Universal Mardi Gras food 2026 | Best & worst new items

Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval is in full swing for 2026, featuring a global lineup of food booths, spirited drinks, and creative eats. Universal Studios Florida serves as party central for the event that runs daily from Feb. 7 – April 4. The seasonal celebration includes a nightly parade and a free concert series on weekends.

We showed up on the opening day of the Universal Mardi Gras for the food.  With menus inspired by New Orleans and international flavors, this year’s offerings have already sparked plenty of buzz. However, not all dishes are created equal. From authentic twists to confusing misses, here’s our breakdown of the best and worst new Universal Mardi Gras food items you need to know before you visit.

Methodology: How do you define ‘new’ at a theme park food festival?

Similar to our time eating and writing about the food at SeaWorld Orlando’s Seven Seas Food Festival, Universal Orlando did not officially acknowledge what Mardi Gras food items were truly new. So, we needed to determine this beforehand.

For our best and worst Universal Mardi Gras food report, we decided that anything not sold at the 2025 event would be considered new for our purposes. We mention this since several “new” Mardi Gras food options have appeared at the event in 2024 or before. Before we sat down after the event to type up our review, we decided that if there were a tie between a “brand-new” item and a Mardi Gras food item that had been at the event in 2024 or before, we would select the “brand-new” item as the winner.

According to Universal Orlando Resort, there are 16 Mardi Gras food and beverage locations. However, only 14 of them sell food. We visited all of them on our whirlwind tour of Universal Studios Florida. Additionally, we tried some items at Universal CityWalk Orlando to round out our adventure.

For full disclosure, we were invited to the Universal Mardi Gras media event. There, we enjoyed some samples of the Mardi Gras food and spoke with culinary team members. Still, our determination of the best and worst new Universal Mardi Gras food came down to our in-park dining experience. However, we hope that some of our opening-day experiences will be different for guests based on the Universal Mardi Gras food we had at the media event.

Since we added the milkshake at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and the Mardi Gras Voodoo Doughnut, the total number of new Mardi Gras food options for the 2026 event at Universal Orlando Resort has reached 25. Guests should know that some CityWalk restaurants are offering Mardi Gras food options, and that the resort hotels are offering them as well.

Additionally, we tried six of the Mardi Gras bakery treats found at Today Café at Universal Studios Florida and Croissant Moon Bakery at Universal Islands of Adventure. None of those made the best and worst lists. Still, guests should be aware that they can get Mardi Gras treats at those locations, and the San Francisco Pastry Company at Universal Studios Florida. Guests should expect these Mardi Gras treats to cost around $7.49.

Full list of ‘new’ Universal Mardi Gras food menu offerings for 2026

• Fried Oyster Po’Boy: Flash-fried oysters with tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles, and Cajun remoulade – $12.99
• Fried Green Tomato Po’Boy: Flash-fried green tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles, and Cajun remoulade – 12.49
• Rasta Pasta: Penne pasta with colorful bell peppers in a jerk vegan coconut curry cream sauce – $8.49
• Ham, Cheese, and Berry Crepe: Freshly baked crepe, filled with sliced ham, Brie cheese, and mustard cream sauce, finished with berry gastrique – $14.99
• Chicken Souvlaki: Marinated and roasted chicken skewer with feta cheese, tomato, onion, and cucumber salad, served inside a warm pita – $11.99
• Spanakopita: Savory Greek pastry filled with spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in crispy layers of phyllo dough – $7.99
• Maracuja Mousse: Passion fruit mousse with a passion fruit gelée – $6.49
• Fish & Chips: Beer-battered and fried fresh cod, served with chips and tartar sauce – $16.99
• Beer & Cheese Soup: Beer and cheese soup served with a warm pretzel stick – $7.99
• Shepherds Pie: Seasoned ground beef and lamb, mushrooms, peas, and carrots, topped with Cheddar mashed potatoes – $9.99
• Shrimp Fried Rice: Egg fried rice with shrimp and vegetables – $9.99
• Maka Beef Skewer: Marinated beef skewer topped with Szechuan spice blend and scallions – $12.99
• Verlasso “Fire” Salmon: Fire-roasted Verlasso salmon, served with crispy potatoes and fresh herb salsa – $13.99
• Pastel de Choclo: Baked ground beef pie with raisins, olives, and egg, topped with a creamy corn pudding – $9.99
• Burrata Focaccia: House-made focaccia, filled with mortadella, fresh burrata cheese, and pistachio pesto – $9.99
• Sfogliatella ”Lobster Tail”: Layers of sweet flaky pastry filled with a rich vanilla ricotta cream – $6.49
• Mazatlán Street Ceviche: Shrimp ceviche served on top of Tostitos Salsa Verde chips with cucumber, carrot, and tomato salsa – $13.99

