The Best $50 You Can Spend at EPCOT’s Flower & Garden

We ate everything at EPCOT’s Flower & Garden Festival and have narrowed down the best $50 you can spend if you’re looking to get the best bites on a budget.

The Budget

Since Disney is now charging tax on festival food, we compiled this list including tax. We’ve arrived at 7 dishes for $49.25.

The Food

Poke Bowl, Nectar Hosed by AdventHealth Near The Land Pavilion, $6.29+ tax, =$6.70

Nectar is new to Flower & Garden and is our pick for the best kitchen! The Poke Bowl, above, is a plant-based dish that is also on the Garden Graze menu.

Poke Bowl: Edamame, Avocado, Mango, Pickled Red Onions, Seaweed Salad, Furikake, and Umami Sauce on a bed of Sticky Rice

The ingredients are simple but fresh and tasty. The Umami Sauce makes this dish and we love the price point. You can’t go wrong with anything at Nectar.

Coconut Panna Cotta, Nectar Hosted by AdventHealth Near The Land Pavilion, $ 5.79+ tax, =$6.17

Coconut Panna Cotta: with a Cherry Gelée and Matcha Crumb topped with a Citrus Cookie, Plant-based Meringue, and Flower Confetti 

Another win from the Nectar kitchen and our second plant-based item that is also on the Garden Graze. At a festival where a few old favorites have changed for the worse, we’re so excited that Disney rolled out some new tricks. This Citrus Cookie is simple but innovative and perfect for spring in Florida. This Cherry Gelée is tart and rich, and a great foil for the sweet and tropical panna cotta.

Miso Cola-glazed Sticky Pork Ribs, Trowel & Trellis Near Disney Traders, $7.29+ tax, $7.76

Miso Cola-glazed Sticky Pork Ribs: topped with Spicy Pickled Peppers and Peanuts

This dish isn’t new but it is better. The flavor has always been nice but it tasted like they extended the marinade because the ribs weren’t at all tough. No matter how good the flavor, tough ribs are always a no for us. These were tender and had the best char – hopefully you can see that in the picture above. Don’t stress about the “spicy” peppers – you can ask to have them omitted or just smush them aside and enjoy!

Tart Aux Oignons Caramelises, Fleur de Lys in the France Pavilion, $8.25+tax, =$8.79

Tart Aux Oignons Caramelises: Caramelized Onions on a Flaky Pastry Cruse topped with Bacon 

I acknowledge that the price point is high, but have a peep at that crust and zoom in on the onions. This was one of a handful of dishes that we finished off. The onions were sweet, the bacon was exactly right, and the edges of the crust just crumbled into butter dust with each bite. So simple and so, so good.

Japanese Curry Bread, Hanami in the Japan Pavilion, $6.75 (tax included)

Japanese Curry Bread: Golden, Crispy Fried Bread filled with a Fragrant Japanese Vegetable Curry

Think of this as a delicious savory donut! Crispy panko coating, a slightly sweet milky dough, and a filling that tastes like a really good vegetable stew. It looks small, but this bread is hefty and easy enough to share if you grab a plastic knife from the kiosk. Just a good, hearty dish.

Nigerian Beef Pie, Refreshment Outpost Between the China and Germany Pavilions, $6.79+ tax, =$7.23

Nigerian Beef Pie with Papaya Syrup

The generous egg wash on this pastry is holding in a whole beef and veggie pie! Why don’t we have any pictures of the inside when “the camera eats first” you ask? We forgot we were working and ate the entire thing which is why it’s on this list. Sautéed beef, peppers, onions, potatoes, and a magical blend of spices. The size is perfect, too.

Liquid Nitrogen Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake from Swirled Showcase, $5.49+tax, =$5.85

Liquid Nitrogen Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake: with Fresh Honey, Granulated Honey, and Honey Mead-Blueberry Compote

This may be the best EPCOT Festival dish ever. It incorporates science and we get to watch the cheesecake being “frozen” and cracked before it’s prepared. The flavors are the most on-theme of any dish at Flower & Garden, it’s visually perfect, and the cheesecake is 100% delicious. The crunchy outer shell protects the soft, sweet cheesecake center. The mead-blueberry compote is on the side, as is proper, so the guest can decide how much of the sweet and tart fruit they want with each bite. The drizzle of honey, sprinkle of honey granules, and the cheeky flower are just to show off. We love, love this dish.

Sure, 5 of the 7 dishes we’re recommending fall under the category of Brown Food, but the flavors are anything but. If you’re headed to Flower & Garden before it ends on June 1st, we suggest brining $49.25 to try these bites.