The 2024 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is HERE — but how do you know which eats and drinks to get when there are SO many options?
Festival of the Arts
Should you go for the new menu items? Which returning classics are can’t-miss? And how can you make sure that you try all the BEST stuff? Don’t worry — we’re here to help you find the most delicious things when you visit the festival. Here’s our complete list of the very BEST eats and drinks at the 2024 EPCOT Festival of the Arts.
New Bests
Grilled Marinated Skirt Steak at The Craftsman’s Courtyard
The Skirt Steak with the mushrooms is a WINNING combination.
Grilled Marinated Skirt Steak
The steak was SO tender, but there was still enough fat to keep it chewy. The bread was light and complemented the steak quite nicely. We seriously enjoyed everything at this booth and FULLY recommend it to you. We’re still thinking about that steak. Sigh.
Click here to see our full review of The Craftsman’s Courtyard!
Crazy Chocolate Funnel Cake Sandwich at The Funnel Cake Stand
This tastes very similar to Cocoa Crispies cereal, and it was actually pretty delicious! Be warned, though — it is pretty expensive. Luckily, we have a (sort of) solution.
Crazy Chocolate Funnel Cake Sandwich
The flavors all come together as a kind of chocolate cereal-flavored ice cream sundae, and we didn’t mind that one bit. If you’re using the Dining Plan, you can get this funnel cake with a snack credit, which is a REALLY good deal since it’s $12. How’s THAT for a DFB snack hack?
Click here to see our full review of The Funnel Cake Stand!
Grilled Pork Belly at The Craftsman’s Courtyard
Let’s all take a moment to appreciate raclette cheese and the fact that it exists. OK? OK. Was this cooked well? Yes. Did we like the flavor profile? Yes. Was it worth the price? Yes. That’s THREE “yes”s, people.
Grilled Pork Belly
These flavors just exploded in our mouths. The greens and tomato were soft against the lightly spiced pork belly, and all that loveliness was placed on top of a soft bread covered with a salsa verde cream. SHEER PERFECTION. You can try this dish for $6.75.
Click here to see our full review of The Craftsman’s Courtyard!
Tostada de Langosta at El Artista Hambriento
Woohoo — this was AMAZING. It’s one of the BEST things we’ve eaten today! (Which makes sense since it made its way onto this list.)
Tostada de Langosta
The Tostada de Langosta is a new item for 2024, and you can try it for $8.The lobster and the aioli work really well together, and there’s a bit of spice that’s not overwhelming. The guac was really fresh, and the cabbage added a nice crunch to it all.
Click here to see our full review of El Artista Hambriento!
Torta Ricotta di Cioccolata at L’Arte di Mangiare
This cheesecake is DELICIOUS. First of all, can we talk about that plating?! Now THAT is a pretty cheesecake.
Torta Ricotta di Cioccolata
Sure, it’s a little standard (it’s cheesecake), but the chocolatey taste gives it the “wow” factor we were hoping for in this dish. You can try this new dessert for $8.
Click here to see our full review of L’Arte di Mangiare!
Saumon Fumé Mousse at L’Art de la Cuisine Francaise
Look, we get it. It looks a little weird. Smoked salmon mousse? Huh? You could go as far as saying it looks GROSS. But wait! The flavors here come together in a surprising yet magical way.
Saumon Fumé Mousse et Aspic, Blini et Fromage de Chevre
The salmon has a nice texture — it’s got that nice, buttery flavor we’ve come to love in a good salmon. The mousse is soft and creamy, and if you’re willing to embrace the soft textures in this fish dish, this is WELL WORTH a try. Be brave — you won’t regret it! It’s priced at $7.95.
Returning Bests
Rainbow Cake at Figment’s Inspiration Station at The Odyssey
We loved the Rainbow Cake with freeze-dried Skittles last year, and now it’s BACK for 2024!
Rainbow Cake with freeze-dried SKITTLES bite sized candies
This cake was wonderfully moist, with all of those layers of icing in between the cake. It was almost like a Zebra cake, but BETTER. The freeze-dried Skittles are a little bit strange (consistency-wise), but they somehow worked pretty well when combined with the cake. This is a gorgeous dessert that’ll light up your Instagram and your taste buds! Get it for $5.50.
Click here to see our full review of Figment’s Inspiration Station!
Carne Asada at El Artista Hambriento
One of our favorite dishes from El Artista Hambriento is BACK this year! The Carne Asada was fantastic last year, but it’s changed just a little bit in 2024. This is Chipotle-marinated beef sirloin (same as in 2023), but now it’s topped with grilled queso fresco, Nopales salad with queso fresco foam, and chicharron dust.
Carne Asada
Even with the changes, this is still a best of the fest in our opinion! You can get it for $10.50. The meat was sooo tender, but the grilled queso fresco was the best part of this dish. It added a really deliciously cheesy flavor to the whole thing. One word: YUM!
