- Apr 5
- 3 min read
Food, Wine, & Garden Festival - Busch Gardens Tampa
Sunday, March 29, 2026
I went to Busch Gardens with my mom and stepdad to check out the 2026 Food, Wine, and Garden Festival. My mom has a premier annual pass to Busch Gardens so she gets free guest passes and a discounted sampler lanyard (15 samples for the price of 12). We walked around the park, saw the animals, and tasted the food & drinks.
Grilled Baby Artichokes - 5/10
Char-kissed artichoke hears finished with lemon butter, briny capers, and toasted breadcrumbs
they were very salty from the capers - skip
Herb-Crusted Lamb Steak - 5/10
Tender lamb encrusted with fresh herbs, served over silky minted pea mash with a glossy red wine reduction
lamb was not super tender but masted potatoes were tasty - skip unless you get it fresh then maybe it will be more tender
Lobster Roll - 6/10
Lobster on a toasted brioche roll with lemon Cajun aioli and fresh herbs
roll was hard, could tell it was refrigerated and not prepared fresh - skip unless you get it fresh
Smoked Pork Belly Bites - 9.5/10
Slow-smoked pork belly brushed with honey-chipotle BBQ glaze, finished with fresh micro herbs
generous portion, good balance of fat and meat, perfect sauce to meat ratio - would definitely get again
Tropical Moscato Blueberry - 9/10
Sweet & fruity
I love a sweet wine so this was perfect for me
Seasonal Fruit Sorbet
Two refreshing scoops of fruit sorbet. Varying flavors
My mom tried this one, they didn't allow her to mix and match the 2 flavors but I think she enjoyed it
Beet & Burrata Salad - 10/10
Roasted beets and creamy burrata over mixed greens with citrus segments and green goddess dressing
Fresh, flavorful, and large portions - highly recommend if these are your flavors
Stella Rosa Tropical Mango - 9/10
Sparkling, bright red wine
Another sweet wine that I enjoyed
Grilled Shrimp and Pork Skewers - 5/10
Shrimp and pork with vibrant sweet baby peppers
Not much flavor, could use a dipping sauce or should have marinated to get more taste - skip
Brisket Stuffed Potato - 4/10
Baked potato filled with tender brisket, melted cheese, and crispy onions
very dry and flavorless - skip
Stuffed Bell Peppers - 7/10
Roasted bell peppers filled with quinoa and seasonal vegetables, finished with a rich tomato reduction
I was pleasantly surprised considering it was served with a green bell pepper versus a sweeter red bell pepper as advertised, I personally wasn't planning to get this but my mom chose it thinking there would be stuffed with ground beef - I would recommend if you are vegetarian or enjoy dishes with quinoa
Mix Berry Tart - 9/10
A crisp, buttery tart shell filled with silky lemon-kissed vanilla custard and topped with fresh, juicy berries. Bright, balanced, not overly sweet
soft crust, creamy filling, and sweet with some freshness from the berries - would definitely get again
Crab Corn Cakes - 10/10
Sweet crab and corn cake with creamy tarragon remoulade and bright pickled radish slaw
Just the right amount of breading to hold everything together and the sauce and coleslaw were great compliments - definitely would get again
Wild Mushroom Arancini - 9.5/10
Crispy risotto balls filled with earthy mushrooms, paired with truffle aioli and dusted with parmesan cheese
these were fresh, crispy, and light - soooo good!
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