Let's eat! Universal Orlando's Mardi Gras 2023 is tastier than ever with the largest selection of food and drinks. Over 20 food and beverage booths are at Universal's Mardi Gras 2023 (keep reading for the FULL MENU). This annual festival at Universal takes place February 4 – April 16, 2023 and is perfect for date night.

There are even special Mardi Gras food and drinks at Universal CityWalk, Islands of Adventure, and select Universal Orlando hotels!

But let's stick to the main event. In our expert guide to Universal Orlando's Mardi Gras food and beverage, we will focus mostly on Universal Studios Florida since that is where you'll find the Mardi Gras parade and concerts.

Speaking of which, if you want to view the concert lineup, parade schedule, and get tips on what not to miss then jump over to our Guide to an Epic Date at Universal's Mardi Gras.

BEST Food and Drinks at Universal's Mardi Gras 2023

After years of visiting Universal Mardi Gras, I can safely say that 2023 has the biggest lineup, and some of the best, food and drinks ever!

This guide covers our 8 MUST TRY Food and Drinks at Universal's Mardi Gras 2023. Then you can keep reading for the ENTIRE MENU of Mardi Gras food and drink. And we even cover where each food and beverage booth is located this year – 2023.

Plus, we cover a few foods that were disappointing, which you should perhaps avoid.

Top 8 MUST TRY Food and Drinks

1. Shrimp and Smoked Cheddar Cheese Rice Grits (New Orleans booth at CityWalk)
2. Liège Waffle Berries and Cream (Belgium booth near Simpsons area and London Waterfront)
3. Mofongo Trio (Puerto Rico booth in New York area)
4. Classic Pina Colada (Puerto Rico booth in New York area)
5. Bloody Mary (near New York and San Francisco areas)
6. Beignets (near Central Park, between New York and Hollywood Areas)
7. Bali Punch (Indonesia booth in San Francisco Area)
8. Bubur Ketan Hitam – Indonesian purple sticky rice pudding (Indonesia booth in San Francisco Area)

All of the above food items cost about $7 each and the servings were pretty generous. Drinks are about $13 – $15 depending on what size you order.

A friendly reminder, there is only one drink per person per ID.

Shrimp and Smoked Cheddar Cheese Rice Grits

GREAT NEWS! You do not even need a theme park ticket to enjoy our top pick for Mardi Gras food at Unviersal Orlando.

The Shrimp and Smoked Cheddar Cheese Rice Grits is made with sauteed shrimp, Tasso ham and trinity, in a pan sauce, over smoked cheddar cheese rice grits. I recommend skipping the Jambalaya and Gumbo inside the park gates and going with this scrumptious dish instead.

Liège Waffle Berries and Cream

My husband and I expected to be disappointed with this waffle – after all theme park waffles are notoriously dry with drippy whipped cream.

However, the Liège Waffle Berries and Cream ended up putting smiles on our faces. The waffle itself was a tad hard and dry, but somehow the sweet strawberries and towering whipped cream worked their magic.

Mofongo Trio

The Puerto Rico booth is one of our favorites, especially around parade time, thanks to its location in the New York area of the park.

The Mofongo Trio is certainly not going to compete with any local cuisine, but it is a great way to try three different versions of this traditional dish. There are small servings of a mix of smashed plantains, bacon, chicharrónes with shrimp criolla, crispy chicken thigh, and mayo ketchup. We both liked the shrimp criolla mofongo the best.

Classic Pina Colada

No blenders here! This Classic Pina Colada, also at the Puerto Rico booth is served on the rocks. The pineapple flavors are more forward than the coconut, and we found it more refreshing this way.

Bloody Mary

The Traditional Bloody Mary, spiked with New Amsterdam Vodka is not only photo-worthy but is a fun drink to share on your date night. Choose from a MILD or WILD version.

The WILD has Louisiana hot sauce and Sriracha hot chili sauce. The 24 oz version is $18.00 which seems a little pricey, but it's double the normal drink size making it shareable.

With the 20 oz souvenir cup, we got our Bloody Mary at the $15 refill price – and will all the toppings.

It comes topped with what amounts to a small snack platter. The 2023 Bloody Mary has a shrimp, bacon, pickle spear, cheese cubes, olive, and more!

Note, the smaller drink sizes just come with a celery stick and lime wedge garnish.

