Leaky Cauldron is a counter-service restaurant in Universal Orlando’s Diagon Alley.  Inspired by the world of Harry Potter, Leaky Cauldron serves English-Pub style food.  The restaurant has several nods to the Harry Potter franchise and is thematically on point.  Aside from minimal savings on a meal plan that Universal offers (this might be worth looking into), Leaky Cauldron doesn’t accept any dining discounts.  While largely a Disney Parks-focused blog, we’re going to head over to Universal for a quick review today.

As I’ve said before on this blog, I love the Harry Potter sections of Universal Orlando but am lukewarm, at best, on the other areas.  This continues with the food.  Most of the counter-service restaurants Universal offers don’t appeal to me.  While other areas have made strides in recent years, I’d absolutely recommend Leaky Cauldron or Three Broomsticks (in Hogsmeade) over other options.

A big reason for this is because of the atmosphere Leaky Cauldron offers compared to the lack of atmosphere elsewhere.  The inside of the restaurant looks old and rusted.  High ceilings and faded walls are a nice contrast to the colorful facades that adorn Diagon Alley.  This feels like an old dining hall.  The light fixtures are beautiful and certainly add to the atmosphere.

The one drawback of Leaky Cauldron’s atmosphere is that seating can be a bit cramped.  The tables are long and there is a decent chance that you’ll end up sharing one with some person.  On top of that, we had a hostess sit us pretty closely to another group even though the restaurant was fairly empty at the time.  I’m not sure why this happened but it wasn’t a big deal.

There are photos all around Leaky Cauldron.  No doubt, Harry Potter himself took these in his Photography 101 Class at Hogwarts.  I know next to nothing about Harry Potter.  These might have some great meaning?  They add an interesting decoration to a purposefully dull seating area.

All in all, the atmosphere at Leaky Cauldron is a great study in themed atmosphere.  As I was writing, I realized just how dull the atmosphere of Leaky Cauldron appeared.  But when I was in the restaurant that thought never once crossed my mind.  I was struck by the beautiful high ceilings and the wonderful theme throughout.  The restaurant feels like a warm respite, with the glowing candles, to a dreary London day.

Moving on to the food, Leaky Cauldron serves pub food for $10-$15.  Melissa ordered what you see above, the Mini Pie Combination.  Both the Cottage Pie and Fisherman’s Pie are in this combo.  Melissa preferred the Fisherman’s while I liked the Cottage Pie more.  Both were warm and rich.  Neither were spectacular but I thought it was a solid option.  At $13.49, I thought the value was pretty strong and would get this again.

I ordered the Beef, Lamb & Guinness Stew.  This was also quite rich and tasty.  While the salt was eventually a little strong, I thought this had better flavor than the pies.  The beef and lamb servings were generous and decent pieces of meat for being a counter-service restaurant.  This was the same price as the pies ($13.49) and offered a decent value.

I liked that both options came with a salad, as that’s not the norm for counter-service restaurants at Disney World or Universal.  While this clearly isn’t the best salad, it was nice to have a relatively healthy side instead of french fries.  There are other interesting options on the menu at Leaky Cauldron which you can see here.  I’d like to try the Bangers & Mash sometime.

Overall, I think Leaky Cauldron is one of the best options for quick-service dining at Universal Orlando.  While the food won’t wow, it is well made and interesting.  On top of that, the prices won’t overwhelm guests.  The atmosphere fits that of Diagon Alley and gives park-goers a reason to never leave one of the best theme park lands in the country.  I’d absolutely recommend Leaky Cauldron to anyone visiting Universal Orlando.

Have you tried Leaky Cauldron or have any questions about Universal Orlando?  Let us know your thoughts or questions down below in the comments.  Thank you for reading Wandering in Disney.  If you like what you’re reading then please follow us on social media and subscribe to the blog.  You can do both of those things on the right side of this page.  Have a great day!

– Andrew