Our today’s pick in the restaurant section is about the best restaurants on Disney’s Animal Kingdom. There are many restaurants available on Disney’s Animal Kingdom, so here are useful & informative tips that will let you decide where to eat on during your visit to Animal Kingdom. We have outlined our list of the best restaurants on Disney’s Animal Kingdom on our website.
This is one of the best places within Disney World for some unique food selections from African curried corn dogs to alien inspired blueberry cream cheese moose. But with so many restaurants to choose from you may need a helping hand in deciding where to dine when visiting Disney world’s famous zoological theme park.
Some of the Best Restaurants at Animal Kingdom
Our ranking is based on a combination of our experiences, but we’ve also done deep research of online reviews to make it as objective as possible and given the name of our website, we do allow our ranking to be influenced quite a bit by good value, which is why you will see some quick service options pretty high up in our ranking.
We’ll also be sure to emphasize the prices for all the restaurants on my list ranking restaurants is always tricky. So, please let us know in the comments if you disagree with anything to help provide a bit of balance. Don’t forget to subscribe our Orlando travel guide if you’re interested in future Disney and Orlando vacation content.
So without any further delay here is our pick of 10 best Animal Kingdom restaurants.
Yak & yeti Quick Service Restaurant
Our number one pick for the best restaurant at animal kingdom is Yak & yeti, which is the main table service version of the yak and yeti quick service restaurant covered at number six based in the same area within the Asia Land pretty hard to miss when traveling directly from discovery island with its big purple building near the bridge from discovery island.
This Nepalese-style restaurant serving pan-Asian cuisine is themed as a grand home that’s been converted to a boutique hotel for the rich on the way of the Himalayas and is decorated with an eclectic assortment of Southeast Asian artifacts.
Some of the highlights include the firecracker shrimp, the honey chicken, the low mean noodle dishes and the fried wontons. The prices do vary quite a bit at yak and yeti but the entrees average at around 30 with the kids’ entrees costing ten dollars.
Those that enjoyed Yak & yeti appreciated the rich flavors large portions and fantastic presentation from its dishes and much better value than the likes of tusker house and tiffin’s. People also love its lavish theming. Personally I think Yak & yeti is one of the best themed and immersive restaurants in Disney world. Those who didn’t enjoy yak and yeti are few and far between but there is a very small minority that had bad experiences with wait times.
The Flame Tree Barbecue Restaurant at Animal Kingdom
At number two is the fan favorite Flame Tree Barbecue which is a carnivores paradise located on the east side of Discovery Island, on the left before the bridge taking you to Dinoland USA. Oddly, there isn’t any theming really, when it comes to Flame Tree BBQ fairly modest in appearance. There’s no indoor seating either but this can be forgiven at flame trenchers with sprawling complex with shaded pavilions and with ceiling fans.
The jungle foliage and the water features with the expedition Everest Mountain off in the distance over the discovery river. This is one of the most picturesque places to eat in Disney world and makes up for the lack of theming highlights at flame tree including the fall of the bone St. Louis ribs and the baked macaroni and cheese with pulled pork.
The entrees come in at around 16 on average making it one of the best value options at animal kingdom. However, the entrees don’t come with a side like fries that’ll cost an extra five dollars and the kids’ meals cost seven dollars.
Those who enjoyed Flame Street BBQ’s loved its comparatively good value with its large portions and the peaceful ambience with excellent views. All my British friends loved flame tree barbecue, but I know a couple of Texans from across the pond that have very high expectations with barbecue cuisine that didn’t enjoy the food quite as much as I did.
Pandora’s Saturday Canteen
At number three is Pandora’s Saturday Canteen featuring a wide array of internationally inspired cuisine tailored for the older and more adventurous crowd and located on the far north side of Pandora near the wind traders’ gift shop. The story behind this quick service restaurant is that it used to be a mess hall for the RDA. In case you don’t know those are the baddies from the avatar movie, the mess hall has been repurposed with nappy artwork and other cultural items. Satu’li Canteen specializes in its customizable bowls.