See our FULL review of El Artista Hambriento here
Tomato Soup With Pimento Cheese, Bacon, and Fried Green Tomato Grilled Cheese at Pop Eats
Our next item takes us to Pop Eats for a fantastic, returning grilled cheese creation! This beauty has pimento cheese, bacon, and fried green tomatoes — YUM!! Plus, it comes with the lovely little tomato soup. This little meal costs $6.50. We loved this last year, with the savory, creamy soup and the not-too-spicy sandwich.
Tomato Soup with pimento cheese, bacon, and fried green tomato grilled cheese
While the classic grilled cheese sandwich paired with the soup (another option at this booth) is tasty, this elevated grilled cheese takes things to another level! There’s a bit of spice (not heat, just spice) from the pimento, and all of the flavors pair SO well together. But take our advice — dip that grilled cheese in the soup! It’s a partnership here, and the elements combined are what make this a STAR.
See more about Pop Eats here!
Hummingbird Cake at The Artist’s Table
If you’ve had the Hummingbird Cake from Homecomin’ in Disney Springs, you likely know just how incredibly delicious this treat can be. The festival’s take on this classic treat was new last year, and it’s back in 2024.
Hummingbird Cake
The cake is a little different this year than in 2023. This year, it’s banana and pecan cake dipped in cream cheese icing with caramel sauce and warm pineapple compote and is priced at $4.75. This was a very decadent dessert. It reminded us of a ginger spice cake covered in the icing of a cinnamon roll. We really enjoyed it again this year!
See our full review of The Artist’s Table here!
Beef Wellington at Cuisine Classique
The Beef Wellington was at The Artist’s Table in 2022, at The Craftsman’s Courtyard in 2023, and now it’s at Cuisine Classique. No matter where this dish travels to, it remains a MUST-get!
Beef Wellington
The dish features Mushroom duxelles, prosciutto, and puff pastry with red wine demi-glace and baby vegetables, and is priced at $8.75. It’s a popular dish and a frequent favorite of ours. The best part is the red wine demi-glace – y’all, we can’t EVEN because it is spectacular. When we just tried the Beef Wellington without, we were like “okay, it’s fine.” But the demi-glace takes it up a lot of notches. It adds sweet and savory flavors, moisture, and complexity.
Click here for more about Cuisine Classique!
Deconstructed Key Lime Pie at The Deconstructed Dish
Need a sweet treat to balance the savory snacks? Stop by The Deconstructed Dish for the Deconstructed Key Lime Pie! This dish is made with Flexible Key lime curd, “Key lime” mousse, graham cracker cake, and meringues. It’s $6.50 and is also part of the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine (get 5 of the 7 designated items and you can get a free prize!).
Deconstructed Key Lime Pie: Flexible Key Lime Curd, “Key Lime” Mousse, Graham Cracker Cake, and Meringues
This dish has generally been fabulous and this year it WOWED us once again. The mousse is light and refreshing, the graham cracker cake goes well with the dish as a whole, and it’s just delicious. If you’re a key lime pie fan, don’t miss your chance to have it in this unique and beautiful way!
Click here to get more details about The Deconstructed Dish!
Deconstructed BLT at The Deconstructed Dish
But Key Lime Pie isn’t the only deconstructed dish making our returning bests list this year. The Deconstructed BLT is BACK this year, and we couldn’t be happier!
Deconstructed BLT: Pork belly, onion bread pudding, watercress espuma, and tomato jam
This year, the dish is made with pork belly, onion bread pudding, watercress espuma, and tomato jam. The only difference is that it doesn’t have the soft-poached egg this year. It’s priced at $7.25. This deconstructed dish looks a little different than it did last year, but don’t let that fool you — it’s still just as tasty. You can certainly enjoy everything separately, but putting it all together makes it even better. The tomato jam is still really sweet this year, but it’s a great compliment to everything else.
Get full details about The Deconstructed Dish here!
Wild Mushroom Risotto at Gourmet Landscapes
If you love mushrooms, cheese, and deliciously savory flavors in general, do NOT overlook the Wild Mushroom Risotto at Gourmet Landscapes, which has made our “best of the fest” list many times. This has been a LONG-time DFB favorite, and it can be all yours for $9.75 this year.
The dish is served with truffle shavings and zinfandel reduction, and it’s worth every penny.
Wild Mushroom Risotto
It is wonderfully rich and thick. Pair that with the mushroom flavor that really comes through and the delicious parmesan cheese and DING! DING! DING! you have a WINNER.
See more about Gourmet Landscapes here!
