It’s the BEST! DAY! EVER!!!

Because the 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival is ON!!

And YOU’VE got until November 13^th this year to try everything you absolutely MUST EAT at this year’s Festival. So that’s why I’m here! To show you 2017’s CAN’T MISS ITEMS so you don’t miss ANY of the BEST OF THE FEST!

Be sure to click over to our Marketplace Booth Page to see pictures of every single dish at the Festival. Just click through the links for each booth to see pictures of all your favorite dishes, along with every single new one from this year!

Now let’s waste no more time and dive right in to 2017’s TOP PICKS!

Zesty Cheeseburger and Cheddar Cheese Macaroni Handwich at Craft Beers

It’s no secret that we have a fondness for cheese and handwiches around here. Kudos to the Craft Beer booth for surprising us with this new (old) addition — the Zesty Cheeseburger and Cheddar Cheese Macaroni Handwich.

This one is OG Disney. The handwich (a lot like this, but not really) was the original hand-held sandwich. (What’s that? All sandwiches are hand-held, you say? What do YOU know?!?!?) And it was also a cult favorite for Disney foodies before Disney foodies were even a thing. (You know who you are.)

So anyway, Disney’s bringing back this classic for the festival as part of their throw-back eats for Epcot’s 35th Anniversary and we couldn’t be happier. It’s mac and cheese, plus ground beef, in a big ol’ bread cone. Get it.

Smoked Corned Beef with Warm Crispy Potatoes, Pickled Onions and Blonde Ale Beer Fondue featuring BelGioioso Romano and America Grana Cheeses at Flavors from Fire

We’re thrilled to welcome Flavors from Fire to this year’s festival. With a name like that, we couldn’t wait to taste the Smoked Corned Beef. Happy to say that we were not disappointed.

Served with warm Crispy Potatoes, Pickled Onions and Blonde Ale Beer Fondue featuring BelGioioso Romano and America Grana Cheeses, this thing — as you know from our previous “what to eat at the festival” posts — is madness. It’s SO crazy good. So even if you don’t “like corned beef,” just eat it!! (And ask for extra cheese.)

Loaded Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Nueske’s® Pepper Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Peppers and Green Onions at Active Eats

Yes, we’ve seen this one before at the previous Farm Fresh booth. Thank goodness it has a new home; we would seriously miss this dish. It’s still one of our favorites at the 2017 festival. Look for the Loaded Mac ‘n’ Cheese now at Active Eats.

Nueske’s® Pepper Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Peppers and Green Onions are blended to savory greatness. We said it before and we’ll say it again — this one will not disappoint.

Baked Shrimp Scampi Dip with Sourdough Baguette at Coastal Eats

OMG Y’ALL!!!!! The Baked Shrimp Scampi Dip with a Sourdough Baguette wowed us at the new Coastal Eats booth.

So, um, this is basically….like….butter? And it’s amazing.

Wasabi Shumai Steamed Pork Dumplings at Japan

Japan

 is a killer booth this year!! And it’s sure to see long lines as guests queue up for two outstanding menu items. First up, the Wasabi Shumai Steamed Pork Dumplings.

These have enough spice to be interesting, but not too much that you’ll need to ditch out on a SUPER HOT day like today. Good flavor, good heat. Do it.

Teriyaki Ginger Pork at Japan

Plus, you’ll want to try the Teriyaki Ginger Pork while visiting the Japan booth.

This one has a sweet-savory vibe — and there’s enough to get your money’s worth. We loved it and we hope you will, too. But for real, Japan was one of our best of the fest booths altogether!

Warm Irish Cheddar Cheese and Stout Dip with Irish Brown Bread at Ireland

DO NOT SHARE THIS ONE. Really, if you get nothing else from this post, take that note and internalize it. Get your OWN. The Warm Irish Cheddar Cheese and Stout Dip with Irish Brown Bread at Ireland is one of those dishes I want to spend some alone time with.

Super savory, I personally prefer to just eat this straight…I don’t even need any bread. Just a spoon. OK, you get it.

Warm Goat Cheese Pudding with Spinach at France

The DFB team is torn on this one — some of us love it, some of us not so much. But France might have gotten it right with this new gluten-free addition of Warm Goat Cheese Pudding with Spinach.

The profile here is creamy and savory, but the “pudding” texture is where we got a little bit hung up. If you’re a big quiche fan, you’ll probably dig this one! But even though our team was torn on this, we all recognized the potential. So grab it if you’re a goat cheese, spinach, or savory pudding fan!

Tequila Chipotle Shrimp at Mexico

Mexico

and tequila! It’s time to rave about the Tequila Chipotle Shrimp.

