It has been too long since my last visit to Epcot’s Tangierine Cafe. (Yep, that’s spelled correctly. It’s like a play on words, right? Tangiers, Morocco — Tangierine? Get it? OK, moving on.)
My absence from this spot recently is kind of shocking, since it’s always voted some of the best and most interesting counter service food that you can get anywhere in Walt Disney World.
Located right on the promenade in the Morocco Pavilion, Tangierine Cafe offers an immersive atmosphere and good food with the ring of authenticity. Or at least, that’s always been my experience before.
Atmosphere
Tangierine Cafe is very photogenic. The whole Morocco pavilion is gorgeous, and this is no exception.
Tangierine Cafe
Once inside, you’ll find a cafeteria-style ordering area, and limited seating.
Ordering Counter and Seating Area — Notice the Beautiful Light Fixtures and Ceiling Detail
Assembling Plates
Indoor Seating Area, as Seen From the Coffee Bar at the Back
As you probably know, the construction of the Morocco Pavilion was sponsored by the government of Morocco; the design was overseen by King Hassan II himself! And so, the intricate decor and detail you see here represent design details authentic to Moroccan ideals.
Zellige tile, colored glass, and beautiful light fixtures punctuate the space and transport you to your exotic destination.
View from indoor table
Seating and Stunning Tilework
Beautiful Lighting and Ceiling Detail
Choose a seat inside, or enjoy lunch on the outdoor terrace that’s off to the side of the front entrance. It provides an excellent vantage for people watching.
Tangierine Cafe Terrace
View from Outdoor Seating
There’s also a wonderful little room in the back of the space, set apart from the high-celinged main dining room. Since it’s rather hidden, sometimes you’ll find it empty. It’s a great spot to take a break from the Epcot crowds.
Small Room Off to the Side of the Coffee and Dessert Bar
Additional outdoor seating, with umbrella-shaded tables, is available on the other side of the restaurant.
Additional Outdoor Seating on the Other Side of Tangierine Cafe
Back inside, you’ll make your selections and await your food. Beverage options include a few Moroccan beers, which are available by the bottle, in addition to standard soft drink options.
Top Cooler with Bottled Soft Drinks and Beer
Some of the Beers Available
You’ll find another hidden gem in the back of the restaurant, near the cash register. A bar devoted to Coffee and Pastries demands a little of your time. This is also the home of some of those delicious and refreshing Grown Up Slushies that we’ve told you about before.
Pastry Case and Coffee Bar
In the case, you’ll find some authentic Moroccan pastries here, including different varieties of Baklava as well as Semolina Cookies, and Almond Pastries, and other house specialties.
Pastry Case — Up Close
You’ll also find standard options, like Cookies and Muffins.
Eats
After a light breakfast, I was definitely ready for something substantial for lunch. And you’ll find hearty portions at Tangierine Cafe, even though the menu features some better-for-you options.
Menu — Shawarma Platters, Mediterranean Specialties — Click to Enlarge
Menu — Wraps, Vegetarian Platter, Children’s Meals, Side Dishes — Click to Enlarge
Menu — Click to Enlarge
The menu for Speciality Coffees and Drinks is located over the Coffee and Pastry Bar, so be sure to check it out as well.
Coffee and Dessert Bar Menu — Click to Enlarge
If you’re inclined, I can definitely recommend that you start your meal with one of Tangierine’s Daiquiris, or Grown Up Slushies!
Mixed Strawberry and Tangierine Slushies
My friend decided to give the Vegetarian Platter a try. This substantial plate of food is a DFB Favorite recommendation for a hearty meatless meal!
The plate includes Couscous, Lentils, Tabbouleh, Hummus, Marinated Olives, and Falafel, accompanied by Moroccan Bread.
Vegetarian Platter
The Falafel — deep-fried patties of Pureed Chickpeas — are served on a bed of Shredded Lettuce and garnished with Onions. They’re flavorful, but my friend and I were both turned off by the “stale” hard texture. Perhaps it was because we were eating a bit later at night?
Falafel — Inside
I decided to stick with one of my favorites — the Chicken Shawarma Platter.
