Dining Inside the Parks
With all the walking a day at the Disney World parks entails, you're sure to build up an appetite. Luckily, you can't go very far without coming across one of the huge number of food outlets. Whether it's a table service restaurant, counter service location or snack kiosk, there are so many ways to dine inside the Disney parks.
To help with your choices, I've put together this list and reviews of the various in-park dining experiences we've had over the years, in the hope it helps you head to the best ones.
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom has some great counter service restaurants within Walt Disney World, but our table service experiences have produced somewhat mixed results.
Table Service Restaurants
Be Our Guest:
Sittings: Lunch & Dinner
Reservations: Available at 60 days
Type of food: French (ish)
Dining Plan: Signature Dining Experience - 2 Table Service credits
Characters: Beast (dinner only)
Prior to its relaunch as a Signature Dining experience, Be Our Guest was one of our favourite places to dine in Magic Kingdom, especially for its Counter Service offerings.
I can't comment on the new menu as we haven't eaten here since the change. However, the fabulous surroundings are still the same.
The themeing is fantastic. Based around Beast’s castle, the restaurant boasts gargoyles, coats of armour, huge stained glass windows (some displaying special effects), high ceilings from which hang magnificent chandeliers - and which add to the resulting high noise levels.
There are 3 rooms in which you can dine:
The Ballroom is the largest room, lined with drape adorned balconies. The ceiling in itself it beautiful, but the chandeliers which hang from it are amazing. Our favourite feature here is the huge stained glass windows, cleverly depicting a snow scene.
To the left of the Ballroom is The West Wing, displaying more impressive effects, including the dome encased wilting rose, plus an intermittent thunder storm. This can make the room very dark, noisy and a tad scary for little ones. In fact, it was so dark when we ate in here that we sometimes struggled to see our food.
To the right of the Ballroom is our favourite room, The Music Box room. Much quieter than the Ballroom and West Wing, plus it’s light levels are significantly higher. The Music Box room doesn’t have the effects or features of the other two rooms, but we love the huge figurine of a dancing Belle and Beast, plus the pictures on the wall are a real treat for fans of the movie.
The Crystal Palace
Sittings: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Reservations: Available at 60 days and highly recommended, especially for popular times such as pre-rope drop breakfast.
Type of Food: American Cuisine, buffet style.
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit per person
Characters: Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger
A lovely setting, depicting a Victorian greenhouse - think plenty of light and greenery. The Crystal Palace offers standard buffet selections - salads, breads, soups, meat, fish, vegetables and an array of desserts for lunch and dinner. Breakfast is the usual fresh fruit, pastries, cereals, waffles, pancakes and hot breakfast items including bacon, eggs and potatoes.
We ate dinner here in 2012. It was nothing special, but we all found plenty to eat and the children enjoyed meeting the classic Winnie the Pooh characters.
As it is open for breakfast, The Crystal Palace is another option for a pre-rope drop breakfast reservation, enabling you to gain early access to the park. However, with the new opening procedures, you may find yourself at the back of the crowd, due to the restaurant being located just at the end of Main Street, so the crowds will walk by as they make their way to the front of the castle.
The Plaza Restaurant
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available from 11am-12pm - all other times offered as walk up reservations.
Type of Food: Sandwiches, burgers, salads and ice-cream
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
A hidden gem and a nice little restaurant. We ate at the Plaza for the first time in 2015, as it's one of the cheaper table service restaurants in Magic Kingdom, and we weren't using Dining Plan Credits. We loved the quieter atmosphere, the luxurious surroundings and we were lucky enough to be seated at a table which provided us with a great view of the castle.
The food was good. Unfortunately the mozzarella, tomato and pesto sandwich, which we enjoyed, is no longer included on the menu but the Cheese Steak Sandwich and the Plaza Club were equally as tasty and both are still available.
We were less impressed with the children’s options. Zachary ordered the Cheeseburger - his other choices were chicken strips or a sandwich of Peanut Butter and Jelly, turkey or grilled cheese. As he’s not a fan of cheese on his burger, he did order a plain one, and very plain it was!
