Looking for the best places to eat at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Riding attractions all day and exploring this amazing park sure makes you hungry and that’s why we’ve come up with a ranking of the Best Restaurants at the Animal Kingdom.
In this post, we’re going to share with your the best Animal Kingdom restaurants and what to order when you go there.
If you consider all the table service restaurants, quick service locations, and snack stands throughout the park, there are 30 places to grab something to eat at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. And with this large number of dining locations, some are excellent and worth visiting every time, while others you want to stay away from.
Thankfully for you, we’ve eaten at all the restaurants in the Animal Kingdom and you can learn from our experience before making your choices. After all, food is expensive at Disney World, so why eat somewhere that you won’t really enjoy?
That’s why it’s really important to be prepared before your trip so there is no decision-making on the fly and you already know where to eat. You will also need reservations at some of the better locations so that needs to be planned too.
I know it sounds overwhelming, but honestly, it’s going to be a breeze. Just follow our advice and you’ll be eating at the best this park has to offer.
We’ve come up with our overall rankings of all the restaurants, but we’ll also share with you the best places to eat at the Animal Kingdom for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and any character meals you must try.
Normally, guests don’t think of food when talking about Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However, this is our hidden gem park for foodies, with almost every restaurant or stand offering something scrumptious to eat. This version of our rankings is for 2024, but we will continue updating the list every year as new restaurants are added.
Of course, this list is only our opinion and very subjective. We can only follow our tastebuds, but you might have a totally different list of top restaurants. We want to hear your list, so make sure to share with us your favorite places to eat in the Animal Kingdom below in the comments section.
If you are planning on visiting the other Walt Disney World restaurants at the parks and resorts, make sure to check out our rankings of the Best Restaurants at Disney World for the ultimate rankings guide.
Also, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest updates on all the newest additions to the parks as well as vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!
Table of Contents
Animal Kingdom Restaurants Overview
Whether you are wandering through Harambe village in Africa, exploring Asia, or taking in the bioluminescent forest on Pandora, there is great food at every turn in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and a number of great restaurants to choose from!
If we were comparing the Animal Kingdom against the other 4 Walt Disney World theme parks, it wouldn’t have enough to overtake EPCOT, but it might just rank ahead of Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom.
Seriously, the Animal Kingdom is a very underrated park when it comes to food and besides the good quality, it also excels in offering a wide variety of cuisines and offers so much more than just the traditional theme park fare of burgers and pizza. The majority of food here you won’t find in any other Disney park!
Here is a list of all the current restaurants at Disney’s Animal Kingdom:
Table Service Restaurants
- Nomad Lounge
- Rainforest Cafe
- Tiffins Restaurant
- Tusker House
- Yak & Yeti
Quick Service Restaurants
- Anandapur Ice Cream Truck
- Caravan Road
- Creature Comforts
- Dawa Bar
- Dino-Bite Snacks
- Drinkwallah
- Eight Spoon Café
- Flame Tree Barbecue
- Harambe Fruit Market
- Harambe Market
- Isle of Java
- Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company
- Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery
- Mahindi
- Mr. Kamal’s
- Pizzafari
- Pongu Pongu
- Restaurantosaurus
- Satu’li Canteen
- The Smiling Crocodile
- Tamu Tamu Refreshments
- Terra Treats
- Trek Snacks
- Trilo-Bites
- Warung Outpost
- Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafés
Which Restaurants are Open Right Now?
All of the restaurants and quick service locations throughout Animal Kingdom have reopened following the closures in 2020, even though some took years unfortunately….. Although you’ll still find that some of the food carts can closed at times depending on the season (they tend to all be open during the busiest times of the year when more capacity is needed).
Even restaurants such as Tusker House have returned, and with the character dining and buffet too!
To see which restaurants are currently open and all the changes, read our Guide to Disney World Dining During Reopening.
Our Ranking Factors
Of course, coming up with a rankings of the best Animal Kingdom restaurants seems like an easy thing to do, but it turned out a lot more difficult than we thought it would be. After really reviewing our past experiences we realized there are a lot of great places to eat in the park and narrowing them down in a list is easier said than done.
We didn’t use any complicated mathematical equation to come up with our rankings, we just went with our gut, quite literally actually!
