2019 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays Gluten Free Offerings
It's hard to believe the holiday season is upon us! And, beginning November 29 through December 30, 2019, Epcot will celebrate the season with the International Festival of the Holidays. In addition to lots of holiday cheer, the park festivities features holiday kitchens with food and drink.
Here is a listing of the current gluten free menu items that will be offered at the holiday kitchens. I will be adding prices and Disney Dining Plan Snack eligibility when available based on information from the official Epcot International Festival of the Holidays website along with info from the Disney Food Blog. I will be updating and posting information from my own visits once the festival begins.
Make sure to click on the individual pages for each booth to see food photos and find out more information.
I’ve indicated known special dietary needs (at this time). This list will change as more information is gathered.
*Note: Menus are subject to change, as is any information regarding ingredients, cross-contamination, and other special dietary needs ingredients. Always consult with the Disney culinary team for more information before consuming. Use caution when consuming any food from marketplace booths, as there is an increased risk of cross-contamination. Marketplace booths do not adhere to Disney’s traditional special dietary needs accommodations, particularly for allergies and/or celiac disease.
American Holiday Table
- Hand-carved Smoked Ham with Green Beans and Sweet Potato Casserole – Gluten Free
Festival of the Three Kings
- Pastelón: Sofrito-marinated Beef with Sweet Plantains and Olives – Gluten Free
- Queso Fresco-stuffed Arepa topped with Shrimp, Crushed Avocado Aji and Tomato Sauce – Gluten Free
- Arepas topped with Melted Queso Fresco – Gluten Free
- Tres Leches Rice Pudding with Pumpkin Seeds – Gluten Free
Holiday Sweets & Treats
- Peppermint Sundae: Chocolate Ice Cream, Whipped Cream and Peppermint Candy – Gluten Free
Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen
- Giant Tostada de Puerco: Braised Pork served on a Giant Tostada with Chipotle Black Bean Spread, Guajillo Sauce, Queso Fresco, Crema Mexicana, Pickled Onion and topped with Chicharron Dust – Gluten Free
- Tamal de Pollo: Braised Chipotle Chicken served in a Corn Masa with Yellow Mole and topped with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Queso Cotija and Crema Mexicana – Gluten Free
Stay tuned here on Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW for the latest 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays news!
What are you most looking forward to this year at the Festival of the Holidays?
Hawai’i Booth at the 2019 Epcot Food & Wine Festival
*This gluten free dining experience took place in September 2019. It includes notes about vegetarian options.
For Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free marketplace booth options, be sure to click over to the marketplace booth page for more info.
Hawai'i, located this year in near the Refreshment Port, first debuted at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival in 2011. It's sadly never been a booth that I could visit as a gluten free guest because it's never had any GF options. This year, however, I was surprised to see one gluten friendly option available.
Because this booth is NOT 100% gluten free, there is always an increased risk of cross-contamination. Use your own judgement when consuming items that are not in dedicated gluten free booths or booths that contain almost all gluten friendly dishes.
The one gluten friendly option available at the Hawai'i booth this year is:
- Passion Fruit Cheesecake with Toasted Macadamia Nuts
As I mentioned, with less options marked GF at them contain a higher risk of cross-contamination. But, because this was a pre-made dessert that was essentially just stored in the refrigerator and required no prep except to add toasted macadamia nuts on top, I felt like the risk at this booth for the dessert was fairly minimal. Of course, use your own judgement and comfort level when decided what to eat at the festivals.
The Passion Fruit Cheesecake with Toasted Macadamia Nuts is marked gluten free and vegetarian on the festival passport and costs $4.00 and is eligible as a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan. The dish does contain dairy and cannot be modified.
As far as desserts go, this was right up my alley. I'm not a particular fan of super sweet desserts, and this was a nice mild and only slightly sweet flavor. If you like a rich and creamy simple cheesecake, this is for you. The passion fruit puree on top was really nice and also not overly sweet. The cheesecake itself was crustless. So, the toasted macadamia nuts added the perfect texture.
