Enjoy a Taste of Northern Africa at the Tangierine Cafe

One of my favorite things to do at Walt Disney World Resort is eat. While there are plenty of hamburgers, chicken fingers and giant turkey legs to be had, Guests with more sophisticated palettes will find plenty to choose from. One of the best places to find unique cuisine is in World Showcase at Epcot. Over the course of my visits, I’ve had the opportunity to eat at many of the restaurants in World Showcase. Some have become perennial favorites while others have been added to the “at least we tried it” category.

On my most recent trip, I had an entire day visit the Theme Parks by myself. Since we often breeze through the Pavilions in World Showcase, I saw this as a great opportunity to spend the day soaking in the sights and sounds, and most important, to sample the food at the Pavilions! After weighing my options, I decided to try the Tangierine Cafe in the Morocco Pavilion. The Tangierine Cafe is a counter/quick service restaurant featuring Mediterranean cuisine.

Tangierine Cafe menu in Morocco Pavilion at Epcot-Picture by Lisa McBride

We have a great shawarma chain in the Chicago Metro area so I was excited to give this place a try. After perusing the menu, I settled on the Chicken Wrap for $9.99. The wrap was served with Tangierine Couscous Salad and Lentil Salad.

Chicken Wrap with Tangierine Couscous Salad and Lentil Salad

The pita was soft and airy and the chicken flavorful and tender. I opted to add a bit of cucumber dressing to my wrap. The cool dressing was a welcome addition on such a hot and humid day. The salads were both light and a great alternative to the usual french fries one usually gets with sandwich.

Diners can chose to eat inside or outside. Since I was a eating alone and looking forward to doing some people watching (another great way to pass the time at the Walt Disney World Resort!), I selected a table just outside the main dining area. My particular table featured an umbrella and had a fantastic view of the courtyard’s mosaic-covered fountain, as well as the Guests passing by the Moroccan Pavilion as they made their way around World Showcase. Thanks to the heat, and the amazing detail on the buildings surrounding me, I truly felt that I was in Northern Africa.

I didn’t try any of the desserts at lunch, but my family did stop back to pick up Baklava later in the week. We split a traditional walnut Baklava, pistachio Baklava and an almond pastry. While they weren’t the best desserts I had on the trip (that title goes to the Bread Pudding at ‘Ohana), and certainly not the best Baklava I’ve had, they did the trick and satisfied our craving for something sweet.

Dessert Case at Tangierine Cafe

DIStracted Tip: After you enjoy a shawarma or a piece of Baklava, make your way back to the marketplace near Restaurant Marrakesh to meet Aladdin and Princess Jasmine. Check the My Disney Experience app for the schedule.

I enjoyed the cuisine and atmosphere at the Tangierine Cafe and I felt it was a good value. While it didn’t shoot to the top of my list of favorite eateries in World Showcase, it’s definitely on the list of places I will return to on future trips.