As we always do, we reserved our table in advance. I’m glad we did as we witnessed a number of people without reservations being turned away from the check-in podium . However, a change in July 2016 has meant the majority of tables at The Plaza Restaurant are now open to walk-ups: reservations are only available between 11am and 12pm. How this is affecting the ability to gain a table at this restaurant, would be interesting to know. We would definitely eat here again, but wouldn’t want to risk trekking across the park only to be told there was a long wait, and with all of the other table service restaurants requiring reservations, the chances of securing one on the day is pretty slim and not a risk we would be willing to take. Perhaps if we were planning a Counter Service meal anyway, and we happened to be passing The Plaza, we would stop by to enquire about availability, but the food isn’t suitably amazing that it’s worth much more than that.
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available at 180 days for both sittings
Type of Food: Italian
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None - although you can gain Lady and Tramps ‘autograph’ from here.
It doesn’t get the best reviews, but we really enjoyed our meal at Tony’s, when we ate here on our 2014 trip. Inspired by the restaurant featured in Lady and the Tramp, outside of which Tramp and Lady famously share a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, it’s a light and airy trattoria with nice touches from the film.
We opted for the spaghetti and meatballs (well, why not) and I have to say we all thoroughly enjoyed them. There are other pasta dishes, meat dishes and pizzas also available on the menu, and for dessert you can choose from Italian classics such as Tiramisu and Cannoli. We enjoyed the Chocolate-Hazelnut Budino, especially the presentation:
Hint: Ask your server for Lady and Tramps autograph. You’ll need to hand over your autograph book for a while, but it will be returned to you by the end of your meal:
Hint: You can now make a reservation at Tony’s to include VIP viewing of the Festival of Fantasy parade (aka the 3 o’clock parade). The package costs $45 per adult and $17 per child aged 9 and under (tax and gratuity not included). At your 3 course meal you’ll be handed a parade viewing voucher (valid on the same day), which you use to gain access to the VIP viewing area, near the flagpole, situated just across from Tony’s restaurant.
Counter Service Restaurants
Note: Opening times can vary quite considerably on most Counter Service restaurants.
Columbia Harbour House
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required
Type of Food: Healthy American cuisine - with an emphasis on fish dishes
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
A fabulous counter service restaurant with plenty to offer fish loving customers, and those who prefer more healthy options. The Lighthouse sandwich, New England Clam Chowder and Anchors Away Sandwich were all delicious.
We visited at a quiet time, so headed upstairs and were lucky enough to find a table with a great view overlooking Liberty Square.
Pinocchio Village Haus
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required
Type of Food: Flatbreads, sandwiches and salads
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We like the flatbreads here. Admittedly, they’re typical theme park standard, but the caprese flatbread and pepperoni flatbread are big enough and tasty enough to satisfy. The barbecue chicken flatbread is no longer on the menu, but if it reappears, it gets a thumbs up from us.
Hint: Head towards the back right of the restaurant and attempt to find a table overlooking the loading area of It’s a Small World ride. Have fun waving at guests as they begin their journey.
Hint: Whilst visiting the restaurant, write your wish in the Blue Fairy Wish Book (you’ll need to bring your own pen). You’ll find it located in the Jiminy Cricket room, on the left of the restaurant - just look for the blue light. Ask a Cast Member where it’s located and maybe a little extra magic will come your way.
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: None Required
Type of Food: American Cuisine
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
Once and we were done with this restaurant. It was noisy, chaotic and the food wasn’t worth the 45 minutes it took us to queue up and wait for our food. In our opinion, there are plenty of better Counter Service restaurants.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: None required
Type of Food: Mexican
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
As fans of Mexican food, and despite them removing one of our preferred snacks (chilli cheese fries) from the menu when it was recently changed, this counter service restaurant remains one of our favourites.
The Fixin's Bar is a great feature: all orders are standard so once you’re handed your food, head over to the bar where you can add extras such as guacamole, sour cream, salsa and cheese.