• Flautas: Crispy beef flautas with tomatillo salsa, sour cream, shaved lettuce, and radish – $9.99
• Tres Leches: A soaked three-milk chocolate cake with toasted almonds and merengue – $6.99
• Vienna-Style Pork Schnitzel: crispy pork cutlet with potato salad, lingonberry jam, and lemon – $11.99
• Goulash: Slow-cooked tender beef with tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and paprika, served with artisan bread and sour cream – $7.99
• Kaiserschmarrn: Fluffy torn pancake pieces dusted with powdered sugar and served with apple sauce and lingonberry jam – $7.99
• Coconut Flancocho: Coconut flan with pineapple cake and a rum whipped topping – $6.99
• Carnavale Concha Shake (at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen): Vanilla ice cream with horchata, cinnamon, toasted almonds, cactus sprinkles, with a dulce de leche filled concha – $19.00
• Mardi Gras 2026 Doughnut (at Voodoo Doughnut): Raised bar filled with pecan praline velvet top, dipped in vanilla with Mardi gras memories – $4.50

Best new Universal Mardi Gras food 2026

Based on the opening day of Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras, two food offerings stood out, and others deserve mention in the “best” category. We will start with the two standouts.

Flautas – $9.99

At the Mexico food and beverage location (near Café La Bamba), we found some good Universal Mardi Gras food offerings. However, the stellar one, which we plan to order over and over this season, is the flautas. Most importantly, we want the recipe for the tomatillo salsa. That easily qualifies as the best version of that we have tasted at a Florida theme park, including table-service restaurants.

Additionally, the two flautas we received were very fresh, crispy, and tasty on their own. This serves as a huge step up for a Universal Mardi Gras food location that has been well above average in the past. Also, the Mazatlán Street Ceviche should receive an honorable mention for its quality when we had it at the theme park and during the media event.

Mardi Gras 2026 Doughnut – $4.50

To our surprise, this year’s Mardi Gras doughnut from Voodoo Doughnut at Universal CityWalk Orlando exceeded expectations. For previous seasonal events, guests were lucky if the new doughnut was available. However, for Mardi Gras, Voodoo Doughnut did well!

The praline pecan filling complemented the raised yeast bar. The vanilla icing paired very well with the Mardi Gras decor on top. Nothing overwhelmed any other aspect of the doughnut. This perfectly balanced doughnut will satisfy those who prefer less extravagant doughnuts. Still, it will impress those who love Voodoo Doughnut’s highly themed doughnuts.

Fried Green Tomato Po’ Boy – $12.99

This is a zesty plant-based triumph. While not as good as the previous two best Universal Mardi Gras food options, the Fried Green Tomato Po’ Boy deserves some praise its return to Mardi Gras. While this sandwich was more bread-forward than previous years, it still serves as a must-try during your Mardi Gras visit.

We last saw this plant-based option in 2024. Last year, we were surprised not to see it. However, it is back and back with authority. For those hunting for the best Mardi Gras food 2026, the Fried Green Tomato Po’Boy at Universal Orlando is an absolute standout. This can be found in the Bites of the Bayou booth (near Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon).

While Po’Boys are often defined by their seafood, our group actually preferred this version over the oyster alternative, which was also new this year. The star of the show is undoubtedly the Cajun remoulade; it is the most prominent flavor and provides the perfect amount of zest to every bite.

The fried green tomatoes hold their own with a strong, tangy flavor profile that pairs beautifully with the thick, slightly toasted bread. We were also impressed by the fresh lettuce and tomato, which were well-proportioned to ensure a satisfying crunch without being messy. Despite being a meatless option, we didn’t miss the protein at all. The textures and bold spices make it incredibly flavorful. If you want a zesty, classic New Orleans experience, this Po’ Boy is a 2026 festival must-try.

Verlasso ‘Fire’ Salmon – $13.99

Before we leave the best options, we need to mention the salmon at the Chile Patagonia booth (on the bridge between Diagon Alley and Springfield). The salmon is prepared wonderfully on an open grill. The fresh herb salsa elevates it. Any salmon fan needs to try this!

