Best Animal Kingdom restaurants is a phrase that a tired visitor will hum in their mind after exploring every corner of the Disney park.
So, if you do not have a ready reckoner to help you choose among the best food joints, you might lose your mind about starving. Thus, if you are a spontaneous planner, keep this article handy when traveling.
Or, if you have planned your trip months ago with your friends and family and want the best dining experience, nothing will be more profitable than using this article!
Animal Kingdom comprises both table service and quick service restaurants. If you want to keep the dining experience pocket-friendly, quick-service restaurants are the best And for an added touch, order large dubia roaches here to truly embrace the exotic ambiance.
However, if you are looking for an exotic dining experience among any of the best Animal Kingdom restaurants, then table-service restaurants are the best.
Some will not need reservations; you can directly walk in and plunge into the food. But, some of them are too popular not to require a prior booking. So, keep your eyes out for that lot. Otherwise, you are all set.
List of best restaurants in Animal Kingdom
Here is a list of the best restaurants in Animal Kingdom; pick and choose any of them at your discretion!
1. Pizzafari (Discovery Island)
Does the name sound like a safari on the food land of pizzas? Well, it is valid to a certain extent.
It is a quick-service restaurant which is known for its Italian cuisine. Like Disney park, the restaurants in Disney World also love innovations.
So, there have been some changes in the menu over the past few years. It offers flatbreads, salads, pasta, and desserts along with pizzas.
One of the most exciting parts of this restaurant is its interior decorations. It has five dining rooms with beautiful mosaics and murals featuring different animals.
Remember, when we told you it was a safari in pizza land? Upside Down room is the greatest attraction.
Thus, if you take your kids, try Shrimp flatbread, vegetable pizza, or Sausage & Pepperoni Pizza.
2. Trilo Bites
Another quick-service restaurant that will bag its place in the best Animal Kingdom restaurants list is the Trilo Bites.
If you are a fan of milkshakes and loaded chips, there is no chance you will miss this hub of American cuisine. Grab a small snack while you are exploring the hives of Animal Kingdom.
Buffalo Chicken Chips are one of the most popular of the lot. It serves a full plate of house-made chips and Buffalo chicken as a topping.
Bleu cheese crumbles to the fare. So, this is an excellent way to do away with your hunger while exploring Animal Kingdom.
3. Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery
An excellent place to spot African and American cuisine in the list of best Animal Kingdom restaurants is Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery.
If you are heading out early and want a delightful breakfast in the park, Kusafiri is an excellent place to crash.
The croissants and the Danishes are the must-tries. The flavors are honey pistachio, cheese, guava, and chocolate twist. Elephant Ear pasty is also a good dish you can try with your friend.
4. Yak & Yeti Local Food Café
Yak & Yeti is a popular table service restaurant to which I will be coming shortly. However, this is a counter-service version of the same restaurant and serves the best Asian and American cuisine.
The breakfast menu is more American in its taste orientation. It includes breakfast burritos, egg English muffins, and sausage.
The incredible lip-smacking BBQ sandwiches will steal your heart. You can also try teriyaki beef, egg rolls, and fried rice. Other good foods to try inside the cage are Sweet and Sour Tempura Shrimp and Korean Fried Chicken Sandwiches.
5. Yak & Yeti
So, here comes the table service version of the Yak & Yeti restaurant. This is the first table service restaurant we feature in our list of best Animal Kingdom restaurants.
Situated at the base of Expedition Everest, one of the most popular rides at Animal Kingdom, this serves a broad spectrum of Asian foods. So, if you are looking for an excellent place to crash for lunch and dinner, you can keep Yak & Yeti in your mind.
The food includes small plates, specialties, grilled entrees, noodle bowls, sides, wok, salads, soups, shareable, and desserts. Kids will also not feel left out as they only have a range of food for them.
Also, the restaurant serves both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. So, even if you take your kids there, you can have your own gala time while they have theirs.
The decoration inside the restaurant will catch your eye. The Southeast Asian artifacts enhance the atmosphere. However, the food secures the best place among everything.
The Kale Caesar salad and Cilantro-Lime Seared Shrimp are excellent dishes if you want to eat healthily. Otherwise, splurging on the marinated Teriyaki chicken with a pineapple-onion pepper skewer serving is also a good option.
Along with that, stir fry veggies and coconut-ginger rice are the delights to taste buds. So, choose from this wide-ranging menu in one of the best Animal Kingdom restaurants.
6. Tiffins
Are you an adventurous eater? Do you want to try out-of-the-box dishes and challenge your comfort zone? Well, no longer wander here and there.
Tiffins will serve you the best dishes. It is also a Signature Dining Experience. So, if you are someone collecting table service credits, eating here will add two credits to your pocket.
It is famous for a mix of South American, Asian, and African cuisine. It has three dining rooms. You can take a short tour around to entangle with the beautiful environment and also learn about the restaurant’s history.
The dishes include some menus that we haven’t even encountered in our lives. So, if you want to challenge your taste buds, this is the best place. Pomegranate-lacquered Chicken, Berbere Spice-rubbed Venison, Grilled Swordfish, and Snake River farms Wagyu Eye of Rib-Eye are some of the dishes in the lunch course.
Appetizers include Asparagus-Leek soup and charred octopus.