Our selections from the Fixin's Bar, which went well with the Beef Nachos:
If you're on the Disney Dining Plan, the Strawberry Lemonade Slushy from Pecos Bill's is a good use of a snack credit, and it even comes with a souvenir Mickey Straw:
We can’t leave dining at Magic Kingdom without at least mentioning Cinderella’s Royal Table. Although we’ve never eaten there, it is one of the most sought after reservations on property. The restaurant is situated within the magnificent Cinderella Castle, the classic Disney Princesses make an appearance and the food is supposed to be spectacular. Reservations are available at 180 days for all 3 sittings, it’s a Signature restaurant - so will require 2 Table Service credits per meal, but for those with little princesses or celebrating a special occasion, it’s definitely worth considering.
Epcot
For us, Epcot has the best choice of restaurants, thanks to the huge variety available courtesy of the World Showcase pavilions.
Table Service Restaurants
San Angel Inn Restaurante
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are available from 180 days. We’ve managed to book a lunch sitting on the day we required it.
Type of food: Mexican
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
As fans of Mexican food, we enjoyed our lunch here. The themeing is fun, although the lighting is a little dark and the tables are placed rather close together, but the atmosphere is lively. The complimentary nachos were a nice touch and the service was friendly.
Hint: Ask for a table overlooking the Gran Fiesta boat ride and wave at guests as they sail past.
Biergarten Restaurant
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: German food served buffet style
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
It’s Oktoberfest every night in this fun, lively restaurant. A large selection of tasty traditional German food including bratwurst, sauerkraut, schnitzel, spatzle and german meatballs are served alongside various roasted meats, salads and potatoes. The setting resembles a German village with guests seated at long wooden tables and an Oompah band playing at intervals. Enjoy your beer served in a stein, or if you can’t choose your favourite, beer flights - a tray of 4 small beers are a great way to sample some of the beers on offer.
Hint: Depending on the size of your party, you may be seated at a table with other guests. It’s a very sociable way to further enjoy the atmosphere.
Tutto Italia Ristorante
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: Italian
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We made a last minute reservation here on our first trip in 2012, and we’re really glad we did. The food was delicious, we liked the atmosphere and the service was the best we experienced during our whole holiday.
Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: Italian
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
If you fancy pizza, this is the best restaurant to go to - just make sure you’re hungry because they are huge!
The restaurant is large and noisy, the pizzas are good (we’ve had better) and the service was ok.
Hint: If you’re paying out of pocket, this works out as one of the cheaper restaurants on property as you can easily share one of the large pizzas between a few people. If everyone in your party likes different toppings, split the pizza and choose the build-your-own pizza option.
Teppan Edo
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: Japanese - Hibachi style
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
One of our favourites. The food mainly consists of chicken, beef, prawns, vegetables and noodles, served with a selection of dipping sauces. It’s simple yet tasty and the best part is watching the chefs perform tricks as they prepare and cook your meal over a hibachi grill.
Note: Depending on the size of your party, you may be seated with other guests.
Hint: Make sure you speak to and interact with the chef, they’re great fun to watch and really appreciate your reaction to the skills they display.
Tokyo Dining
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: Japanese
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
Situated in the same building at Teppan Edo, one of our favourite parts of this restaurant is the large sushi bar, where cameras are situated to enable diners to watch the skills of the sushi chefs as they prepare various dishes.
If you’re really lucky, you might get the chance to see the chefs prepare a complimentary starter known as The Volcano’. A towering plate of sushi, which diners are then given the chance to win through a game of rock, paper scissors. Just make sure that if your 8 year old son takes it upon himself to partake in the game and subsequently wins the prize, you all like sushi and are extremely hungry.
As at Teppan Edo, the service at Tokyo Dining is fantastic. There are some window tables which have a lovely view overlooking the World Showcase lagoon. The food was good, and as you would expect, it’s very fish based. When we visited, the children’s meals were served in a fun way. It was a once and done for us as we enjoy the food and atmosphere more at Teppan Edo.
