Dining Through Epcot’s World Showcase – Budget-Friendly, Mid-Atlantic Favorites

With all of the pictures and chatter swirling around social media regarding Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival and the rumored “soon-to-be” opening of the new, Frozen Ever After ride, I’ve been dreaming about my own trip around World Showcase. A few weeks ago, video chatting with my dear friend, Disney Parks Moms Panel sister, and fellow blogger (Jane’s World), Jane, we began pretend planning our practically perfect Epcot day. A “what-if” scenario, so to speak. What if we could sprinkle a little Pixie Dust and meet there tomorrow?

As fun as planning our wish may be, as Disney planners at heart, we both immediately started deciding where we would eat and laughed that fairy-tale or not, we were both concerned about the budget. Dining through Epcot’s World Showcase is always delicious, but getting the most for less tastes even sweeter. These are our favorite table-service, quick-service and snack options and why we think they are real treats for both your taste buds and your wallets.

Pro Tip: Choose the Disney Dining Plan or not? I love it! I like the idea of not having to worry about our food budget while on vacation and think it can be very economical. But situations and experiences differ. While it may not make sense to use if sharing a pizza at Via Napoli, it is definitely worth one credit at Biergarten. The best advice is to check out the restaurants and menus ahead of time. If you have any questions visit the Disney Parks Moms Panel and they’ll be happy to give you advice specific to your situation.

Table Service Restaurants

Jane’s Picks	Lauren’s Picks
Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room – UK	Biergarten Restaurant – Germany
Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria – Italy	Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria – Italy
Restaurant Marrakesh – Morocco	San Angel Inn Restaurant – Mexico

Lauren’s Reasoning:

Why these three? Well it’s hard to narrow down the choices, but I picked each of these for a good reason. First, Via Napoli.

Just thinking about fresh Italian ingredients makes my mouth water. I chose Via Napoli as a great option for those with large families. The last time we visited Walt Disney World Resort, we had nine of us and this was a great and affordable choice. We were able to order two pizzas to share and have leftovers for around $80. The Mezzo Metra says it feeds 3-5 and we found it to be on the larger side leaving a few pieces to devour as we continued our trek around World Showcase. The atmosphere of the San Angel Inn has always made it one of my favorites (that and its proximity to La Cava del Tequila.) Dinner entrees are priced from the mid to high $20s, but I love their appetizers and rarely order an entree. The Tostados de Tinga are incredible and a very affordable choice at around $10, leaving a little more budget for an Avocado Margarita. Lastly, and I’m still struggling with whether to include this one or not, but I believe under the right circumstances, the Biergarten Restaurant. I chose the Biergarten as an option for those with hungry appetites. My almost 12-year-old already eats like a teenage boy and buffet options, while definitely not cheap, make sure that he can eat enough to not be “hangry” for the rest of the day. It is also a great option for those traveling with youngsters under 3–they’re free! For lunch, prices are around $26/adult and at dinner they hover near $40/adult. Again, not the most budget friendly, but for those with hefty appetites or little ones, you can definitely get your money’s worth.

Quick-Service Restaurants

Jane’s Picks	Lauren’s Picks
Lotus Blossom Cafe – China	Lotus Blossom Cafe – China
Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie – France	Yorkshire County Fish & Chips – UK
Tangierine Cafe – Morocco	La Cantina de San Angel – Mexico

Lauren’s Reasoning: 

The Lotus Blossom Cafe is wonderful and has many tasty options all under $10. Yorkshire County Fish & Chips is one of my all-time favorites. Just over $10 gets you 2 strips of perfectly fried fish and a basket of chips (fries.) My hubby and I usually split this and a pint of our favorite brew and love it! It’s one of our first stops, especially when entering through the International Gateway.

Tasty treats and a wonderful place to sit and watch IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth make La Cantina de San Angel a favorite as well. Dinner entrees are priced reasonably at $8-$13 and can’t be beat with the view of the fireworks if you time it just right.

Snack Locations and Options

Jane’s Picks	Lauren’s Picks
Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie – France	Kabuki Cafe – Japan
Gelati – Italy	Joy Of Tea – China
Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe – Norway	Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe – Norway

Lauren’s Reasoning & Options:

With items like School Bread, Mousse Kiss and Carrot Whoopie Pie, the Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe is a fan favorite. Pair those treats with the delicious Viking Coffee and it’s perfection. I expect this place to be even busier shortly with Guests flocking to see the all new Frozen Ever After ride and meet Arendelle’s royalty in their Summerhus.

The Joy Of Tea has tasty offerings including egg rolls, curry chicken pockets and bbq pork buns for all under $5! You can also choose the Lucky Combo offering one of each, plus a soft drink and an ice cream for under $10! It’s plenty to fill two people and very affordable. At the Kabuki Cafe, I really enjoy the Kakigori (shaved ice) and fresh sushi options as an affordable snack.

Hopefully someday soon, Jane and I will be able to meet in our favorite destination, but for now, dreaming about dining through Epcot’s World Showcase on video calls will have to do…. Be sure to hop on over to her blog, Jane’s World, to see her twin article where she shares the reasons behind why she picked her favorites and a few extra tips.