The new Toadstool Cafe takes inspiration from the Mario Bros. video game world to craft a menu of theme park favorites with a few unexpected twists.
The new Toadstool Cafe debuts on Friday, Feb. 17 in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood.
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We’ve pulled together a round-up of restaurant reviews from across the web of everything on the menu to help you decide what to order at Toadstool Cafe.
Salads & Starters
Piranha Plant Caprese at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Universal)
Piranha Plant Caprese
Mixed greens, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, asparagus and shaved radish with basil pesto and apple vinaigrette — $12.99
“The care that the kitchen shows in tilting each tomato jaw, adhering the mozzarella cheese spots, and curving the asparagus stem along the plate is impressive,” according to Eater. “Plus, a simple caprese salad, served with a heap of pesto-drizzled mesclun greens, can be the perfect antidote to the usual carnival of over-the-top amusement park fare.”
“If Universal can keep the quality up on this one, this salad ranks among the best themed-food items I’ve had, for overall taste and visual appeal,” according to Theme Park Insider.
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Super Star Chicken Salad at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Universal)
Super Star Chicken Salad
Grilled chicken, romaine and cabbage mix, grape tomatoes and mushrooms in creamy mushroom truffle dressing topped with parmesan Super Star croutons — $14.99
“The dressing on this salad is very strong and potent,” according to Theme Park Shark. “If you are a fan of mushrooms and truffles, this salad would be a great option.”
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Super Mushroom Soup at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Universal)
Super Mushroom Soup
Creamy mushroom soup with Super Mushroom crackers. Also available: Vegan tomato basil soup — $9.99
“While nearly every savory dish on the menu includes a touch of mushroom or truffle, the mushroom soup delivers a woodsy avalanche,” according to Eater. “Served in a mushroom-shaped bowl, the comforting soup brings together a warm and silky mélange of button mushrooms, garlic, and onion, along with a glug of heavy cream.”
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Yoshi’s Favorite Fruit and Veggie Salad at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Universal)
Yoshi’s Favorite Fruit and Veggie Salad
Mixed greens, strawberries, star fruit, blueberries, pineapple, Yoshi egg croutons and raspberry vinaigrette — $13.99
“This was another favorite of ours, from the presentation to the taste,” according to WDW News Today. “The star fruit, pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries are all so fresh and juicy.”
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Toadstool Cheesy Garlic Knots at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)
Toadstool Cheesy Garlic Knots
Mini mushroom shaped knots brushed with garlic butter, parmesan cheese, parsley and a side of marinara sauce — $5.99
“The cheesy garlic knots at Toadstool Cafe are made in-house, which is especially impressive considering even some of Los Angeles’s most acclaimed restaurants outsource their bread to wholesale bakeries,” according to Eater. “The dough is prepared daily, proofed and rested, then shaped into adorable toadstools.”
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Main Courses
Luigi Burger at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Universal)
Luigi Burger
Grilled chicken, Swiss cheese, green pepper and spinach with basil pesto on a brioche bun topped with a side of truffle French fries – $16.99
“The basil pesto sauce served on the side has so much flavor, we couldn’t stop putting it on everything,” according to WDW News Today. “We quickly become hooked on dipping the truffle fries in the pesto.”
“We’re not big fans of green bell pepper, so we were surprised to see two giant thick slices,” according to MouseInfo. “But they were sautéed slightly which helped mellow out their flavor and they actually made a perfect addition paired with the zesty pesto.”
Mario Burger at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)
Mario Burger
All-beef patty, bacon, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato and American cheese on a brioche bun with a side of truffle French fries — $16.99
“The most delicious item on the menu,” according to WDW News Today. “The burger was juicy and delicious. The bacon and mushrooms pack a ton of flavor into this meal.”
“Don’t forget to snap a picture at first bite when the bun’s printed mustache matches up to the diner’s upper lip,” according to Eater.
Fire Flower Spaghetti & Meatballs at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Regiester)
Fire Flower Spaghetti & Meatballs
Spaghetti with mushroom marinara sauce, meatballs, Fire Flower parmesan crisp, shaved parmesan and chopped parsley — $16.99
“The meatballs were a little tough, but they had a really nice taste from the Italian seasoning,” according to WDW News Today. “The Fire Flower Parmesan crisp is cute, but we preferred the look over the taste.”
“But just be aware that this pasta dish has some serious heat,” according to MiceChat. “If you’re mushroom averse, this likely is not the dish for you. That said, we thought for theme park spaghetti, it’s actually very tasty.”
Chef Toad Short Rib Special at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)
Chef Toad Short Rib Special
Braised short rib, creamy goat cheese polenta and red wine reduction — $24.99
“A cheffy entrée and something you’d likely never find at a more casual theme-park cafe,” according to the Los Angeles Times. “This is flat-out delicious and a notch above almost everything else served in the park, anywhere.”
Kids Meals
Mario Mini Burger Adventure Set at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Universal)
Mario Mini Burger Adventure Set
Cheeseburger with truffle French fries, corn on cob, broccoli and a cookie — $14.99
“If only all kid’s menus could be as amazing as this one,” according to WDW News Today. “Adults and children will be delighted to order this one.”
“Color us shocked that our favorite overall meal would be for kids,” according to MouseInfo. “A million points for presentation. This is a winner.”
Power-Up Spaghetti Marinara at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)
Power-Up Spaghetti Marinara
Spaghetti with marinara sauce, Power-Up parmesan crisps, cheesy garlic knot and a cookie — $12.99
“The sauce is rich and perfectly seasoned,” according to WDW News Today. “We would definitely order this again.”
Desserts
Princess Peach Cupcake at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)
Princess Peach Cupcake
Raspberry filled cupcake with buttercream frosting topped with a Princess Peach chocolate crown — $9.99
“This is a sugar rush for sure, so proceed with caution,” according to WDW News Today. “The strawberry filling was really sweet and almost reminded us of a Pop Tart.”
Question Block Tiramisu at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Universal)
Question Block Tiramisu
Coffee soaked lady fingers topped with cocoa powder and chocolate — $9.99
“The cookies are a little dry and bland, but the cake is delicious,” according to WDW News Today. “It’s not overly sweet or sugary, but it will leave you wanting more.”
“While the Question Block cookies make this worthy of fans’ social media feeds, they do nothing for the flavor of the dish and just get in the way of eating it,” according to Theme Park Insider.
Mt. Beanpole Cake at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Universal)
Mt. Beanpole Cake
Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry layered cake topped with a matcha mousse — $9.99
“It takes two days and a village of staffers to construct the dessert’s 10 layers,” according to Eater. “Each layer is laid down individually and then frozen to maintain its integrity before applying the next layer.”
“We scraped off the top layer of matcha to try on its own, and the matcha flavor was incredible,” according to WDW News Today. “It’s lost when eaten with the entire cake, but very distinct if you take a bite of the frosting alone.”
“This wasn’t a winner with our group,” according to MouseInfo. “Despite tens across the board for presentation, the cake was a little hard and not terribly satisfying.”
Specialty drinks
Super Star Lemon Squash at Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)
Super Star Lemon Squash
Honey lemon soda with mango stars and tropical bobas — $8
“The sole specialty drink on the menu is equal parts thirst-quenching and delightful — and chock-full of star-shaped jellies and bouncy pink tapioca pearls,” according to Eater.
“I liked the tartness of lemon in the Super Star Lemon Squash, but the mango stars and boba-like jellies just pushed this into the ‘too sweet’ category,” according to Theme Park Insider.