Beignets

Many of the traditional New Orleans foods at Unviersal's Mardi Gras are disappointing. However, the beignets are a must! The soft, sugary, and the perfect boost of energy when you've been indulging all day.

Bali Punch

My husband and I both loved this drink! It's not too sweet, not too tart. It reminded us both of a margarita and a mojito but with lighter, crisper flavors.

Bubur Ketan Hitam (Indonesian purple sticky rice pudding)

This one is a little strange, and it looks like refried black beans at first. But, the Indonesian purple sticky rice pudding is sweet, but not overly sugary. And since it is served chilled with fresh mango it is refreshing.

We haven't had a chance to stop by the Canada, Italy, Mexico, Japan, and Germany booths just yet. We've heard great things about each of them.

If you think we should add some great food and drinks you've had this year, connect with us on Instagram and send us a message.

Now, let's talk about some of the food and drinks that disappointed us so far this year.

Foods to Avoid

The most traditional New Orleans and Cajun style food can be found around the New York area. It's worth getting the shrimp or crawfish bowl or perhaps some gumbo. But, overall the traditional New Orleans dishes inside the park led me to disappointment.

The Brussels Frites are just standard fries with two dipping sauces – nothing that impressive. And the Oh Baby beer which is brewed by Crooked Can, has way too much cinnamon flavor. It kind of paired well with the beignets, but overall we both felt it was one of the weirdest beers we've ever tasted and not something we would order again.

We decided to splurge and see if the Crab & Dumplings from the Trinidad and Tobago booth was worth the $16 pricetag. It was not.

I loved the sweet and spicy flavors of the broth. But the curried soft-shell crab was a very small serving and rather mushy. The stew with Roti bread had great flavors but did not live up to the hefty pricetag.

Universal Mardi Gras Food and Beverage Menu and Locations

2023 Mardi Gras Menu

Belgium Menu (near Simpsons area on bridge)

• Liège Waffle Berries and Cream(V)
  pearled sugar waffle, topped with strawberries, whipped topping, and strawberry and cream crumbs
• Liège Waffle S'mores
  pearled sugar chocolate chip waffle, topped with marshmallow cream, chocolate sauce, and graham cracker crumbs
• Brussels Frites(GS, VG)
  crispy seasoned fries served with Andalouse and Joppiesaus sauces
• Orval Trappist
  complex malt flavor combined with prominent fruitiness and an earthy herbal, peppery bitterness
• Rochefort Trappist
  full bodied with strong notes of plum, raisin, and black currant

Bloody Mary Bar Menu (near New York area and San Francisco area)

• Bloody Mary Wild
  a spicy (Louisiana hot sauce and Sriracha hot chili sauce) version of a traditional Bloody Mary spiked with New Amsterdam vodka, garnished with a variety of Cajun toppings
• Bloody Mary Mild
  mild version of a traditional Bloody Mary spiked with New Amsterdam vodka, garnished with a variety of Cajun toppings

Brazil Menu (near former Kids' Zone)

• Picanha Skewers(GS)
  beef sirloin cap, with chimichurri, smoked salt, and pão de queijo
• Linguiça Skewers
  grilled Brazilian sausage with pão de queijo
• Chicken Coxinha
  tear drop chicken fritters
• Brigadeiros Trio(GS, V)
  Brazilian classic with condensed milk, cocoa powder, chocolate sprinkles, and hazelnuts
• Mango Caipirinha
  Pirassununga Cachaça, Bols orange curaçao with lime juice, mango nectar, syrup, and simple syrup
• Guava Caipirinha
  Pirassununga Cachaça combined with guava nectar, lime juice, simple syrup, mint extract, and a pinch of salt

Canada Menu (New York area)

• Canadian Snowshoe Maple(VG)
  fried sweetened dough, cinnamon sugar, and maple syrup
• Poutine with Short Rib Gravy
  crispy fries with short rib, cheese curds, and brown gravy
• Candied Maple Bacon(GS)
  chewy Maple taffy covered pork belly with chopped peanuts and chocolate
• Canadian Snowshoe Nutella®(V)
  fried sweetened dough, Nutella®, sugar, and chopped toasted hazelnuts
• Slocum Maple Smash
  sweet and refreshing combination of New Amsterdam vodka, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cardamom bitters
• Collective Arts(VG)
  New England style IPA, Simcoe and Mosaic hops
• Maple Lemonade
  simple yet refreshing mix of maple syrup and lemon juice

