Recently, we heard that Epcot’s Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room had undergone yet another menu change. You’ll remember that the Rose and Crown menu went through an overhaul last Spring, and this year there are a few more changes and updates.

I boycotted last year after they took away the Roast Dinner and Yorkshire Pudding, but I figured it was time to throw in the towel and head back for another visit! 😉

We’ll highlight some of the menu changes in a bit, but first let’s take a look around and get a feel for this cozy spot.

Atmosphere

Step up to the Rose and Crown, and you’ll experience some of Disney’s most authentic themeing. This place truly does feel like it’s on the corner of the High Street in an English town — at least in my experience!

Here, you’ll find a pub fronting the establishment, and a full restaurant in the back. You can stop into the pub for a simple menu (like the English Bulldog and Scotch Eggs we highlighted previously…be still my heart), or choose the restaurant for a more robust meal.

To the side of the entrance, you’ll find the dining check-in area as well as a kiosk to get a draft beer as you’re passing by.

Head into the pub area and you’re treated to an authentic set-up complete with a few pub tables and seating. Order your eats and drinks from the bar here.

And if you’re lucky enough to go to the pub on a weekday, you might get the chance to say Hello to Carl the Bartender — one of our favorite Disney cast members!

If you choose to dine in the restaurant, prepare for old-fashioned charm and coziness. Dark wood lines just about every surface in the place and guests are seated at tables and banquettes.

Stained glass emblems make sure you remember where you are, and bubbly leaded window glass elsewhere delivers an old world feel.

Should you choose to go after one of the most epic Disney dining experiences in the World, the outside front patio is your destination!

With one of the best views of Illuminations in the World Showcase, the Rose and Crown front patio is a veeeery hot ticket during the fireworks. You may be able to see the fireworks a teensy bit from the inside tables…but outside is your goal.

Here are the coveted front patio tables. There are a few more situated down below (see the striped umbrellas), which give an even better and broader view of the fireworks.

How do you get one of these tables? Perseverance. Book an early reservation, request a front patio table when you check in, and cross your fingers. (I’ve practically seen people come to blows over these tables, so bring your A-game or choose to dine at La Hacienda de San Angel for the show instead.)

Note that you can see some of the fireworks from this side patio, but the view isn’t nearly as incredible as it is from the front patio due to the awning stretched over the area.

This is why I recommend you don’t just request “patio” seating; instead, make sure you request a fireworks-view table on the front patio.

BUT, if all you want is some fun British-y food in a themed restaurant, definitely go for lunch to avoid all the crazy that happens at night with the table battles and what not! 😉

Eats

As we mentioned, the Rose and Crown restaurant menu seems to change up regularly; but the pub menu has stayed relatively consistent for the past year or so. Here are a few of the eats you can get (with no dining reservation) in the pub section of Rose and Crown!

We do LOVE that Trio of United Kingdom Cheeses and the English Bulldog, as I mentioned!

A strong menu of beers, ales, lagers, stouts, Scotch, and more makes up the rest of the Pub menu; but the place is a full-service bar so you can get anything that strikes your fancy.

On my recent visit, however, we headed into the restaurant for a full lunch meal. As I said, the menu was similar to last Spring’s incarnation, with a few changes and updates. The vegetarian pie has replaced the Salmon dish from last year; and the steak is slightly different.

They also changed out the Pub Burger for an “English Breakfast Burger;” more on that later!

The day had been a bit rough up until this point for us, so we started out with a (truly lovely — don’t you want to just dive in?!?) Irish Coffee!

Smooth, mellow, and topped with a generous helping of whipped cream, this was a great way to relax and rejuvenate in the middle of a hectic Disney day.

And though the menu now lists a very vague and general “Seasonal Soup” in the appetizer section, it turned out to be the Potato and Leek Soup…which is what I’ve always had at Rose and Crown.

