Go for the animals, but stay for the food. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is not just a place to go face-to-snout with some incredible creatures and experience the thrills of rides like Expedition Everest and Avatar Flight of Passage. It’s grown into a foodie destination where you can savor authentic flavors from around the world.
Everything here at Animal Kingdom was created with intention, from every animal carving in the Tree of Life to the detail on every building in the lands throughout the park; you truly feel as if you’ve been transported somewhere else when you walk through the front gate.
The atmosphere and animals help tell the story about our world and our place in it. The food helps tell the human story.
So when Disney Eats invited us out to taste and sip some of the new menu items at Animal Kingdom as they celebrate 10 years of the park's signature restaurant Tiffins, it wasn’t just the food pitch; it was the opportunity to meet the people who are whipping up the culinary magic that hooked us in.
We wanted to hear their stories about what inspired them to create these new dishes.
While they all have their own unique perspectives and backgrounds, there is one thing they all seemed to have in common. At some point along the way while developing these recipes, they tapped into their memories from childhood. Which totally makes sense because that is part of the Disney experience, making memories, and so much of that can happen through food.
The cherry on top of the whole day was the meeting with one of the Disney Imagineers who helped build Animal Kingdom, drawing on experiences (literally) from research trips around the world to create a place where you feel as if you’ve traveled alongside them.
So let’s dig in, friends, as we explore the wild world of food and storytelling at Disney’s Animal Kingdom through the people who are creating the flavor experiences for you.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom: A Safari of Flavor
Theme park food in general doesn’t have a great reputation, but Walt Disney World has changed the game. If anything, they’ve created a place people visit for the food (and the Instaworthy pictures of the food)…the theme park fun is the side dish you experience between the meals.
While EPCOT is known for its international flavors and festivals dedicated to food and drink, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is earning its spot on the map as a culinary destination, too. In one visit, you can taste your way around Africa, Asia, and even the Tropical Americas.
If you’re a chef, the most Magical Place on Earth is where you want to be to create. Almost every Disney chef we’ve had the opportunity to talk to over the years has told us it’s a dream job because it’s a place where they can let their culinary imaginations run wild; in fact, it’s encouraged.
And it has here at Animal Kingdom, which brings us to our first food highlight, because two words: cookie dough. And two more words: ice cream.
The Viral Treat: Cookie Dough Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich
- Where You’ll Find It: Terra Treats in Discovery Island
- Cookie Dough Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich ($8.29): Brownie layered with Vanilla Ice Cream, topped with Chocolate Chips and Edible Cookie Dough with sprinkles
“I definitely think I am like a mad scientist,” laughed Kellie Matthews, a pastry chef at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and creator of the viral Cookie Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich.
Matthews has been creating sweet treats, breakfast pastries, and breads for Animal Kingdom since 2016. And when it comes to creating something delicious, her mission is to always dream big.
“I think about things from the perspective of —this is a blue sky world. What could I have if I were to be able to have anything? And then I tend to scale it down from there. Like, think big picture and then work my way into operationalizing it. I have so much creative freedom here in the park, which is really nice. My partners have a lot of trust in me, and we have a lot of trust in each other,” she told us.
That creative freedom is what led to the creation of the viral snack. But first, she had to channel her inner child and remember the flavors that brought eight-year-old Kellie so much joy.
“I think that that's where a lot of our core memories start, as children —what did we eat and remember that mom or dad used to make as a kid, or what did I have at birthday parties as a kid? For me, as a child, for birthday parties, it was cookie-dough ice cream. That was my number one request always, and that was always my complaint: I need more cookie dough bits in here. So this just truly, I'm speaking to eight-year-old Kellie, like, “Okay, we did it. Your request was heard. We got it,” she explained.
It's one thing to dream up a snack. But a whole other thing to actually see it in real life. We had to ask what it felt like to see and taste her creation for the first time with her team.
“When we cut it open, I remember literally screaming, literally screaming in the kitchen because I was like ‘Agh, this looks so good, this looks great!’ and then tasting it, I was like okay, the heavens have opened up, and it was the best moment. From there, it’s kind of where it blew up, and I think other guests have resonated with that,” she told us.
“I think what makes it really special is that it unlocks that memory, and I feel like when you are eating, that’s the greatest pleasure of a chef to be able to invoke storytelling, be able to unlock those memories in guests, so when I watch, stand out here and watch the line building and guest take that first bite—it’s the most satisying part of what I do.”
Fun Fact: Matthews also created the new Fairy Bread Cake, which you’ll find at Pizzafari, and a celebration of the new Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station, which debuted during Cool Kids' Summer.
