Who can resist Mexican food and a margarita on a hot Florida day?
EPCOT
EPCOT offers great food choices. You can grab a snack from one of the Flower and Garden Festival booths, have breakfast with some princesses, or have a steak at Le Cellier. When you are in the mood for some savory food and good drinks, we got the place for you and it might not be where you would think. Often when people go to the Mexico Pavillion in the World Showcase, they are grabbing a margarita from La Cava del Tequila or grabbing tacos from La Cantina de San Angel. But there’s a place you might be walking right by.
Today, we are going to take you with us to a hidden gem in the World Showcase. We’re grabbing margaritas and food at Choza de Margarita.
Atmosphere
Choza de Margarita can be found as you enter the Mexico Pavillion from the front of the World Showcase. It is a stand serving alcohol and a few food items.
Choza de Margarita
There normally is a decent-sized line here, depending on the time of day, but we got lucky.
Time to order
The sign is bright and colorful and helps the restaurant stand out among the greenery.
Sign
They have a menu displayed at the front of the line showing what they are currently offering to give guests an idea.
The menu
Behind the bar, you will find the frozen margarita machines spinning and cast members dressed in vibrant colors.
The Frozen Margarita Machines
If you remember, Disney did away with plastic straws, so here at Choza, drinks come with agave straws instead. This makes drinking a frozen drink a lot easier than with the paper straws offered elsewhere.
Agave Straws
For utensils, they have plastic forks, spoons, and knives and offer paper napkins as well. You’ll want to grab these here before you carry your food to a table.
Plasticware and Napkins
The details in the stone are incredible and help set the atmosphere of the location.
The details in the stone
While there is no seating area for this stand, there are some stone table tops built into the wall.
Table tops
There are bar tables offered around the Mexico pavilion as well that you can carry your items to.
Mexico Pavilion
Menu
Choza de Margarita lives up to its name with the variety of margaritas available. You can get a variety on the rocks…
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… or frozen.
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They also have 5 food items you can order.
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They also serve a few beers…
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and finally, one non-alcoholic drink and bottled water.
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Drinks
First, we tried the Blood Orange Margarita for $18. This margarita has Libelula Joven Tequila, Sweet-Tart mix of Blood Orange, Gin, LeJay Black Currant Liqueur, Contraluz Reposado Cristalino Mezcal, and Hellfire Bitters, with a Tajín chile – lime powder rim.
Blood Orange Margarita
We found this drink to have a heavy alcohol taste with the Black Currant Liqueur being prominent. This is probably a skip for us next time, because the flavors just don’t blend well together. If you like black currant or blood orange this might be for you.
We also tried the Cucumber Margarita for $17. This margarita has Tromba blanco tequila, Fresh Cucumber and Lime Juice, Orange Liqueur, Abasolo corn whiskey, Agave, and Rhubarb bitters, with a Tajín chile-lime powder rim.
The Cucumber Margarita
The margarita was refreshing and light, compared to the heavier flavors in the Blood Orange version. We could tell that the lime and the cucumber juices were fresh and went really well together. The tequila was not overly strong and we honestly did not taste whisky. If you are looking for a lighter option, we recommend this one.
Eats
For our eats, we tried two dishes to go with our margaritas.
The Spread
First, we tried the Tostada de Pollo for $10.50. These are Crispy Corn Tortillas with Black Beans and Chipotle Chicken garnished with Crema Mexicana, Shredded Lettuce, and Queso Cotija.
The Tostadas
These tostadas were loaded on top, but the corn tortilla held up well and did not fall apart — we were shocked. They were crispy and toasted well. The flavors on this were great, and it was a good portion of 2 tostadas. The chicken on these was seasoned well and we loved the toppings of it all. We would grab these again. For $10.50, this is a steal.
Tostadas
Next, we tried the Empanada de Barbacoa for $12.50. The Empanadas are filled with Barbacoa Beef, and topped with Chipotle Sauce, Crema Mexicana, and Queso Fresco. This entree is served with a side of Corn Esquites.
The Empanadas
The Empanadas were very flavorful. The beef was juicy and was seasoned well. The chipotle sauce on the outside also added a kick to take it to another level. They were crispy, and we loved them.
Close up
Just look at the inside — perfectly cooked and tasty.
Inside of the empanada
The side of corn was great, too. We thought it was a good portion for a side item.
Corn Esquites
The corn was cooked great and had a lot of flavor in each bite.
Bite of Corn
Nosh or Not
You should make this a stop your next time at EPCOT if…
- You are looking for a great margarita. Choza offers some similar margaritas as La Cava del Tequila, but with less wait. They pack a punch and taste delicious.
- You are wanting to grab a snack as you are eating your way around the world. These portions are smaller than other restaurants, so it is perfect for a lighter option if you plan on grabbing multiple food items at EPCOT.
You should look elsewhere if…
- You want to sit down. There are no seating options for this restaurant. While there are bar tables around the area, you will have to carry your food and drinks to that location. This can be difficult if you are ordering multiple things.
- You want a variety of choices. Choza only 5 food items. It also only serves margaritas and beer. You won’t find a Coke and rum here, or even a fountain soda, for that matter. If you are wanting more choices, we recommend heading over to La Cantina de San Angel.
Overall
We enjoyed the food here and think it’s a great option for a quick snack or something to share with a friend. Each dish was full of flavor and was cooked perfectly. We would grab something here again as we are eating our way through EPCOT. We enjoyed the cucumber margarita but would skip the blood orange next time and try the El Diablo or a frozen margarita instead. We felt like these food and drinks are on par with other Mexican offerings in the pavilion and for a fraction of the cost.
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Have you been to Choza de Margarita? Let us know in the comments.
The post REVIEW: Are You Walking Right Past the Best Mexican Street Food in EPCOT? first appeared on the disney food blog.