As we promised in part one, we have compiled a comprehensive, dish-by-dish review of Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s 2018 Food & Wine Festival.
Please keep in mind that these ratings reflect what we tasted on Memorial Day weekend. Historically, the food at the event can vary dramatically throughout the day and across the weeks.
Below you will find both scores (out of five) and our thoughts, organized by booth.
Fudge brownie cake with molten Ancho-spiced Chile chocolate filling
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
American Southwest | $4 | 3.88 |
Chile-spiced tilapia with red cabbage slaw, pico de gallo & cilantro lime sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
American Southwest | $4.75 | 4 |
Spicy hot guacamole with Tajin seasoned tri-color tortilla chips
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
American Southwest | $4.25 | 3.38 |
Spice-rubbed pork carnita with jicama-chayote slaw in a soft tortilla
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
American Southwest | $4.75 | 4.38 |
Traditional meatballs with a lemon & caper sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Brauhaus | $6 | 2.88 |
Pork schnitzel slider with sliced lemon & caper sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Brauhaus | $5.50 | 4.5 |
Grilled pineapple with coconut caramel sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Brazil | $4 | 1.88 |
Grilled beef with chimichurri sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Brazil | $6 | 3.88 |
Grilled Brazilian sausage with grilled portabellas and peppers
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Brazil | $5.25 | 4.4 |
Caribbean fried shrimp dumplings with Pickapeppa dip
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Caribbean | $5.50 | 4 |
Jerk-marinated chicken drumsticks with guava barbecue & grilled pineapple salsa
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Caribbean | $6 | 2.38 |
Citrus & garlic marinated shrimp on heart of palm, black beans & corn relish with lime cilantro vinaigrette
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Caribbean | $5.75 | 4.25 |
Cake with sweet pineapple-rum sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Caribbean | $4.25 | 3.25 |
Hazelnut-chocolate spread & bananas
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Crêpes & Coffee | $5.99 | 3 |
Hazelnut-chocolate spread with strawberries in a chocolate crêpe
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Crêpes & Coffee | $5.99 | 3.5 |
Cheesecake batter with strawberries and graham crackers
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Crêpes & Coffee | $5.99 | 3.38 |
Roasted Pork with ham, dill pickle and yellow mustard pressed in Cuban bread
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Cuba | $5.50 | 3.75 |
Custard
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Cuba | $3.50 | 3.75 |
Shredded beef in criollo sauce served over beans & rice
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Cuba | $6 | 4.88 |
Fried green plantains with mojo mayo
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Cuba | $3.50 | 4 |
Vanilla & pecan-crusted cheesecake with orange-rum caramel sauce & sliced banana
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
French Quarter | $4.50 | 4.38 |
Fried doughnut squares topped with powdered sugar & drizzled with caramel
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
French Quarter | $5 | 3.38 |
Sliced mortadella, salami, ham & provolone with olive spread on sesame bread with Cajun coleslaw
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
French Quarter | $5 | 3.38 |
Creole-spiced shrimp stew over Cajun rice
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
French Quarter | $5.75 | 4.75 |
Sweet coconut mousse with Kona coffee ganache
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Hawaii | $3.25 | 4.88 |
Ham & pineapple mac & cheese with macadamia nut crust
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Hawaii | $4.25 | 3 |
Sweet pineapple & soy BBQ chicken served with orange & purple sweet potato salad
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Hawaii | $5.25 | 3.75 |
Fried spam with Sriracha mayonnaise & grilled pineapple served with pineapple & coconut coleslaw
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Hawaii | $5 | 3.25 |
Soy & sesame sushi tuna in a wonton flower with wasabi aioli & wakame seaweed salad
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Hawaii | $6 | 2.88 |
Indian spiced ground lamb on a stick with cilantro lime yogurt sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
India | $5.75 | 3 |
Indian savory pastry filled with curried potatoes & peas with mango chutney
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
India | $5 | 4.5 |