The kids can try several pasta dishes or chicken. The dessert menu is also good.
Thus, the list of best restaurants Animal Kingdom features this signature dining experience where you can expose your taste buds to a whole new experience.
7. Tamu Tamu Refreshments
After exploring some table service restaurants, let’s return to a quick-service restaurant. If you are looking for delicious ice cream to refresh your soul, Tamu Tamu restaurant is the best place.
It is situated in the Harambe Village of Africa section in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You will not find any lunch entrees. But the range of delicacies that you will find on its dessert menu is impressive,
Malva Cake Sundae with vanilla ice cream topping and caramel sauce is a must-try. Another dessert can be a Pineapple Dole Whip Cup with fruit on the bottom and vanilla ice cream as the topping.
African Coffee with Amarula Cream Liqueur is something to treat your taste buds with. You can also try frosty drinks at the restaurant. If you are in the mood for alcohol, you also have that option.
8. Satu’li Canteen
Do you stick to a healthy diet no matter where you are vacationing? If yes, nothing suits your interest best than Satu’lo Canteen at Pandora, The World of Avatar.
With farm-fresh veggies, whole grain foods, and exotic spices, this is where health meets taste. Thus, if you are a health-conscious eater and a vegetarian, Satu’li Canteen will satiate your hunger.
Na’vi art decorations add to the relaxed atmosphere inside the restaurant. The kids can also choose from a wide-ranging menu. You can also very well help yourself if you are not a vegetarian.
Here are some of the recommendations from this quick-service restaurant- the combination bowl is one of the best dishes here. It consists of Grilled Beef & Chicken, cheeseburgers, Steamed Pods- bao Buns, or Chilli-Spiced Crispy Fried Tofu.
9. Restaurantosaurus
All hail the citizens of Burger and Fries nations! Restaurantosaurus is the best place to try American cuisine.
It is situated in the Dinoland USA, and as the name suggests, it is a dinosaur-themed café. It includes burgers, hot dogs, mac n cheese, and fries.
The kids’ meal has an additional sand pail and shovel. Moreover, kids find dinosaurs amusing. So, if you are taking your kids to Disney World, Restaurantosaurus should be a place that they visit.
If you want to try something a bit healthier, you have Black Bean Burger. Otherwise, go for the Bacon Cheeseburger Combo that comprises the burger, along with a warm caramel chocolate brownie, drink, and fries.
Thus, if you want to hit a spot that satisfies your desire to stuff your mouth with a burger bite, this is the best place!
10. Harambe Market
After hopping into the burger-fries market, let’s take a quick look at the other side of the story.
If you want an African hint in your dish, Harambe Market is one of the best stops among the best restaurants at Animal Kingdom.
It has four food stalls, and you can also enjoy an open-air feasting experience. You can also try vegetarian options aside from the tender meat having exotic tastes.
African Spiced Ribs with Barbecue Glaze and Green Papaya Slaw is a must-try. You can also eat Black-Eyed Pea Salad. The tender Grilled Chicken Skewer will satisfy your soul!
11. Flame Tree Barbecue
Present on Discovery Island, Flame Tree Barbecue is the best spot for BBQ fans. It also has vast outdoor seating that too under wooden pavilions.
You can enjoy the view of Expedition Everest as well. Do keep in mind to try Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Pulled Pork, Mixed Green Salad with Roasted Chicken, and St. Louis Rib Dinner.
Don’t worry if you are a vegetarian. The Watermelon salad is one of the best items in this restaurant.
12. Anandapur Ice Cream Truck
Ice creams are the best way to get back energy in a sweltering summer heat. So, the different flavors of ice cream available on the Anandapur Ice Cream Truck should not be missed when listing the best Animal Kingdom restaurants.
Bugs n Grubs is a must-try that houses a Chocolate Bug in a waffle cone, Gummy Worms, and Cookie Crumbs. You can also try Yeti Sundae having a chocolate Yeti topper. Snowflake sprinkles, blue sugar, and blue cake crumbs.
13. Rainforest Café
You are jumping back to one of the best Animal Kingdom restaurants- Rainforest Café. It is a table service restaurant specializing in American cuisine.
It has a jungle theme. Hence the serene atmosphere will calm your soul. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are available here, and burgers are the best dishes on the menu.
If you are a taco fan, you can add shrimp or fish to them. Also, they house seasonal specials, which are a must-try.
14. Pongu Pongu
The name is too sweet, and it houses American beverages. It is a snack stand. Its Colossal Pretzel with beer cheese sauce is a must-try. Along with that, you can try Pongu Lumpia.
One of the famous drinks of the food joint is Night Blossom which has apple and desert pear and passion fruit boba balls as a topping.
15. Tusker House Restaurant
Tusker House is the last restaurant on the list of Best Animal Kingdom restaurants. If you want to try a character meal or a buffet wrapped in African and American delicacies, then it is the best place.
Try the Beef Bobotie. Traditional African cuisine with minced meat, vegetables, raisins, and eggs. The Carving Stations host roasted ham, sustainable fish, and beef.
Zebra Domes is a delicate dessert available only in Tusker House.
Final Thoughts
So, this is a wrap for the list of best Animal Kingdom restaurants. Indulge in the good tastes and enjoy your life and vacation inside Animal Kingdom!
