Perfect Pairings: Our Take on Show-Stopping Delights at EPCOT Festival of the Arts

There’s a breeze in the air, and everything is vibrant, which can only mean one thing—we’re celebrating EPCOT International Festival of the Arts.

To honor my favorite festival of the year, I’ve asked my Disney Eats friends, Nicole and Katie, as well as my Perfect Pairings partner, Rain, to join me for an artsy stroll to tackle this year’s Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine.

If you’re a fan of trying creative culinary masterpieces, be sure to pick up a festival passport as you enter EPCOT so you can join us for the foodie fun.

This year’s Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine features eight tasty dishes from the Food Studios throughout the park. Each dish has its own artistic flair, and for every purchase, you’ll receive a matching stamp on your passport. Once you collect five stamps, bring your complete passport to Deco Delights, near Port of Entry, for your complimentary festival treat.

We decided to grab ours at the end of the stroll, but this tasty bite can be redeemed at any time during the festival, so you can get it on a second visit if you plan to return for another picture-perfect day.

See the dazzling bites available on page 40 in your passport and listed below.

Before the outing, we caught up with Chef Tony—the Chef de Cuisine for the savory items of the festival—to help curate our five perfect pairs, and I was blown away by some of the visual storytelling, so I wanted to fill you in today.

Every dish is a mouthwatering masterpiece, but did you know the artistic inspiration comes from music, art movements and classic literature? In fact, we learned that the Fictional Victuals Food Studio includes a three-chapter food journey inspired by the Alice in Wonderland novels.

“This is definitely the most creative festival menu that we do,” said Chef Tony. “I’d recommend visiting multiple days so you can experience everything at a good pace.”

And he’s so right! With so many options to choose from, it was hard to narrow down to only five, so we’ll likely take another Disney Parks team outing to try the rest. But for our first journey, here are the pairings we tested out:

And on that note, let the delicious adventure begin!

📌 Location: World Discovery

🎨 Our Pairing: Deconstructed Key Lime Pie and the Wicked Weed Brewing Blank Canvas Wheat Ale

We started off strong with this ooey gooey, Key Lime treat that is reimagined for the festival this year. The shareable treat came with waffle cone triangles that were perfect vessels for scooping up the Key Lime curd, Key Lime gelée, toasted meringue, and graham cracker crumbs for each bite.

“Who needs a cheese pull when you can have a toasted meringue pull?” said Nicole. “With the large portion size and great flavors, this is one of my favorites from the festival.”

To accompany the dish, we chose the Wicked Weed Brewing Blank Canvas Wheat Ale, which had a very refreshing, crisp taste that delightfully balanced the tartness from the Key Lime.

📌 Location: World Celebration

🎨 Our Pairing: Popcorn, Popcorn Chicken and Waffles and the Hard Cider Flight

One little spark of inspiration was at the heart of these colorful creations. For the kids and kids at heart, this rainbow lineup had it all. Our whole group immediately gravitated to the Popcorn, Popcorn Chicken and Waffles, enjoying the combination of sweet and salty flavors.

Now, you may want a beverage to enjoy on the side of your flavorful dish, so we grabbed the cider flight so that we could sample the three fruit-forward options.

“This fruity flight is great for the cider aficionado in your group,” Rain said. “The combination of black cherry, orange cream, and strawberry banana gives you a lot of juicy options to choose from.”

📌 Location: Between France and Morocco

🎨 Our Pairing: Chorizo and Potato Empanada and the Layered Berry-Piña Colada Smoothie (non-alcoholic)

Now, this next dish is a returning favorite. A hearty option with a little bit of spice, the Chorizo and Potato Empanada made its debut at the festival in 2023 and remains a popular item for guests and the Disney Parks Blog team.

“It’s not too spicy if you like to stay around an intermediate spice level,” said Rain. “That can be hard to find, so this was a delight and paired really well with the smoothie.”

The Layered Berry-Piña Colada Smoothie was a showstopper on its own, served in a festive souvenir glass. So, if you’re looking for a refreshing drink during your stroll, we would list this as a must-try for any smoothie fan.

📌 Location: Canada

🎨 Our Pairing: Citrus-braised Beet Tartare and the Whole Hog Brewery Raspberry Chéret Double Radler

This Food Studio has gourmet in its name for a reason, and that is evident for anyone trying the Wild Mushroom Risotto, Roasted Bone Marrow or Citrus-braised Beet Tartare. On our trek, we decided to try the plant-based tartare because our pal Katie shared that this dish is the reason she likes beets. How can you compete with that?

For our combo, we decided to add the Whole Hog Brewery Raspberry Chéret Double Radler. Perfect to sip on while perusing the Festival Markets if you like a light citrus beer.

📌 Location: Near Port of Entry

🎨 Our Pairing: Sparkling Spectacle Gâteau and the Boyd & Blair Espresso Martini

After the last few savory dishes, Nicole and I were ready to finish our stroll the same way we started it—with a sweet treat! Inspired by Art Deco, the Sparkling Spectacle Gâteau was a glittery delight that we devoured instantly.

I’m not always a huge fan of mousse, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. In fact, my review of the item was short and sweet, just “wow.” It was light and creamy but also had a similar taste to vanilla bean ice cream, only enhanced by the caramel center and apricot jam.

We decided to pair this one with the Boyd & Blair Espresso Martini so we could cheers to our enchanting stroll. The coffee taste was strong, so if you’re ready for a second lap around World Showcase, this beverage will energize you for your journey.

Be sure to check out the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts Foodie Guide 2026 for more foodie finds, available until February 23.

With that said, it never hurts to prepare in advance as well. EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is right around the corner, starting March 4, and we’re thrilled that the Outdoor Kitchens, and the accompanying Garden Graze food stroll, will be returning with fresh, garden-inspired flavors. So, keep your eyes on the Disney Parks Blog for the upcoming Foodie Guide and discover details surrounding the Garden Rocks Concert Series, topiaries and more.