If you’re searching for a fantastic dining experience and amazing food at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, look no further. Here is our list of the top five restaurants on Animal Kingdom property.
Let’s face it, Walt Disney World has tons of spectacular restaurants on its property. Whether in the parks or the resorts, everyone has a favorite. In fact, we have a few in Animal Kingdom that we’d love to share with you to make planning your Disney vacation that much easier. We will be excluding bars and lounges from this list, as you can find those in our Top Bars And Lounges In Disney’s Animal Kingdom article. Without further ado, here are our top five restaurants in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
1. Satu’li Canteen
Satu’li Canteen. Photo: @paleodisneyLocated at Pandora – The World of Avatar in Animal Kingdom, Satu’li Canteen is without a doubt our top pick. Offering nourishing dishes including wholesome grains, fresh vegetables and hearty proteins, this is the perfect place to refuel for a long day in the park. It specializes in harvest bowls, offering multiple bases such as rice and beans or potatoes, topped with vegetable slaw, boba balls and your choice of protein. Think “Chipotle” but Disney-fied! Our favorite and most highly recommended meal from Satu’li Canteen, however, is not a bowl. It serves the most delectable cheeseburger steam pods, which are essentially bao buns filled with ground beef, ketchup, mustard, pickles and cheddar cheese. An odd but mouthwatering fusion. It does have plant-based options as well, so no need to worry about the vegetarians in your party! Satu’li Canteen does have an extensive list of cocktails as well, so if you’re 21+ and need a pick-me-up in the park, this is the place for you. It is great for large parties as it has an abundance of indoor and outdoor seating. We cannot recommend Satu’li Canteen enough!
2. Tiffins Restaurant
Tiffins. Photo: @disneyfoodiesfbLocated in the Discovery Island section of Animal Kingdom, our second option is Tiffins Restaurant. We put this second not just for the food, but because of the ambience as well. The décor and overall feel of Tiffins gives it a leg-up from some of the other eateries that made our list. Starting with the menu, it has a combination of African, Asian and Latin cuisine, meaning you’ll find some delicious meals. We’d say this is a restaurant for those who don’t have a problem expanding their palette and trying new things. Considering its menu includes a whole-fried fish, we think you can guess that perhaps this isn’t the restaurant for those who strictly order chicken tenders and French fries. All that aside, we highly encourage everyone to try Tiffins. Definitely don’t skip the spiced chickpea falafel for an appetizer and be sure to finish your meal with the chocolate gâteaux. Moving onto the ambience, it is truly comforting. The art surrounding the dining room is just lovely and the vibe inside is so cozy and homey. Tiffins is a must-try in our book.
3. Flame Tree Barbecue
Flame Tree Barbecue. Photo: @eatdrinkrunrepeatIf you’re a barbecue fan, you’re in luck. Flame Tree Barbecue, also located in Discovery Island, serves tasty dishes that will have you coming back for more. Having a mobile order service really elevates the experience here, as it is always packed. We put this location third, because even though the food is delightful, sometimes finding a place to actually eat it can be a hassle. For the number of customers it serves, there’s hardly enough outdoor seating for everyone, which can be frustrating. Seating arrangements aside, the food is what we’re here to talk about. If you leave your Disney vacation without eating Flame Tree Barbecue’s baked macaroni and cheese with pulled pork, you’ve done your entire trip wrong. A cheesy delicious bed of macaroni, topped with juicy barbecue pulled pork, refreshing coleslaw and crispy onion rings. Does that not sound like heaven in an oddly shaped paper bowl? One thing we absolutely love about Flame Tree Barbecue is that the portions are large enough to share, so the prices are super reasonable. When you get past the crowd of people and limited seating, you’ll come to find that this location is mandatory for your day in Animal Kingdom.
4. Tusker House
Tusker House. PHOTO Disney WorldLocated in the Africa section of Animal Kingdom, you’ll obviously be feasting on African cuisine here at Tusker House. It does, however, serve a few American dishes as well. While it is easy to just pick up a quick breakfast on your way to the park, or munch on a granola bar before you leave your hotel, we recommend Tusker House as a breakfast option! It does serve lunch and dinner as well, but we feel breakfast is its strongest course. Serving as a character breakfast, where you’ll meet host Donald Duck and some of his closest pals, it might seem a bit overwhelming to start your morning, but we can assure you it is much more laid-back than any other character breakfast in the parks.
Throughout the day Tusker House becomes more and more lively. That said, we think its pastry basket as well as its breakfast platter can be the perfect, mellow start to your day. The pastry basket comes with a selection of breads and pastries with multiple spreads, and the breakfast platter contains eggs, Mickey waffles (which yes, are better than regular boring waffles,) Durban chicken and egg curry with jasmine rice, bacon, sausage and roasted potatoes. For all of that food, its fixed price of $42 per adult and $27 per child isn’t too bad, especially when you consider the character meet and greet included.
5. Sanaa
Sanaa. Photo: @cheatdayorlSome might argue that Sanaa doesn’t count as being “in Animal Kingdom,” which is why it is number five on our list. Nonetheless, we could not leave it out! Sanaa is located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, in the Kidani Village. If this restaurant was actually inside the park, it would be much higher on our list. The views you will experience while dining are like no other. Watching live exotic animals pass by through large glass windows as you enjoy your meal isn’t something super ordinary. Aside from the unbeatable ambience of this restaurant, which is reminiscent of a safari, the food also hits the spot. One thing you can’t miss is it’s Indian-style bread service. It comes with your choice of bread including traditional naan, flavored naan, kulcha or paratha. Whichever bread you choose is served with nine dips/spreads. It’s just one of those appetizers that will have you full before you even order your meal, but at the same time excite you for your entrée. Sanaa is on the more expensive side, but it is absolutely worth it.
Now that you have this list of our top five dining picks in Animal Kingdom, do not hesitate to make your reservations. Keep in mind that restaurants on Disney property that require reservations fill up super quickly, which is why travelers are able to book dining reservations 60 days in advance. We don’t want you to miss out on any of these delicious eats. Here’s to enjoying delectable meals in the most magical place on earth.
