Universal Epic Universe opened at Universal Orlando Resort on May 22, 2025, with five immersive worlds — each of which is filled with highly themed menu items that enhance the park’s detailed storytelling.
According to Robert Martinez Jr., director of culinary operations for Universal Orlando Resort, the Universal creative and culinary teams worked together on the dining plan for the park.
“It’s an amazing partnership because we were collaborating on a daily basis to take our intellectual properties’ visions and the design of these amazing restaurants … and create food where you're immersed in the story, making sure every [dish] makes sense for each world you walk into,” he said.
Atlantic restaurant is designed as a Victorian aquarium, with colorful, steampunk-style mechanical fish swimming overhead.
Credit: 2025 Samantha Davis-FriedmanWhether clients choose to dine at upscale full-service restaurants, snag a bite in a quick-service eatery or maximize their time with a grab-and-go option, they will have plenty of great meals to choose from. Here’s a guide to all the options.
Table-Service Dining
Two full-service restaurants located in Celestial Park are The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant and Atlantic. The Mediterranean Flora Taverna inside Helios Grand Hotel is also steps away (and clients can re-enter the park through the hotel’s dedicated entrance).
At Blue Dragon, the menu takes inspiration from several Asian cuisines, and the atmosphere evokes a vibrant streetscape with colorful lanterns and neon dragons.
“The Blue Dragon [takes diners] on a tour of Pan-Asia with authentic flavors of China, Japan and Thailand,” Martinez said. “One of my favorites is the snowflake potstickers with a lacy crust, delicious pork filling and a dragon sauce that has a little kick to it.”
Snowflake potstickers at The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant have pork filling.
Credit: 2025 Samantha Davis-FriedmanDesigned as a Victorian aquarium, Atlantic features a seafood-focused menu and aquatic decor, including colorful, steampunk-style mechanical fish swimming overhead.
“If you want to enjoy the beauty of Celestial Park, I suggest the sea bass dish at Atlantic," Martinez said. “It has lemongrass broth, delicious pan-seared sea bass and little carrot mochis. It's a lighter dish so you can [keep your] energy up, and it's not sitting in your stomach when you want to go on Stardust Racers [roller coaster].”
The pan-seared seabass at Atlantic is served with carrot mochi, sugar snap peas, lemongrass broth and starfruit.
Credit: 2025 Universal Orlando ResortThemed Quick-Service Eateries
Quick-service dining gets a makeover at Epic Universe with highly-themed restaurants in each of the park’s five worlds, including the whimsical Pizza Moon in Celestial Park; the vampire-run Das Stakehouse in Dark Universe (where there’s no garlic on the menu); and Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World, where chef Toad whips up playful menu items named for his gaming pals.
The whimsical Pizza Moon is an early-1900s Victorian theater converted into a spectacular eatery.
Credit: 2025 Samantha Davis-FriedmanThroughout the park, families can also find unique twists on traditional theme park fare, including Comet Dogs, which features a bulgogi dog, an al pastor dog and a Philly cheesesteak dog.
“Hot dogs have been done so many times, so our thought was how to make hot dogs in a different way,” Martinez said. “We took the flavor profiles of the toppings, but they're inside the hot dog, so for the Philly cheesesteak dog, everything you would associate with a Philly cheesesteak is inside the dog itself.”
Must-Try Epic Universe Snacks
Because there’s so much to see and do in Epic Universe, families may choose to grab a bite on the go. Luckily, there are plenty of must-try options to recommend.
Sign Up for Our Monthly Family Getaways Newsletter
I accept the T&C and Privacy Policy.
The hand-held mac and cheese cones at Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel in How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk became an instant social media sensation. The classic version of the garlicky bread cone is filled with creamy macaroni and cheese topped with fish-shaped crackers. Or clients can splurge on a PB&J (pork, bacon and jam) mac-and-cheese-filled cone topped with harissa pulled pork and peanut bacon jam, or opt for the Dragon Fire Chicken Spire-mac-and-cheese-filled cone topped with Nashville-style pulled chicken, hot honey, Calabrian peppers, chimichurri and crispy onions.
The hand-held mac and cheese cones have become an instant social media sensation.
Credit: 2025 Samantha Davis-Friedman“You can't leave Epic Universe without a mac and cheese cone, but there are really delicious snacks throughout the park,” Martinez said.
Sweet treats lurking at De Lacey’s Cottage in Universal monsters-themed Dark Universe include Warm Hearted Cinnamon Bites, bite-size cinnamon-sugar donuts with streusel and cream-cheese icing. This is also the spot for Frankenstein-shaped pretzels.
Another social media darling is The DK Crush Float at the Bubbly Barrel in Super Nintendo World, made with pineapple soda and a waffle bowl filled with banana-pineapple soft serve, topped with toffee pieces and caramel popcorn — and the barrel-shaped mug makes a great souvenir.
The DK Crush Float is served in a barrel-shaped Donkey Kong mug.
Credit: 2025 Samantha Davis-FriedmanButterbeer gets a French twist in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic where it’s called Bieraubeurre. The popular wizarding beverage is certainly available, but the must-try here is the Bieraubeurre Crepe from Cafe L’air De La Sirene, made with shortbread cookie butter Bavarian cream, Bieraubeurre cream, strawberries and Bieraubeurre drizzle. C’est delicieux!
“Our motto moving forward — today, tomorrow, forever — is that the next thing we create will be better than the last thing we did," Martinez said. And Epic Universe certainly sets the culinary bar extra high.