Some of the ranking factors we considered are:
- Food Quality
- Price to Quality Ratio
- Portion Sizes
- Restaurant Theming and Ambiance
- Extra Disney Magic (special experiences, etc)
Our rankings are for table service restaurants and quick service combined. Some of them require reservations, but for the majority of them you can just walk in and get food right away.
There are not many restaurants at the Animal Kingdom you would classify as “fine dining” and all of them are family-friendly and accept casual theme park attire.
Best Restaurants at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Below we have the name of the restaurant and location, and we’ve also included some basic info about each place such as the approximate price, type of food, and what the best food items are on each menu. This should give you what you need to know before you go.
Even though you won’t be able to visit all these restaurants in one trip to the Animal Kingdom, it gives you a nice selection depending on what type of food you are looking for and also a list for the following trip.
We’ve included the best and the worst restaurants and we suggest sticking to the ones in the Top 10 first before any of the others since those are the best of what this park has to offer.
Without further ado, here are the Top 20 best restaurants at Disney’s Animal Kingdom:
20. Pizzafari
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: Italian (Pizza)
As if the name didn’t give it away, Pizzafari serves, well, pizza. At least that is what they are calling it. They have made some menu changes in recent years adding flatbreads besides normal pizzas, and while they are better, it’s still not great quality. The menu also has salads if you are looking for something healthier.
The only positive about Pizzafari is the decoration. The huge colorful murals and vibrant mosaics inside really stand out and make for one of the most unique interiors of any quick service restaurant at Disney World. It’s also air-conditioned which is a big plus!
Honestly, there are so many amazing places to eat at the Animal Kingdom, using up a meal at Pizzafari is a big waste of time and calories. You are literally better off at another any other restaurant than this place.
What to Get: You are really only coming to Pizzafari for one thing, pizza. Any of them will do, but we actually like the flatbread better than the traditional pizza here. The garlic knots are really good too and are topped with cheese and come with marinara sauce.
19. Anandapur Ice Cream Truck
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Ice Cream)
There is nothing better on a hot day at the Animal Kingdom (and believe us, it does get hot here) than a nice refreshing ice cream. The Anandapur Ice Cream Truck specializes in just that with many flavors of soft serve and ice cream bars.
As you grab your ice cream, make sure to stop and really look at the colorfully painted sides of the truck, a true piece of art.
What to Get: You can always just get a normal soft serve ice cream here, but we like their specialty ice cream even better. Sometimes they have seasonal flavors here, or you can get the Yeti Sundae which has blue cake crumbs, blue sugar, snowflake sprinkles, and a chocolate yeti topper
Anandapur Ice Cream Truck Menu
18. Creature Comforts
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Coffee, Pastries, Sandwiches)
Creature Comforts is the Animal Kingdom’s version of Starbucks and the best place to go in the morning when you are looking for that caffeine fix.
It may be “only Starbucks” but it’s a bit different than the one in your neighborhood and it’s decorated in African style. The outside has uniquely carved wooden monkeys and the inside has a huge elevated ceiling with 6 giant pillars that look like they are holding up the room.
The menu is similar to any of the Starbucks on property and features pastries, sandwiches, and a myriad of coffee drinks to choose from.
What to Get: If you are looking for something to eat, the Colossal Mickey Cinnamon Roll is served warm and with a gooey syrup poured all over it! Of course, this is the best place for coffee in the Animal Kingdom so grab any Starbucks coffee you like, specialty drinks included.
17. Tamu Tamu Refreshments
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Ice Cream, Pastries, Alcoholic Drinks)
Looking for a Dole Whip at the Animal Kingdom? This is your place! Tamu Tamu Refreshments is a stand located in Harambe Village and serves a variety of refreshing frozen treats including ice cream sundaes, and more.
Adults can even make their Dole Whip alcoholic and add coconut rum…taking this delicious treat to a whole other level!
The outside of the building fits in perfectly with the village, and it looks like it could crumble at any minute. We know there it’s only a snack stand, but it definitely makes our list of the top places to eat at the Animal Kingdom, especially when it’s hot out.
What to Get: At breakfast, you can also grab a Colossal Mickey Cinnamon Roll here which is as good as anywhere else in the park. For a snack, this is the only place at the Animal Kingdom to get Dole Whip, one of the most refreshing treats in Disney World. We also love the newly added Pineapple Crisp Sundae that was recently added to the menu.
