Busch Gardens popular Food & Wine Festival kicked off last Saturday with a lavish new spread offering locals and visitors exciting Headliners, gourmet food and award-winning spirits weekends now through April 24th. The Food & Wine Festival activities and concerts are included with park admission, food and beverages are additional. #CorksandCoasters

 

Eleven Culinary Cabins will serve old favorites like Bacon Mac & Cheese and the Griddled Cheesecake Sandwich with more than 15 new dishes, including lobster ravioli, duck-fat fried truffle fries and lollipop lamb chops to round out 35 dishes offered this year. Sixteen well known musicians will take the stage including, George Thoroughgood, Jordin Sparks and Third Eye Blind while eleven outstanding topiary masterpieces bring visual charm to an already exciting theme park.

There is Something to Please Each of Your Senses as Busch Gardens Serves to Excite with their Lavish Food & Wine Fest

Ordinary food is elevated in the hands of an accomplished team of chefs.  While at the Festival don't miss food demonstrations in Xcusrsions and the Bird Gardens including pulled sugar art, fruit and vegetable carving, cake decorating and more.


 

Taste | Culinary Cabins include not only food but 120 wines, craft beers and cocktails too!  

Here is the dish on all 11 Culinary cabins:

  1. Artisan Eats offers truffle fries, shrimp & grits and pan-fried bread pudding with a Nutella and mascarpone drizzle.
  2. Garden Gate Cafe, new this year, is serving pheasant sausage on flatbread topped with filet de pomodoro and tuna poke.
  3. The Gourmet Lodge boasts tender smoked beef brisket, pickled shrimp over couscous and a sinful grilled cheesecake pound cake sandwich.
  4. Savory Tavern tempts with coconut shrimp 'cigars', espresso flan, and a goat cheese polenta cake topped with an olive/tomato tapenade.
  5. Chef’s Plantation is where you will find pan-seared salmon cakes, beef short ribs and the new duck tacos with a sweet chili sauce.
  6. Coast to Coast Cookery serves green peppercorn-seared hangar steak, bacon-wrapped prawns and chilled smoked chicken with apples, sun-dried cranberries and a walnut quinoa.
  7. Field House Eatery offers caught pan-seared diver scallops (which means someone dove to catch it), lollipop lamb chops on Tabouleh with Tzatziki sauce.
  8. Southern Station is turning out bison sliders, pan-fried cod over fennel risotto, roasted pork belly with red pepper jam, and venison chili with roasted corn, black beans and a dollop of lime sour cream.
  9. Comfort Kitchen soothes the soul with bacon mac & cheese and lobster ravioli over a tomato basil sauce.
  10. Light Fare Canteen can fix you up with scallop ceviche, a potato and goat cheese tart, and a yummy cheese plate, perfect pairing for a great glass of white wine!
  11. Blazin’ Bistro is featuring jerk chicken sliders, roasted cauliflower hummus and a refreshing vanilla Cigar City Maduro ice cream float topped with caramel.

If you find a wine you love "Wine Exchanges" located throughout the park are offering full bottles for purchase.

Sound Check | The list of Headliners taking the stage for Busch Gardens Food & Wine Fest is exceptional for 2016!


 

Sight for Sore Eyes | Enjoy the pristine beauty of eleven spectacular topiaries created by the master gardeners at Busch Gardens.

With everything from familiar characters like 'Oscar The Grouch, Big Bird and Elmo' found near Gwazi to the immense 'Spirit of Spring' at Xcursions and 'Giant Octopus' crawling from the lagoon in front of the garden Gate Cafe, you also want to be on the lookout for:

  • Mugambi the Lion at the park entrance
  • Vertigo the Green Boa Constrictor in Gwazi Plaza
  • Flock of Flamingos and  Butterfly Giants in the Bird Gardens
  • Topiarazzi outside of Zagora Café
  • Commerson’s Dolphin  and the Sea Turtles at the Garden Gate Cafe
  • Wooloomooloo , Coogee Kangaroo and Baby Joey in the Kangaloom Plaza

Admission to the park includes access to the Food & Wine Festival, food and drinks are additional, but the concerts are free. If you do not already have a Busch Gardens Fun card if you buy now you also receive a FREE 2016 Adventure Island Fun Card!   VIP upgrades are available including Food Sampler packages, Priority Seating at the concerts, Guided Tours and more. Check Busch Gardens website for additional information.

Pick your concerts and Buy your tickets to one of Florida's finest Food and Wine Festivals today!

Check out more Things To Do in Tampa and Things To Do Spring Break.

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