Red Wine-Braised Beef Short Rib at Pastoral Palate
If you love beef and want something savory, look no further. This returning short rib comes with parsnip purée, broccolini, baby tomatoes, and balsamic glaze, and it’s priced at $8.75. It’s WONDERFUL!
Red Wine-braised Beef Short Rib
The short ribs were full of flavor and not too salty, the balsamic glaze was awesome, the parsnip puree was creamy, and when all combined together, it made for a delicious bite!
See our full review of the Pastoral Palate booth here!
Chorizo and Potato Empanada at Vibrante & Vívido
C’mon folks, just LOOK at this beauty!!! The Chorizo and Potato Empanada is a delicious pick at the Festival of the Arts. It is served with turmeric aïoli and annatto aïoli and is a Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine item, too, so it’ll help you work toward that FREE prize!
Chorizo and Potato Empanada
We noticed a lot of folks talking about the Empanada, and now that we’ve had it, we GET IT. It’s beautiful. It’s also filled with so much chorizo that it could be the kind of snack that would hold you over until you can get a full meal. Be warned, though — that chorizo packs some heat. We have a feeling it could please a lot of people out there. Get it for $6.75.
Get full details on the Vibrante & Vívido booth HERE!
Honorable Mentions
While these may not be “full” best of the fest winners, we did want to highlight them because they were particularly good!
Sushi Donut at Goshiki (Japan)
The Sushi Donut is a long-time favorite at the Goshiki booth, and for good reason! This is a donut-shaped sushi item featuring salmon, tuna, shrimp, cucumber, and sesame seed over a decorated plate of wasabi aïoli, sriracha aïoli, and eel sauce.
It’s a popular pick that is particularly fun because of its shape. Plus, the colorful nature of the sushi donut makes it awesome to photograph. In terms of taste, when we’ve had it in the past, the fish has been really fresh and it practically melts in your mouth! Plus, the spicy sauces add a great layer of flavor.
Sushi Donut
It was basically the same this year, but we do think that it needs some additional soy sauce just because of how much rice there is. Still, it’s an iconic Festival eat. Don’t miss your chance to pick this up for a limited time for $8.75.
Get more details about the Goshiki booth here.
Char Siu Pork Bun at The Painted Panda (China)
At The Painted Panda booth, you’ll find the tasty Char Siu Pork Bun! Essentially, this is pork with a tasty sauce on a bao bun — simple yet delicious!
In 2022, we described this item as “glorious” and in 2023, it was quite good once again! The pork was tougher last year than it had been in the past, but this year, the bao bun tasted fresh, soft, and pillowy, and the pork has a nice chew and a very smoky, savory flavor.
Char Siu Pork Bun
It delivers year after year and we’re SO glad it’s back. This beauty can be all yours for $8.50.
See more about The Painted Panda booth here!
Cast Iron-roasted P.E.I. Mussels from Cuisine Classique
Mussels in the middle of a theme park? The dream can be a reality if you stop by Cuisine Classique! Last year, they were at the Craftsman’s Courtyard booth, but this year they’ve moved to Cuisine Classique. These mussels are served with sautéed tomatoes, garlic, and fresh herbs and can be yours for $8.
Cast Iron-roasted P.E.I. mussels
When we’ve had these in the past, they’ve been SUPER tasty! The Mussels were perfectly cooked. The main flavors are garlic and red chili flake for just a bit of kick. These are worth trying if you love Mussels.
Click here for full details on Cuisine Classique.
Crème de Brie en Petit Pain at L’Art de la Cuisine Francaise (France)
Warm creamy brie in a house-made bread bowl — seriously, what’s NOT to love?! This dish is typically a hit and we were thrilled to see it return. However, last year, the portion size was a little bit small, and the brie didn’t quite deliver on flavor. This year,this dish is creamy, the cheese is soft and smooth, and the bread is nice and warm. This is a heartwarming, cozy (yet elevated!) snack that we will recommend over and over again.
Crème de Brie en Petit Pain
If you love melty cheese and bread, get this ASAP. You can try it for $9.95.
Click here for full details on the Cuisine Francaise booth!
Frozen French Martini at L’Art de la Cuisine Francaise (France)
If you are looking for a cool, delicious, and refreshing drink to enjoy at the Festival on a hot Florida day, we have it right here! The Frozen French Martini is a returning favorite made with Grey Goose Vodka, vodka, Chambord liqueur, pineapple, orange, and grape juices with lemon-lime foam.
Frozen French Martini
The combination of flavors is lovely here and results in a sweet and refreshing drink that’s easy to sip on as you stroll through EPCOT. Grab the drink for $15.25!
See the full menu of this booth and more details here!
Smokey Banana Bliss Margarita at El Artista Hambriento
Banana margarita? YES! This one has real banana purée in it, along with some other tasty ingredients like Ten to One Rum, Ilegal Mezcal Joven, and lime juice. Intrigued yet?