16. The Smiling Crocodile
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: Street Tacos
The Smiling Crocodile is a great spot to get either a cocktail, a beer, or a TACO! The Smiling Crocodile is a little quick service kiosk that is found over at the Discovery Island section of the park. And although the menu is small, what they have is VERY good!
What to Get: We would recommend trying the Pulled Pork Tacos or the Chicken Street Tacos. Both of them are tossed in house-made sauce with Lime Cream, Cotija Cheese, Cabbage, and Pickled Onion and come with chips and salsa.
If you’re looking for a tasty tequila cocktail, try the Island Sunrise as it packs a sweeter taste to it, but it’s SO yummy!
15. Trilo-Bites
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Loaded Chips, Milkshakes)
If you are in the mood for some mind-blowing snacks, then Trilo-Bites is one of the best places to eat in the whole park! It’s just a simple snack stand, but the menu is packed with flavorful treats, both savory and sweet.
What to Get: One of our favorite snacks is the Buffalo Chicken Chips. You can’t go wrong with a plate full of house-made chips topped with Buffalo chicken, and both crumbled bleu cheese and bleu cheese dressing! It’s made as a snack but it will fill you up and you might not need a meal.
We also love the Trilo-Bites Twist, which is made with Dole Whip Orange and Vanilla Soft-service. It’s excellent!
14. Rainforest Cafe
- Cost: $$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Burgers, Seafood, Pasta, Salads)
Now we are getting to some of the table service restaurants on our list and we rank the Rainforest Cafe in fifth place out of them all. Not because it’s bad, it just isn’t as good as the others.
The first thing you will notice about the Rainforest Cafe is the wild jungle theme going on throughout the restaurant. It’s actually really cool and kids love it. Even though it fits perfectly in the Animal Kingdom, it’s not original as it’s a chain restaurant owned by Landry’s. There is even another one at Disney Springs.
The menu is pretty decent and you can eat here for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The menu is very big, but what you would expect from a chain restaurant. They have almost everything on it including burgers, steak, pasta, salads, tacos, etc.
We give them extra points though for the interior decorations. We love the lush tropical bar, and the thunder, rain, and animal noises set the mood. Don’t come if you are looking for a nice quiet meal, but it is a lot of fun.
What to Get: All the burgers here are pretty solid, so go with whichever flavors are most appealing to you. The tacos are good too and you can get them with fish or shrimp. Look for the seasonal specials which are each themed to a different part of the world.
13. Terra Treats
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: Pizza
Terra Treats is another quick service kiosk that is found over in Discovery Island, and they offer something a little bit different….pizza! And I know what you’re thinking, “no thanks to Disney World pizza.”
And while that is normally the truth in most of Walt Disney World, the Terra Treats pizza isn’t bad! They normally offer three different types of pizza in addition to a couple of different alcoholic beverages. Just be aware, this place normally has funny hours and isn’t open all day.
What to Get: We would recommend trying the Buffalo Chicken Pizza or the Pepperoni Cheese Pizza Slice. Both of them are good and filling!
12. Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American, African (Pastries, Curry)
Harambe Village in Africa is quite the place to get food and Kusafiri is another one of the many options. This is a perfect spot for a quick breakfast or a snack later in the day. They’ve added more and more items to the menu in recent years, making it even better!
There isn’t much to the place as it’s essentially a stand, but one of the best spots for breakfast in the park and a must-try.
What to Get: This is our favorite place to get pastries at the Animal Kingdom so try the danishes or croissants. Typical flavors include chocolate twist, cheese, and guava, cheese, or honey pistachio. We also love the newly added Breakfast Totchos, they are outstanding!
For a snack later in the day, they have tasty flatbreads that are worth trying as well as the Harissa Chicken Wrap.
Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery Menu
11. Pongu Pongu
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Pretzels, Sweet Spring Roll, Alcoholic Drinks)
Pongu Pongu is one of the newest dining locations at the Animal Kingdom, but it instantly became one of our favorites. It’s a snack stand located in Pandora: The World of Avatar and besides the food, it also specializes in some of the best drinks anywhere in the park.
The menu is unique and includes things you won’t find anywhere else so check it out. I mean, the actual name of the place is translated: “Party Party” in Na’vi, so what is there not to like?