Shawarma is basically a term for meat slow-roasted on a spit, and then shaved off. You’ll find a variety of meats prepared this way, including Chicken and Lamb. If you’re familiar with the meat on Greek Gyros, then you have the basic concept.
Well, Chicken doesn’t so much…shave. 😉 So instead, you have pieces of Roasted Chicken, seasoned with exotic herbs and spices. The platter is served with Moroccan Bread, Couscous, Tabbouleh, and Hummus. Taziki, a rich yogurt-based condiment, tops the Chicken, along with Marinated Onions. (Warning! Cilantro in abundance!)
Chicken Shawarma Platter
Another friend opted for the Moroccan Kefta Sandwich, which comes with a less traditional side of French Fries.
Moroccan Kefta Sandwich Platter
Kefta are Meatballs, normally made of ground Beef or Lamb (or a combination.) Here, they’re served wrapped in a Pita, and accompanied by a lightly dressed salad of Shredded Lettuce, Tomatoes, and Onions. The combination of flavors from the meat and the light dressing provide a nice introduction to the seasonings of Morocco. I think this would be a great option for someone who is interested in trying Middle Eastern or North African food for the first time.
Moroccan Kefta Sandwich — Up Close
Unfortunately, the french fries were…horrible. I’d heard great things about the fries here for some reason, but ours were worse than bad. Again, perhaps because we were eating rather late in the day.
Overall
I hear it all the time from you guys and I completely agree — Tangierine Cafe is something very special. I regret dining there very late, as I think we didn’t give the place a fair shake heading in when the park was about to close. But, then again, I could take the stance that a restaurant’s food should be consistently good regardless of when you dine, right?
That said, my complaints about the three dishes were minimal; and this place still does really offer some of the best and most “exotic” counter service fare in Disney World. It has been a reliable meal option for as long as I can remember.
One weak spot — and actually, I’d say the same for the other Morocco restaurants, Spice Road Table and Restaurant Marrakesh — is the Kids’ Meals. Hamburgers and Chicken Nuggets/Fingers are the choices here, and that’s a shame. While I understand they have to be available for the picky eaters, I’m very confident that some children would welcome the opportunity to try more authentic fare.
Now it’s time to hear from all of you Tangierine Fans. Tell us what you love about Tangierine Cafe in comments below!
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Eating there just before park closing, my daughter and I had the same problem. We do like to experiment with different food cultures and tried the falafel with the kids. It was so bad that I was actually embarrassed for the restaurant….dry and stale as you said.
The best part of this place is the coffee counter. Try the moorish. It’s espresso with some rose water and spices (I believe it has cinnamon and nutmeg). Very good. I make it a must-try every time I visit the world showcase.
The kid’s chicken fingers at Tangierine’s actually have a great Mediteranean flavor to them: totally different from the meals found elsewhere at Disney. My son was almost 2 when we visited and enjoyed them (and so did we once he was finished!)
I wish the Shawarma was “real” Shawarma.
Most authentic middle-eastern restaurants use stacked, whole pieces of meat, rather than the mystery-meatloaf that they use here. This meatloaf-style Shawarma is only found in North America.
Even at Greek restaurants, you can tell how authentic they are by what type of meat they use for their gyros – if the spit is made up of stacked, whole pieces of pork, chicken or lamb, it’s real. If it’s a spiced loaf of ground meat, it’s not authentic.
These meatloaf-style American versions of Shawarma/Gyros/Doner Kebob are very tasty, sure, but not what we’re looking for in an authentic World Showcase experience.
I always stop in for a mint tea when I am at Epcot, it makes me so happy. My husband loves the Kefka and for me the veg. platter is the best over the counter meals in the world (showcase that is). I only wish the kids meals were not standard fare. A child’s size veg. platter would be deeply appreciated!
I agree with Joyce. When we went at night, our falafel was very dry and stale. 🙁 It was a shame because it looked so good but we couldn’t finish it!
I’ve been ordering the Vegetarian Platter for years, but I avoided this spot on my last trip. The food used to be excellent, but the last four times that I ate here (yes, I was stubbornly hoping they would return to their former glory) the food was terrible. The falafel was hard and dry, the pita bread was soggy AND stale (an unpleasant combination), and the staff were very rude. Unless they make vast improvements, I will not be returning.
