EPCOT Festival of the Holidays – The Best of the Fest!
We had an absolute blast sampling the new food and beverage offerings at EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. It was a lot of difficult research, but now we can share our EPCOT Festival of the Holidays best of the fest picks!
EPCOT Festival of the Holidays is a celebration of traditions and cuisine from around the world during the yuletide season. In 2025, the festival takes place from November 28th to December 30th.
Guests attending EPCOT Festival of the Holidays will enjoy various seasonal offerings around World Showcase including holiday storytellers, festive decorations, musical performances, and special events. But the big draw of this festival for many is the holiday kitchen food booths.
Each holiday kitchen features a menu inspired by dishes specific to that region. For a full list of the festival’s holiday kitchens and their menus, head to Walt Disney World’s website!
I wish we could have sampled every menu item, but our wallets and available stomach space only allowed for so much. But in this article, I cover everything we sampled at EPCOT Festival of the Holidays as well as which dishes we thought were the best of the fest!
Experimental Prototype Cookies of Tomorrow (CommuniCore Hall)
This booth serves EPCOT-inspired cookies alongside a selection of hot chocolates, shakes, and festive beers.
Ginger Molasses Cookie
This ginger molasses cookie was topped with cream cheese icing and sprinkles.
The cookie was soft and chewy, and the cream cheese icing was sweet with just a hint of tang – I thought it was absolutely fantastic! This is everything I’m looking for in a Christmas cookie.
Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie
The Spaceship Earth cookie was another winner – the cookie had a great crunchy texture that contrasted with the soft salted caramel center. Plus, I can’t get over how pretty it is!
Both of these cookies are eligible for the Holiday Cookie Stroll – the edible scavenger hunt that yields a sweet prize for completing!
Beer Flight
The beer flight consisted of Crooked Can Brewing Company Gingerbread Bock, Gulf Stream Brewing Baking Spirits Bright Gingerbread Red Ale, and Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co. Frosted Gingerbread White Stout.
I enjoyed each of these beers, but I was sipping them alongside the Ginger Molasses Cookie, and was not picking up on the subtle tasting notes. But the cookie was the priority, and I regret nothing!
Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen (Mexico Pavilion)
At this booth, you will find festive Mexican cuisine including tostadas, tamales, and churros.
Tamal de Pollo con Mole
The Tamal de Pollo con Mole is a new festival offering this year. This tamal is filled with shredded chicken and mole in corn masa, and then topped with mole negro, queso fresco, crema Mexicana, slivered almonds, and sesame seeds.
In the past, I’ve found tamales to be dry and lacking flavor at this booth. But that was not the case with this tamal! The shredded chicken was tender and juicy, and the mole sauce added a rich, smoky flavor to the dish. I wouldn’t call this a best of the fest at EPCOT Festival of the Holidays, but it was certainly an enjoyable improvement from past dishes.
Chai-mazing Margarita
Chai-infused Dulce Vida Tequila Blanco, apple-ginger juice, and chai liqueur are the components of this margarita. The apple, ginger, and warm chai spice flavors were very reminiscent of fall.
This was certainly a unique cocktail you wouldn’t find elsewhere. I would have preferred a stronger tequila presence, but overall it was an enjoyable cocktail.
Shanghai Holiday Kitchen (China Pavilion)
This festival booth serves up popular Chinese menu items such as spring rolls, noodles, and rice.
BBQ Char Siu Pork Fried Rice
This new menu item is prepared with Chinese Le Chang sausage, egg, yellow onion, green onion, and sesame seeds.
The overall flavor of the dish leaned on the sweet side with a slight smokiness. It was almost too sweet, and I wished there was a heat element to the dish such as chilis.
Beef Noodle Soup Bowl
The Beef Noodle Soup Bowl is served with slow-braised beef shank, green onion, and house-made chili oil. This dish was fantastic! There was a ton of rich umami flavor in the broth which carried over to the tender slices of beef shank.
I especially enjoyed the addition of cilantro leaves to the dish. And did I mention the portion was huge?! This definitely lands on our EPCOT Festival of the Holidays best of the fest list!
Vegetable Spring Rolls
Next up from China were the Vegetable Spring Rolls served with a citrus sauce.
The spring rolls were well-executed with a crunchy exterior and flavorful filling. But, I felt they were pretty typical of springs rolls you could easily find elsewhere. And at $6.25, these just didn’t justify the cost.
