Everything We’ve Eaten (so far) at Universal’s Epic Universe
There has been some BIG buzz about all the great food at Universal’s Epic Universe and I am pleased to say that many items are worth the hype! We’ve been lucky enough to have a few visits to the park and pretty much everything we’ve tried has been stellar and the overall quality of food is really impressive for a theme park.
Super Nintendo World
Toadstool Cafe
First up in no particular order is Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World. This is a fast casual style restaurant themed after… you guessed it! Toad! This restaurant has really fun theming with video game style chairs, tables, and decor. Be sure to take a peek at the windows because you never know what kinds of crazy things may happen!
We did not try a full meal here, but we did try the garlic knots! These are little mushroom shaped garlic knots served with a marinara sauce and a fun little appetizer to your meal. They were served hot and fresh and were very yummy.
I’ll be honest that this isn’t necessarily something I would go out of my way for unless you are already eating at Toadstool cafe. Mobile Order - where you order your food from the Universal App and then it is brought to your table - is required, so it can take a really long time to get your food. However, if you life fun themed food, this could be a fun stop!
Isle of Berk
Grog & Gruel
Next up we’re headed over to Isle of Berk for the Famous Mac & Cheese Cones that you can pick up at Grog & Gruel. (and they just added them to the menu at Spitfire Grill) The PB&J one has definitely been getting a TON of hype and if you like something sweet, this could be a good option. We opted for the Dragon Fire Chicken with pulled chicken, hot honey, chimmichuri, and of course ooey gooey Mac & cheese in a bread cone. We LOVED this! It wasn’t too spicy and they had the meat packed down throughout the cone, not just the top. The Mac & cheese itself was perfect and the cone had a fabulous garlic seasoning. This is a must get for sure!
This one would make a really great shareable snack or a decent meal for one person. I also appreciate that this is a grab’n go type location, so although you may wait in a bit of a line for this one, you can get your cone and continue walking around while you snack!
Mead Hall
Also in Isle of Berk we stopped by Mead Hall to grab a Mead of course! You can find this at Spitfire Grill too! The mead was really sweet and almost like a juice, but it was refreshing.
This restaurant was also really cool with the theming and you feel like you stepped right into the movie! This is another ‘quick’ casual dining where you will find a table and mobile order your food on your phone. There are beautiful handwoven tapestries that depict some of your favorite dragons and vikings, nordic style carvings are all around the structure of the building, and a HUGE chandelier finishes it off in the center.
We didn’t get a chance to try the food here, but I’ve heard really great things and could be a good stop if you are a fan of Norwegian fare! (think IKEA Swedish meatballs but better)
Spitfire Grill
This is another grab’n go style location, but you do also have the option to mobile order! They serve a variety of ‘bowl’s’ that are honestly packed with some great flavor! They do offer outdoor shaded seating right next to the Fire Drill attraction, so you can watch guests get absolutely SOAKED while you enjoy your food.
We go the salmon bowl and the salmon was cooked really well! It was paired with the ancient grains and roasted tomatoes this was a surprising hit for us! I did also try some of the shrimp bowl and chicken bowl that some friends got, and both were really tasty! Just be warned that the shrimp bowl has a sweet and very spicy flavor while the chicken bowl also has a spicy kick. If you aren’t a fan of spicy, stick with the salmon bowl!
Ministry of Magic
Cafe L’air de la Sirene
Over in Ministry of Magic we tried Cafe L’air de la Sirene a few different times and got some great stuff! This restaurant is absolutely STUNNING and even though it’s a fast casual style restaurant, you feel like you are eating in a very fancy French cafe. There are tile mosaics everywhere and make sure to look closely because you’ll find creatures from Fantastic Beasts all over the artwork!
First up for eats was the Lavender Lemonade. This was the perfect amount of sweet without being to heavy on the lemonade OR the lavender. Super refreshing on a hot day.
