Food can create powerful memories, with smells and tastes combining with emotional responses to reinforce and crystallize an experience. When Universal Orlando Resort opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley this summer, they created dining experiences to mimic London, English, and Scottish culinary traditions - as well as some unique food and beverages from the Wizarding World such as Fishy Green Ale, Gilly Water, and Butterbeer ice cream. Mmmmmm, Butterbeer ice cream… Continue reading for more photos and VIDEO of Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter dining options.
A “light” lunch in Diagon Alley’s Leaky Cauldron - Gilly Water, Butterbeer, Bangers pub style sandwich served with wedge fries, and Sticky Toffee Pudding
The Leaky Cauldron Restaurant
In J.K. Rowling’s novels, the Leaky Cauldron is a popular meeting spot, and contains one of the entrances to Diagon Alley. Thanks to Universal Orlando, we Muggles can now dine inside the Leaky Cauldron’s large dining room. The menu features traditional British fare like Fisherman’s Pie, Toad in the Hole and the Ploughman’s lunch. There’s also the non-alcoholic Butterbeer and the slightly stronger (i.e., alcoholic) Wizard’s Brew and Dragon Scale.
Be sure to save room for desserts like Chocolate Potted Cream, Cranachan and Sticky Toffee Pudding.
The food may be a bit heavy for lunch in a theme park on a steamy hot Florida day, but hat’s off to Universal for creating an authentic British Wizarding Diagon Alley dining experience.
Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour
One of the most popular additions to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley dining lineup is Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour; the spot where Hagrid took Harry for his first ice cream treat in this new world.
Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour will be a popular shop in Diagon Alley
This whimsical establishment is full of unique hard serve ice cream flavors such as Earl Grey and Lavender, Chocolate Chili, Clotted Cream, Salted Caramel Blondie, Apple Crumble, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Strawberry-and-Peanut-Butter, Orange Marmalade. The taste of Chocolate Chili ice cream is like a roller coaster, smooth and easy on the way up, and then five second later… WHAM! You’re hit with the heat of the chili and a wild downhill ride.
However, the pièce de résistance is the Butterbeer soft serve, rich and creamy - like a custard. Delicious!
Photo by Kevin Kolczynski © 2014 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.
And if that’s not enough sweets, there are also a variety of pastries available from tasty scones to crumble cakes.
Eternelle’s Elixir Refreshment
One of the more clever Diagon Alley dining outlets is Eternelle’s Elixer Refreshment. Why drink just Gilly Water, when you can quaff a magical potion? Just make sure it’s not Professor Snape behind the counter mixing up your brew.
You can choose from a number of different potions such as Draught of Peace, Wideye Potion, and Fire Protection Potion, and watch the wizards behind the counter mix up your Elixir with your Gilly Water right before your eyes.
Eternelle’s Elixer Refreshment is yet another way the food and beverage options of Diagon Alley immerse guests in the Wizarding World.
The Fountain of Fair Fortune and The Hopping Pot
Finally one of the most popular aspects of the original Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade was Butterbeer. Families lined up first thing around the Butterbeer cart to get a taste of the frothy, fizzy, caramely, drink that became a theme park sensation.
At Diagon Alley, Universal Orlando increased the opportunity to purchase Butterbeer (as well as other Wizarding drinks) with two stand-alone drink outlets, The Fountain of Fair Fortune and The Hopping Pot.
TIP: there’s a unique souvenir Butterbeer mug you can only get at The Fountain of Fair Fortune.
This Butterbeer mug can only be found at Diagon Alley’s Fountain of Fair Fortune
In addition to Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice, Diagon Alley added a number of other signature soft drinks including Fishy Green Ale (complete with boba fish eggs), Otter’s Fizzy Orange Juice, and Tongue Tying Lemon Squash as well as alcoholic Wizard brews.
All and all, Universal Orlando completely raised the bar for theme park environments combining food, entertainment, and attractions to create an entirely immersive sensory experience ripped right from the screen and pages of J.K. Rowling’s imagination. Excited to experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley yourself? Just click on the Universal Orlando image above to contact our friends at Destinations in Florida Travel and start planning your visit to Universal Orlando Resort. For more family travel news, reviews, and trip reports, be sure to follow Adventures by Daddy on twitter and “like” our facebook page too.
