When folks ask for my recommendations for where to eat in Epcot, I find myself turning to Sunshine Seasons again and again. With all of the diverse dining options in Epcot’s World Showcase, it is surprising even to me that a food court in Epcot’s Future World is at the top of my list!
What I love most is the outstanding food quality and the fact that everyone can find food that appeals to their palate at Sunshine Seasons. Standout dishes include spicy seared tuna over noodles, pork chop with mashed potatoes, roasted beet salad with goat cheese, oak-grilled salmon with green beans, and Thai green curry shrimp.
I’ve enjoyed breakfast, lunch and dinner (on several occasions…whoops) at Sunshine Seasons and the quality and great value keep me coming back. Unfortunately food elsewhere in Epcot can be hit or miss and sometimes overpriced. So here is a review of a recent visit that will hopefully show why this quick-service spot shouldn’t be missed on your next trip!
Sunshine Seasons and its open dining area are the main feature of the bottom level of the Land pavilion. It is pretty much impossible to miss when you come down the stairs or escalators from the top level.
Sunshine Seasons is organized in six different stations including Sandwiches, Asian Noodles, Soup & Salad, The Grill, The Bakery, and Kids Meals. There is also a “grab and go” section that has many offerings, including sushi. When you enter there are pictures of some of the offerings at each station. Here is the most recent menu from my go-to site AllEars.Net.
Asian Noodle Station
Each station has an open kitchen so you can interact with the helpful staff. They are happy to answer questions and talk to anyone with dietary restrictions of any kind. The chefs will prepare meals for folks with special diets so don’t be afraid to ask!
Here are some pictures of the different stations and kitchens. I suggest taking your time and checking out what is available at each station before you make up your mind. You can of course order items from multiple stations, and I strongly suggest doing so.
Soup & Salad Station
Soup & Salad Station
Sandwich Station
Spicy Fish Tacos at The Grill Station
And of course my favorite station is The Bakery. I have sampled many of these offerings (don’t judge) and everything was amazing. The Strawberry Shortcake is my hands down favorite. It has tons of fresh strawberries, light and fluffy whipped cream, and the whole thing is not too sweet. I could eat it for breakfast… wait, I think I have! Whoops again!
It was just my daughter and me on this most recent trip, and I wasn’t too hungry so I stuck with soup and salad. I was able to order the Power Salad without chicken for $7.99 and I also had a bowl of Pumpkin Squash soup for $4.49. My daughter had the rotisserie chicken leg with green beans. She also had apple slices, a drink and a cookie for $6.99.
The Power Salad consists of red quinoa, thinly sliced raw kale and cabbage, almonds and a mild crumbled cheese (similar to cojita) all tossed in a honey vinaigrette. This thing made my day. The texture was fantastic – the vinaigrette dressing softened up the raw veggies just enough that they still had plenty of crunch. This contrasted with the buttery cheese and nutty snap of the almonds nicely. It left me full and satisfied for hours!
The squash soup was also a homerun. It was not super sweet (unlike the butternut squash soup at Boma, which is like liquid dessert) and was smooth and rich. The cast member who served it to me offered to put the same crumbled cheese I had on my salad on top of the soup, but I passed.
My daughter enjoyed the juicy chicken leg in her kids meal. The green beans were cooked perfectly (in my opinion), but they were a little under-done for her tastes. She also ate a cookie that I didn’t get a picture of because it disappeared too quickly!
I passed on dessert this time because we were headed over to World Showcase to scout out the bakery scene. If you dine at Sunshine Seasons, don’t forget to look up! The lovely balloons above you represent the four seasons and the Earth at the center.
Also, I would recommend timing FastPass+ for ultra-popular Soarin’ around 11 am and then eating an early lunch at Sunshine Seasons afterwards. After lunch I love to ride Listen to the Land, though I do miss the original song (what can I say, I am a child of the 80’s). This will limit the trips you make to the Land pavilion and help you save time in the park.
Have you dined at Sunshine Seasons? Feel free to leave a comment if you have! Don’t miss it on your next trip if you’ve never been.