My only slight criticism to this is the dessert choice. I love cheesecake, but it's about the least likely thing I want to eat in the blazing heat and Florida sun. I would love to see this at a restaurant like Kona Cafe, but it just seems odd for an outdoor festival in warm temperature months. That being said, I might get it during the evening again and take it with me to a nearby air conditioned space to enjoy.
Overall
I was so glad to finally see a gluten free option at the Hawai'i booth. Although desserts aren't always my favorite, this one was really excellent. I would definitely get it again if the temperatures are a bit milder. If you enjoy a dessert that's rich but not overpowering, you'll enjoy the passion fruit cheesecake at the Hawai'i booth.
Have you been to the Hawai'i booth? What did you think of the gluten free and vegetarian cheesecake?
Brazil Booth at 2019 Epcot Food & Wine Festival
*This gluten free dining experience took place in September 2019. It includes notes about dairy free and vegetarian options.
For Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free marketplace booth options, be sure to click over to the marketplace booth page for more info.
When it comes to repeat booths at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival that I most look forward to, Brazil has got to be number one for me. Debuting in 1996, it's also probably one of the most popular booths all around for guests -- special dietary needs or not. This booth includes options that are almost always gluten friendly too, which is great. In fact, in 2016, every single dish at the booth was GF. So, it’s a good go-to for any GF guest visiting the festival. This year the booth has two gluten friendly options available.
With that in mind, because this booth is NOT 100% gluten free, there is always an increased risk of cross-contamination. Use your own judgement when consuming items that are not in dedicated gluten free booths or booths that contain almost all gluten friendly dishes.
The two gluten friendly options available at the Brazil booth include:
- Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Tomato and Onions
- Pão de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread
Just like the Brazil booth, the crispy pork belly and Brazilian cheese breads are favorites of mine and repeat GF options from year's past.
The Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Tomato and Onions is marked gluten free on the passport and is also dairy free. It is priced at $6.00 and is eligible as a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan.
While some people find the crispy pork belly dish hit or miss, it's usually a big hit with me. The main challenge some guests find is that the pork belly isn't crispy enough. On this visit, it was perfectly crispy and very tasty. The black beans and fresh salsa are also really flavorful and pair well with the rich pork belly. I think like the Active Eats booth, my only real complaint is that the size has reduced for this dish over the years.
The Pão de Queijo (aka Brazilian Cheese Bread) is marked gluten free and vegetarian on the passport. It does contain dairy. The price is $4.50, and it's eligible as a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan.
If you like Brazilian cheese bread, this is a must order. On our visit, we received two large portions of bread. As a word of caution, these are very popular during the festival and often sell out or require a wait while the bread cooks. We always try to go early so we don't miss out on this festival favorite!
Overall
As always, the Brazil booth is a must-do for us at the festival. The gluten free options are fantastic, and the consistency of the options has been excellent over the years. It's always a staple and an easy spot to get a few GF items while we're visiting the festival. It will most definitely be a repeat booth of us on multiple occasions over the next few months.
Have you been to the Brazil booth throughout the Food & Wine Festival? What are your favorite dishes served at this booth?
Active Eats Booth at 2019 Epcot Food & Wine Festival
*This gluten free dining experience took place in September 2019. It includes notes about dairy free modifications, as well as vegetarian, and vegan options.
For Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free marketplace booth options, be sure to click over to the marketplace booth page for more info.
Active Eats, located this year in Future World West, first debuted at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival in 2017. Featuring healthful options, this has been a good go-to gluten free booth the past few years and has included different variations of the Verlasso Salmon dish -- a gluten free festival favorite. I was glad to see the booth return this year to the festival, especially since it now has two gluten friendly options available. *Note: As of 9/24/2019, I have learned that one of these dishes is NOT gluten free and contains gluten. As of 10/2019, Disney has updated the dish to make the Salmon dish gluten free once again.