(More and more I’m starting to realize that when Disney ever lists a “seasonal soup” on the menu, it’s pretty much the same one all the time. Chicken and Wild Rice at Sleepy Hollow, Vegetable at Rosie’s, and now Potato and Leek at Rose and Crown. I mean, MAYBE it switches up from time to time, but it’s rare. Interesting observation we’ll have to watch…)

Sadly, this is still the “new” version of the Potato and Leek Soup and not the 100%-Cream-And-Butter version they used to have at R&C…which I was in love with and wanted to marry. But this version isn’t bad, and it did hit the spot on this cold day in Epcot! It’s creamy, savory, and would be just fine if I wasn’t comparing it to its former glory.

Now, on to that English Breakfast Burger I told you about!

Another Disney food trend seems to be burgers-with-eggs-on-them. We recently had the Bacon and Egg Burger from the new menu at Whispering Canyon Cafe, and now we see this version on the new R&C menu.

It’s described as an Angus Beef Patty with Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cheddar, Fried Egg, and Homemade HP Sauce. Fun, right?

I wanted to take a few close-ups for you, because the burger really was appealing to look at! The bacon was very thick-cut and hearty, the cheddar had a gorgeous color and bubbly, melty look, and the veggies seemed fresh and colorful.

And the burger was pretty good! I’m not a huge fried egg fan, but the flavors and textures all mixed together really did offer an intriguing and unique experience. And the homemade HP sauce was a great accent!

Overall, it was quite a good burger in and of itself (patty-wise), and the added flavors made it something special.

Now, alongside the burger was this thing…

What is it? you ask. Well, it’s a fried pickle, of course! (I actually had to ask our server what it was…I had no idea. Just goes to show I’m clearly not Southern…or English, I guess!)

Pickle lovers will adore this!

The next entree took us back to classic Rose and Crown! I remember Cottage Pie being on the menu when I came to Disney World with my family during my childhood.

In fact, my family’s experience with Cottage Pie eventually got me reprimanded and sent to bed with no dinner at one point…but that’s a different story for a different day!

For those who haven’t had it, Cottage Pie is a big ol’ mixture of ground beef, onions, mushrooms, and occasionally other veggies all topped off with creamy mashed potatoes and cheese. Here’s an inside shot!

The Cottage Pie was a relatively small portion for what I typically expect from Disney, so note that if this is on your menu to-do list!

We couldn’t head back out into the cold without dessert, so we requested the menu… (I still have never gotten the Jaffa Tarts here; if anyone has had them and has a pic, will you share it with me? I’m dying to know what they look like “homemade.”)

We went for an old classic — the Sticky Toffee Pudding, and a new recommendation from our server — the Queen’s Cake.

The Sticky Toffee Pudding was just as good as it always is. I was pleased with the amount of sauce we got here, too! The cake is spongy and pudding-y — very moist; and the combo of the Butter-Rum and vanilla custard sauces creates a warm, gooey, butterscotchy goodness.

The Queen’s Cake is apparently Rose & Crown’s version of the “fancy desserts” Disney’s been adding to menus hither and thither.

I always love Flourless Chocolate Cake, because it’s usually very moist and dense…and uber chocolatey! This version was good, but I’ve taken to rating World Showcase desserts based on a scale of how much I’d rather go have a No Way Jose Sundae at Beaches and Cream instead of this, and the Queen’s cake didn’t cut it. 😉

The eggnog shooter (yep — that’s how much came in the shot glass…was it supposed to be full do you think?) was interesting. Thick and creamy with a slight alcohol taste. A slight milkshakey feel. Nothing I would write home about.

My favorite part of the trio was that little tiny bit of cherry compote there at the end, believe it or not! I’m a huge sour cherry fan, and this hit the spot. Wish I could have gotten a big bowl of cherry compote and vanilla cream. Yummo!

(UPDATE! Thanks to reader Robin S. for sharing a pic of the Jaffa Tarts with us!! See below!)



Overall

Rose and Crown — despite constant menu changes — remains one of my preferred restaurants in the World Showcase.

The place is so cozy and welcoming, and the food is rarely too pretentious. It’s good comfort food in a great atmosphere, usually accompanied by decent service and enjoyable cast members. When you find relative consistency like that in a Disney restaurant, be sure to relish it!

And while the prices do keep creeping up, you can still get a very generous table-service meal here for under $20 — and that’s a recommendation in itself.

I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences from Rose & Crown in Epcot!

Have you been to Rose & Crown Pub or Restaurant? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!