Best Eats at HHN 2022

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We are into week three of Halloween Horror Nights 2022 Orlando. We can't wait to experience The Weeknd house again. This year, Universal has incorporated most of the food booths into the storylines for the houses or scare zones. The efforts of Universal's Culinary Team will fully immerse guests into the storytelling of the Universal Creative Team. Join us as we talk about the best eats at Halloween Horror Nights 31. ​

After we praised the mighty Pumpkin Lord in Horrors of Halloween scare zone, we came to our first location. Because it was such a rainy weekend, we stopped at the food truck by Music Plaza Stage. Here you can find Arepas, but we came for a new item to this stand. Here, they have the Witches Spell Cauldron Stew. This green chile and chicken stew are served with a cute skeleton cornbread. Even on a warm evening, this stew tastes fantastic. ​

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As we barely make our way out of Horrors of Halloween, we make our way to the Gramercy Park area. Someone in our group has found something she just had to get. If you tried any food at Horror Nights 30, you understand the hype for the fried peanut butter and jelly. Last year Universal fried a Smuckers Grape Uncrustable, then covered it in hot honey and chili flakes. This year, it looks like Universal took a crack at making housemade PB&J's and topped it with hot maple syrup and chili flakes. So there is a slight change in ingredients, but it still tastes as great as before. This item and the fried Oreos have become a staple of the event. We hope to see it return next year.

As we race to the next food booth, we come across the Haunted Horseshoe. Let's start by saying this treat can be messy, so pick up several napkins. The Haunted Horseshoe is an open-face burger. This burger starts with garlic Texas Toast, jalapeno bacon, candied pork belly, crinkle-cut fries, and cheddar cheese sauce. It sounds like a heart attack, and it probably is, but it's absolutely amazing. ​

Just down the street is the Petrified Rat Tails. You'll notice this year that many of the offerings have odd names and maybe have ingredients you wouldn't think work well together. Still, somehow they work. That's the case with this beauty. With the Petrified Rat Tails, you'll find funnel cake fries topped with Florida Bay seasoning, creamy crab dip, and sliced scallions. We've had this treat a couple times for science, and they haven't failed us since. When your funnel fries are hot out of the fryer and topped with warm crab dip, you've got an addictive treat. ​

As an advocate for the dismissal of pizza fries, I was happy to see something different on the menu that still contained the essential ingredients for a pizza. You're probably wondering what that could be? Let me be the first to introduce you to the Pepperoni Pizza Skull. The Pepperoni Pizza Skull is very similar to a pizza roll. Really the only difference is that it's in the shape of a skull. We really enjoyed how cheesy ours was. As I like to say." if they brought the cheese, they came to please." This might be the right item for you if you're looking for something tamer on the menu. ​

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After entering a town that is having a parade that just doesn't seem right, we've come to what appears to be a butcher shop. A fine gentleman by the name of Samuel Meetz owns this place. He offered us some Spicy Fried Chicken "Offals." This is crispy fried chicken thigh pieces, peanuts, crunchy chili, and toasted sesame seeds in spicy gochujang sauce, then topped with scallions. We are putting a spice alert on this dish. Many people in our group have a high tolerance for spice, but we recognize that not everyone does. We will also mention that the dish's spice level does not overtake the overall flavor. If you like a little spice, we definitely would add this to our food itinerary. ​

We've had our drinks and sweated through our shirts at Halloween Nightmare Fuel: Wildfire. Now it is time to get back to work. Our next stop brings us to the Simpsons Bridge. Anyone who read our “Top Three” blogs during Horror Nights last year knows I'm a huge pumpkin spice fan. When I saw the booth, the only thing that came to mind was the Pumpkin Spice Churro from HHN30. The warm deliciousness that is this heavenly treat lived rent-free in my head for months after the event. Unfortunately, there was not a triumphant return. If Universal is good at anything, they're good at releasing new items to make you forget the others. May I present the Churro Corndog! This beast of a dog is exactly what it sounds like, a homemade corn dog that has been covered in a cinnamon sugar mixture. If that doesn't quite please your taste buds, we got another treat for you. ​

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We've entered Transylvania as we head to our next booth. Be careful. We hear Dr. Frank-N-Furter is looking to perform some "experiments." We've found some of those experiments to be the most successful. Here is what caught our eye. The Garlic Philly Cheese "Stake" is an excellent adaptation of the classic sandwich featuring shaved beef served on a black hoagie roll with caramelized onions, peppers, sautéed mushrooms, muenster cheese sauce, and the "oh so delicious" garlic aioli. We have one big problem with it. We wish we had more! Call me obsessed with food, but I could eat ten of these sandwiches. The Cheese "Stake" is served with a side of curly fries to complete your meal. 

¡Es tiempo de celebrar! Our friend and yours, the mask maker, wants to ensure you're filled with the most delicious offerings for a night to die for. She has recommended a couple of dishes at the stand by Cafe LaBamba. However, we found one dish that stuck out to us the most. We tried the Mangonada Popsicle. Universal previously offered a Mangonada, a drink blended with mango, lime, chamoy, and Tajin if you enjoyed any of the summer offerings. Universal has taken this same recipe and made a refreshing popsicle. This is an excellent addition to those warm September days that we experience. ​

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Well, that's all we could eat for now. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter as we post the latest news and best treats we find around Universal. We'll see you guys in the fog; stay hydrated. 

Xavier.H.

​​I'm Xavier- a food enthusiast and full-time blogger, theme park lover(especially Universal), and Halloween Horror Nights fan. I do happen to also lead the Universal Food Blog team on our trek to find the best dishes around Universal Orlando Resort to report to you!