Because this booth is NOT 100% gluten free, there is always an increased risk of cross-contamination. Use your own judgement when consuming items that are not in dedicated gluten free booths or booths that contain almost all gluten friendly dishes.
The two gluten friendly options available at the Active Eats booth include:
- *Dish has been updated due to gluten in the original dish marked GF. Spice-crusted Verlasso® Salmon with UNCLE BEN’S® Basmati Rice, Lentils, Quinoa, Crushed Avocado and Sherry Vinegar
- Fruit and Nut Energy Snack: House-made mixture of Apricots, Almonds, Pecans, Coconut, Puffed Rice and Chocolate Chips
The salmon is also a must-order for me at this booth, but I was very curious about the fruit and nut energy snack. Our friends at Vegan Disney World had confirmed that not only was this dish gluten free and vegetarian (as marked on the festival passport), but it was also dairy free and vegan.
*Dish has now been updated to be gluten free (after it was mislabeled and contained gluten). The Spice-crusted Verlasso® Salmon with UNCLE BEN’S® Quinoa & Ancient Grains Medley, Crushed Avocado and Sherry Vinegar is marked gluten free on the passport and costs $5.75 and is eligible as a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan.
Last year's version of this dish contain dairy in the avocado mash. Because we attended the festival the day before Hurricane Dorian was set to affect Central Florida, I did not ask about the avocado and dairy. The festival booths had been adjusted to still operate but weren't operating at full capacity. This meant the booths were a bit busy. However, I will work to double-check these ingredients on a regular festival day. If you're dairy free, do make sure you double-check before consuming.
As always, I really enjoy the salmon dish. It wasn't very spicy and was fairly mild in flavor. The only flavor that was a bit strong was the sherry vinegar in the quinoa and ancient grain medley. My only big complaint with this dish is that it continues to shrink in size. I'd love a slightly larger portion of salmon. As an aside, I did have a stomach ache after eating this and have since learned that the dish contains gluten. The booth has updated the dish so that it is made using gluten free ingredients now after many of us reached out to Disney about the dish containing gluten but being labeled GF.
The Fruit and Nut Energy Snack: House-made mixture of Apricots, Almonds, Pecans, Coconut, Puffed Rice and Chocolate Chips is marked gluten free and vegetarian on the passport and costs $4.00 and is eligible as a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan. Vegan Disney World also confirmed that it is dairy free and vegan.
Last year, the Active Eats booth had a version of a fruit and nut snack on their menu, but it was not marked gluten free. I was excited to see it marked GF this year. Overall, I really loved this dish. It wasn't very sweet at all -- though the dried fruit and chocolate chips gave a nice hint of sweetness throughout. My only major complaint is that it "melted" very quickly.
The snack came from the refrigerator and was served chilled. But, within mere minutes it started coming apart quickly in the heat. So, I would recommend eating this quickly and indoors if you can. It's not a great dish for holding up to sitting around for a long period of time. That being said, I would totally get this again for a mid-morning or evening snack. If you like granola type bars, you'll enjoy this one. If not, I'd pass.
Overall
*Updated Note from Sarah: I am deeply disappointed that Disney is currently marking a dish gluten free and continuing to serve it as such. However, I'm glad that Disney responded to this error swiftly once notified and have since modified the dish to be gluten free.
I was glad to see two options available to gluten free guests at the Active Eats booth this year. Both were solid options, in my opinion, and were quite tasty. In addition, anytime there's a booth with more than one GF option, the better. Not only does it mean there are more options to try and enjoy, but it also helps reduce the risk of cross-contamination. The Active Eats booth will definitely be a repeat for me this year during the festival.
Have you been to the Active Eats booth? What did you think of the GF options?
