Space 220 Restaurant Opens at EPCOT

Yesterday (Sept 20), the opening dedication ceremony for the new Space 220 restaurant took place in the courtyard of the Mission: Space attraction at EPCOT, and I was there to witness it.

The ceremony featured executives from Patina Restaurant Group, Delaware North (Patina Restaurant Group’s parent company), Disney, and very special guests Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

Following the opening, we were taken inside where we got our boarding assignments for the trip up to the Centauri Space Station, where the restaurant is located.

The elevators can each hold quite a few guests, so I didn’t have to wait long to board the circular elevator with both a floor and ceiling window to watch our ascension. The graphics were well done, but hard to capture in a still photo. I’ll have a video up soon.

Upon arriving at the space station, we were led through a few tunnels to get to the dining area. One of the tunnels featured a window where we could see a rotating hydroponic space garden. Be careful watching this if you get motion sickness, but I thought it was fun to watch.

The seating area is spread out on two levels with huge “windows” offering a view of Earth while you dine. There are steps down to the lower level where booths allow guests to dine in front of the windows, along with table seating.

The restaurant also offers a ramp on one side so the lower level is mobility accessible. I had no problem with a walker but scooters may not have as easy a time.

Most of the seating is set for 4 or more diners, but there were a few tables for two, so don’t feel you can’t dine as a couple or even solo.

Upon sitting down, I noted a QR code to pull up the menu on a phone, but paper menus are available for request.

We sampled the lunch menu during our visit. I began with the “Big Bang Burrata” with a serving of burrata on a sunflower seed Romesco sauce with a side salad of arugula and grilled artichoke hearts. The nutty tomato-based sauce really made the dish and provided a nice contrast to the creaminess of the burrata. The salad tasted like it was dressed in citrus and was good.

Due to my food allergies, I didn’t have a lot of options for my entree, and I decided to go with the “Centauri Burger” to see if a burger was worth ordering for the prix fixe menu price ($55 for two courses at lunch).

The burger had a signature beef blend, topped with white cheddar cheese, bacon, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and a sriracha aioli. It was a hearty burger and I appreciated the bacon was cooked crisp. It was accompanied by fried potato wedges and a pickle spear that was so huge, I think it was half a pickle cut length-wise. Overall, it was tasty and filling.

I also ordered a cocktail off the “Zero Proof” section of the menu called “Moon Rocks” which featured Coconut, Blue Cotton Candy Syrup, and Lemonade, with a side packet of pop rocks to add in as desired. It was very sweet and tasted like liquid cotton candy. I enjoyed it but it may be too sweet for some.

Now if you read my preview of the restaurant, you’ll remember when ordering a Zero Proof cocktail (or a kid’s meal) it also comes with a pack of limited edition Space 220 trading cards. As a lifelong astronomy fan I loved looking over the cards and reading the stories on the back of them. It’s definitely worth forgoing the alcohol in a drink if you don’t have a kid with you!

A friend at a nearby table also allowed me to take a photo of her “Bluehouse Salmon” which was plated with glazed carrots, King Oyster mushrooms, baby bok choy on a Beurre Blanc (French butter sauce). She enjoyed it immensely.

I finished with dessert, which is normally not included in the prix fixe price, but available for an additional charge. I chose the vegan carrot cake, which was plated with a carrot puree and dusted with pepita seeds and candied walnuts. Taste-wise, I couldn’t tell the vegan cake was any different from a non-vegan version. I couldn’t even tell the cream cheese was plant-based. It was a bit more dense in texture, but otherwise indistinguishable from regular carrot cake, and it was very delicious.

As I was dining, I kept watching the windows. While the Earth view is stationary, there are moving spacecraft docking at and leaving the space station. My server told me the Millenium Falcon occasionally appears, but I didn’t spot it during my time there. The real highlights for me, though, were the astronauts. Some were just out for space walks, but I spotted a duo playing piggy back, and another pair dueling with lightsabers. They’re so quick it’s hard to put down the food and grab a photo in time.

I’d also like to make note that the restaurant was very attentive to my food allergies. Not only did my server ask before taking my order, but the chef came out to talk to me about what I had ordered to make sure there were no hidden allergens. It’s a detail that is very much appreciated.

Following the meal, I walked by the lounge area, which features its own bar bites menu. There’s not a lot of seating in the lounge area, but it is always available on a walk-in basis, unlike the dining area which will require reservations starting Sept 27.

Leaving the restaurant allows guests to take the elevators back to Earth, so if you missed the show on the way up, you can watch it in reverse on the return to EPCOT. Definitely be sure to look up as well as down.

Overall, the food and drink were great, as was the service, but it’s the atmosphere and theming that really makes Space 220 a must-do dining experience.

Through September 26, dining is on a walk-in basis, but if you’re planning on trying to nab a table, it’s going to involve a long wait in line. When I left the restaurant around 1pm, the wait line went all the way down to the neighboring Test Track building. My tip would be head here as soon as the park opens.