Smokey Banana Bliss Margarita
This was absolutely DELICIOUS! The banana flavor is really strong because it’s puree instead of just a syrup. There’s a hint of smokiness and a bit of rum, but it’s mostly banana coming through. We really loved this drink! Try it for $15.50.
See our FULL review of El Artista Hambriento here
Best Booth
And the BEST booth of the Festival is…
WINNER — The Craftsman’s Courtyard
We feel very passionate about this choice. EVERYTHING we tried at this booth was a winner. From the steak to the coffee old fashioned cocktail, this booth made us so. happy.
Craftsman’s Courtyard Full Spread
Do yourself a favor and go visit this booth. It’s definitely geared toward meat lovers, but MAN was that meat cooked well. Everything was tender, juicy, and flavorful. We will keep coming back to this booth throughout the festival. WOO!
Click here for our FULL review of the booth!
Runner Up — Pop Eats
Pop Eats is an annual favorite of ours. It’s grilled cheese and soup — what more can we possibly ask for?! Our particular favorite here is the grilled cheese with pimento cheese, bacon, and fried green tomatoes, but really, the plain grilled cheese is great, too!
2024 Full Spread
Even the new dessert was fabulous — just look how pretty it is! Yeah, we’re STILL obsessed with this booth.
Click here for our FULL review of the booth!
Runner Up — L’Art de la Cuisine Francaise (France)
France brought its A-game this year! From the inventive new salmon dishes to that sweet martini, we were pleasantly surprised by EVERYTHING we tried!
France Full Spread
Of course, the cheesy brie bread bowl is a CLASSIC. You may have to get past the looks of some of these menu items, but we promise — this booth has some WINNERS!
Click here for our FULL BOOTH review!
Best of the Fest for Kids
Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie at Refreshment Port
If you want something that’ll keep your kiddos entertained, the Artist Palette Jumbo Cookie is a great choice! In terms of its taste, it’s a regular, standard chocolate chip cookie. So, there’s nothing special about that, but it is a good thing for those with picky palettes.
It’s a soft chocolate chip cookie!
The design is really what makes it a standout for kiddos! It has different “paint” (icing) colors on it with a little paintbrush so kiddos can have a BLAST coloring their cookie before they devour it. Grab the cookie for $5.50.
Click here to see more about the cookie!
Grape Smoothie with Freeze-Dried SKITTLES at Figment’s Inspiration Station at The Odyssey
The freeze-dried SKITTLES return AGAIN! While the Rainbow Cake with these beauties is something we think everyone would enjoy, the Grape Smoothie with freeze-dried Skittles is a perfect pick for little ones. The drink definitely has a strong artificial grape flavor, so be warned. If that sounds like heaven for your kiddo, then do NOT miss this!
Grape smoothie!
The best part about this item is that you get to keep the souvenir Figment cup it comes in. So, let your kid drink the smoothie and keep the cup for yourself! 😉 Get one for $5.75.
Check out our FULL review of this Figment-inspired booth here.
Mozzarella Fritta at L’Arte de Mangiare (Italy)
If, like with the cookie situation, you’ve got a kiddo that likes paint and creativity, and they like CHEESE, then check out the Mozzarella Fritta at L’Arte de Mangiare. This is a flash-fried breaded fresh mozzarella with artist palette condiments, and it is priced at $8.50.
Mozzarella Fritta: Flash-fried breaded fresh mozzarella with artist palette condiments
Basically, it’s a fancy cheese puck with toppings that is a create-your-own art project! The presentation is fun, but it is expensive for what you get. Still, if you have a little one who likes cheese and sauces and art, this could be a fun buy!
See our full review of the Italy booth here!
Best Plant-Based Item
When it comes to plant-based items, we’re giving that award to the Wild Mushroom Risotto at Gourmet Landscapes.
And that’s our picks for the very BEST of the eats and drinks at the Festival of the Arts! Which items would you most want to try? Tell us in the comments!
For FULL reviews of every single booth at the Festival of the Arts, click here!
And to become a REAL Festival pro, check out our guide to the Festival, which is now available to purchase!
MAKE THE MOST
OF YOUR FESTIVAL DAYS
DFB’s guide to the Festival of the Arts details everything you need to know to maximize your time, budget and stomach space! Know what’s worth it and what to skip with our full-photo menus of each booth, complete with DFB’s Best of the Fest.
It includes all the must-have information for navigating this colorful festival at Disney World, including:
- 🍭 Booth & food photos, maps, and crawls with DFB’s exclusive recommendations!
- 🖌 The COMPLETE schedule of events (so you don’t have to go hunting for all the dates!)
- 🎨 All the details on special events, artist meet-n-greets, festival exclusive merchandise, and more!
Which of these items are going on your must-get list? Tell us in the comments!