2017 Epcot Food & Wine Festival Vegetarian and Vegan Offerings
It’s that time of year when Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival takes place. Held on August 31, 2017 through November 13, 2017, this year’s Festival is even longer than it was last year.Here is a listing of the current vegetarian and vegan menu items with prices and Disney Dining Plan Snack eligibility based on information from my personal visits to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival along with info from the Disney Food Blog and AllEars.net.Please note this is NOT the Gluten Free (and other special dietary needs) List. Please check the blog’s Gluten Free Food & Wine Festival Offerings page for more info on those dishes.
Make sure to click on the individual pages for each booth to see food photos and find out more information.
*Note: Menus are subject to change, as is any information regarding ingredients, cross-contamination, and other special dietary needs ingredients. Always consult with the Disney culinary team for more information before consuming. Use caution when consuming any food from marketplace booths, as there is an increased risk of cross-contamination. Marketplace booths do not adhere to Disney’s traditional special dietary needs accommodations, particularly for allergies and/or celiac disease.
Active Eats
- Sweet Avocado Crema with Strawberries, Yellow Cake and Tortilla Streusel – $3.75, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Africa
- Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew with Vegan Yogurt and Quinoa – $4.50, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian, Vegan
- Spinach and Paneer Cheese Pocket with Mint Raita — $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
The Almond Orchard Hosted by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze
- Fire-roasted Tomato Hummus topped with Blue Diamond Salt & Vinegar Almonds and served with Blue Diamond Nut Thins® - $5.25, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
- Banana Almond Soft-serve Sundae with Fresh Berries and Crunchy Chocolate Oats – $4.50, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian (*Can be made Vegan by omitting the chocolate oats)
Australia
- Lamington: Yellow Cake Dipped in Chocolate and Shredded Coconut $3.25, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Belgium
- Belgian Waffle with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream – $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
- Belgian Waffle with Warm Chocolate Ganache and Whipped Cream – $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Brazil
- Pão de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread – $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible – Gluten Free, Vegetarian
The Cheese Studio
- Savory Caramelized Onion Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Tart with Cold Arugula Salad and Aged Balsamic – $4.50, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Chocolate Studio
- Sweet Dark Chocolate Raspberry Torte with Whipped Cream and Raspberry Dust – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Craft Beer
- L’Orange Cotton Candy: A mixture of Lime and Orange Cotton Candy – $4.75, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Earth Eats, Inspired by The Chew
- Ricotta and Zucchini Ravioli with Rustic Tomato Sauce – $4.75, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Farm Fresh
- Roasted Beet Salad with Green Beans, Feta Cheese, Minus 8 Vinaigrette and Toasted Walnuts – $3.75, DDP Snack Eligible – Gluten Free, Vegetarian
France
- Moelleux au Fromage de Chèvre et Épinards: Warm Goat Cheese Pudding with Spinach – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible – Gluten Free, Vegetarian
- Crème Brûlée à la Confiture de Framboises: Crème Brûlée with Housemade Rasberry Jam – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible – Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Germany
- Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce – $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Greece
- Loaded Greek “Nachos”: Pita Chips, Meatless Sausage Crumbles, and Vegan Tzatziki – $4.50, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian, Vegan
- Spanakopita – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
- Bougatsa: Warm Phyllo Dough Strudel with Sweet Vanilla Custard, Lemon Honey Syrup and Cinnamon – $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Hops & Barley
- Freshly Baked Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Icing – $3.75, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
India
- Warm Indian Bread with Pickled Garlic, Mango Salsa and Coriander Pesto Dips – $4.75, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
- Madras Red Curry with Roasted Cauliflower, Baby Carrots, Chickpeas and Basmati Rice – $5.00, DDP Snack Eligible – Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan
- Pistachio Cardamom Bundt Cake with Chocolate Coconut Mousse – $3.50, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Intermissions Cafe
- Vegetable Wrap — $7.99 – Vegetarian
- Hummus with Carrots and Celery — $4.49, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
- Fruit and Cheese Plate — $6.69, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