Central City Menu (near Central Park, New York area)

• Crawfish & Shrimp Boil(GS)
  mixed bag of crawfish, shrimp, andouille sausage, potatoes, and corn on the cob
• Crawfish Boil (GS)
  mixed bag of crawfish, andouille sausage, potatoes, and corn on the cob
• Shrimp Boil (GS)
  mixed bag of shrimp, andouille sausage, potatoes, and corn on the cob
• Beignets(V)
  sweet fried pastry dusted with powdered sugar
• Category 5 Punch
  Myers's Dark rum, Cruzan Aged Dark rum, passionfruit purée, mixed with grenadine, orange and lime juice
• Abita Purple Haze(VG)
  a lager brewed with real raspberries, wheat malts, and Wanguard hops
• Oh Baby
  this custom brew is bursting with vanilla and cinnamon flavors on a base of sweet yet roasty malt

Colombia Menu (San Francisco area)

• Colombian Empanadas(GS)
  crispy corn masa beef and chicken empanadas, served with aji picante
• Arepas de Queso(GS, V)
  white corn masa cake with queso blanco
• Refajo
  refreshing and authentic mix of light beer and Colombiana soda
• Coco Loco
  Limonada de Coco spiked with rum and tequila
• Limonada de Coco
  Limeade sweetened with coconut cream
• Choladas(V)
  shaved ice with sweetened condensed milk, mango, strawberry sauce, wafers, and Lulo syrup

Denmark Menu

• Rød Pølse
  Danish red hot dog, with curry remoulade, pickled cucumber, and crispy onions
• Frikadeller Meatballs with Danish Gravy
  beef and pork meatballs in a creamy gravy, topped with apple butter and dill
• Mead Flight
  Viking Blod, Odin's Skull, and GI. Dansk Mjod
• Odin's Skull
  composed of honey, sour apple juice, hops, and cinnamon
• GI. Dansk Mjod
  sweet and semi-dry notes of ginger and the sweetness of honey
• Viking Blod
  sweet honey flavors evolving into cinnamon, clove, and citrus
• Carlsberg(VG)
  full bodied Danish pilsner with a hoppy aroma and flavor

France Menu

• Muffaletta Crepe
  savory crepe filled with olive relish, mortadella, salami, ham, mozzarella, Cajun mayo, arugula, and sesame seeds
• Domaine Paul Buisse Chinon
  highly aromatic robust, intense with silky tannins that produce a lovely finish
• Dopff & Irion Crustaces Blanc
  crisp medium bodied, with notes of peach, wet stone, and minerality
• Bertrand Cote Des Roses Rosé
  dry rosé with notes of grapefruit, stone fruit, and crisp apple
• Wine Flight
  Domaine Paul Buisse Chinon, Dopff & Irion Crustaces Blanc, and Bertrand Cote Des Roses Rosé

French Quarter (New York area)

• King Cake(V)
  traditional cake with cinnamon swirl icing and colored sanding sugar
• Beignets(V)
  sweet fried pastry dusted with powdered sugar

Germany Menu (Near Simpsons area on bridge)

• Chicken Schnitzel with Käsespätzle
  fried chicken thigh cutlet served with baked spätzle and beer cheese sauce
• Potato Pancakes (V)
  crispy potato and parsnip pancake with apple butter and sour cream
• Reissdorf
  light brew with minty, hop aromas; sweet vanilla malt flavors and a crisp, dry, cedary finish
• Warsteiner Pilsener (VG)
  pale golden pilsner with a clean refreshing taste balanced with hints of barley malt, yeast tones, and mild hoppy bitterness

India Menu (San Francisco area)

• Pav Bhaji(V)
  spiced vegetable stew served with a toasted King's Hawaiian roll
• Onion Bhaji(V)
  curry spiced crispy onion fritter with green chutney dipping sauce
• Gulab Jamun with Rose Water Syrup(V)
  fried dough balls soaked in saffron and rose water syrup, with chopped pistachios
• Nimbu Pani
  lime juice, mint extract, a pinch of salt and pepper, and house made garam masala syrup
• Aam Panna
  lemon juice, mint extract, a pinch of salt and pepper, and house made amchur syrup

Indonesia Menu (San Francisco area)