What to Get: If you are looking for something filling or something to share with others, the Colossal Pretzel with beer cheese sauce is perfect. Ask for an extra cheese sauce though because you will want to keep dipping in that!
If you are looking for something sweet, you have to try the Pongu Lumpia, pineapple, and cream cheese-filled spring rolls! And the Night Blossom is our go-to drink and has apple and desert pear limeade topped with passion fruit boba balls.
10. Yak & Yeti Local Food Café
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: Asian, American (Sandwiches, Fried Rice, Tempura)
You may already be familiar with the table service version of Yak & Yeti, but there is also a counter service restaurant we absolutely love and almost always stop at when passing through Asia. They are open for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner, although the breakfast is fairly limited.
It serves a fast food menu of the inside restaurant with fried rice, egg rolls, teriyaki beef, and incredible BBQ sandwiches. The menu could use some refreshing, but overall it’s great if you want something quick without eating a sit-down meal.
Our only complaint is the lack of indoor seating, so avoid Yak & Yeti Local Food Café at lunch and come for dinner instead when it’s a little cooler.
What to Get: We love the Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich, the perfect mix of sweet and spicy and a good size for the money. The Sweet-and-Sour Tempura Shrimp is also a great option, nice and crispy, without that heavily-fried taste.
Yak & Yeti Local Food Café Menu
9. Harambe Market
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: African (Ribs, Mixed Bowls)
The atmosphere at Harambe Market is incredible and if you didn’t know better you’d think you were really eating at a market in Africa. Every detail is important here including the messy power lines and the mismatching chairs at each table. Those are examples of what you would really find in Africa.
As for the food, we think it’s really good. The majority of what you will find are mixed bowls with ribs or chicken or salads. All of it is worth the money and they give you a nice portion that will fill you up.
We prefer coming here for dinner since it’s outdoor seating and it gets extremely hot in this part of the park. Overall though it ranks pretty high on the list of the best restaurants at the Animal Kingdom.
What to Get: The mixed bowls with rice, vegetables, and meat are our top choices at Harambe Market and are very filling. Our favorite is the Chicken & Shrimp Rice Bowl which gives you a little taste of everything.
For dessert try the Mango-Passion Fruit Cheesecake, which is not only good looking but if you like coconut and mango, this might end up being your favorite food at the Animal Kingdom
8. Restaurantosaurus
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Burgers, Hot Dogs, Salads)
Restaurantosaurus didn’t use to be one of our top restaurants at the Animal Kingdom, but they have made some positive changes in recent years that have bumped them up the list. First of all, we think the theming here is really unique being designed after a paleontology student dorm. The whole vibe is very eclectic and clever. It’s also air-conditioned which is perfect for lunch.
The menu has what you would expect from a theme park. Burgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, fries, and salads make up the majority of items. It’s one of the cheaper locations and they give you a good portion size which is always important to us.
What to Get: The best thing to order here are the burgers, especially if you opt for one of the Angus Cheeseburgers. You can also order different flavored milkshakes that are also quite tasty, which I know I don’t have to convince you to do!
7. Eight Spoon Cafe
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: Different Macaroni and Cheese
Eight Spoon Cafe is a tasty quick-service option for guests that enjoy macaroni and cheese! And when I tell you I LOVE macaroni and cheese, I’m not overselling it! I could eat it practically every day, and Eight Spoon Cafe might be up there with our favorite macaroni and cheese in Walt Disney World! It’s that good!
In addition to three different types of macaroni and cheese, they also have a few other tasty options including churros, chips, and pretzels.
What to Get: The best thing to order here is one of the different macaroni and cheese offerings. They are varied with some versions having pulled pork, shrimp, among other things.
For the ultimate adventure, try the Pulled Pork Jelly Doughnut Sandwich. It’s both rich, incredibly filling, and oh so tasty! If that’s too much for you, try just the plain macaroni and cheese.
6. Tusker House Restaurant
- Cost: $$$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant (Buffet, Character Meal)
- Cuisine: African, American (Roasted Meats, Curry, Hummus Dips)
The Tusker House Restaurant is not only one of the best restaurants at the Animal Kingdom, but it’s one of the best character meals in all Walt Disney World.
