The Best of the Epcot Festival of the Arts 2025 – Rating 14 Food and Drink Items
The Epcot Festival of the Arts 2025 runs from January 17th to February 24th this year. I recently had the chance to visit Epcot during the 2025 Festival of the Arts with my husband. There are a variety of things that make this my favorite Epcot festival, but one of my favorite things to do during the festival is to try the food dishes and drinks at the food booths while we wander around looking at the art. It’s a nice change of pace from our favorite quick service restaurants. In this post, I’m breaking down everything we tried this year and giving our ratings.
Beef Wellington-inspired Croissant Supreme – Craftsman’s Courtyard
Rating: 6/10
In theory, this sounded delicious and I was excited about the change after being disappointed in last year’s Beef Wellington from the same festival stand. The spinach croissant pinwheel was pretty good and the beef on top of it was good as well but the mushroom ragout was overpowering. It kind of reminded me of using cream of mushroom soup in a casserole recipe. It wasn’t bad, it just felt more like a casserole than a croissant or a beef wellington, if that casserole had a little too much cream of mushroom soup.
Caprese Poutine – Refreshment Port
Rating: 7/10
This one surprised me. The regular poutine at the refreshment port is okay but I liked this one way better. The mozzarella, tomato, and balsamic glaze toppings obviously went really well together. I was worried it would be weird with the fries but I didn’t have any issues with that. Was it my favorite food at the Festival of the Arts this year? No. But was a tasty way to start our trip around the world showcase? Absolutely.
Pithiviers de Canard et Volaille, Sauce – L’Art de la Cuisine Française
Rating: 5/10
In theory, a croissant with duck and a nice sauce sounded good but it was a hot afternoon at the time we tried this and it just didn’t go super well with the heat. The ingredients also felt a little awkward together and the croissant part was a little bit burnt.
Escargot en Chocolat – L’Art de la Cuisine Française
Rating: 6/10
If I were rating on taste alone, this would be rated a point or two higher. The taste made it a chocolate-lover’s dream and the snail shape was so cute. However, it was super rich and rich foods with hot weather can a little bit rough on your stomach so this one might be a better idea after the sun sets.
Layered Tropical Berry Smoothie – Vibrante & Vívido: Encanto Cocina
Rating: 9/10
This smoothie was exactly what we needed on a warm afternoon. The combination of flavors was super fun and tasty. They have versions both with and without alcohol and sometimes something light and frozen is just perfect on a sunny afternoon. It also comes in a super cute festival cup. It’s not a souvenir cup because it does feel disposable but it was still cute. I have also had the Chorizo and Potato Empanada at this stand in the past and can confirm that it is also delicious if you’re stopping here. I do also highly recommend the empanada which I would also give a 9/10.
Taiyaki – Goshiki
Rating: 5/10
I was so excited to see Taiyaki on the menu but I wasn’t a huge fan of this version. The red bean filling was pretty normal but the pastry part of it was more of a puff pastry than what you would usually see for Taiyaki so I was a little bit thrown off by the texture. I also found the whipped cream and popping boba unnecessary. It didn’t feel like that extra topping really added anything to it and it was a little bit too sweet compared to the rest of the dish.
Wagyu Bun – Goshiki
Rating: 10/10
This has been my absolute favorite Festival of the Arts food 2 years in a row now. Everything about this is absolute perfection. No notes. If you’re only getting a couple of things from the festival booths, make this one of them.
Sushi Donut – Goshiki
Rating: 7/10
This is exactly what it says it is. It’s sushi but with the rice in the shape of a donut. The fish is good but probably not the best sushi you’ll ever have and there’s a little bit too much rice but if you like sushi, you’ll like this.
Okinawa Lemonade – Goshiki
Rating: 7/10
This wasn’t quite as good as the smoothie at the Encanto booth but it was refreshing on a hot day and the flavor was unique. If you’re stopping here to get a Wagyu bun and want a cold drink, this is a good option.
Hazelnut S’more Cannoli – L’Arte di Mangiare
Rating: 8/10
This was my favorite dessert I tried this year from the festival booths. The flavor was actually very close to the flavor of a s’more but in cannoli form. The little toasted marshmallows on the end were super cute. My only critique is that the chocolate coating on the shell of the cannoli was a little bit too much and made it almost too sweet and also messy. Without the chocolate coating, it would have been perfect.
Red Wine-braised Beef Short Rib – Pastoral Palate
Rating: 8/10
This has been my second favorite out of the festival foods 2 years in a row. The beef is tender, the sauce is delicious, and even the veggies on the side are super tasty. You really can’t go wrong with this one. I did try the Black Forest Cake at this stand last year and that was also very good if you’re looking for something sweet here. It probably would have been my favorite of the desserts this year as well, if I had room for dessert by the time we ate here.
Squid Ink Pasta – Fictional Victuals
Rating: 8/10
If you’re stopping at the new Fictional Victuals stand, this is the thing to get. The sauce and the pasta are delicious. The truffle is a little bit overbearing – it definitely could have done with a little bit less. Overall, this was a great dish.
Charred Octopus – Fictional Victuals
Rating: 7/10
This is a great option for anyone feeling a little bit adventurous. It is essentially a small octopus tentacle with some vegetables on the side. The flavor is great and it’s interesting to try but not quite as good as the Squid Ink Pasta.
Black Cocoa Brownie – Fictional Victuals
Rating: 5/10
This sounded really interesting but there was just too much going on with it. The brownie itself was very good and the ube ice cream paired well with it. I kind of wish it was just the brownie and the ice cream. Adding in the sponge cake and the frosting just made it too sweet. It definitely looks fun and the individual elements are all good, it’s just too much altogether.
If you’re visiting Disney World before February 24th, 2025, I highly recommend checking out some of the fun booths at Epcot for the Festival of the Arts. Have you had the chance to visit the festival this year? What was your favorite food or drink at the festival booths?
