A Guide to Eating and Drinking Through Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Bailey Bennett

Updated Fri, October 13, 2017 at 7:30 AM UTC

If you’re one of the many bookworms who spent their childhood fruitlessly waiting for a friendly owl to bring you a Hogwarts acceptance letter, you understand the pure joy of J.K. Rowling’s fantastical world.

Universal Orlando Resort brought that magic to life in 2010 in the form of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The highly detailed and incredibly immersive park allows fans of the boy wizard to step into their own imaginations, exploring the streets of Hogsmeade village and the halls of Hogwarts. Then, in 2014, Universal expanded the popular attraction to include Diagon Alley on the Universal Studios Florida side of the parks, connecting the two areas by way of the Hogwarts Express. Similar versions of the Wizarding World have since opened at Universal Studios Japan and Hollywood.

While thrilling rides attract fans of all ages, one of the most exciting aspects of Orlando’s Wizarding World is the opportunity for Potterheads to taste the foods their favorite characters ate in the books and films.

With help from J.K. Rowling herself, Universal meticulously recreated many dishes, treats, snacks, and drinks mentioned in the stories, from beloved Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice to Chocolate Frogs and Cauldron Cakes. With so many magical treats to choose from, the average visitor may feel like they’ve just taken a swig of Felix Felicis.

To get you started on this delicious, magical journey, we’ve put together a guide to eating and drinking your way through the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. These are the restaurants you need to try, the candy you need to buy, and the souvenirs you’ll be dying to take home at the end of it all.

Where to Eat

Leaky Cauldron

Just as the Leaky Cauldron acts as Harry’s entryway into the magical world, so too should the hearty breakfast at this sit-down restaurant in Diagon Alley be your entry into a busy park day ahead. The combination counter/table service restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner in a highly-themed, cozy environment. The menu features plenty of British classics like bangers and mash, fish and chips, and cottage pie — the kind of hearty fare you can see Hagrid and co. scarfing down on a regular basis.

The Leaky Cauldron’s Full English Breakfast is some of the best park food you’ll find in the morning hours. Plus, since the restaurant opens at 8 a.m., it’s the perfect place to start or end your early park admission hour, should you be staying at a Universal hotel.

Three Broomsticks

Located on the Hogsmeade side of Harry Potter world, Three Broomsticks offers some of the best fare available in either of the theme parks. Similar to the Leaky Cauldron, this counter/table service restaurant is serving up tasty British classics in one of Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s favorite haunts. However, Three Broomsticks also offers delicacies such as the Great Feast, a generous platter of rotisserie chicken, spare ribs, corn on the cob, roasted potatoes and salad that easily serves four hungry park goers. Oversized smoked turkey legs are also available for ambitious diners.

Both Three Broomsticks and Leaky Cauldron serve non-alcoholic drinks like Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice, as well as alcoholic beers and wine. Speaking of...

What to Drink

Butterbeer

If you splurge on one thing at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, make it the Butterbeer. This intensely sweet, frothy, and surprisingly refreshing beverage is such a staple of the books that true Potterheads won’t be able to resist getting a taste for themselves. J.K. Rowling herself even approves of the secret recipe.

However, the real controversy here comes with the style you choose to drink it in. Butterbeer is available as a classic cold beverage, a frozen blended version, and a hot version (not to mention the Butterbeer ice cream, fudge, and potted cream iterations).

The popular beverage is available throughout both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, being sold at street carts, both restaurants, the Hog’s Head, the Fountain of Fair Fortune, and the Hopping Pot, but you won’t find it in any of the muggle areas of the parks.

Other Refreshments

If one sugary Butterbeer proves to be more than enough, the parks also offer a few other non-alcoholic options that deserve your attention, namely the Pumpkin Juice and Pumpkin Fizz. Both kind of taste like a nice cold glass of pumpkin pie, but the extra carbonation in the Fizz makes it especially refreshing on a hot day.

Lesser known drinks like Tongue Tying Lemon Squash, Otter’s Fizzy Orange Juice, and Peachtree Fizzing Tea can also be found at the Hopping Pot in Diagon Alley, although none of these prove to be fan favorites. Gillywater is also available, which (spoiler alert) is really just bottled water.

Something Stronger

For those of age in the muggle world, many of Harry Potter world’s establishments also offer alcoholic beverages that fall in line with the area’s intricate theming.

The Hog’s Head pub, which is attached to The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, offers Potter-specific beers from the Florida Brew Company, like the Hog’s Head Brew, the Wizard’s Brew, Fishy Green Ale and the Dragon Scale, as well as stronger shots of Fire Whiskey. These libations can also be found at The Leaky Cauldron, The Hopping Pot and The Fountain of Fair Fortune in Diagon Alley.

How to Indulge

Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour

The staple Diagon Alley shop where Harry spent much of a summer chatting with Fortescue and pigging out on sundaes has come to life, and the creamy, dreamy ice cream does not disappoint. Of course, try the signature Butterbeer soft serve, but stick around for flavors like Sticky Toffee Pudding and Earl Grey.

Honeyduke’s

A candy-lover’s wonderland, this expansive shop offers every treat you ever craved while reading Harry Potter: Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, Fizzing Whizbees, Fudge Flies, Acid Pops and (for Dumbledore) Sherbet Lemons. Plus, a counter at the back offers more pastries and desserts like Cauldron Cakes, fudge and krispy rice treats.

While none of the specialty candies run cheap, their detailed packaging makes them the perfect souvenir or gift for a Potterhead.

Sugarplum’s Sweetshop

Offering fare similar to that in Honeyduke’s, this lesser known shop will take care of that sweet tooth on the Diagon Alley side of the parks. The smell of sugar hits you as soon as you walk in the door, and you won’t be able to leave without a taste.

Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes

The joke shop operated by the Weasley twins (rest in peace, Fred) is complete with its fair share of sweet bites — as long as you’re OK with a few tricks with your treats. Here you’ll find a wide variety of skiving snackboxes, from puking pastilles and fever fudge to nosebleed nougat and fainting fancies, plus plenty of Love Potions and U-No-Poo.

We’re pretty sure you won’t be able to leave without a pair of Extendable Ears, either.

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