Spiced yogurt marinated chicken with cardamom ginger rice & cucumber raita
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
India | $6 | 3.5 |
Irish sausage with mashed potatoes, cabbage & Guinness brown sugar gravy
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Ireland | $5.25 | 2.88 |
Dark chocolate & Guinness mousse with whiskey-infused whipped cream
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Ireland | $4 | 4.63 |
Sage Derby, Blarney Castle cheese & Dubliner cheese served with apple-raisin chutney & cream crackers
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Ireland | $4.25 | 3.25 |
Almond Italian cookie
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Italy | $3 | 2 |
Chocolate Italian cookie
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Italy | $3 | 3.13 |
Traditional, strawberry cheesecake & chocolate-hazelnut mini cannoli with chocolate-dipped shells
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Italy | $6 | 3.13 |
Vanilla cream pudding, served with strawberries
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Italy | $3.25 | 3.5 |
Fresh pressed Italian cookies filled with sweet mascarpone cheese
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Italy | $3.25 | 4.88 |
Italian parfait with sweetened mascarpone cheese, layered with espresso-soaked lady fingers
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Italy | $3.25 | 3.13 |
Sushi roll of crab, avocado & cucumber with pickled ginger & wasabi
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Japan | $4.50 | 3.38 |
Vegetables & tofu wrapped in tender butter lettuce with toasted almonds & sweet chili dipping sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Japan | $4 | 4.13 |
Green tea ice cream with sweet soy glaze and sesame cookie
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Japan | $4 | 3.38 |
Japanese-style steamed chicken dumplings with citrus ponzu sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Japan | $5 | 4.75 |
Dashi broth with pickled vegetables, green onions, edamame, egg, and shiitake mushrooms
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Japan | $4.50 | 2.5 |
Sweet pastry with nuts & honey between thin crispy filo pastry layers
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Mediterranean | $3.50 | 4 |
Rice & herb stuffed grape leaves with Tzatziki sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Mediterranean | $4.25 | 3.88 |
Chickpea fritter with sesame dipping sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Mediterranean | $3.75 | 1.75 |
Seasoned ground lamb on pita bread with feta cheese spread, cucumber, tomato & olive
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Mediterranean | $6 | 3.88 |
Spinach and feta in crispy filo dough with spicy lemon sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Mediterranean | $4.50 | 4 |
Grilled Korean style marinated beef skewer
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
South Korea | $6 | 3.5 |
Cabbage, cucumber, daikon radish varieties of kimchi
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
South Korea | $4 | 3 |
Spicy chili BBQ glazed ribs served over gochujang slaw
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
South Korea | $6 | 3.38 |
Spicy pork sausage pastry pocket with cilantro lime cream
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Spain | $4.50 | 3.5 |
Chilled tomato cucumber soup with citrus-oyster mushroom salsa
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Spain | $4 | 3.75 |
Paprika-roasted Marcona almonds, Marinated olive medley, Manchego cheese with Membrillo – quince paste
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Spain | $5 | 4.13 |
Scallop, wrapped in cured ham with saffron rice & romesco sauce
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Spain | $5 | 3.75 |
Cornmeal fritters served with honey butter
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Virginia | $4 | 3.63 |
Sweet pecan caramel bars topped with smoked bacon & chocolate drizzle
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Virginia | $3.50 | 3.38 |
Crab bisque finished with sherry, Old Bay® crostini & Chesapeake blue crab salad
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Virginia | $5.75 | 4.38 |
Red Eye country ham, Applewood carved ham & ham pate, served with a honey biscuit, apple butter, honey mustard & whole grain mustard
Booth | Price | Rating (Out of 5) |
Virginia | $4 | 4.13 |
Reflecting on past festivals, there are a few dishes that we would love to see return to the F&WF in 2019. That said, this was another good year for BGW’s tastiest event.
Once again, we would like to thank Renee, Meri, Thomas, Zimmy, and Luke for all of their help with this fairly massive undertaking. We quite literally could not have done it without them.
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