Sassy Faves: Three Square Meals at Disney's Animal Kingdom
I've seen this challenge some other places and thought I would adapt it for our blog. The challenge is to choose one place in the theme park for each meal of the day - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For some parks, this seems an impossible task for me (looking at YOU, Disney Hollywood Studios), and for others, it's impossible to narrow down. I decided to take the tactic of choosing the three places I would recommend to a first time guest. I'm also allowing myself one back-up choice.
To summarize:
One different place each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
All in the same park
One back up choice for each meal
Based on what I would recommend to a first time guest
This week... Disney's Animal Kingdom
Oh my dear beloved park, how do I possibly pick my favorites? But bravely I shall try.
Breakfast
First choice: Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery
I'm not much for a heavy breakfast, so a pastry and coffee does the job perfectly. Kusafiri is no fuss. It's also back in Africa, and a perfect location for after you ride the safari first thing in the morning, which is highly recommended. While it's not much to get excited about, it has a good selection of pastries and even quiche and fresh fruit, but the winning touch here is the decent coffee. Some have made it a life's quest to find decent coffee at Walt Disney World, and this is one place where the coffee is acceptable. I like a cappuccino, and this place offers that to go.
Runner up: Tusker House
If you like a larger breakfast, and want to meet some characters, then Tusker House is your place for that at Disney's Animal Kingdom. It's a breakfast buffet with a few mildly regional dishes (fried plantains and black-eyed pie salad), and of course characters in safari gear. I am generally a fan of the Disney character breakfast buffet because there is usually enough variety of food to please everyone, and I think it's really great to get meeting the characters out of the way in a relaxed setting rather than standing in line for meet and greets.
Lunch
First choice: Flame Tree BBQ
The food is good and plentiful. It might not be the best barbecue I've ever had, but it is good. The ribs still fall off the bone here and that's what's important. The portions give this place a winning edge as one combo platter is often enough to share between two people. But the seating is what really puts this place in first place. After getting your dish, walk around the back of the restaurant and you will find gloriously shady and quiet terraces overlooking the river. I could linger here forever. The seating is more than ample so even on a crowded day, it feels quiet back here and it's like having your own scenic corner of the Animal Kingdom all to yourself (and the birds that will come try to grab a bite of your bread).
Runner up: Yak and Yeti
This place has consistently good reviews for its Asian inspired food (In a surprise twist given this place's name and setting, while there is an Indian tikka masala on the menu, there are also Chinese dishes like honey chicken and Japanese dishes like tempura). There are two options, so you can either dine in with table service, or go to the quick service window and eat in an outdoor courtyard.
Dinner
First choice: Tiffins
If you follow this blog, you might have seen this coming from a mile away. I soundly believe that Tiffins is the best meal on property, period. So while dining here is more pricey, it's worth it. The food is amazing, plated beautifully. The service is outstanding. But this place really wins my heart for being something of a shrine to Joe Rohde, Executive Designer and Vice President Creative, and the man who made Disney's Animal Kingdom happen and was the main designer behind Pandora. Around the restaurant, you will find photos and notes taken by Rohde and his crew as they traveled through Africa and Asia looking for inspiration and drafting concepts for the various lands of Disney's Animal Kingdom. This restaurant really gives you a sense of how this theme park happened. And the food is wonderful.
Runner up: Satuli Canteen
Yes, I'm selecting a quick service for dinner but with good reason. While I will dine here any opportunity I get because I love the customizable bowls, the "pods" (bao buns), and the awesome dessert, after dark is the best time to be here because this place is situated in the middle of bioluminescent Pandora, making it a great launching point for your explorations of the beauty that is Pandora in the dark. So stop here, get yourself a bowl or some cheeseburger pods and a blueberry or chocolate mousse, then eat outside and watch the lights and waterfalls.
We can't wait to hear if you agree or disagree with our picks in our very favorite park. Did we miss the mark? What's your favorite dish? Let us know by commenting on this post over in our Facebook community, and follow us to see future posts. Until next time...
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