Lychee Martini
For a cocktail, we tried the Lychee Martini made with vodka, lychee syrup, and vermouth. I have never had lychee before, so I was very excited to give this a try!
I will say, the lychee was very sweet. The floral notes were very enjoyable and refreshing, but the overall sweetness of the cocktail was a bit much for me.
Bavaria Holiday Kitchen (Germany Pavilion)
The Bavaria Holiday Kitchen is consistently a fan-favorite during EPCOT Festival of the Holidays. The menu features German dishes such as Pork Schnitzel, Fondue, and the popular Linzer Cookie.
Pork Schnitzel
The Pork Schnitzel is served with mushroom sauce, spätzle, and braised red cabbage. The pork is tender with a crunchy exterior, and pairs wonderfully with the tangy red cabbage and tender spätzle.
Cheese Fondue
The Cheese Fondue is served in a bread bowl with steamed baby vegetables and marble potatoes. The vegetables were cooked perfectly, and they were a wonderful accompaniment for the cheese. And the best part? Eating the cheese-soaked bread bowl!
I would definitely order this again. Besides being tasty, the portion size was very generous and a great value for the money. This fondue definitely lands on my EPCOT Festival of the Holidays best of the fest!
Hazelnut Linzer Cookie
The Hazelnut Linzer Cookie is another eligible menu item for the Holiday Cookie Stroll, and a popular festival treat.
The cookie was very soft, and the raspberry filling was a great balance of sweet and tart.
Glühwein
Glühwein, or mulled wine, is a spiced wine served warm. I love mulled wine this time of year, so I was very excited to see multiple holiday kitchens offering their own regional variations of the beverage.
This wine was wonderfully spiced, and a great complement to the Linzer Cookie.
Shi Wasu Holiday Kitchen (Japan Pavilion)
Japan’s festival booth serves up sushi, soba, and bao with a festive twist.
Sushi Tree Roll
I had to snag the Instagram-worthy Christmas tree sushi from this booth. This sushi is made with krab meat and cream cheese, and then garnished with spicy mayo and colorful rice pearls.
I think the presentation of this dish is so fun. There was a good amount of spice from the mayo, and the rice was cooked well. There was no fishy taste to this dish, so I think it would be very approachable for guests who may not necessarily like sushi, but who want to try something new.
L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen (Between Morocco and France Pavilions)
This holiday kitchen is serving classic deli noshes with plenty of New York flair. Menu items include Pastrami on Rye, Latkes, and the famous Black and White Cookie!
Pastrami on Rye
This classic deli offering is served with house-made pickles and mustard.
I really enjoyed the pastrami – it was tender and flavorful with peppery notes. The bread, however, was much too dry for my liking – particularly the crust which was hard to chew. I also wished there was more mustard on the sandwich for flavor as well as adding some moisture to the bread.
Potato Latkes
This was a simple yet classic dish that could be compared to a hash brown patty. The Latkes were nice and crisp on the outside, and the drizzle of sauce was cool and creamy.
Smoked Salmon Potato Latke
For a more hearty dish, consider trying the Smoked Salmon Potato Latke. The salmon on this latke was fantastic. It was smokey and salty and the perfect accompaniment to the potato pancake.
The fresh herbs and dill sour cream tied the whole thing together. This is definitely a best of the fest at this year’s EPCOT Festival of the holidays!
Frozen New York Whiskey Sour
The Frozen New York Whiskey Sour is made with Manifest Whiskey and Manischewitz Blackberry Wine.
The blackberry wine in the cocktail was sweet, but it balanced well with the sour mix. It was the perfect drink to enjoy while it was still hot outside.
Black and White Cookie
I didn’t order the Black and White Cookie this year – which is now Mickey-shaped! But, we have tried this cookie in the past and I just want to take a moment to share how good it is.
It’s soft and chewy, and the vanilla and chocolate icing added the perfect touch of sweetness. If you are trying to complete the Holiday Cookie Stroll, I highly recommend this cookie!
Le Marché de Noël Holiday Kitchen (France Pavilion)
At this holiday kitchen, you will find French-inspired dishes as well as wine and specialty cocktails.
Macaron de Noël aux Épices
This festival treat is a large gingerbread macaron with a spiced filling. It was so pretty!
The macaron shell itself was fantastic – there was a nice crunch to the exterior and a chewy center. The filling was also very good, but perhaps a bit too much for my liking as it was quite sweet. But otherwise, this was a delicious festive treat!