- Grapes — $3.79, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
- Key Lime Pie — $4.49, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
- Brownie — $3.39, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Ireland
- Warm Irish Cheddar Cheese and Stout Dip with Irish Brown Bread – $.475, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Islands of the Caribbean
- Quesito: Puff Pastry with Sweetened Cream Cheese and Guava Sauce – $3.75, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Italy
- Cannoli al Cioccolato: Chocolate-covered Cannoli filled with Sweet Ricotta, Chocolate and Candied Fruit – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Morocco
- Spicy Hummus Fries with Cucumber, Tomato, Onions and Tzatziki Sauce – $5.00, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
- Chocolate Baklava: Rolled Phyllo Dough with Toasted Almonds and Dark Chocolate Sauce – $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Refreshment Port
- Croissant Doughnut with Cinnamon and Sugar — $4.99, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
- Pineapple Dole Whip Soft-Serve Ice Cream — $4.49, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian, Vegan (*Not listed on menu, but also Gluten Free)
Scotland
- The Tipsy Laird: Whiskey-soaked Cake with Lemon Cream and Toasted Oats – $3.50, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Wine and Dine Studio
- Trio of Artisan Cheese – $5.25, DDP Snack Eligible – Vegetarian
Stay tuned here on Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW for the latest 2017 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival news!What are you most looking forward to this year at Food & Wine Festival?
Terra — International Marketplace — 2014 Food and Wine Festival
*This information on this booth was obtained by me on September 25, 2014 by visiting the booth first-hand. This is not “official” information from Disney. Please always check with the cast members at each booth to confirm ingredients and safety based on your specific dietary need. For additional booth information visit the 2014 Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free Offerings Page.
A few years ago, Disney announced the addition of Terra at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival, which is an entirely vegan booth. You can imagine how excited I was when I first learned about it. An all vegan booth? That's a huge step for Disney and also huge for those of us who can't consume dairy. I had hoped that there would gluten free options here as well; however, as I learned a few years ago when it launched, that is not the case.Terra is great if you are only dairy free, but if you're gluten free, this is not a booth for you. Terra highlights Gardein products (plant based protein), and the varieties currently utilized by the culinary team at this booth all contain gluten.
This year's Terra booth at the Food & Wine Festival was no exception. There are no gluten free options short of beverages (including Redbridge gluten free beer). I did stop by and try one of the vegan wines available. I tried the vegan vine chardonnay, and I have to say that I wasn't too impressed. I found the wine to taste like the stuff you get out of a box and definitely not worth the $3.25 for the pour.
I do hope that someday the Terra booth includes gluten free food options, in addition to their drink options (it does seem a bit odd that they carry gluten free beer but don't have gluten free safe food). But, if you're looking for a dairy free, plant based option, this is definitely the place to go! You can also check out Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando's review. She always heads to the Terra booth for their watermelon juice. Have you been to this booth yet? What did you think of the gluten free & dairy free options here?
Puerto Rico — International Marketplace — 2014 Food and Wine Festival
*This information on this booth was obtained by me on September 26, 2014 by visiting the booth first-hand. This is not “official” information from Disney. Please always check with the cast members at each booth to confirm ingredients and safety based on your specific dietary need. For additional booth information visit the 2014 Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free Offerings Page.
This year's Food & Wine Festival is all about Puerto Rico! With lot of culinary demonstrations, mixology sessions and a huge Food & Wine Festival booth area, Puerto Rico has a huge presence this year the festival.In looking at marketplace passports, two of the four dishes served at this festival booth are listed as gluten free - the Ensalada de Carrucho (conch salad) and Carne Guisada con Arroz Blanco (slow-braised beef with Puerto Rican-grown rice).I stopped by the booth with Gluten Free in Orlando, and we each ordered one of the gluten free dishes. I first inquired with cast members at the cash register if the conch salad was gluten free and dairy free (I suspected it was, but it's always important to double-check). At this booth, they radioed a chef and they also showed me the allergy binder with the ingredients. I wasn't able to take a photo, but it was indeed gluten free and dairy free.