• Indonesian Style Chili Crab with Fried Mantou
  fried soft shell crab tossed in a sweet & spicy crab stew, served with fried sweet buns
• Nasi Goreng
  Indonesian style fried rice with egg, Thai fried shallots, cucumber, and a prawn cracker
• Bubur Ketan Hitam(GS, VG)
  Indonesian purple sticky rice pudding with coconut condensed milk, mango, and shaved toasted coconut

Japan Menu (New York area)

• Ube Ice Cream Sesame Bubble Waffle Cone(V)
  ube soft serve ice cream served in a toasted black sesame bubble waffle with cookie crumbs, pocky, and a Meiji panda cookie
• Nikuman Bun Sampler
  trio of soft fluffy steamed buns filled with char sui park, teriyaki chicken, and a sweet coconut matcha custard
• Okonomiyaki
  savory cabbage and bacon pancake topped with Kewpie mayonnaise, hoisin, cilantro, sesame, and katsuobushi

Italy Menu (New York area)

• Tour of Italy Arancini Flight
  tomato basil with marinara, mushroom with garlic cream sauce, and seafood served with basil pesto
• Gelato Stuffed Pressed Brioche, Ice cream sandwich pressed to order: OREO® & mint (V, *contains tree nuts), Nutella® & vanilla (V, *contains tree nuts), strawberry (V)

Mexico Menu (Hollywood area, across from Central Park)

• Tacos Al Pastor
  pork al pastor off the spit with pineapple, pickled red onion, and habanero mango sauce
• Baja Shrimp Ceviche Tostada
  marinated shrimp with avocado crema and a crispy blue corn tortilla
• Vegan Churros
  crispy cinnamon sugar vegan churros with coconut nectar and chocolate sauce
• Elotes(V)
  char-grilled corn, jalapeño mayo, ancho chili powder, cotija cheese, cilantro

Puerto Rico Menu (New York area)

• Mofongo Trio(GS)
  a mix of smashed plantains, bacon, chicharrónes with shrimp criolla, crispy chicken thigh, and mayo ketchup
• Alcapurrias(GS)
  crispy green banana and yautia masa, filled with picadillo beef, served with mayo ketchup
• Vegan Alcapurrias(GS, VG)
  crispy green banana and yautia masa served with mayo ketchup
• Classic Piña Colada
  Cruzan light rum, Coco Real cream of coconut, with lime and pineapple juice
• Piragua
  shaved ice with your choice of flavorings: crema, coco (*contains tree nuts), frambuesa, tamarindo
• Ponche(V)
  non-alcoholic Welch's® grape juice mixed with sweetened condensed milk and blackberry extract

Spain Menu

• Paella Mixto
  saffron yellow rice, chorizo, squid, mussels, and shrimp
• Spanish Bocadillo
  serrano ham and drunken goat cheese with parsley sauce, on a gently pressed baguette
• Leche Frita(V)
  crispy fried condensed milk, vanilla, and cinnamon
• Sangria Flight
  sangria tinto, sangria blanco, and sangria rosado

Trinidad and Tobago Menu (near Simpsons area)

• Crab & Dumplings
  curried chickpeas, spicy bara flatbread, micro cilantro, and mango chutney
• Chickpea Doubles(VG)|
  curried chickpeas, spicy bara flatbread, micro cilantro, and mango chutney
• Pholourie(VG)
  deep fried spicy split pea dough with turmeric, curry powder, and a side of tamarind chutney

Pro-tip: If you want to take advantage of the Mardi Gras souvenir refill cup, make your first purchase a beer with the cup. It will be a lower initial cost than getting a cocktail, and you can use the same cup to get the refill price on beer and mixed drinks.

Plant-Based Options at Universal Orlando's Mardi Gras

If you're specifically looking for plant-based food at Universal's Mardi Gras, here they are!

2023 Plant-Based and Vegan Food at Mardi Gras

• Indonesian Purple Sticky Rice Pudding* (a.k.a. Bubur Ketan Hitam)
• Vegan Churros
• Dirty Cauliflower Rice
• Vegan Alcapurrias
  crispy green banana and yautia masa served with mayo ketchup
• Pholourie(VG)
  deep fried spicy split pea dough with turmeric, curry powder, and a side of tamarind chutney
• Choladas – VEGETARIAN
• Beignets – VEGETARIAN
• Elotes – VEGETARIAN
• The entire India Booth is vegetarian