Looking for the best dessert at Seven Seas Food Festival 2026? Read our review of the Bananas Foster Beignets and see if this might be it for your group.
The Seven Seas Food Festival has officially docked at SeaWorld Orlando for the 2026 season. While the savory offerings like the Brazilian Churrasco Steak and the Lobster Roll often steal the headlines, the dessert scene this year is making some serious waves. If you find yourself wandering near the Gulf Coast Market booth between now and May 17, there is one dish that demands a spot on your tasting lanyard: the Bananas Foster Beignets. This comes from the same food and beverage location as the Shrimp & Grits we reviewed previously.
As of February 12, 2026, the schedule for the Seven Seas Food Festival Marketplaces looks like this:
Culinary Marketplace Hours
- Thursdays- 2pm-7pm
- Fridays- 3pm-8pm
- Saturday and Sundays 12pm-8pm
This is a change from being open noon to park closing time. Guests should plan accordingly.
The Dish: Bananas Foster Beignets
Tucked away between Expedition Odyssey and Sesame Street Land at SeaWorld Orlando, guests can find the Bananas Foster Beignets. These sweet options return for 2026. For those unfamiliar, a traditional beignet is a deep-fried choux pastry, usually buried under a mountain of powdered sugar. SeaWorld’s iteration elevates this by tossing the warm dough in sugar and then smothering it in their “famous” Bananas Foster Sauce. Without the use of a sampler lanyard, these cost $9.99.
Bananas Foster Beignets: First Impressions and Flavor Profile
The first thing you’ll notice is the portion size. You typically receive two well-sized beignets, making it a fair value for a single punch on your sampling lanyard. These come covered in the sauce with two slices of banana to round out the theme.
The texture of the beignet itself is the foundation of the experience. Ideally, they are served hot—yielding a crispy, golden exterior that gives way to a light, pillowy center. When caught fresh from the fryer, they are sublime. However, the real star is the Bananas Foster Sauce. It’s a rich, buttery, slightly boozy caramel infusion that clings to the pastry’s nooks and crannies. It isn’t just a drizzle; it’s a full immersion into the flavors of caramelized bananas and brown sugar. We advise being careful not to spill since this will go all over the plate.
Worth a Stop?
Is it worth the stop? Absolutely. The Bananas Foster Beignets offer a sophisticated level of sweetness that balances the heavy, savory items found elsewhere in the park. It’s a messy eat, so get extra napkins. Still, it’s a top-tier contender for the best dessert of the 2026 festival.
Full Gulf Coast Marketplace Menu
- Shrimp & Grits (Available from 1/30 – 3/8) – Savory Shrimp Over Creamy Grits
- Shrimp Gumbo (Available from 3/9 – 4/12) – Flavorful Shrimp Stew, Vegetables, Spices
- Jambalaya (Available from 4/13 – 5/17) – Rice Cooked with Sausage, Shrimp, Spices
- Pork Boudin Balls – Crispy Fried Pork & Rice Bites
- Bananas Foster Beignets – Beignets Topped with Caramelized Banana Sauce
- Purple Haze Beer
- Hurricane – Rum Cocktail, Pineapple, Citrus, Hint of Sweetness
- French Quarter – Vodka, Gin, Silver Rum, Granny Smith Apple, Lime Juice, Pineapple Juice
Interested in Buying a Tasting Lanyard?
The 2026 SeaWorld Orlando Seven Seas Food Festival offers the best value through its sampling lanyards, valid on select dates from January 30 to May 17. Guests can choose between a 10-item lanyard for $74.99 or a 15-item lanyard for $89.99, allowing for significant savings on over 200 global dishes and 140 beverages. Annual pass members receive an exclusive bonus, getting 18 punches for the price of 15. Also, guests who purchase four or more 10-item or 15-item punch lanyards receive 15% off.
Additional Seven Seas Food Festival Reviews
- Butter Chicken
- Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich
- Chicken Pinchos
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Bratwurst Slider
- Guinness Cheese Nachos
- Elote Corn Dip
- BBQ Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese
- Huli-Huli Chicken
- Fried Cheesecake
- Mushroom Swiss Truffle Burger
For more theme park dining reviews, visit MSM News every weekday at noon Eastern Time. Additionally, we sometimes post bonus theme park dining reviews. As always, eat like you mean it!
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