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Restaurant Reviews: Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Diagon Alley

Restaurant Reviews: Universal Orlando—Diagon Alley

Are the Restaurants in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley Expensive & Overrated or Good Food Reasonably Priced?

Revised 4/2021

Since my visit to Universal Orlando is to celebrate my 60th birthday—huge deal for a woman—I didn’t want to miss a thing.  Since I’m also a Potter Head, I wanted to immerse myself in all things Harry Potter. Therefore, it follows that I’d have to sample the food and, of course, the Butterbeer of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Diagon Alley.  I expected the food to be much overpriced and barely eatable.  What I found was a mixed bag.

Note: Follow CDC and park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.

Leaky Cauldron (harrypotter.wikia.com)

The Leaky Cauldron

Fans will undoubtedly recognize this restaurant as Harry’s first glimpse into the Wizarding world and one that he visits often.  After all, the only way into Diagon Alley from the Muggle world is through The Leaky Cauldron.  Universal’s version is very similar in appearance and feel, except for all the darn Muggles. And the long lines. 

Long, wooden family-style tables placed on—what appears to be—stone floors inside a large, dark, stone/plaster walled room contribute to the feel of complete Diagon-Alley immersion.  Pictures of witches and wizards line the walls. The ceiling is high above us, adorned with large wooden beams.  It’s like it popped magically out of one of the Harry Potter movies. 

"Have you seen this wizard” moving picture wanted poster in Diagon Alley Universal Orlando

Note: Don’t miss the “Have you seen this wizard” moving picture wanted poster as you exit.   Unfortunately, that is my reflection and not Sirius Black's in the poster

LC serves British pub-style breakfast, lunch and dinner and is most often very busy. Traditional English and American breakfast choices are offered for a flat price of $18 for adults and $13 for the kiddies.  Child entrées are $7.49. Choices range from eggs with all the fixings, pancakes, apple oatmeal flan, and a savory tart. 

The Leaky Cauldron Diagon Alley Universal Orlando

Lunch and Dinner menus offer choices such as:

  • Bangers & Mash $14
  • Fish & Chips $17
  • Toad in a Hole or Chicken Sandwich with Fries $12 each
  • Banger Pub-style sandwich $13
  • Cottage or Fisherman’s pie ($16-$17)
  • Guinness stew $16
  • Ploughman’s platter $22 (enough for two diners).
The Leaky Cauldron inside the Leaky Cauldron

Wizardly beverage choices:

Fishy Green Ale, Otter’s Fizzy Orange Juice, Tongue Tying Lemon Squash, Peachtree Fizzing Tea each for roughly $5.49. 

Gillywater and Pumpkin Juice is $5-5.50

Beer choices $10.50. 

The drink most fans must try, besides Pumpkin Juice, is Butterbeer for which there are two choices: frozen and fizzy $8.

Fishy Green Ale is a rather interesting misty-green minty beverage with blueberry flavored “fish eggs” settled at the bottom of the cup.  The exceptionally wide straw helps to access those less than attractive eggs, which are, surprisingly, blueberry-flavored gelatin balls that burst as they enter your mouth.  It is refreshing and tastes good.  I found it better tasting than the Butterbeer. 



Like many in Diagon Alley, the queue winds around thickly, but this one is in a tiny rock-walled waiting room.  We chose to visit during a non-typical mealtime, so our queue was less than ten minutes. 

Note: Wait times vary due to Covid.  Check the website often for updates and always socially distance.

Once it was our turn, we are directed to the next open register (there are several).  Here we order, pay, receive a large candle with our number, receive our drinks and then we are directed to a table.  It was very cozy and clean. 

I ordered a Toad in a Hole, while my travel buddy-husband went with the chicken sandwich $13 each.  He chose to pair his meal with a Peachtree Fizzing Tea $5.49.  I chose to go with just water and was quite happy about it.  I really didn’t want a beer and everything else just seemed too sweet. 