You’ll start by choosing your protein, your base and then your sources all of which are cooked in front of you and can enjoy within air-conditioned indoor seating. Satu’li also serves one of the most popular desserts in animal kingdom which is its blueberry cream cheese mousse.
The entrees come in at 15 and the kids’ meals cost around eight dollars. Saturday canteen is the highest reviewed restaurant in the whole of animal kingdom.
According to Google and trip advisor, those that enjoyed it appreciated its blend of healthy dishes with exotic spices at a price lower than many expected in animal kingdom. There’s a really impressive menu for vegans and those with food allergies which deserves a mention.
The indoor seating with air conditioning is a big selling point and also the theming is immersive and well received by most but I must say the mess hall hanger feel didn’t quite do it for me personally.
Tiffins Restaurant Disney’s Animal Kingdom
At number four is Tiffins Restaurant the signature table service restaurant located over in Discovery Island. Just before the bridge taking you over to Pandora the world of avatar. Tiffin’s has waterfront views indoor and outdoor seating for 252 people and is open for both lunch and dinner. Its menu celebrates the art of traveling and features food inspired from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas and this inspiration also applies to the design and décor of Tiffins which is a tribute to the explorations of imaginers and celebrates the artwork behind the design of the park.
The appetizers include exotic dishes like charred octopus and spiced chickpea falafel whilst the main causes include shrimp and grits and North African inspired tofu. So, probably not the best choice for any for sea eaters also probably not the best choice for anyone that’s on a budget as expected.
To give in its signature restaurant status, this is the most expensive restaurant within animal kingdom. A main course entrée will cost on average around 50 and an appetizer will cost around 18 and a kid’s entrée will cost around 14.
On average tiffin’s is well regarded for its beautiful artwork enthusiastic service relaxing atmosphere incredible wine menu with many saying it has the best cuisine available within Disney world.
Those who didn’t enjoy tiffin’s as you’d expect, did not appreciate the ultra-high cost of dining at this signature restaurant which doesn’t meet everyone’s expectations. Also on a separate note many regret taking their children to this restaurant due to its adventurous menu. Alternatively you may want to check out nomad lounge which is a separate yet connected bar lounge offering light bites.
Tusker House
At number five for the sizeable safari themed character buffet restaurant is known as the Tusker House restaurant, which sits on the main thoroughfare of the Harambe Village section. Its appearances of a weathered African marketplace with rooms tumbling into one another are quite remarkable.
This family-focused buffet which is available at breakfast lunch and dinner is inspired by the flavors of Africa but with a nod to standard American fare. For those less adventurous eaters, the big draws at tusker house are the spit-roasted meats that are sliced in front of you.
In terms of pricing, the adult and dinner buffets cost 55 and the breakfast buffets cost 42.
Those that enjoyed tusker house enjoyed its African-inspired decorations, its flavorful meats and the healthy options when compared to most other buffets.
Those that didn’t enjoy Tusker House often refer to its underwhelming dessert options and there are some that feel it doesn’t offer the best value especially for those that are less interested in seeing the characters.
Yak and Yeti Café
At number six is the Yak and Yeti local food café quick service restaurant serving pan-Asian cuisine and situated over on the west side of the Asia land and next to its table service counterpart. This restaurant is unofficially known as yak and yeti quick service which is what I’ll use for the rest of this article so this restaurant’s cuisine combines flavors from China India and Nepal but the breakfast menu offers more familiar American fare, all of which can be enjoyed within its large and thematically detailed outdoor courtyard.
The highlights for Yak and Yeti quick service include the American Kobe cheeseburger, the egg rolls and the honey chicken. The dinner entrees average at around fourteen dollars. The sides come in around five dollars and the kids’ meals cost eight dollars.
Those that enjoyed Yak and Yeti quick service praise its unique menu, the variety of sources and its decent value while for those who didn’t often point to the lack of indoor seating it can prove uncomfortable and especially it can get quite crowded during peak times and it feel like we’re headed back to Africa.
Harambe Market
At number seven is Harambe Market the exotic street food quick service option on the north east side of the Africa land and just south of the Rafiki’s planet. The entrance at Harambe Market’s open air market style features various stalls and have their own individual windows.
