Calling all foodies! Disney Springs is hosting the food event of the summer. Picture the EPCOT food and wine festival but all FLORIDA themed! Flavors of Florida is happening now until August 11. Here’s your chance to try some of the freshest flavor combos the Sunshine State has to offer.
We were recently hosted by Disney to come out and try as many Flavors of Florida items as we could. And it was so hard to narrow down our top 5 favorite menu items. There are over 70 offerings on the Flavors of Florida menu spread throughout all of Disney Springs. We’ll definitely be back before it’s over to try the meals we couldn’t get to this weekend. There’s even a scavenger hunt/checklist for you to keep track of all the stuff you tried on the Disney Experience app!
There’s more to Flavors of Florida than food tasting. You can even see cooking presentations led by renowned chefs like Maneet Chauhan and more! Registration is available on the Disney Springs Instagram page!
Now, before I get into my top 5 favorite Flavors of Florida menu items, let me highlight some of the things I WISH I tried, and some I skipped. With it being a Florida-themed event, you can definitely expect to see some Cuban sandwiches. And because we already have the best Cuban’s in Tampa, I tried to stay away from those (but had to try the most unique one).
I wish I had time to try the Pork Belly Burnt End Tacos at City Works Eatery & Pour House. Made with smoked pork belly burnt ends, orange blossom honey BBQ sauce, key-lime coleslaw, aji amarillo sauce, and green onions.
And of course, no Disney Springs trip is complete without a trip to Gideon’s Bakehouse. I don’t care how long the line is, it’s always a MUST for me. They have 2 items on the Flavors of Florida menu. Unfortunately the Key Lime Pie Cake Bars (the one item I really wanted to try) was already sold out. The second item didn’t stand out to me, even though I LOVE their nitro cold brews. Gideon’s is also offering a Orange Mocha Nitro Cold Brew.
Here Are 5 Delicious Items You Need To Try During Flavors of Florida at Disney Springs
Strawberry Shortcake Donut & Italian Style Soda
Head to Everglaze Donuts for this sweet treat. You won’t be able to find this at the Tampa location! The strawberry shortcake donut is HUGE glazed donut filled with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, then dusted with powdered sugar. We also tried their Italian-style strawberry soda, which was very refreshing and kind of similar to the strawberry refresher from Starbucks.
Florida Key West Pink Shrimp Salad
Before or after you stop at Gideon’s for something sweet, head next door to Morimoto Asia for this delicious salad perfect for lunch or dinner! It’s made with green tea-infused soba noodles, radish, carrot, cucumber, lettuce, and ponzu sauce.
Ybor City-Style Hot Dog
I told you I had to try ONE Cuban-inspired sandwich while I was there. I decided to go with the version that you’d never see in Tampa. A Cuban-style hot dog. And it was SO GOOD! Head to B.B. Wolf’s Sausage Co. to get your hands on this perfect mid-day snack. Made with a quarter pound all-beef hot dog, mojo pork, pickles, swiss cheese, and mustard on a house-made roll.
Key West Shrimp Tostones
I’m so glad I made a reservation at Summer House on the Lake because that place is always packed! And their Flavors of Florida dishes are probably my most favorite from our trip. We got the Key West Shrimp made with Tostones chile verde, Florida citrus salsa, and black beans. While their cookies may not be as good as Gideon’s (just my preference), everything on the menu looked incredible and so fresh!
Key Lime Pie Martini
Also found at Summer House on the Lake. There are a few different key lime pie-flavored drinks on the Flavors of Florida menu, but this one was definitely the one to get! Made with Titos, KeKe key lime pie cream liqueur, vanilla, and lime, with a graham cracker crust rim. It’s wasn’t too sweet or too tart, and definitely not as heavy as some of the other key lime pie-inspired cocktails we saw. (And they get bonus points for hidden Mickey ears).
