Banana popcorn is on the menu
Illumination’s Minions are getting ready to expand their adorable footprint at the Universal Orlando Resort. This summer, Universal Studios Florida theme park is welcoming Minion Land, building upon the existing Minion attraction with a brand-new ride, Villain-Con Minion Blast. The pioneering, family-friendly ride, a blaster game experience, will invite guests to show off their villainous skills and compete to become the newest members of The Vicious 6, supervillain characters from Minions: The Rise of Gru.
Though the land is expected to be completed later this summer, we’re getting an early taste of the banana-fueled magic to come with the opening of its marquee dining locale, Minion Café. We know you’re going to want to see this whimsical restaurant.
Mischief is always on the menu at Illumination’s Minion Café. The immersive restaurant transports you directly into the film’s eye-catching details with themed dining rooms and plenty of colorful art pieces—courtesy of the Minions, of course! Even the team members are in on the fun as they socialize with guests, speaking the official Minion language.
Enough of the nitty-gritty details because you’re probably thinking: Bello! Get to the goods! The food at Minion Café is where the Universal team truly flexes its culinary muscles. It’s far from the mundane park fare (sorry! No hot dogs here!) and lucky for us, the theming extends directly to our forks. The 20-plus menu items were inspired by memorable characters and are an eclectic mix of globally inspired foods and accessible favorites with flair.
An early favorite is the lineup of “despica-bowls,” including Asian-inspired Otto’s Noodle Bowl (complete with a tableside presentation) and plant-based offering Carl’s Crispy Cauliflower. The adventurous will seek out El Macho’s salsa y salsa ropa vieja or a sweet chili-laden wood-grilled Atlantic salmon.
Little Minions will love the Mini Boss’ Mega Melt served with Minion-shaped tots. The fun extends to the desserts, like the IG-must-have Bob’s Teddy Bear chocolate cream puff.
And that’s not all. There are several other dining venues, like Bake My Day and Pop-a-Nana, that are dishing out awesome bites, including banana(!) popcorn.
Pro-tip: Minion Cafe operates on mobile ordering so it’s essential to download the free Universal Orlando app ahead of your visit.
When Minion Land is completed later this summer, it will house the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction, Villain-Con Minion Blast, character meet-and-greets, and various dining and merchandise shops. The land was created in partnership with Universal’s award-winning creative team and acclaimed filmmakers from Illumination.
This new addition to the park’s already stellar lineup, which includes The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, comes at a time of growth for the Florida resort destination, which is preparing to open its fourth theme park, Epic Universe, in 2025.