Restaurant Marrakesh
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: Moroccan
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We liked the setting of this restaurant, with its arched pillars, authentic lighting and red carpet all adding to the ambience. The service was extremely attentive and the food was delicious. We shared the Marrakesh Feast and the Royal Feast between the 4 of us, which was a great way to sample the many different dishes on the menu - our favourites were the lemon chicken and the roasted lamb shank.
Excuse the rubbish photographs - we'd dived in to the food before we remembered to take pictures! At least it gives you some idea of the delicious food served:
Depending on the time of your booking, entertainment is provided by a live band and/or a belly dancer, who will try to entice you to dance - we didn’t see anyone accept.
Spice Road Table
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings
Type of food: Moroccan and Turkish cuisine
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit per meal
Characters: None
Situated in the Morocco pavilion, overlooking the lake, this lovely restaurant provided us with one of our best meals of the holiday when we ate lunch here in 2017. We're all fans of the type of cuisine served, and the food didn't disappoint. The Mixed Grill Skewers and the Mediterranean Vegetable Platter were our favourite dishes, the Three Lamb Sliders were tasty and Zachary enjoyed his first New York Strip Steak of the many he consumed during the fortnight. The Chocolate Pyramid dessert is a must for chocolate lovers.
Rose & Crown Dining Room
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: British
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
As the name suggests, a traditional English pub is the themeing for this restaurant, with a pub on one side and the dining room on the other. The pub can become quite loud but the restaurant is significantly cut off from the bar section, plus it has the added bonus of a large outdoor seating area, where, if you time it right, you can watch IllumiNations while eating your dinner. This is always our primary reason for eating here, although the food is pretty good and it’s fun to be so far away from home and chat to the servers about where they are from.
Hint: This is one of the best restaurants to eat at during IllumiNations. To increase your chances of being seated outside when IllumiNations begins, book a table for around 7.30pm and tell the Cast Member at check-in that you are willing to wait for an outdoor table. There is no guarantee, so if your only option is to eat inside, there’s a designated outdoor viewing area which you can make your way down to just before the show is due to begin. If you are lucky enough to be allocated a table outside, you'll be blessed with one of the best views of the fireworks:
We were equally impressed with the service and food. We enjoyed the Grilled New York Strip Steak ( the Yorkshire Pudding adding a nice British twist to the dish), the Beer-battered leeks on the Welsh Pub Burger were delicious and the Shepherd's Pie (although not quite as tasty as mum's), also got the thumbs up:
But our favourite has to be the desserts. Some of the restaurants are less inspiring with their limited choice of desserts, but that's certainly not the case at The Rose & Crown. The English Trifle was 'almost as good as Grandma's', the Banoffee Tart was delicious and the Jaffa Tarts are amazing!:
Counter Service Restaurants
Sunshine Seasons
Sittings: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: Varied
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We’re never in this area for lunch or dinner, but the menu looks good. There are different areas to choose from: Asian, Wood-fired, sandwiches, soups & salads. We have eaten breakfast here and it’s one of the few counter service restaurants in the parks where you can enjoy a breakfast platter.
La Cantina de San Angel
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: Mexican
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We’ve eaten here a few times and have always enjoyed the food. The restaurant serves large portions of tasty Mexican food which are easily big enough to share (3 between 4). Our favourites are the tacos, which a served with a generous side of nachos and salsa.
Hint: Most of the seating for this restaurant is located outside, however during lunch sittings inside tables are available at the adjacent La Hacienda de San Angel. The door to the inside is located to the right of the service counter.
Hint: If you plan to eat here for a late dinner, try to grab a table overlooking the lake for a view of IllumiNations as you dine.
Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe
Sittings: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: Norwegian
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
One of the few World Showcase Counter Service restaurants which opens before 11am.
There's a good selection of cakes and pastries which are available as snacks on the Disney Dining Plan. We tried a few on our last trip, including:
School Bread - a cardamom bun filled with vanilla custard and topped with desiccated coconut
Snow Globe - a brownie base, topped with cream covered custard, decorated with a blue sugar glass.