Vin Chaud French Mulled Wine
As I mentioned before, I love a festive mulled wine during this time of year. So, I couldn’t wait to try France’s rendition of this cozy beverage.
The flavors of orange and cinnamon really shined in this mulled wine. Sipping this libation while listening to joyous stories from Père Noël filled me with holiday cheer!
Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini
France’s Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini is made with vodka, cocoa, and whipped cream.
This is a decadent, tasty treat. The cocktail was chocolatey and creamy and the perfect way to cool off during a hot afternoon.
Yukon Holiday Kitchen (Canada)
This holiday kitchen boasts a menu of food and drinks inspired by The Great White North.
Maple Leaf Shortbread Cookie
Two shortbread cookies are sandwiched together with maple buttercream to create this brand-new festival offering.
The shortbread was buttery and crumbly, and the maple frosting added just the right amount of sweetness. This is another eligible cookie for the Holiday Cookie Stroll!
Regional Ice Wine
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I ordered the Regional Ice Wine, but I was surprised by how tiny it was! That $14.50 price point certainly stung.
The wine was very sweet and fruity, and was essentially a dessert wine. After doing some research, I learned the name is derived from the frozen grapes harvested at winter to make the wine. I’m not a fan of sweet wines, so this was a miss for me.
Mele Kalikimaka (Near Port of Entry)
The menu at Mele Kalikimaka features festive food and drinks inspired by the islands of Hawai’i. Guests can enjoy Kālua Pork, Lomi Lomi Salmon, and the Coffee-Mocha Cookie.
Lomi Lomi Salmon
The Lomi Lomi Salmon is served with tomatoes, onions, salmon roe, yuzu mayonnaise, and yuca chips.
The tomatoes and onions made this dish fresh and bright, while the salmon roe added a salty complement to the acidity of the yuzu mayonnaise. Overall, this was a refreshing dish perfectly paired with the crunchy yuca chips.
Kālua Pork
Hawai’i’s Kālua Pork is served with coconut, purple sweet potatoes, and mango salad.
The pork was tender and nicely salted, and the sweet potato and mango salad added contrasting sweetness and acidity to the dish. Each of these components worked together to create the perfect bite.
Maui Brewing Co. Mango Stickee Rice IPA
I was so excited to try this beer because I love mango, and I was eager to experience “stickee rice” as a beer tasting note.
But unfortunately, I felt all those flavors were so subtle I hardly picked up on them. Overall, the beer drank like a nice, light IPA. It was decent, but the name promised more than I felt was delivered.
Coffee-Mocha Cookie
To round out our Holiday Cookie Stroll hunt, we picked up the Coffee Mocha Cookie. This cookie is topped with a coffee-infused buttercream, cocoa nibs, and chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Coffee and chocolate are such a great pairing, and I really enjoyed the flavors in this cookie and buttercream. The cookie itself, however, was a bit dry. Maybe just an off day, but it was a bit of a letdown.
Chestnuts and Good Cheer Holiday Kitchen (Between World Showcase and the Imagination! Pavilion)
This food booth serves up traditional roasted nuts and eggnog sure to inspire holiday cheer.
Fire-roasted Chestnuts
I have never had roasted chestnuts before, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try them at this festival booth.
Initially, I was surprised by how big they were! The chestnuts were served hot and sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar which was a pleasant surprise. The nuts themselves were very fresh and earthy tasting with a soft and almost creamy texture. This was such a delightful snack – I’m officially a fan!
Final Thoughts
Overall, we felt the best of the fest at this year’s EPCOT Festival of the Holidays were:
- Ginger Molasses Cookie (Experimental Prototype Cookies of Tomorrow)
- Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie (Experimental Prototype Cookies of Tomorrow)
- Beef Noodle Soup Bowl (Shanghai Holiday Kitchen)
- Pork Schnitzel (Bavaria Holiday Kitchen)
- Cheese Fondue (Bavaria Holiday Kitchen)
- Smoked Salmon Potato Latke (L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen)
- Hot Chocolate Martini (Le Marché de Noël Holiday Kitchen)
- Lomi Lomi Salmon (Mele Kalikimaka Holiday Kitchen)
- Kālua Pork (Mele Kalikimaka Holiday Kitchen)
- Fire-Roasted Chestnuts (Chestnuts and Good Cheer Holiday Kitchen)
Which best of the fest dishes will you be sampling at EPCOT Festival of the Holidays? Let me know in the comments!
Looking for other Disney food reviews? Check out our reviews of Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Bar and Beak and Barrel!
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