Let's eat! Universal Orlando's Mardi Gras 2026 has a smaller selection this year, with 13 food and beverage booths (keep reading for the FULL MENU). This annual festival at Universal takes place from February 7 through April 4, 2026, and is perfect for date night.
In our expert guide to Universal Orlando's Mardi Gras food and beverage, we will focus mostly on Universal Studios Florida since that is where you'll find the Mardi Gras parade and concerts.
Speaking of which, if you want to view the concert lineup, parade schedule, and get tips on what not to miss then jump over to our Guide to an Epic Date at Universal's Mardi Gras.
BEST Food and Drinks at Universal's Mardi Gras 2026
After years of visiting Universal Mardi Gras, I can safely say that 2026 has a great lineup. This guide covers our 8 MUST TRY Food and Drinks at Universal's Mardi Gras 2026. Then you can keep reading for the ENTIRE MENU of Mardi Gras food and drink.
Top 8 MUST TRY Food and Drinks
- Baked Cajun Mac & Cheese (Bites of the Bayou booth)
- Pinchos de Lechon (Puerto Rico booth)
- Colors of Carnival Daiquiri (at the Daiquiri Deck)
- Matzalán Street Ceviche and Flautas (Mexico booth)
- Picanha (Brazil booth)
- Bloody Mary Wild (at the Bloody Mary Carts)
- Beignets (Taste of the Quarter booth)
- Beer & Cheese Soup (Ireland booth)
All of the above food items cost about $7-$9 each, with a few items between $10-17, and the servings were pretty generous. Drinks are about $13 – $15, depending on what size you order.
Pro tip: if you plan on visiting multiple times throughout the event or want to test out multiple cocktails, consider getting a Krewe Cup for $16; that way, your drink refills with the included drinks will be $13.
A friendly reminder, there is only one drink per person per ID.
Keep reading to see what we like about each of these drinks and foods at Universal Mardi Gras, as well as some other items we've heard are great!
MUST-TRY Universal Orlando 2026 Mardi Gras Food
Baked Cajun Mac & Cheese
The Baked Cajun Mac & Cheese is rich and decadent, and definitely spicy. If you'd rather not go for something so heavy then the Gumbo is excellent this year and tastes straight out of N'awlins.
Pinchos de Lechon
The Pinchos de Lechon from the Puerto Rico food booth was very tender. The flavor was good; however, we wish there were more Guava BBQ sauce!
Colors of Carnival Daiquiri
Take a visit to the Daiquiri Deck for great frozen drinks! This spot features four frozen cocktails: the Burbon Street Blast, King Gator Bayou Blast, Canal Street Colada, and the Colors of Carnival, which is a mix of all the frozen drinks!
This is also a great spot to refill your Krewe Cup since all of the frozen drinks count for the refill price.
Mazatlán Street Ceviche and Flautas
These two delightful bites can be found at the Mexico food booth, and dare I say, these were in our top 3 food items for the day! The Street Ceviche was very light and refreshing with a good spicy bite from the flavored chips. The Flautas were flavorful, and the meat was very tender. The topping of tomatillo salsa and sour cream rounded out the overall flavor very well.
Picanha
The Picanha from Brazil was my personal favorite item of the entire day. The beef sirloin cap steak was tender and thickly sliced. It was served with farfoa and a chunky salsa, which was absolutely delicious. This would be an item I would get again (and not share)!
Bloody Mary Wild
The Bloody Mary Wild is absolutely insane this year! It features New Amsterdam vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, celery salt, black pepper, hot sauce AND Sriracha, with a Jack Link's Original Beef Stick Garnish and a Flamin' Hot Cheetos rim. It was so delicious we forgot to take a picture before it was gone!
This drink is applicable for the Krew Cup Refill for $13.
Note, the smaller drink sizes just come with a celery stick and lime wedge garnish.
Beignets
Many of the traditional New Orleans foods at Universal's Mardi Gras are disappointing. However, the beignets are a must! The soft, sugary, and the perfect boost of energy when you've been indulging all day.
Bonus MUST-TRY: King Gator Shake
This delicious drink is non-alcoholic for those looking to enjoy something festive without the buzz. This shake features Praline Ice Cream with Mardi Gras colored condensed milk, sprinkles, and a cute golden chocolate gator!
This festive sip is $12.99 at Schwabb's Pharmacy in the Hollywood area, just a few steps from the meet and greet location of the new Prince Gator character!
Click here: Check Out the Universal Mardi Gras Guide Map
If you think we should add some great food and drinks you've had this year, connect with us on Instagram and send us a message.
Now, let's talk about some of the food and drinks that disappointed us.
Foods to Avoid
The most traditional New Orleans and Cajun-style food can be found around the New York area. It's worth getting the Beignets and the Baked Cajun Mac and Cheese, but we didn't jump for much else in terms of traditional items.
We got the Cielo Rosado cocktail at the Mexico booth and didn't enjoy it like we thought we would. The grapefruit juice made the aftertaste of the tequila a lot stronger. The drink also includes smoked paprika and a hint of smoked sea salt; however, I didn't taste either at all. As someone who doesn't love to taste alcohol, this is not a drink I would get again.
Take a look below at the complete menu for this year's Mardi Gras at Universal Orlando.
Universal Mardi Gras Food and Beverage Menu
Bites of the Bayou
- Baked Cajun Mac & Cheese
- Fried Oyster Po'Boy
- Fried Green Tomato Po'Boy
- Category 5 Punch
Daiquiri Deck
- Colors of Carnival
- Bourbon Street Blast
- King Gator Bayou Blast
- Canal Street Colada
- Royal Street Refresher Mocktail
Bloody Mary Carts
- Bloody Mary Wild
- Bloody Mary Mild
Austria Food Menu
- Vienna-Style Pork Schnitzel
- Goulash
- Kaiserschmarrn
Taste of the Quarter
- Beignets
- King Cake
- King Cake Espresso Martini
China
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- Mala Beef Skewer
- Luck and Property Milk Tea
Chile Patagonia Food Menu
- Verlasso “Fire” Salmon
- Pastel de Choclo
- Teremoto
Puerto Rico
- Pinchos de Lechon
- Pastelón Fritters
- Coconut Flancocho
- Piña Colada
Brazil
- Picanha
- Pão de Queijo
- Maracuja Mousse
- Frozen Maracuja Caipirinha
Ireland
- Fish & Chips
- Beer & Cheese Soup
- Shepherds Pie
- Green Tea Clover
- Ring of Kerry
France
- Ham, Cheese, and Berry Crepe
- French Blonde
Jamaica
- Rasta Pasta
- Jerk Chicken
Greece
- Chicken Souvlaki
- Spanakopita
- Ouzo Cooler