The conch salad was quite good. If you've never had conch (essentially a sea snail), essentially it takes a bit like calamari or clams -- a little chewy but not really fishy in any way. This dish was a nice way to highlight the conch; it was very flavorful and light. It had lots of nice flavors with onion, tomato and cilantro too. I expected this to just be seafood and was pleasantly surprised to find rice at the bottom of the salad.
Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando tried the slow-braised beef, and you can catch her full reviews over at Gluten Free in Orlando.I wouldn't say the conch salad was my hands down favorite dish of the festival but it was really very good. It will be perfect on a hot day at Food and Wine Festival and delicious as a lighter meal option. I would definitely order it again.Have you been to this booth yet? What did you think of the gluten free & dairy free options here?
Brazil — International Marketplace — 2014 Food and Wine Festival
*This information on this booth was obtained by me on September 26, 2014 by visiting the booth first-hand. This is not “official” information from Disney. Please always check with the cast members at each booth to confirm ingredients and safety based on your specific dietary need. For additional booth information visit the 2014 Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free Offerings Page.
Last year the Brazil booth had one of the more popular gluten free dishes, the crispy pork belly, and this year it was back. New to this year's menu was the Moqueca de Pescado which was a tilapia with coconut lime sauce and steamed rice. Ever the optimist, I was hopeful that the tilapia was also dairy free, as the dish sounded awesome!
One of the things I loved about this year's Brazil booth is that it was huge. Great places to sit and relax and enjoy the sites and sounds of Food & Wine Festival. Disney has done a great job this year with all the theming!Upon arrival at the booth, I checked in with the cast members at the cash register about the gluten free and dairy free offerings. They were able to radio a chef and find out rather quickly for me. Both the crispy pork belly and the tilapia were gluten free and dairy free. I was with Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando, and we also asked about the Brazilian cheese bread to confirm it was gluten free, and they told us via radio that it was (we've heard mixed reports from guests that say Disney has stated this is not gluten free). The coconut candy is not gluten free at all.
I have to say that I really enjoyed this dish. I do love coconut milk, and I found the sauce to be rich and creamy. The fish was well cooked and the sauce that accompanied it was both sweet from the coconut milk and spicy from the peppers. Yum! This would definitely be a dish I'd get again.On this particular visit, I didn't get the crispy pork belly, but I did last year and enjoyed it.For Gluten Free in Orlando's review, you can head to her site for the latest updates for gluten free only options.Have you been to this booth yet? What did you think of the gluten free & dairy free options here?
Farm Fresh — International Marketplace — 2014 Food and Wine Festival
*This information on this booth was obtained by me on September 25, 2014 by visiting the booth first-hand. This is not “official” information from Disney. Please always check with the cast members at each booth to confirm ingredients and safety based on your specific dietary need. For additional booth information visit the 2014 Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free Offerings Page.
When I heard that both of the food items served at the Farm Fresh booth were gluten free, I nearly jumped for glee. I love it when booths have only gluten free items because it means that the risk of cross-contamination is lessened. Both of the dishes also sounded fantastic and I was hoping that I could get the bacon hash minus the hollandaise dairy free.When I arrived at the booth, I checked with the cast members working at the cash register and asked inquired about the dairy in the hash (minus the hollandaise) and the chicken. As with the Australia and Patagonia booths, the cast members radioed for a chef to find out about the ingredients. I was told that the hollandaise in the bacon hash was the only offending dairy item and that I could order it without it (music to my ears). So, I saddled in for two hearty dishes, ordering both the bacon hash and the griddled "yard bird."
They say everything is better with bacon, and I have to say, this was bacon at its best. Man, if this was served for breakfast at a Disney restaurant, I'd be all over it. It would be perfect with eggs (poached or over-easy). The jalapeno peppers & pickled onions added a nice spicy zip (note: you can order it without the peppers). The potatoes were well cooked, and the bacon was outrageous. Seriously, every bite was filled with tons of pepper bacon. This was definitely a winner for me.