I don’t think the dry and stale falafel was due to the late hour. I encounter the same problem no matter what time I go. Regardless, Tangierine is still my favorite quick service choice in World Showcase. The vegetarian platter is my go-to meal…especially on hot Florida days when you want something light.
Genuinely great place. The real highlight here is the turkish coffee, which I have on good authority is pretty good. I wouldn’t know a good turkish coffee from a bad one but I liked it a great deal. It’s finely ground and seems to be prepared with the grounds in a large pot before being put into the warmers. My favorite food is the Kefta, which I hate to admit is usually slightly overcooked but I like it that way, gosh darnit.
Always thought this place was one of the best values in EPCOT. My wife and I have had the shawarma plate many times and always enjoy it. Here’s a tip. Take your meal outside the back door and eat at one of the few tables back in the passageway. Great way to escape the crowds.
I would try the Kefta sandwich; it looks good and I’ve always enjoys the Greek gyros sandwiches very much. I also love Baklava and their pastry counter looks wonderful!
We love this restaurant! We usually stop here for lunch. The food is always tasty and that little dining room off to the side is a great place to relax and enjoy your meal. My daughter likes the baklava better here than at Restaurant Marrakesh, but I thought they were the same. According to her, it’s just so much juicier(?) here than at Marrakesh.
I’m so sad to hear that the falafel is regularly dry here! I keep hearing that the falafel pocket w/ cucumber tomato salad being served at the Flower & Garden festival is really dry and hard to eat. I’ve never tried falafel but it sounded like such an interesting option that I wanted to skip the booth and head to Tangierine Cafe to order some instead but it sounds like it will be equally as unpleasant. I wish the powers-that-be of Disney Dining would actually read and consider the reviews of their customers. We want to love their food! I’ll have to try Tangierine Cafe another time for something more reliable.
Julianne — I actually had the falafel at the Flower & Garden Taste of Marrakesh Outdoor Kitchen last week, and it was quite good. If it’s something that you’re interested in trying, maybe give that one a go first, and then plan a meal later in the trip at Tangierine? Good luck!
Brooke, that’s great to hear! Thank for you for the good feedback. I’ve been so excited to try it, so now I think I’ll give it a go! 🙂
Even my pickiest eater will wolf down hummus. I often hide things he doesn’t care for (green vegetables) in hummus. Many toddlers love the act (and independence that comes with) of dipping their food in hummus (or similar dips). I would love to see Disney offer hummus on many of its children’s menus; it’s a nice, healthy alternative to burgers and chicken fingers.
Recently went to Tangierine Cafe with my meat and potatoe eating husband. Hubby has actually gotten a lot better about trying things outside his box as he has been with me for 20 years and I’m a 2nd generation Greek american…Anyways we split a Lamb Shwarma platter. I ordered an extra bread $1.50 which came on its own paper plate and side of French fries which came in one of those rectangular paper Bowles. We also ordered two sodas…everything together came to $24.00. A great bargain at Disney and even hubby agreed it was much better then the usual hamburger for him. We were both totally full!!! One thing that happened is that our fountain sodas were flat lack of carbonation. When we told the MGR he ran out and got us 48oz bottled cokes to replace them!!! That was great. The staff was friendly and accommodating.
We LOVE both the chicken and the vegetarian platters!! This is our most favorite food in all of Disney world. We eat here at least 3 to 4 times each week we stay…
Has anyone tried to ask for kids’ credit kid-size falafel? Will they do that here?
The vegetarian platter falafel is always hard and dry. That is their style of making it and I love it. This is by far the best vegetarian meal in Epcot for the portion and price.
1. Does anyone know if the chicken shawarma is mild enough for someone with stomach problems who
avoids spicy foods but likes mild shawarmas?
2. Do you know if they automatically put all the toppings on every shawarma or can we individually order
whichever toppings we want and avoid the others?
3. Thanks!
Ate here the first time today and had the veg. platter. It was delicious!! Falafel was crisp but not dry. The pita was fresh, as was the hummus and salads.
Finished every bit, and was hoping I could garner some of the recipes, like for the lentil salad and couscous.
They were both seasoned lightly and were excellent!
My new favorite meal!