Eating in Disney World can be overwhelming especially if you have dietary restrictions.

Forget new foods, upcoming EPCOT festival eats, and new dining options — just figuring out an ordinary meal in the World can be worrisome if you know specific restrictions are involved. But don’t let it make you panic. There are many places where you can find gluten-free, dairy-free, or other types of food to meet your specific needs. So today we’re taking a little bit of the stress away and sharing our picks of some of the BEST gluten-free options in EPCOT to make your trip a little easier.

What to Know

Let’s talk big-picture first. If you will need to eat gluten-free or gluten-friendly foods in Disney World, know that there are a number of options available. Disney truly strives to accommodate guests with all kinds of special diets, including those who stay away from gluten.

We have an entire page dedicated to eating gluten-free in Disney World, so be sure to check that out if you have any further questions after getting through this post. We also have a gluten-free guide for Magic Kingdom, so don’t miss out on that one if you’ll be heading to Magic Kingdom as well.

Before we dive into specifics, the main thing we want to convey is to just be clear about your needs and ask Cast Members for assistance. If you don’t see anything on the menu specifically marked as gluten-free or gluten-friendly, or you have questions about what a particular item has or is made of, do not hesitate to ask.

You may be given the opportunity to speak with a Cast Member who has a more detailed list of ingredients for each dish, or you may be able to speak with a chef who can answer your questions. The key here is to share your specific needs with those who can assist you. You might just be surprised at what kind of delicious magic can be created for you!

Here are three basic suggested steps:

1. Make your Advance Dining Reservations and note your gluten-free diet on each reservation. (online or when calling (407) WDW-DINE)
2. You may e-mail the Special Diets department ([email protected]); or call them at (407) 824-5967 if you wish, prior to your trip.
3. Talk to the Chef or Restaurant Manager when you arrive at the restaurant.

Alright, let’s dive into more details.

Eating Gluten-Free at Quick Service Restaurants at EPCOT

To start us off, let’s talk about eating gluten-free at Quick Service restaurants in EPCOT. These are the restaurants where you can typically place a mobile order or order at a counter, pick up your food, and then take it to a table.

At Quick Service restaurants, you should request to speak with a Cast Member or a manager who can help guide you through your options before you order. While it might feel a bit tedious, don’t hesitate to ask. Asking for a manager is typically the way to go because they can really help ensure that your order is made correctly. You may want to request a quick chat with the Chef too depending on your concerns.

Keep in mind that some Quick Service restaurants in EPCOT are available through Mobile Order. With that service, you can place your order through the My Disney Experience app ahead of time, schedule when you want to pick it up, and even pay for it in advance.

Before picking where you want to eat in EPCOT, take a second to scroll through the menus on the My Disney Experience app. Typically, near the end of a restaurant’s menu or within a Mobile Order menu, you’ll find Allergy-Friendly options.

When placing a Mobile Order, look for the Allergy-Friendly icon!

Once you tap that, you should see a screen showing you the various Allergy-Friendly menus available. Click the “Gluten/Wheat Allergy-Friendly” menu to see more.

You’ll then be able to select a meal that hopefully will be friendly for your specific allergy needs.

The mobile order screen alerts you to confirm your dietary needs with a Cast Member upon arriving.

You can read Disney’s full notice/disclaimer about the steps they take to make allergy-friendly meals below.

Again, if you have questions about ingredients, specific items, etc. do not hesitate to ask a Cast Member at the restaurant. They, a manager, or a chef should be able to give you the clarifications you need.

In terms of quick service options with foods that are particularly good for those eating gluten-free, you may want to check out Sunshine Seasons at lunch.

Sunshine Seasons is in the Land Pavilion and it offers several gluten-free options. For lunch, you can find gluten-friendly versions of the Oak-grilled Rotisserie Chicken, the Oak Grilled Salmon, Sir-fried Chicken, and the Power Salad.

For dinner, however, only the Power Salad is still offered out of the gluten-free options, along with some gluten-friendly snacks.

Another good option is Connections Eatery, one of EPCOT’s newest restaurants. This one is available via Mobile Order, making it very convenient, and it has 10 gluten/wheat-friendly options typically available including a French Bistro Burger, salad, and even gluten/wheat-friendly chicken strips (a great pick for kiddos!).

You can also grab a Quick Service gluten-free meal at Regal Eagle Smokehouse in the American Adventure pavilion. Regal Eagle offers several gluten/wheat-friendly options such as the Memphis Dry Rub Pork Ribs, the Kansas City Smoked Half Chicken, The BBQ Burger, the BBQ Jackfruit Burger, the Sliced Texas Beef Brisket Sandwich, and more! 

Check out some of their gluten-free menu below.

While these are some good options, don’t forget to check out the other EPCOT menus for the gluten-free and allergy options before choosing a spot to visit.