The food is awesome. Traditionally, it’s served as an all-you-can-eat buffet with an African-inspired cuisine, but during the reopening phase, they are serving the food family-style at your table. This isn’t your typical Disney buffet however and most of the food is unique, things you won’t find in other restaurants.
Most people come to Tusker House however for the characters. Here you get a chance to see Mickey, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy, all in their special safari outfits. The kids will love it!
Just make sure to reserve a table on the first day your booking window opens up. Tusker House is very popular and often guests are not able to get reservations. Walk-ins are usually not taken so book ahead.
What to Get: The Beef Bobotie is one of the more exotic choices, but definitely worth trying. It’s a traditional African dish made with minced meat, egg, raisins, and vegetables. Trust us, it’s better than it sounds! Also, go crazy at the Carving Stations which have roasted ham, beef, and sustainable fish.
For dessert, you have to try the Zebra Domes, one of the best (and sweetest) desserts at Walt Disney World. Make sure you also try the famous Jungle Juice!
5. Flame Tree Barbecue
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Ribs, Pulled Pork, BBQ Chicken)
Flame Tree Barbecue was our favorite counter service restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for many years and it remains a must-stop almost every time we visit.
First of all, the atmosphere is nice and there is a huge dining area in the back in a secluded part of the park. We love eating back here because there is tons of shade, plenty of tables, and it’s just an overall relaxing environment to eat or rest up in.
Now, the most important part…the food! For a quick service restaurant in a theme park, the food here is excellent. Everything on the menu is worth getting and they have all your classic American BBQ favorites like ribs, pulled pork, Mac and cheese, etc.
If you are in the mood for BBQ, there are few places in Walt Disney World that can top the Flame Tree and it’s sure to hit the spot!
What to Get: If you are hungry, get the St. Louis Rib Dinner. The ribs are succulent and fall off the bone. Another favorite option is the Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Pulled Pork. Just the sound of it has your mouthwatering, doesn’t it? To make it even better, the Mac and cheese is topped with crispy onion rings!
4. Yak & Yeti Restaurant
- Cost: $$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, American (Lo Mein, Rice Bowls, Wok)
We love a restaurant with both good food and good storytelling, and Yak & Yeti fits the bill 100%! This is a great restaurant serving Asian cuisine such as lo mein, bowls, and egg rolls. The food is pretty high quality for a theme park and one of the cheaper options at the Animal Kingdom.
We absolutely love the theming of the restaurant though and that’s what really makes it special. The atmosphere makes you feel like you are sitting in a Nepalese marketplace, and there are tons of hidden details put in by Disney Imagineers.
Yak & Yeti is great for lunch, or dinner and definitely one of the best Animal Kingdom restaurants!
What to Get: We think the Ahi Tuna Nachos are one of the best appetizers at the Animal Kingdom and a great option to share with the table. Any of the Lo Mein or Mixed Bowls are great options and also very filling. The Chicken Tikka Masala is awesome and cooked in a traditional masala sauce, and the Bhaktapur Duck with plum BBQ sauce is also something special you don’t always get in other places.
3. Nomad Lounge
- Cost: $$
- Type: Lounge
- Cuisine: African, Asian, Latin (Appetizers, Alcoholic Drinks)
The Nomad Lounge is one of the best-kept secrets at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and one of the coolest places to just sit back and relax for a bit after a long day of riding attractions.
This is a lounge attached to Tiffins Restaurant and is great for ordering small plates and drinks. The menu puts its own unique twist on appetizers such as sliders, bread service, wings, bowls, and churros. The drinks are awesome and there is a wide variety of cocktails, beer, and wine to choose from.
The atmosphere is just as incredible and they have both indoor and outdoor seating available. If it’s not too hot, grab a table on the back porch by the river and you will forget you are even in a theme park! You can even join the virtual wait list on the My Disney Experience app.
Most people just run right past the Nomad Lounge on the way to Pandora: The World of Avatar, make sure you are not one of those people and that you experience one of the best places to eat at the Animal Kingdom.
What to Get: The Nomad Lounge has a full bar and any of their specialty drinks are incredible. The Lamu Libation and the Tempting Tigress are two of our favorites. The Honey-Chili Glazed Pork Belly and the Cuban Frita Sliders are both worth ordering!. Another great option is the Churros which might be the BEST churros on Disney World property!