Anna's Birthday Cake - an attractive looking cupcake but the copious amounts of frosting and marshmallow centre made it too sickly sweet for our taste.
If you’re looking for a sandwich, the Norwegian Club and the Ham and Apple sandwich are both good choices.
Tangierine Cafe
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: Moroccan
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
One of the best Counter Service restaurants in Epcot. Delicious wraps and kebabs are served with traditional sides such as hummus, couscous, tzatziki and Moroccan bread.
Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie
Sittings: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: French
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
Tucked away at the back of the France pavilion, the french Counter Service restaurant has a fantastic display of pastries as well as delicious baguettes. It’s one of the only World Showcase Counter Service restaurants open for breakfast, ideal for those who are entering the park via the International Gateway.
Yorkshire County Fish Shop
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: English Fish & Chips
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
The best fish and chips on property are available here from a small take out window, on the side of the Rose & Crown pub. There’s seating available in the Rose & Crown beer garden, which overlooks the World Showcase lagoon.
Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has some of the least inspiring restaurants on property. If you’re not keen on what Hollywood Studios has to offer on the culinary front, you can easily walk or catch the boat to the Boardwalk and the International Gateway at Epcot, so consider taking time out of your day to eat at one of the restaurants here instead.
If leaving the park for a meal doesn’t fit with your plans, we have eaten at a few of the restaurants:
Table Service Restaurants
Hollywood & Vine
Sittings: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for all sittings. Reservations are available from 180 days.
Type of food: American - served buffet style
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, Jake and the Never Land Pirates, Handy Manny (characters at breakfast and lunch only).
Standard buffet food is served at this restaurant. Breakfast consists of fruits, yoghurts, meats, cereals, pastries and eggs. Meat, pasta, salads and vegetables are served at lunch and dinner. We ate dinner here, which doesn’t include characters. The food was okay but there are better buffets on property.
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for all sittings. Reservations are available from 180 days.
Type of food: American
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
The major pull of this restaurant for us was the fun aspect. Diners are seated in car shaped booths which all face a large screen showing black and white sci-fi movies. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to expectations. The lighting was so dark we couldn’t see our food, which probably wasn’t a bad thing because we weren’t impressed by any of it. The milkshakes, on the otherhand, were delicious but eating here once was enough for us.
Hint: The sci-fi movie clips could be a little scary for younger guests.
Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for all sittings. Reservations are available from 180 days.
Type of food: Italian
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We've booked a meal here as part of the Fantasmic! Dining Package on a couple of occasions. During our last visit in 2019 we enjoyed some of the best service we received all trip. The food is good - it's pretty standard Italian restaurant fare, but there are a few daily specials which are worth considering. We chose the slow cooked meat with risotto from the specials. It was delicious. A dessert platter consisting of a trio of desserts is served after the meal, and we were even given a glass of fizz to celebrate our anniversary - a lovely touch.
Counter Service Restaurants
ABC Commissary
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required
Type of food: Salads, burgers, steak and salmon
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We were pleasantly surprised by the meals we ate here in 2015. Unfortunately, the Asian Salad and the Chicken Burger, which we enjoyed, are no longer available on the menu but we'll certainly try alternative offerings next time we're looking for a Hollywood Studios lunch.
Hint: This is one of the few counter service restaurants in Hollywood Studios which has indoor seating. The fully air-conditioned restaurant is a welcome relief from the summer heat.
PizzeRizzo
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required
Type of food: Pizzas, salad and meatball sub
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We ate here before the recent refurbishment, when the restaurant went by the name Pizza Planet. Although the restaurant has changed from a Toy Story to a Muppets theme, the menu hasn’t altered much. The pizzas are still the deep pan, cheese fests with a smattering of toppings. All mains (except the salad) are served with a small Caesar salad. There is plenty of indoor seating and although we prefer the thinner crusted flatbreads available at some counter service restaurants, the pizzas are pretty tasty.