The grilled "yard bird" didn't look like anything special to me, but this dish was also fantastic. The skin on the chicken was super flavorful and crispy (and salty in a good way). It was also well cooked and not rubbery or dry. The greens were fantastic (I never met one I didn't like) and had a nice kick of vinegar and hot sauce -- exactly how Southern green should be.For options, this booth so far wins it for me. I was so glad I was able to get both gluten free and dairy free -- and that they were delicious!Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando also tried these dishes (and the hollandaise), and you can catch her full reviews over at Gluten Free in Orlando.Have you been to this booth yet? What did you think of the gluten free & dairy free options here?
Australia — International Marketplace — 2014 Food and Wine Festival
*This information on this booth was obtained by me on September 25, 2014 by visiting the booth first-hand. This is not “official” information from Disney. Please always check with the cast members at each booth to confirm ingredients and safety based on your specific dietary need. For additional booth information visit the 2014 Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free Offerings Page.
This year's Australia booth had 2 of the 3 food dishes listed as gluten free. I had been dying to see if the garlic shrimp with roasted tomatoes, lemon myrtle, and garlic rapini (which is gluten free) was dairy free. The booth offerings are the same as last year, and I knew that Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando had raved about this shrimp dish!
Like the Patagonia booth, I asked the cast members at the cash register about the items being gluten free and dairy free, and they radioed a chef to find out about ingredients. I was told that the lamb was not dairy free but that the shrimp was. Hip hip hooray for shrimp!
For me, I found this dish (on this particular day) extremely salty. I really enjoyed the shrimp, which was flavorful and well cooked. The tomatoes were lovely, as was the rapini. While, I liked the flavors, I personally wouldn't get again unless the salt level has lessened (which is always possible given this is a catered dish essentially).For more reviews of the Epcot Food & Wine Festival, you can check out my site, as well as Gluten Free in Orlando.Have you been to this booth yet? What did you think of the gluten free & dairy free options here?
Patagonia — International Marketplace — 2014 Food and Wine Festival
*This information on this booth was obtained by me on September 25, 2014 by visiting the booth first-hand. This is not “official” information from Disney. Please always check with the cast members at each booth to confirm ingredients and safety based on your specific dietary need. For additional booth information visit the 2014 Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free Offerings Page.
The Patagonia Booth replaces the Argentina booth this year at the 2014 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The Marketplace Passports listed 2 of the 3 food dishes to be gluten free, which was exciting! Having seen the recipe for the Roasted Verlasso Salmon, it looked to be dairy free as well.Ever the vigilant special diets diner, I checked with the cast members at the cash register before I ordered to see if both the grilled beef skewer and the roasted verlasso salmon were gluten free and dairy free. The line was slow (it was early afternoon on a Thursday), and the cast member radioed a chef to find out the ingredients. This was a very short process, thankfully, and I learned quickly that the salmon was gluten free and dairy free, but the grilled beef skewer accompaniments were not.Both the boniato puree and the chimichurri sauce contained dairy, so I while I could order the beef plain, there would be no sauce that would be safe to consume with it. Pro tip: You could order the beef skewer plain or ask to have the sauce that accompanies the salmon. It would be delicious with the beef!
I went ahead and ordered the salmon, which I was very excited to try.
I have to say, so far, this is my hands down favorite dish at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival! The salmon has been well cooked each time I've ordered it (yes, I've ordered it multiple times, it was that good). The quinoa salad was delicious and flavorful -- filled with red onions and tomatoes. The best part is the sauce which is so flavorful and delicious. You know I love my sauces, and this one certainly did not disappoint!I visited Patagonia the next day with Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando, and she also enjoyed this dish. You can read her full review of gluten free only Food & Wine Festival dishes on Gluten Free in Orlando!Have you been to this booth yet? What did you think of the gluten free & dairy free options here?