PHOTOS: First Look at the Swan and Dolphin Food Classic

The 2021 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival may be in full swing right now, but did you know that there’s another spot just outside of the park that you can taste even more small plates from popular restaurants?

The  Food and Wine Classic is an annual event hosted by the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts and features unlimited food tastings at over 20 stations and over 100 different wines, beers, and other drink options from around the world. We were invited to an early preview media event, so we’re bringing you along with us for a first look at what you can expect — let’s get to it!

This year’s event is set to take place on October 29th and 30th from 5:30PM to 9PM at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. And between all the dishes from the resort’s culinary team and other themed stations (including a dish from the newest restaurant at the upcoming Swan Reserve hotel), there’s a whole lot to explore!

Tickets for the event cost $165 per person plus fees, but you’ll be able to try all the eats and drinks that you want throughout the night (including seconds). Or you can always look into purchasing a package if you’re staying at the Swan or Dolphin Resort.

The full menu lineup includes dishes like Roasted Linz Heritage Black Angus Beef Tenderloin from Shula’s Steak House and seasonal favorites from Todd English’s bluezoo…

…special rolls from Kimonos, and Tonarelli Pasta and Grilled Mahi Mahi from the Swan Reserve…

…and there’s even Crab Cakes and Beef Sliders from The Fountain, and Shanghai Dumplings from Chinatown.

Plus, you’ll also find BBQ Chicken wings, poutine, desserts, and much more! You’ll just want to keep in mind that some of the menus do change from Friday to Saturday.

During the media event, we were able to try A LOT of the new and returning dishes (and even some drinks!). We started off with the Poutine from The Beer Garden. This NEW french fry-loaded dish will be available on both Friday and Saturday and is made with Yukon Gold Fries, House Gravy, and Cheddar Cheese Curds.

Over at Frida’s Kitchen, we got to the all NEW Croquetas, which will be available on Saturday and is a Fried Smoked Ham & Cheese Dumpling with Cilantro Crema…

…and the Elot (aka Grilled Sweet Corn with Chile Powder, Mayonnaise, Cotija Cheese, Green Onion, and Lime) which is a returning menu item for the spot.

On Friday, Picabu will feature the Lemon Pepper Seared Salmon served with Charred Broccoli, Quinoa, and Meyer Lemon Sauce…

…Cabana Bar and Beach Club will have the Vegetarian Rice Bowl with Roasted Vegetables, Seasoned Sushi Rice, and Tempura Crunch…

…and Il Mulino will serve the Brandade Black Pepper Agnolotti, which is topped with Wilted Sweet Onion, Eggplant, Tomato Petals, Crispy Pancetta, and Nduja Vinaigrette.

Plus, The Fountain will also serve up a Beef Slider (which is a Hand Formed Angus Beef Patty topped with Truffle Aioli, Applewood Smoked Bacon, and Roma Tomato Chutney) on Friday.

On Saturday, the Grilled Mahi Mahi from the NEW Swan Reserve hotel will be available. It features the Mahi Mahi, Tuscan Kale, Toasted Fregola Sarda, and Spanish Caper Sauce.

And, Smokin’ D’s will also feature the NEW Black Pepper Smoked Beef Brisket (which comes with Braised Greens, White Corn Spoon Bread, Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, and Smoked Tomato Barbecue Sauce) on Saturday too.

And, it wouldn’t be a full foodie event without some dessert, right? New offerings this year include the German Chocolate Cake, which is a Warm Chocolate Pecan Brownie with Coconut Cream, Caramelized Pecans, Toasted Coconut, and Fudge Icing…

…and the Bourbon Apples, which is made with Caramelize Apples, Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream, Caramel Whipped Ganache, Almond Pound Cake, and Honey Granola Crumble.

The event will also feature beers from 15 (!!) different breweries including the Phins & Feathers IPA.

And, besides all of the food and drink offerings, guests can expect to enjoy live entertainment throughout the evening as well.

Tickets are on sale right now at the Food & Wine Classic website, so you can already secure your spot to try all the unlimited food and drink. And, we’ll be sure to bring you any other details that you may need to know before you go, so stay tuned to AllEars for more!

Learn More About the Food and Wine Classic HERE!

Disclosure: We were invited by the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin to attend a media preview of the Food & Wine Classic. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.

Have you ever been to the Food and Wine Classic at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin? Let us know in the comments!

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