Animal Kingdom
Table Service Restaurants
As Disney’s Animal Kingdom historically closes earlier than the other theme parks, it’s not a park people tend to head to for an evening meal, so there have always been a limited number of table service restaurants available. This number has increased recently to support the expected increase in evening visitors now the park expansion is complete. Although we haven’t eaten there yet, the new Tiffins restaurant is gaining excellent reviews. Of the two we have eaten at, Yak and Yeti was our favourite.
Yak & Yeti Restaurant
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for all sittings. Reservations are available from 180 days.
Type of food: Asian
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
Tasty Asian food is served in this lively restaurant. We've had a couple of good meals here and can recommend the Crispy Honey Chicken, the Teriyaki Chicken and the Kobe Beef Burger. The Fried Wantons for dessert were deliciously different.
If you're on the Disney Dining Plan, this restaurant provides some of the best options for alcoholic and speciality drinks, which are now included as part of all meal credits. The Frozen Mango Daiquiri was particularly refreshing on a hot day.
Tusker House Restaurant
Sittings: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for all sittings. Reservations are available from 180 days.
Type of food: American and African - served buffet style
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: Mickey, Goofy, Donald and Daisy in safari attire at all 3 sittings
One of the most popular Table Service restaurants, which means reservations are highly recommended. We’ve visited this restaurant for breakfast and dinner, both offer a large selection of buffet items. Breakfast is more American based with fruit, yoghurts, breads, cereals and hot items served alongside some more exotic offerings such as plantains, sweet potato casserole and spiced corn beef hash.
Dinner and lunch also have options for the more subtle palate alongside some tasty selections such as chicken curry, peri-peri salmon, moroccan bread and couscous.
Apart from the large selection of good food, one of the highlights of eating at Tusker House is meeting Mickey, Goofy, Donald and Daisy, who visit each table dressed in their safari outfits.
Counter Service Restaurants:
Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafes
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required
Type of food: Asian
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
Before the opening of Satu'li Canteen, this was our favourite counter service restaurant in Animal Kingdom. Meals are big enough to share and we particularly enjoy the honey chicken and the teriyaki beef bowl.
Hint: The chicken fried rice on the menu here is a great use of a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan. It’s a generous portion and easily big enough to order as an extra meal.
Satu'li Canteen
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required
Type of food: American with an Asian twist
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We visited Satu'li Canteen for the first time during our trip in August 2017, and it quickly became our favourite counter service restaurant. We loved the theming, air conditioned seating area and, above all, the food.
You effectively design your own dish as you choose a base, main element (listed as protein) and sauce from a selection of options. The bases have recently changed to now include: rice & black beans, red and sweet potato mash, lo mein noodles or hearty salad. The main elements are: slow-roasted sliced grilled beef, chopped wood-grilled chicken, or a combination of the 2. There's also chili-garlic shrimp or chilli-spiced crispy fried tofu. For the sauce, choose from: charred green onion vinaigrette, black bean vinaigrette or creamy herb dressing.
We particularly enjoyed the red and sweet potato mash, as well as the mixed whole grains and rice - which has now been changed to rice & black beans. We tried the salad base but preferred the other two, and we'll certainly be trying the lo mein noodles on our next trip. Of the proteins, the beef and chicken were both delicious - the beef was cooked beautifully. The tofu was surprisingly tasty. The black bean vinaigrette and charred onion chimichurri (which is now a vinaigrette) went well with all selections.
All of the dishes are topped with crunchy vegetable coleslaw and boba balls.
We also tried the interesting looking Vegetable Steamed Curry Pods - we likened them to soft bread rolls stuffed with a vegetable curry. They were served with the crunchy vegetable coleslaw and vegetable chips, but we thought there was too much bread and not enough of the curry to balance it out:
Although the dessert menu is limited, the two on offer are pretty impressive: The Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse with passion fruit curd was equally as delicious as Neytiri's Chocolate Cake, although the Blueberry Mousse won the prize for appearance.
So, as you can see from our selection here, the variety of restaurants within the Walt Disney World parks are sure to suit any palette and budget. We've only highlighted the restaurants we've eaten at, so whether you're looking for a quick bite to eat or prefer a more leisurely table service meal, there are many, many options to choose from.
You may also like:
