My party of 3 spent $150 on small plates and sangria at this Disney World restaurant. This is why it is one of the best kept secrets on the property.

Walt Disney World’s EPCOT is known for its World Showcase, where guests can visit pavilions featuring countries such as Mexico, Japan and Norway, while sampling food and drinks from each location. But with 11 countries/regions represented, the sit-down dining options can feel a bit overwhelming, leaving many wondering which EPCOT restaurant is the best place to book that coveted dinner.

As someone who writes about the theme parks, holds a Walt Disney World (WDW) annual pass and has been visiting this popular destination for years, there is always a clear winner if I am looking for a simple but delicious dinner at EPCOT. Spice Road Table is located in the theme park’s Morocco Pavilion, nestled next to the waters of the World Showcase Lagoon (the body of water at the center of World Showcase), and is a resting place away from the crowds.

I recently ended an evening with friends at EPCOT in my favorite way: with a dinner reservation at Spice Road Table. Reservations are the way to enjoy any sit-down dining experience at WDW, as it’s hard to snag a walk-up table, and this Mediterranean restaurant is no exception. Spice Road Table stopped accepting reservations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but as of December 2022, reservations can now be easily made online or by phone through the My Disney Experience app. With a guaranteed return to the table (pun intended) at one of our favorite locations, we knew it would be perfect to end a night of margaritas in “Mexico” and take a relaxing sit-down dinner on Guardians of the Galaxy: Universe Rewind.

And we were right. We walked into Spice Road Table and asked to sit outside near the lagoon – the airy patio was perfect for the rare cool Florida weather evening. (Even in the heat of EPCOT, it was worth sitting outside to enjoy the shade and breeze.) We were quick to order sangria, as Spice Road Table makes the best sangria on WDW property. The secret? Each variety contains not only wine, but also a spirit, and at $14 per drink or $39 for a pitcher, it’s more intoxicating than some of EPCOT’s drinks. The restaurant’s red sangria is made with gin, while the rosé contains pineapple mousse (grapefruit) liqueur. The white sangria has fig-flavored vodka, while the sparkling contains pineapple mousse liqueur and vermouth. If you don’t like sangria, try the iced mint tea, which, like the red sangria, is made with gin. It’s all delicious and the perfect break from the hordes of park visitors walking around World Showcase on a beautiful evening sitting by the water, relaxing with friends.

There are no sleepy big entrees at this WDW restaurant: the Spice Road Table serves a variety of snacks that are a family-friendly treat at their best. We enjoyed hummus fries, tiropitakia (cheese-filled pockets of lasagna dough), spicy shrimp, crispy pomegranate-chili cauliflower, chicken and naan bread with dipping sauces and marinated olives.

With most dishes costing just a little over $10, it was a perfect meal to order a nice snack for our table and share with others.We were particularly impressed with the large selection of plant-based dishes on the Spice Road Table menu, part of WDW’s initiative to make vegan cuisine mainstream in its parks and resorts.

One of the best parts of Spice Road Table is the staff, who are always very friendly and welcoming to welcome you to the restaurant. From the bartenders who make the delicious sangria to the hosts and waitresses who check you in, stepping into this waterfront dining experience always feels like a vacation within a vacation, and the atmosphere keeps us coming back for more.

Spice Road Table is also one of EPCOT’s sit-down restaurants, offering a reserved menu during many of the park’s annual festivals. Currently, festival-goers can reserve seats for dining at this and other restaurants during the EPCOT International Arts Festival, followed by reserved seating for the festival’s Disney Broadway Concert Series. These dining packages range in price from $35 to $95, depending on the restaurant, while the Spice Road Table is priced at $47. As a Disney Festival professional, this is my favorite way to make sure I have a good seat at the concerts in the parks, which is a priority for me. In fact, I remember having great seats to watch NSync member’s time Joey Fatone perform at the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival after a delicious dinner at Spice Road Table. Worth it.

Another Spice Road Table tip? If you can’t wait to try that intoxicating sangria, there’s no need to make a reservation to dine. Just walk over to the bar inside the restaurant and order a drink of your choice: this particular WDW bar has no seating, but the restaurant’s variety of sangria pairs perfectly with sips and strolls through the countries of the World Showcase.

While Spice Road Table doesn’t offer the high-end Disney dining experience of California Grill or AAA Five Diamond Award-winning Victoria and Albert’s like the famous rooftop restaurant, it’s a more affordable way to enjoy the flavors WDW has to offer and let your feet rest while enjoying the beautiful water views. For this reason, for my party of three, the experience was well worth the $150 price tag.