Mala Beef Skewer – $12.99

This dish from the China booth (in the park’s San Francisco area) also deserves at least an honorable mention. It consists of well-marinated beef topped with a Szechuan spice blend and scallions. The flavors merge nicely. This would be rated higher if the price point were a bit lower.

Worst new Universal Mardi Gras food 2026

Despite some of our excellent food finds on the opening day of Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras, there were some options we will not get again. You probably should avoid them also! However, we will start with the least offensive of the worst Universal Mardi Gras food offerings.

Carnavale Concha Shake – $19.00

CityWalk’s Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen creates magnificent milkshakes and sundaes. Still, the price point can provide sticker shock to some guests. Our main concern about this relates to the price.

While the Carnavale Concha Shake at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium is undeniably photogenic, it is one of the more disappointing options for Mardi Gras food 2026. Inspired by traditional Mexican sweet bread, the shake aims to blend vanilla ice cream with horchata and almonds, then top it with a concha containing dulce de leche. Unfortunately, the execution feels like a missed opportunity.

The primary issue is the inconsistent flavor profile, which most guests will find off-putting. The horchata elements, meant to be creamy and spiced, often get lost in the heavy vanilla base, resulting in a drink that tastes more like plain sugar than a curated Mexican dessert. Furthermore, the high price point at CityWalk makes this a difficult recommendation. For the cost of one shake, you could sample two or three superior dishes at the park’s food booths. While the dulce de leche-filled concha on top is a nice touch, it isn’t enough to save a beverage that feels unbalanced and overpriced. In a festival full of bold, zesty flavors, this one is a skip.

Rasta Pasta – $8.49

We have very little to say in favor of the Rasta Pasta at the Jamaica booth (between DreamWorks Land and Springfield). Still, we have hope based on our experience with our media event.

During the opening day of Mardi Gras, we had the Rasta Pasta in the park. It lacked flavor! This Jamaica-inspired dish tasted like it had no seasoning added. Additionally, the pasta was well overcooked. Our group quickly agreed this wasn’t worth anyone’s time at Mardi Gras.

Still, we have some hope. During the media event, we had Rasta Pasta again. While it will not change your life, it tasted far better! If you try the Rasta Pasta, we hope you get the better version.

Shrimp Fried Rice – $9.99

While we have some hope for the Rasta Pasta, the Shrimp Fried Rice from the China location (in the park’s San Francisco area) looks hopeless. This Universal Mardi Gras food offering has many fatal flaws:

• Tiny portion size
• Two small pieces of shrimp
• This is steamed rice with a small amount of seasoning, not fried rice
• Price point is too high for this!

After loving the China options last year, this stands as our group’s biggest disappointment.

How to save money while enjoying the 2026 Universal Mardi Gras food

The Mardi Gras gift card (officially the Universal Orlando Resort Food & Beverage Card) is the best way to save money while sampling the International Flavors of Carnaval. Essentially, you are prepaying for your meals in exchange for a discounted rate.

Pricing and tiers

There are two main options available for the 2026 season:

• Standard Guest Offer: Pay $65 to receive a card loaded with $75 in value (a $10 savings)
• Annual Passholder Exclusive: Pay $120 to receive a card loaded with $150 in value (a $30 savings)

Key features

• Where to Use: These cards are accepted at all Mardi Gras food booths, as well as most permanent food and beverage locations throughout Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay, and CityWalk.
• No Expiration: One of the best perks is that these cards never expire. If you don’t use the full balance in 2026, you can save the card for next year’s event or use it during your next visit for regular dining.
• Lanyard Included: Each card comes with a themed Mardi Gras lanyard, making it easy to wear around your neck for quick scanning at the booths.
• Passholder Stacking: If you are a Premier or Preferred Passholder, you can still use your standard 10–15% food discount (excluding alcohol) in conjunction with the card’s value, stretching your $150 even further.

Let the good times roll!

Universal’s 2026 Mardi Gras food lineup brings more global flair than ever, blending spicy Asian influences, savory Latin favorites, and New Orleans classics with inventive twists. While a few items fall flat or feel overpriced for what you get, overall, this year’s festival delivers exciting bites worth seeking out.

To continue planning your Universal Mardi Gras visit, check out the lineup of musicians at this year’s free concerts in the park.

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