This one really surprised us. Mexico has a shrimp taco…like…every year. But this was different. Our team loved this one more than normal — great flavor, unique presentation, and a winner all around.

Spicy Apple Margarita at Mexico

Wash down your shrimp with the Spicy Apple Margarita. This late addition to the Mexico booth combines the sweetness of apple with the spiciness of jalapeno. Unexpected and awesome.

Spicy Chicken Bao Bun at China

In China, we were fans of the Spicy Chicken Bao Bun. It’s just the right amount of sweet heat plus crunch to gain a spot of recognition. China’s selections have been stale for a few years, but this one is a winner!

Mango Lassi at India

For a fruity beverage, we’re going to grab the Mango Lassi, a non-alcoholic beverage at the India booth.

Sweet-tart and smooth, this is a great choice from this brand new booth.

Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew with Vegan Yogurt and Quinoa at Africa

For a healthy and hearty dish, try the Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew with Vegan Yogurt and Quinoa at Africa.

This one is vegan…and awesome. Creamy, and hearty, and we loved that the lentils were pureed.

Bonus Mentions: Old Festival Standbys

OK, so we do a Best of the Fest every year, and we don’t like giving the same old recommendations every time. But…some of these are just too good to not give you a friendly reminder ;-D.

Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup served with a Pretzel Roll at Canada

A festival staple, the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup served with a Pretzel Roll is still a dish worth lining up for at the Canada booth.

Freshly Baked Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Icing at Hops & Barley

Hops & Barley

serves up one of our festival favorites yet again. Yep, the Freshly Baked Carrot Cake is not-to-be-missed!

Dole Whip at Refreshment Port

Pineapple DOLE Whip Soft-Serve is another standby that should not be overlooked. You’ll find it at the Refreshment Port. Don’t forget to add rum!

More Bonus Mentions: Weird and Interesting Menu Items

Swine Brine at Flavors from Fire

Swine Brine featuring Evan Williams Bourbon, Dijon mustard, apple cider, lemon juice, and a whole piggy wing (because why not?) at Flavors from Fire.

OK, I for real made someone else taste this before I would. ;-D Bourbon, apple cider, piggy wing, lemon juice, and MUSTARD?!? Yeah, so I asked a random dude to take a sip…and he’s all “it’s OK! It’s not bad!” So I went for it and…he was right! It really tastes primarily like apple cider and bourbon. No real flavor from the piggy wing at all! It’s fun, intriguing, and worth a try…if you dare.

Salmon BLT Sushi Roll at Japan

Japan’s

Salmon BLT Sushi Roll is an…interesting item. ;-D It’s like nothing we’ve ever had before, and you might really enjoy it! It certainly caught our attention!

Bleu Spectrum: Blanc de Bleu Cuvée Mousseux with Boba Pearls at Light Lab

Sleeper hit! The Bleu Spectrum: Blanc de Bleu Cuvée Mousseux with Boba Pearls at Light Lab. OK, so Light Lab is a fun little attention-seeker of a booth. There’s nothing excellent food-wise going on here, but it’s still a spot you’ll want to visit.

The cuvee is a blue sparkling chardonnay with some popping pearls thrown in (because Disney and popping pearls). While it’s not ground-breaking, it’s still pretty and fun. But the real draw here is the “show.”

Charcuterie in a Cone at Spain

Charcuterie in a Cone makes an interesting presentation of imported Spanish Meats, Cheeses, Olives and an Herb Vinaigrette at the Spain Booth.

Cauliflower Risotto at The Almond Orchard

The Almond Orchard

is offering Cauliflower Risotto with Pulled Chicken, Artichokes, Spinach and Parmesan Cheese and Aged Balsamic. We liked the flavors here, and kudos to Disney for doing something a little different.

But We’re Not Finished Yet!

Remember that the list above is simply our Best of the Fest for 2017. We’ve got pictures and pricing for every single item at the Festival, just like we do every year.

To see the full list — and pictures of EVERYTHING — be sure to click over to our Marketplace Booth page, where the provided links will take you to each booth’s individual page. That’s how you can see pictures of every single dish at this year’s Festival!

Want More Epcot Food and Wine Festival Info?

You haven’t seen the last of us here yet! Not even close… We’ll be back with MUCH more from the Festival in the coming weeks — from Seminars and Demonstrations to Special Events to Booth Reviews. In the meantime, you can check out all of the info below to prepare for YOUR visit to the 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

Alright, my friends, now it’s YOUR turn. Let me know which item YOU are most excited to try at the 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

What items tops YOUR list to try at this year’s Festival? Please let us know with a comment!

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