2. Satu’li Canteen
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Mixed Bowls, Bao Buns)
Ever since Satu’li Canteen came to the Animal Kingdom in 2017, it immediately became the best quick service in the park and jumped to second place in our best restaurants rankings overall.
The atmosphere is cool and is themed after a mess hall used by Alpha Centauri Expeditions. There is both outdoor and indoor seating so take your pick.
In a park filled with unique and interesting food, Satu’li Canteen stands out. The create-your-own-bowl concept was an incredible idea that guests immediately responded to, and it continues to be the most popular spot in the park. The nice thing is you can build a meal that is much healthier than most theme park food with a lot of greens and light proteins, or you can choose heavier ingredients with potatoes and creamy sauces.
We were in love with Satu’li Canteen from the moment it opened its doors and to this day if you are looking for a quick meal that gives you a good value for your money, Satu’li Canteen comes highly recommended.
What to Get: You literally cannot go wrong here with anything on the menu and it’s hard to pick. Obviously, the Mixed Bowls are amazing, very filling with high-quality ingredients and you can choose from a number of base and protein combinations. We also love the Cheeseburger Steamed Pods, it’s like eating a burger in a bao bun. Don’t forget the Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse with passion fruit curd for dessert!
1. Tiffins Restaurant
- Cost: $$$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant (Fine Dining)
- Cuisine: African, Asian, Latin (Steak, Seafood)
That means the best overall restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is Tiffins. This is a top 10-15 restaurant in Disney World and it has the perfect balance of food and theming.
Many people don’t have Tiffins at number one overall because of the price. And while it is not a cheap restaurant, especially by theme park standards, it’s worth it.
This is the highest quality food at the Animal Kingdom, nothing else comes close. The dishes are all elaborately presented and taste amazing.
Besides the incredible food, Disney Imagineers used their experiences in far-away places such as South America, Asia, and Africa as inspiration for the design of the restaurant. There are three separate dining rooms, each representing one of South American, Asia, and Africa. They each have dozens of original artifacts from those countries that help tell the story.
So treat yourself to a special meal the next time you are at the Animal Kingdom and find out why Tiffins is the best restaurant in the entire park!
What to Get: We love the Tamarind-braised Short Rib and the meat is so tender it falls right off the bone. The Braai-spiced Veal is very tasty if you’re adventurous and like trufflel. If you are looking to really treat yourself, try the Surf and Turf with filet of beef and scallops with some unique accompaniments.
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Best Breakfast at Animal Kingdom
Getting your day off to a good start is important, and that means filling up on breakfast! No matter if you are looking for something quick before hitting the most popular attractions in the park or if you want something more relaxing, the Animal Kingdom has options for you.
Here are our top choices for breakfast at the Animal Kingdom:
Something Quick – If you need to grab something and run, head to the Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery in Harambe village. They have some awesome pastries like chocolate twists and cinnamon rolls or breakfast sandwiches too.
You could always head to Creature Comforts (Starbucks) which is the best place to get a caffeine fix to wake you up. They also have the Mickey-shaped colossal cinnamon roll among other treats, but most of them are the same as what you will find at any of the Starbucks in Disney World and not overly special.
Sit-Down Meal – There are a few places you could go if you are looking to have a more relaxed breakfast (Rainforest Cafe, Yak & Yeti), but our all-time favorite is Tusker House. They have an amazing buffet with a wide selection of African-inspired food like beef bobotie, roasted meats, cheese blintzes, and more. Don’t forget the characters too!
For another alternative, head over early to Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House before getting to the park for another African breakfast with some of the best food on property!
READ: Best Breakfasts at Disney World
Best Animal Kingdom Lunch
Lunchtime at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the busiest time of the day and a moment where most people stop to refuel before continuing through the park in the afternoon.
Here are our top choices for lunch at the Animal Kingdom:
Something Quick – There are an almost unlimited number of quick service restaurants to choose from here, but for lunch, we like Flame Tree Barbecue. This is excellent quality BBQ for a theme park with ribs, chicken, and pulled pork all on the menu. It also has a huge dining area in the back with plenty of shade and gorgeous scenery.
If you are in the mood for a burger, head over to Restaurantosaurus in Dinoland. The food isn’t overly special, but it’s a quick and easy place kids will love and the inside is air-conditioned to get a break from the heat.