  Toad in a Hole at the Leaky Cauldron Universal Orlando

Both of our dishes were delicious!  The toad is sausage (yum) baked inside Yorkshire pudding, which is remarkably similar to popovers.  (Recipe)  His was a juicy, perfectly grilled piece of chicken with crispy bacon and an apple butter aioli, served with crispy wedge fries.  We were both quite happy with our choices and considered the portion ample, although many would not.  The Toad in the Hole is not huge.  In my opinion, this lunch was a good value, except for the drink prices.  They are a tad expensive. 

Rebecca Black with a butterbeer Universal Orlando

Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor

While reading—yet again—Prisoner of Azkaban, I so dearly wanted to join Harry while he sat eating his many servings of luscious ice cream at Fortescue’s.  Of course, he sat outside and that isn’t possible here—no outdoor seating.  What is possible, though, is getting my hands on some yummy creamy delights, such as Butterbeer and Salted Caramel Blondie (my favorite) ice cream.  The many flavors are available soft serve or hard-packed at $6 in a cup, $7 in a cone, $$8.50 in a souvenir ice cream dish.  Considering I’d have to carry the dish all day, I decided against it. 

The price of ice cream at Fortescue’s is just slightly higher than purchasing it in other ice cream establishments. 

Note: Trying ice cream at Fortescue’s is a must-do for Potter Heads.  However, I found the ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s in the New York area of the park to be much better—Chocolate Therapy, baby. 

If Fortescue’s is too busy and you need your Butterbeer ice cream fix, walk right around the corner to the Fountain of Fair Fortune.  There’s rarely a line.

 
The Hopping Pot

Tucked away at the end of Carkitt Market, (to the right of Gringotts) this walkup-counter rarely has much of a line and serves a limited menu of drinks (the same as The Leaky Cauldron) and light snacks (Cornish Pasties $9.99 & a variety of Golden Wonder Potato Crisps $3.49).  In my opinion, it is the best place to get a Butterbeer.

There’s a relaxing seating area out front of the counter as well.   It’s a great place to rest after a long morning shopping for Wizarding supplies.

Note: It may be a safer place to eat due to Covid and socially distancing.

Eternelle’s Elixir of Refreshment Cart

Not far from the Hopping Pot is the Eternelle’s Elixir of Refreshment cart, which sells four types of magical elixir for the witch or wizard for $5-7 each.  These elixirs remind me of the Felix Felicis elixir Harry Potter took to give him “bottled luck” in the movie/book “The Half-Blood Prince”.

A bit different from the movie or book, these elixirs are added to a $6 bottle of Gilly Water (normal tap water in a decorative bottle).  The resulting drink tastes like flavored water priced over $10.  However, it could protect the wizard or witch from fire.  I’ve yet to test that theory.   

Note: Eternelle’s is temporarily closed due to Covid.  Prices may be different once they reopen.  There is an ap available for download.  Check it out. 

Fountain of Fair Fortune

It is tiny, but chockfull of Wizardly ambiance created by its dark wood walls and giant kegs against the wall facing the doors. Similarly, to the Hopping Pot, this watering hole serves a limited menu of beverages and Butterbeer ice cream.  Three types of beer are available Dragon Scale, Draught and Wizard’s Brew all for less than $10.  Non-alcohol choices are Gilly water, Fishy Green Ale and both types of Butterbeer (frozen and fizzy) for $5-8 each.

In Conclusion

Even if the food was a bit pricy, the experience was priceless.  That isn’t to say that it is logical to purchase all your meals in Diagon Alley—expensive!  Nevertheless, we found that we ate and drank without emptying our wallets.  If dining at the Leaky Cauldron, order a glass of water.  It’s free.  Also at the Leaky Cauldron the Toad in a Hole and their delicious chicken sandwich with fries are both $13.  Both dishes satiated our hunger.  Share a Salted Caramel Blondie ice cream from Fortescue’s for $6 and it is the best day ever!

Please Read

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Exploring Diagon Alley Universal Orlando




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