Deciding on a restaurant to visit in Disney World can be difficult with so many great options.
Thankfully, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has some hidden gems when it comes to delicious food.
This listing will help you find the best food, drinks, and snacks for your upcoming vacation. Plus, I’ll even sprinkle in some dining tips and recommendations to help you save some time and money.
Join me as we reveal the top choices for dining inside of Animal Kingdom theme park.
In this article, I have ranked the top sit-down restaurants (Table Service), the top fast food-style restaurants (Quick Service), and the top places to grab a snack, drink, or treat. I also won’t be including any bars or drink-focused spots in this list.
Please remember that these are only my personal opinions so your experience could be quite different.
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Best Table Service Restaurant in Animal Kingdom
Here are all of the table service restaurants in Animal Kingdom ranked from best to worst.
- Yak & Yeti Restaurant
- Tiffins
- Tusker House
- Rainforest Cafe
Just note that in order to dine at these spots, you will either need to make an advanced dining reservation or join the walk-up list if you are inside of the park.
1. Yak & Yeti Restaurant
Yak and Yeti Restaurant at Animal Kingdom is a cozy dining spot where you can enjoy delicious Asian-inspired cuisine in a warm and inviting atmosphere, surrounded by beautiful decor that makes you feel like you’re exploring an exotic mountain village.
Menu highlights include the firecracker shrimp and ahi tuna nachos.
Personally, this is probably the best restaurant in Animal Kingdom if you’re looking for a sit-down meal.
Pros
- affordable sit-down restaurant
- high quality food
- pretty easy to find a reservation
Cons
- if you don’t like Asian cuisine, you may not enjoy this place
- takes an hour or more of your time
2. Tiffins
Tiffins is the only signature dining location inside this park where you can enjoy delicious food and immerse yourself in the spirit of adventure surrounded by vibrant and captivating decor in three unique dining rooms.
Pros
- great menu for adventurous palettes
Cons
- expensive
- may not be the best for picky eaters
3. Tusker House
Tusker House is a colorful marketplace eatery where adventure meets deliciousness, and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to an enchanting oasis filled with exotic flavors and friendly faces.
This is a character buffet where you can hang with Donald Duck and his Disney friends dressed in their safari best.
During breakfast, Tusker House features Mickey waffles and other common breakfast stapes, some of which have an African twist. Lunch and dinner offerings are identical (including their prices) and feature a lot more African-inspired foods.
Pros
- buffet
- great selections for adventurous eaters
- bottomless bread service
- open for breakfast (also the cheapest during this time)
Cons
- African-inspired menu may not be the best for some people
- pretty expensive for lunch and dinner
4. Rainforest Cafe
Rainforest Cafe features American-style eats with a tropical twist in a dense, animal-filled jungle.
Rainforest Cafe is consistently ranks towards the bottom of Disney World restaurants according to Yelp mainly due to poor service.
Pros
- fun and cool environment
Cons
- very slow service
- food takes a while to come out
Best Quick Service Restaurants in Animal Kingdom
Here are all of the quick service restaurants inside of Disney’s Animal Kingdom ranked from best to worst.
- Flame Tree Barbecue
- Satu’li Canteen
- Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafe
- Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery
- Pizzafari
- Restaurantosaurus
- Eight Spoon Cafe
- Harambe Market
- Smiling Crocodile
I recommend that you order your meals using Mobile Order at these spots to help save some time.
1. Flame Tree Barbecue
Flame Tree Barbecue at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a delightful and mouthwatering dining spot where you can enjoy delicious barbecue favorites in a relaxed and picturesque setting surrounded by lush greenery.
Menu highlights include smoked chicken, ribs, and pulled pork. My personal favorite includes the ribs and chicken combo or the baked mac and cheese with pulled pork.
Flame Tree Barbecue is hands down the best quick service restaurant in Animal Kingdom. Service is usually pretty quick if you plan ahead using Mobile Order, the food is always great, and the portion sizes are some of the best in the park.
Pros
- great portion sizes
- delicious food items
- quick service
- good selection of alcohol
Cons
- extremely busy
- finding seating could be difficult
2. Satu’li Canteen
Satu’li Canteen is a former RDA mess hall where you can feast on delicious and healthy dishes inspired by the flavors of Pandora, the magical world from the movie Avatar.
Menu highlights include the grilled beef or chicken bowls as well as the cheeseburger steamed pods bao buns. Honestly, the cheeseburger bao buns are hit and miss, so despite what you see on TikTok or IG, I wouldn’t immediately get your hopes up.
Pros
- high quality quick service dining
- highly customizable options
Cons
- may not be the best spot for picky eaters
3. Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafe
Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafe features Asian fare such as egg rolls, fried rice, teriyaki beef bowls, and more in a counter service setting.
Pros
- lots of tasty Asian-inspired menu items
- serves breakfast
Cons
- the sides are on the pricier side
- no indoor seating
4. Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery
This little window is home to some tasty flatbreads, plant-based empanadas, and African coffee. Just note that you won’t find an extensive coffee list. That’s why if you are strictly looking for coffee, I would opt for Creature Comforts (aka Starbucks).
Pros
- a good place to get some grab-and-go foods
Cons
- not a lot of coffee options
- no baked goods or pastries offered after breakfast
- limited seating
5. Pizzafari
Pizzafari is an indoor eatery that offers pizzas, salads, desserts, and more. The food and pizza is identical to what you’d find at PizzeRizzo and Eddie’s Catalina in Hollywood Studios. It’s your standard Disney World food court pizza and salad meals.
Not terrible, but nothing noteworthy. However, it is nice to have some indoor, air conditioned eateries in the hottest park.