Sit-Down Meal – Since the Animal Kingdom is the hottest park at Walt Disney World, one of our favorite strategies is to take a nice long break and have a sit-down lunch instead of doing it for dinner. Tiffins Restaurant is a nice option for lunch and it has the best overall quality food in the park. Treat yourself to this truly wonderful dining experience!
Best Dinner at Animal Kingdom
You may or may not stay for dinner when you visit, but if you do, there are many good choices. With limited nighttime entertainment at the Animal Kingdom, you can take your time to enjoy a meal without being in a big rush.
Here are our top choices for dinner at Disney’s Animal Kingdom:
Something Quick – Again, there are limitless places you can go for a quick dinner here, but our favorite is the Satu’li Canteen. The food quality is unmatched for counter service, and portions are abundant for the price. We love it so much it’s our favorite quick service meal in Walt Disney World! If the sun is down when dinner is over, you will step outside into the incredible bioluminescent forest…perfect timing.
Sit-Down Meal – If you are in the mood for Asian, go to Yak & Yeti, one of the best bang-for-your-buck restaurants at the Animal Kingdom and it has one of the most interesting theming.
Either before dinner or for dinner, stop by the Nomad Lounge for drinks and small plates. The food quality is excellent here since it shares the kitchen with Tiffins and it’s a great atmosphere near the water to just sit back and watch the world go by.
Best Animal Kingdom Character Meals
There is only 1 character meal at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Tusker House Restaurant.
Where the park is lacking in quantity, it certainly isn’t lacking in quality and Tusker House is by far one of the best character meals in Disney World. It’s an easy way to meet Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Goofy, Daisy, and Donald Duck and they are wearing their cute safari outfits too!
The Tusker House books up fast, so make sure to make a reservation as soon as your booking window opens up.
READ: Best Character Meals at Disney World
Animal Kingdom Restaurant Reservations
Now that we’ve told you all the best places to eat at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the only thing left to do is make your dining reservations. Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) are Disney’s restaurant reservations and allow you to reserve a table.
We can’t stress enough how important advanced dining reservations are when visiting Walt Disney World. All of the most popular restaurants fill up months ahead of time. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom that means Tiffins, Tusker House, and Yak & Yeti.
Make sure you are online and ready to make reservations at 6:00 am EST on the day your booking window opens up. This is key and one of the most important steps when planning a Disney World vacation.
Disney World Advanced Dining Reservations can be made online using The Walt Disney World Website or the My Disney Experience app. They can also be made on the phone by calling (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463.
Read our Disney World Dining Reservations Guide for more tips and info on booking your restaurants.
Where Can You Eat at Animal Kingdom Without Reservations?
All table service restaurants at the Animal Kingdom require advanced reservations and require booking months ahead of time. If you don’t want to make dining reservations, quick service restaurants are your only option.
Our favorite places to eat without reservations at the Animal Kingdom are Satu’li Canteen, Flame Tree Barbecue, and Restaurantosaurus.
Best Snacks
If you aren’t hungry enough for a full meal and are just looking for a snack, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the place you want to be. This park has made major strides in recent years and no matter if you want savory or sweet, there are dozens of delicious treats to choose from.
Some of our favorite snacks include:
- Mr Kamal’s Seasoned Fries
- Colossal Pretzel
- Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches
- Most Beautiful Cake
Check out our post on the Best Animal Kingdom Snacks for the full list!
That wraps up our ranking of the best restaurants at the Animal Kingdom. We hope it helped you with some ideas when you trip and that it didn’t make you too hungry as you were reading it!
We want to hear what your top Animal Kingdom restaurants are so drop them in the comments section below!
For more great Disney Restaurants be sure to check out our other guides:
If you are going to Disney World soon, make sure to read our Disney World Planning Guide for all the tips and info you will need to cover everything! Also, check out our Disney World Crowd Calendar so you know when the best time to visit is!
Your Thoughts
I want to know what you think about our rankings of the best restaurants at Disney’s Animal Kingdom…
- Do you agree with our list?
- What are your Top Animal Kingdom Restaurants?
Let us know in the comments section below!
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My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.
marion
Monday 10th of May 2021
Flame Tree BBQ is my favorite. Like the outdoor setting. Food is very good. I recommend it.