it was warm enough to be enjoyed. 

The pesto and balsamic dips were my favorite, while my son preferred the pomodoro and aioli.  He enjoyed them so much, in fact, that he insisted on finishing them even though the mozzarella was gone.  I indulged him since we were in Disney, after all.  Four-year-old approved.

Tricolore – Cheese-filled Ravioloni, Pomodoro, Cream, and Pesto Sauces

This trio of ravioloni was cooked perfectly, and the accompanying sauces were quite good.  I’m not a big fan of pomodoro (I prefer the bolder flavors of marinara), but my son really enjoyed it.  The cream sauce, however, was his favorite while I preferred the pesto.  This was a great dish to fill his belly – four-year-old approved!

Hazelnut S’more Cannoli – Cannoli Shell dipped in Chocolate and Graham Cracker, Chocolate-Hazelnut Cannoli Cream, and Toasted Marshmallows

Cannoli and s’mores – you can’t go wrong!  This was a delicious marriage of desserts and (of course) four-year-old approved.

Mela Spritz – Apple Schnapps, Prosecco, and Sparkling Water

I did not like this at all.  But it’s my own fault because if I were a better Italian, I would know that “mela” translates to apple.  I originally saw “spritz” on the menu and assumed it was a traditional Aperol spritz, but this cocktail tasted overwhelmingly like Sour Apple Pucker.  My own fault for not doing my due research! 

Goshiki (Japan)

Delectable Dishes Featuring “The Five Colors” of Japanese Cuisine

Wagyu Bun – Steamed Bun filled with American Wagyu Beef served with Japanese Karashi Mustard Sauce and Violet Shiso Sauce

This pillowy bao bun was fantastic!  The meat was tender, savory, and well-spiced.  The spice level was too much for my son, but I particularly enjoyed it.  It reminded me of the cheeseburger pods in Animal Kingdom, but possibly better.  Need to make a side-by-side comparison to be sure!

Taiyaki – Crisp, flaky Fish-shaped Pastry filled with Sweet Red Bean served with Whipped Topping and Blueberry Popping Boba

I wasn’t sure what to expect from a red bean dessert, but it was pretty good!  The red bean filling was sweet but also had an earthy element to it.  My son absolutely loved this, so I hardly got any bites!  Four-year-old approved.

Junmai Daiginjyo Sake Flight – Plum, Yuzu+Hyuganatsu, and Sakuranbo Cherry

Since I was cut off from enjoying any more Taiyaki, I shifted my focus to my sake flight.  Each of the flavors were fruity and sweet, but not too sweet.  This would be a great introduction for someone wanting to try sake for the first time. 

L’Art de la Cuisine Française (France)

Spectacular French Cuisine, Plated with Elegance and Prepared with Flair

This Festival of the Arts food studio was another location I thought offered a good balance of elevated and kid-friendly dishes my son might enjoy.

Crème de Brie en Petit Pain – Warm Creamy Brie in a House-made Bread Bowl

Oh, this was sooo good.  The cheese was perfectly creamy and melty, and the bread was soft and great for dipping.  You really can’t go wrong with bread and cheese!  Four-year-old approved.

Pithiviers de Canard et Volaille, Sauce Canard – Puff Pastry with Duck, Chicken, Onions, Mushrooms, Cranberries, and Duck Sauce

I ordered this dish for me; my son was not a fan.  I, however, loved it!  The flavors reminded me of the holidays. 

The puff pastry was flaky and golden brown, the meat mixture was tender and savory, and the cranberries added a nice touch of sweetness to the dish.  Each of the components were tied together beautifully with the rich duck sauce. This was another best of the fest!

Escargot en Chocolat – Chocolate Mousse Flourless Cake, Citrus Coulis, Almond-Chocolate Coating, and Dark Chocolate Decoration

When I first saw escargot on the menu, I was expecting actual snails (and decided to pass on that this trip).  But when we realized this was a chocolate snail, my son insisted we try it.

This dessert was truly incredible!  The chocolate cake was decadent and rich, and the almond coating added a nice crunch to the bite. 

But as we worked further into the dessert, we discovered even more layers of flavors and textures.  The notes of bright citrus, crunchy wafer, and silky mousse made each bite a new discovery.  Très bien!  Four-year-old approved.

Elderflower Liqueur Spritz – St-Germain Liqueur, Sparkling Wine, and Mint

The spritz was sweet and floral, and the addition of mint made this a refreshing cocktail.  This was much better than the Italian spritz, in my opinion!

Refreshment Port (Near Canada)

Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie

My son had his eye on this dessert from the moment we arrived at EPCOT.  And even though we were already stuffed with chocolate snail, I had to fulfill my promise to get this cookie!

The cookie itself was very good, crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.  But what made this dessert really special is the interactivity!  My son carefully painted the whole cookie, then showed it off before digging in.  What a great way to get into the spirit of the Festival of the Arts!  Four-year-old approved.

Final Thoughts

Overall, my top dishes from Festival of the Arts were:

• Beef Wellington-inspired Croissant Supreme (The Craftsman’s Courtyard)
• Wagyu Bun (Goshiki)
• Pithiviers de Canard et Volaille, Sauce Canard (L’Art de la Cuisine Française)
• Escargot en Chocolat (L’Art de la Cuisine Française)

Our top kid-friendly options from Festival of the Arts were:

• Deconstructed BLT (The Deconstructed Dish)
• Mozzarella Fritta (L’Arte di Mangiare)
• Tricolore (L’Arte di Mangiare)
• Taiyaki (Goshiki)
• Crème de Brie en Petit Pain (L’Art de la Cuisine Française)
• Plus, alllll the desserts 😉

Which food studios are you looking forward to visiting at EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts?  Let us know in the comments!

Looking for other Disney Dining Reviews?  Check out our reviews of Nomad Lounge and EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival!

Like what you see? Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to receive our printable Walt Disney World packing list. We’ll also keep you up to date on new posts from Inspiring Magical Memories!