Pros
- indoor seating
- great for picky eaters
Cons
- pizza is below average at best
- nothing groundbreaking
6. Restaurantosaurus
Restaurantosaurus is a dino-themed indoor eatery that features angus burgers, chicken nuggets, and safari amber draft beer. If you like Disney chicken nuggets, french fries, and burgers, this is the spot for you. But the best part are the unlimited self-service drink refills!
Pros
- unlimited drink refills
- great for picky eaters who only like chicken nuggets, fries, and burgers
Cons
- standard food that you’ll find all around Disney World
7. Eight Spoon Cafe
Eight Spoon Cafe is a kiosk that’s home to baked macaroni and cheese, jelly doughnut and pulled pork sandwiches, and Mickey Pretzels. If you visit Animal Kingdom in the late afternoon or evening, chances are this spot will already be closed for the night.
Pros
- baked mac and cheese is solid
- very affordable
Cons
- terrible hours (closes so early)
8. Harambe Market
Harambe Market is a vibrant and lively open-air plaza that celebrates the spirit of adventure with delicious flavors and exotic African-inspired fare.
From personal experience, there isn’t anything notable at this spot.
Pros
- some of the frozen drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are pretty good
Cons
- hours of operation are very short
- food choices are eh
9. Smiling Crocodile
Smiling Crocodile is home to one thing – street tacos. And honesty they are just okay. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here.
Pros
- none
Cons
- tacos are below average
- closes so early
Best Snack and Dessert Spots in Animal Kingdom
Here are all of the best snack and dessert spots inside of Animal Kingdom that aren’t necessarily located inside of any dining establishments but instead are standalone kiosks or booths that only focus on sweets, snacks, and drinks.
- Nomad Lounge
- Pongu Pongu
- Tamu Tamu Refreshments
- Anandapur Ice Cream Truck
- Dino-Bites Snacks
- Trilo-Bites
- Harambe Fruit Market
- Terra Treats
Some of the menu highlights can change at anytime, so just a heads up.
1. Nomad Lounge
Nomad Lounge has some of the best snacks and drinks in the entire park.
Menu highlights include churros and specialty cocktails. Plus, they even sometimes have a secret menu.
The only issue with Nomad Lounge is that you may have a wait when trying to get seated since seating is limited. But in my opinion, it’s worth it!
Pros
- you’ll love it if you have an adventurous palette
- small plates are great, but the churros are even better!
- great selection of specialty cocktails, wine, and beer
Cons
- can get pretty busy
2. Pongu Pongu
Pongu Pongui is an Avatar-themed drink stand that’s home to one of the most popular frozen beverages in all of Disney World – the Night Blossom. Plus, you can even try some green beer.
I recommend people to try to Pongu Lumpia which is a sweet spring roll filled with pineapple and cream cheese. It’s a unique taste so if you have adventurous tastebuds, I would give it a shot.
Pros
- pongu lumpia is very tasty
- night blossom is so unique
- pretty good prices
Cons
- Na’vi-sized Pretzel is just okay (especially for that premium price)
3. Tamu Tamu Refreshments
Tamu Tamu Refreshments is a desserts-only spot inside of Harambe Village that’s home to Dole Whip (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) as well as some other tasty and unique sweet treats.
They also will have a unique seasonal sundae as well. My personal favorite has been the Pineapple Crisp Sundae which gives the Dole Whip Pineapple Upside-Down Cake in Magic Kingdom a run for its money.
Pros
- Can’t go wrong with Dole Whip
- you can get Dole Whip with a rum floater
Cons
- my only minor complaint is that I wish they offered vanilla ice cream too because Dole Whip swirl is superior to just normal Dole Whip, in my opinion
4. Anandapur Ice Cream Truck
Anandapur Ice Cream Truck features soft serve ice cream in waffle cones, floats, and specialty sundaes. I’m a sucker for cream soft-serve and this place almost never disappoints. I hate when soft serve is very icy, but thankfully that’s never the case here.
Pros
- one of the better soft serve ice cream options in WDW
- specialty sundaes are usually pretty good
Cons
- line can sometimes move slow
5. Dino-Bite Snacks
Dino-Bites is a snack window that dishes out ice cream cookie sandwiches and hot fudge sundaes.
The seasonal ice cream cookie sandwiches are by far some of my favorite sweets in a all of Disney.
Pros
- seasonal ice cream cookie sandwiches are always solid
Cons
- ice cream selection is limited
6. Trilo-Bites
Trilo-Bites is a small kiosk near DinoLand U.S.A. that’s home to one of the best snacks in the park – Buffalo Chicken Chips. If you don’t mind the taste of bleu cheese, then you’ll enjoy this snack!
Pros
- buffalo chicken chips are one of the better bang for your buck snacks in the park
- offers Dole Whip Orange
Cons
- limited offerings
7. Harambe Fruit Market
Harambe Fruit Market is one of the few places in the park that offers fresh fruit like apples, oranges, and bananas, as well as your typical Disney World snacks like Mickey Pretzels, churros, and chips. But the main star of this spot is the grilled corn on the cob. It’s definitely a fan-favorite despite being some generic.
Pros
- grilled corn on the cob is one of the best snacks in the park
- great place to grab fruit and other healthy goodies
- you can also get a hot dog from here
Cons
- no longer sells the jalapeño cheese pretzel
8. Terra Treats
Terra Treats is a delightful eatery where you can indulge in pizza slices and refreshing drinks. But, these pizza really isn’t good, so I would skip it.
Pros
- prices are pretty low
Cons
- not the best pizza
…
Thanks for reading and I hope that these Animal Kingdom restaurant rankings will be helpful the next time you plan a trip to Disney World!
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