1. Epcot

Image: DisneyLook, you knew this was coming. A visit to Epcot has one irrevocable outcome. You’re going to eat somewhere here, and you’re going to relish every last bite. The park itself has a strange structure from a haute cuisine perspective. The front of the park is relatively thin in terms of quality meals. I’m a fan of Electric Umbrella for its second floor views, and I don’t share the consensus opinion on Coral Reef as average fare. I always love that dining experience for the ambience and the desserts.

Still, the reality of Epcot is that Sunshine Seasons is the only truly great restaurant at the front of the park. The back of the park, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. Picking the 15 (!) best restaurants at the World Showcase is an impossible exercise. I doubt that a poll of 1,000 voters would share any duplicate lists.

Image: DisneyPersonally, my counter service favorites are Tangierine Café, Yorkshire County Fish Shop, and the bakeries at the France and Norway Pavilions. I would understand if you preferred Lotus Blossom Café, La Cantina de San Angel, or Liberty Inn, though. None of these options is bad. To the contrary, lunch at any of these places would leave a smile on your face for hours afterward.

While the Quick Service restaurants are great, the Table Service meals are the sublime part of a World Showcase visit. Picking a favorite is a mood thing more than a finite decision. Sometimes, you want Mexican food in a breathtaking restaurant, and that’s when you head to San Angel Inn. On other day, you’re craving Chinese food, so you visit Nine Dragons. Or maybe you want schnitzel and beer. Biergarten will feel your belly while dizzying your brain.

Image: DisneyI could go on and on about my favorites (hello, Teppan Edo!), but I haven’t even gotten to the best part. On more than half the days on the annual calendar, the 11 pavilions of the World Showcase are home to special food kiosks. These temporary serving stations serve limited-time meals that will make your mouth water. This unprecedented third kind of dining elevates the already-spectacular food at Epcot to heights that no other Walt Disney World gate/entertainment district can reach. It’s THE best place to eat in all of Orlando.