According to the Disney story it serves as the center of commerce serving food and goods to world travelers who have come to the town for respite before or after their safari adventures. Seeking out the animals of Africa within the stores you can grab beef euro flatbreads chicken tikka masala ribs sausage and more.
The entrees cost around 14 and that will typically include something like rice or naan bread. Kids’ meals will cost around eight dollars and an ice cream dessert costs five dollars. Those that love Harambe Market love its authentic African theming and its decent sized portions.
For those that didn’t often pull to the limited seating which is outdoor only, this place is not great on those super-hot days. Also I will say I was disappointed that they changed some of the best items here such as the spice rubbed Kurobe ribs.
Restaurantosaurus
Next at number eight is the dinosaur themed restaurant Restaurantosaurus situated unsurprisingly in the Dinoland USA land over on the right hand side if you’re walking from Discovery Island. This quick service restaurant is modeled after student parliamentologists who converted it to a restaurant with multiple eclectically decorated dining rooms and an airstream trailer that you can eat in.
The menu is a mix of mostly standard American fast food, such as burgers including a plant-based burger chicken sandwiches breaded shrimp and chicken nuggets. One of the big draws for Restaurantosaurus is the self-topping bar for the burgers and sandwiches.
An entrée at this restaurant will cost you 15 on average and that does include eight sides such as fries. We can appreciate its decent sized portions its clever theming and sense of humor. Whereas some that did not couldn’t quite get the theming and some including ourselves were not blown away by the quality of food at this restaurant.
Rainforest Café
Next at nine is the famous jungle themed Rainforest Café table service restaurant which you’ll find just before the entrance to animal kingdom on the left-hand side and there’s also a back entrance which you access from inside the park.
You’ve likely seen a Rainforest Café before with it being a national chain of restaurants one of which you can also find within Disney springs. This restaurant serving American cuisine, offers extensive rainforest theming including a huge saltwater aquarium waterfalls lush paintings and there’s also a regular thunderstorm where the sound effects and animal animatronics bring to life.
All adding to Rainforest Café fun atmosphere plus adjacent to the restaurant is a large gift shop featuring rainforest themed merchandise.
The cost for an entrée range is quite significant. The burgers will cost you twenty dollars on average but the more expensive entrees go up to forty dollars. A kid’s entrée will cost ten dollars on average. Those that enjoy rainforest café can appreciate it and I appreciate it for its diverse yet approachable menu.
It has the fun theming your kids will love. There are many that don’t appreciate it because it is quite fashionable within the Disney world community to hate on rainforest café which I have to say I’m not fully on board with. I think it does have its purpose. However, it is quite poor value and it is one of the least, unique and interesting dining choices at animal kingdom noise and wait times can also be a problem too so reservations recommended.
Pizza Safari
On top of my list of 10 best restaurants at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is Pizza Safari which is colorful and easily approachable. Pizza Safari is located on the west side of Discovery Island towards the pathway taking you over to Pandora. This comparatively large restaurant stands out with its colorful murals and vibrant mosaics depicting playful animal scenes. Obviously this quick service restaurant is focused mainly on pizzas but you can also pick up a shrimp flatbread and a Caesar salad.
They also do a Sicilian plant-based pizza and vegan cheese is also available on request. Pizza Safari is tailored for either young families or those looking for a simpler meal compared to some of the more exotic options within animal kingdom.
In terms of cost your entrees will average around twelve dollars which includes a salad. The size of pizzeria costs between four and seven dollars and the kids’ meals average at seven dollars. Those that enjoyed Pizza Safari appreciated the simplicity of its menu, its bright colors and the better value when compared to many other options at animal kingdom.
Unfortunately, the food offerings don’t quite match the theming here and also it can get quite busy midday with it being near the front of the park and with its approachable menu and we’ll say I wouldn’t recommend Pizza Safari unless you have any fussy eaters in the family or if you’re just desperate for some pizza which I appreciate does happen to the best of us.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading our top 10 list of the best Animal Kingdom restaurants. I really hope it’s useful. There’s so many good dining options available in Animal Kingdom despite what some locals will tell you. If you’d like to read more about Orlando’s best restaurants and places etc. subscribe to our website.
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