We also tried a few of the pastries and I’ll be honest that these are probably a skip for me. They were pretty dry and didn’t really have a lot of flavor. I really could have used some butter for that croissant. If you are getting something like a soup, this could be nice to add to dip though!
For our meals, I tried the Turkey Baguette Sandwich that came with Turkey, Brie cheese, apples, and arugula. It definitely could have used some sauce, but it was simple and really delicious so it’s was perfect for something that wasn’t so heavy. Plus the Parmesan fries were SO tasty! Brie cheese and apples are ALWAYS a perfect combo.
Mark Alan tried the Tomato and Goat Cheese Galette. Although this wasn’t my personal favorite flavor-wise, he LOVED this dish! The pastry was really flaky and if you love that tomato, olive, and goat cheese combo, this is a good one.
Finally we had to grab the super popular Butterbeer crepe and I won’t lie, I was a hater and thought there was no way a $20 crepe could be that good. I am happy to report that I was wrong on that front and this is indeed my new favorite form of butter beer! The whip cream on top is the same type they use on regular butter beer and the crepe itself is filled with a pudding type cream that gives it the Butterbeer flavor. Be warned that this is an incredibly sweet dish, so if that isn’t your thing, just be aware this is a sweet one.
Butterbeer Cart
If you are craving some classic Butterbeer, you can absolutely grab it at the restaurant, or you can grab it at the Butterbeer cart! This is located to the left of Le Cirque Arcanus. They serve both regular and Frozen Butterbeer and it’s honestly a must when visiting any Harry Potter themed land!
Moonshine Bar
If you are looking for a crafted cocktail, we tried out the Lobe Blaster from the Moonshine Bar! This is tucked back around the corner and although the inside is super tiny, the drinks pack a punch! The Lobe Blaster is a mix of moonshine, limoncello, absinthe, lemon juice, club soda, and simple syrup garnished with a rosemary sprig and layered with an émulsion verte. Be warned! This drink reallly does pack a punch.
Celestial Park
Pizza Moon
Pizza Moon has been another favorite of ours and trust me when I say this isn’t your basic pizza! There are some classics like pepperoni and a margarita pizza, but we grabbed the Mushroom pizza that had a mix of garlic, mushrooms, and a creme fresh style cheese. This was packed with flavor and made fresh. We loved it almost as much as our dessert!
We got the brownie pie that is a super gooey brownie with Nutella and toasted marshmallows. Of anything, come here to get this! It’s super shareable and a literal chocolate lovers DREAM.
This is also one of the locations in Celestial Park where you can grab the Celestial Spritz. This is a non-alcoholic soda that has a citrus-y grapefruit type flavor and you can ONLY get it in Celestial Park. Pro -tip - add a little bit of sprite to give it a lighter flavor.
The restaurant itself is SO beautiful! It is themed around the 1902’s film ‘A Trip to the Moon’ and features beautiful 2D moving art. You’ll honestly feel like you stepped into a vintage silent film! There is also loads of indoor and outdoor seating, so this will be a great one on a busy park day.
Oak & Star Tavern
Alright and finally is Oak & Star Tavern. Coming from the Midwest, we know good barbecue andd this place didn’t disappoint! The meat was cooked to perfection, the sauces were all super unique in flavor and really good, and oh my goodness the SIDES are amazing!
I got the pulled pork with mac & cheese and Mark Alan got the brisket with baked beans. The mac & cheese was so freaking good and the house made pickles are sort of like a bread and butter pickle, but not quite as sweet.
We also grabbed some of the mango bread and the smoked cheddar biscuits and honestly both are a must. The Mango bread was more sweet and came with a really yummy honey butter and the smoked cheddar biscuits really did have that smoky cheesy flavor.
To finish off, we had the banana pudding, which is in general one of my favorite desserts. This was so yummy and creamy and the perfect way to end our meal. This is a super shareable dish too!
There is so much more we want to try! What foodie items are YOU most looking forward to on your visit to Epic Universe? Let us know in the comments below!
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