It’s March Madness… EPCOT-style! 🍽️🌸
This week, we’re doing something fun, fresh… and flavorful, as we taste and debate 16 of the newest savory dishes from this year’s EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival. It’s a bracket-style showdown we’re calling: The Savory 16!
We taste-tested everything, made our notes, and brought our appetites and opinions as we decided what moved on, what got eliminated, and which dish deserves the crown as this year’s Flavor of the Festival. And there were surprises, upsets, blowouts, and buzzer beaters.
In Episode 823 of the WDW Radio podcast, we head to Walt Disney World and the 2025 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival for a deliciously competitive, bracket-style culinary showdown I’m calling: The Savory 16 – where 16 of the newest savory dishes from this year’s Outdoor Kitchens go head-to-head in a quest to be crowned Best of the Fest.
Recorded on location inside CommuniCore Hall in EPCOT, I’m joined by foodie friends Lisa DiNoto Glassner (The Castle Run and Thousand Circles), and Zac Brown (The Zac Brown Show) for a live taste test and tournament filled with flavor, fun, and friendly debate.
We sample, compare, and rank everything from flaky Jamaican beef patties to bao buns, lavender honey poutine to grilled asparagus, conch fritters to giant tostadas. There were upsets, buzzer beaters, and a few surprise MVPs as we worked our way through the Savory 16, narrowed it to the Flavor Four, and ultimately crowned our top savory dish of the 2025 festival.
Whether you’re planning your visit to EPCOT, looking for the must-try dishes at this year’s festival, or just love a good food face-off, this is your guide to the can’t-miss savory flavors of Flower & Garden 2025.
🥘 What You’ll Discover in This Episode:
- A full review and ranking of 16 new savory dishes from the 2025 Flower & Garden Festival
- How the Savory 16 bracket works and the rules of our foodie face-off
- First-hand reactions, honest opinions, and laughter-filled debates
- Which dishes impressed us in terms of flavor, portion size, creativity, and value
- The final Flavor Four, and which dish was crowned Best of the Fest
- How this year’s menus compare to previous EPCOT festivals
- Thoughts on placemaking, environment, and seating inside CommuniCore Hall
🕒 Timestamped Matchups:
- 00:06 – Why Flower & Garden is my favorite EPCOT festival
- 02:00 – How the Savory 16 Bracket works + what’s new in 2025
- 07:30 – Jamaican Beef Patty vs. Trio of Chips & Dips
- 15:20 – Lumpia vs. Grilled Asparagus
- 19:40 – Seafood Bake vs. Conch Fritters
- 25:42 – Takoyaki vs. Duck Gnocchi
- 36:23 – Shrimp Taco vs. Jamaican Jerk Chicken
- 45:37 – Shrimp Primavera vs. Lavender Honey Poutine
- 53:10 – Seafood Ceviche vs. Grilled Gulf Oysters
- 59:10 – Satay Beef Bao Bun vs. Giant Tostada
- 1:05:00 – Our Flavor Four and final winner revealed!
🌱 About the 2025 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival
The 2025 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival runs from March 5 through June 2, 2025, and is one of Walt Disney World’s most beautiful, flavorful, and beloved seasonal events. It features:
- Stunning Disney character topiaries and floral displays
- Outdoor Kitchens serving seasonal and globally inspired food
- Live entertainment at the Garden Rocks Concert Series
- Educational gardens, interactive experiences, and family-friendly activities
- The all-new CommuniCore Hall and Plaza space for events and relaxation
📥 Download Your Own Savory 16 Bracket!
👉 Download and Edit the bracket via Google Sheets – Print it, edit it, or create your own version with a blank bracket template included!
💬 What is your favorite item at this year’s Festival… or the one you want to try most after listening this week?
Which one would you crown Best of the Fest? Were there any surprises or must-try favorites we missed?
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