Check out our list of ALL the EPCOT Restaurants here

Eating Gluten-Free at Table Service Restaurants in EPCOT

You will find gluten-free/friendly options throughout EPCOT at the Table Service restaurants too! Keep in mind that for Table Service restaurants you’ll want to make an Advance Dining Reservation. (You can, however, use the Walk-Up Waitlist feature on the My Disney Experience app or otherwise check with the Cast Members at Table Service locations to see if there is any space for you to grab a last-minute table without a reservation.)

Before picking a place to make a reservation, check out that restaurant’s menu online. You should be able to scroll down (typically toward the end of the menu) to find some allergy-friendly eats or search for the word “gluten” and see what items are marked as “gluten/wheat” friendly. That’ll help you narrow down the restaurants with allergy-friendly food you’re interested in!

While many menus online do note these allergy-friendly options, some may simply say that allergy-friendly menus are available upon request. In that instance, be sure to reach out to Disney ahead of your trip to get more information.

If you do make a reservation, your gluten-friendly adventure can begin in advance, which is great. We recommend noting that you are eating a gluten-free diet when making the reservation. If you call (407) WDW-DINE to make your reservation, just make sure to tell the Cast Member that you want that dietary restriction clearly noted on your reservation.

Many Table Service restaurants should be able to accommodate gluten-free diets when you arrive, but if it isn’t marked down on your reservation, be sure to speak with a Chef or manager when you arrive at the restaurant.

If you opt to dine at a buffet-style restaurant, be sure to speak with Cast Members, a manager, or the chef, to see what may be gluten-friendly on the buffet line or see if something else that is gluten-friendly can be made for you.

One Table Service option you might want to consider for gluten-free dining in EPCOT is Garden Grill.

This location offers an all-you-care-to-enjoy family-style meal and is a character dining restaurant where you can meet Farmer Mickey and some of his other pals. This restaurant also serves up an allergy-friendly version of its Harvest Feast which is a major plus.

Even fancy spots like Le Cellier Steakhouse in the Canada pavilion have some gluten-friendly options like a gluten-friendly version of their signature poutine, a gluten-friendly version of the Le Cellier Filet Mignon, and a gluten-friendly version of the Maple Crème Brûlée. So you can enjoy all the deliciousness and meet your dietary needs.

These are just some of the spots where you might find a good gluten-free Table Service meal, but there are other options in EPCOT as well, so be sure to explore those menus!

Gluten-Free Festival Eating in EPCOT

EPCOT’s signature offering is its seasonal Festivals! And while eating gluten-free at a Festival might concern you, don’t let it! There are actually quite a few gluten-free options typically available at each of the Festivals, and Disney does a good job of marking them down so you know what to look for!

When you find a Festival Marketplace (food booth) menu at a Festival, look for the items marked as gluten-free/friendly.

Click here to see the gluten-free items that were available at the 2022 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival.

Click here to see the FULL menus for the 2022 EPCOT Festival of the Holidays (you can search “gluten” to find the options that are friendly to that dietary need).

The 2023 Festival of the Arts menus aren’t fully available yet, but bookmark this page to see them once they’re released!

Click here to see the full menus from the 2022 Flower and Garden Festival so you can see what was available in the past!

Gluten-Free Snacks in EPCOT

Luckily, EPCOT also has some great gluten-free snack options! To start, you have to know some of the most iconic Disney snacks are gluten-free. Both the Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar and the standard popcorn around Disney World are considered gluten-free and can be enjoyed at tons of different locations around the park.

The Maple Popcorn from the Canada Pavilion Popcorn Cart is also generally gluten-free and adds a bit of variation from your normal Disney popcorn.

The macarons at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie in the France Pavilion are also a yummy (typically) gluten-free snack! We absolutely love this option for a sweet treat.

You may also find gluten-free Chips with a side of Guacamole from La Cava del Tequila. These can be super filling even for a snack.

Other potentially gluten-free/friendly snacks in EPCOT include:

• Look for ice cream and sorbet flavors that may be gluten-free at L’Artisan des Glaces (France)
• Kakigori at Kabuki Cafe Japan (typically gluten free as well)
• Ask Cast Members where to find “Snacks With Character” — pre-packaged allergy-friendly snacks

Just remember to always double-check with a Cast Member or manager before eating since Disney frequently updates their menus.

Overall, Disney has tons of gluten-free options if you just know where to look. Remember to always double-check with Cast Members before ordering and never hesitate to ask questions. While dining in Disney can be overwhelming, you know we’ve got you covered. Make sure to keep following DFB for all of your Disney dining news and updates.

Check out our guide to eating gluten-free in Disney World here

Which gluten-free dining option will you try? Let us know in the comments! 

The post EPCOT Gluten Free Ultimate Guide for 2023 first appeared on the disney food blog.