A Nod to the Future of Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Arepas
- Where You’ll Find It: The Smiling Crocodile in Discovery Island
- Pulled Pork Cheese Arepa ($13.49): Pulled Pork, Queso Fresco, and Salsa Verde served with Plantain Chips
- Pulled Chicken Cheese Arepa ($13.49): Pulled Chicken in Avocado Dressing, Queso Fresco, and Salsa Verde served with Plantain Chips
The arepas at The Smiling Crocodile were another crowd favorite in our tour group. On a hot day, the arepas weren’t too heavy, and the flavor popped. It was also the perfect amount of protein we needed to get us going for a long day at the park.
Described as a cross between Colombian and Venezuelan arepas, both are wrapped in a fresh corn arepa with the perfect amount of crunch. But the flavors of the chicken and pork options are different experiences.
You can taste the love that went into making these flavors come together. And love is exactly what inspired Camilo Velasco, executive chef at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, when creating the arepas. In fact, it was a grandmother’s love.
“I was born and raised in Colombia, so these flavors are the flavors I grew up with, so this just feels like home to me. This is what my grandmother would make for me, very similar flavors she always combined the sweetness and the salty, and so any combination like that for me, it's my favorite. So that's really what we wanted here: authenticity and flavors that connect with our guests.”
The arepas are not only a way for Velasco to share his family’s food story, but they are also giving you a peek of the flavors and experiences to come at the park.
“These arepas are really us kind of starting to envision and think about what Tropical Americas could be. So we’re starting to incorporate some of those flavors into our menus and just see what the guests like and how they react to some of our ideas as we prepare for what's coming for the park in the future,” he told us.
There is a lot of excitement among the culinary team about what’s to come at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as they work to debut Tropical Americas in 2027, a new land inspired by the region that stretches from South America into parts of Mexico. It won't just be an immersion into the worlds of the films Encanto and Indiana Jones. Like the rest of Animal Kingdom, real-world stories will be told here, too, through the architecture and food.
Velasco can’t wait.
“I just love seeing Disney really embrace different cultures and their storytelling. The way that they were able to capture the Colombian culture through Encanto was just beautiful. It was super inspiring, and I love sharing that with my kids as a way for me to tell them a little bit about what it was like growing up in Colombia.”
The Coolest Drinks at Pandora – The World of Avatar
- Nightwraith Blaze at Pongu Pongu: $10.29 ($20.50 with added vodka): Blood Orange, Lychee, and Wildberry Slushy topped with a Glow Cube and Passion Fruit Juice-Filled Pearls
- Trader's Tailwind at Satu’li Canteen ($16.50): Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Bols Triple Sec Liqueur, Mango Purée, Minute Maid® Orange Juice, Chamoy, and Ginger Beer with a Chili-Lime-rimmed Glass garnished with a Dehydrated Blood Orange Wheel
- Yovo Fruit Margarita at Satu’li Canteen ($16.50): Teremana Blanco Tequila with Dragon Fruit
A walk over to Pandora – The World of Avatar brought us over to a colorful selection of three cold beverages to taste. All three were almost too pretty to drink, but it was hot, and we were thirsty. Haha!
Our first sip was Nightwrath Blaze at Pongu Pongu. It was the flashiest of the three drinks we got to sample…literally. Floating inside is a glow cube, topped with passion fruit boba to make it look like fire in a glass.
“It really illuminates the passion fruit boba on top; it’s really beautiful at night,” said Bryan Maroun, proprietor of Pandora: World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
It’s a drink the whole family can enjoy since it is alcohol-free, but you can add vodka if it's just you, the adult, drinking.
Maroun told us it’s one of his favorites, along with Trader’s Tailwind at Satu’lu Canteen, because of the memories it evokes for him. It was also kinda cool that they got to work with James Cameron’s production company, Lightstorm, to create the drink.
“Trader's Tailwind -it's so different. I'm also from California. Part of my career was at Disneyland. So the Tajin and the Chamoy definitely resonate with me, which speaks to, I think, food and beverage in general,” he said. “There’s an emotional attachment that guests remember. For the Nightwraith Blaze, that was also part of how we tap into those flavors that would bring back those memories. It reminds me of a fruit punch that I had as a kid. You taste it, and you immediately go back to that moment, which is the best thing not only about Disney storytelling, but food and beverage get to do that as well.”
One sip of Nightwrait Blaze, any child of the 80s and 90s will absolutely get what Maroun is talking about.
The Yovo Fruit Margarta at Satu’li Canteen carries on the story of Avatar, featuring the Na’vi’s favorite fruit, yovo. In our world, it's dragon fruit.
“It is very reminiscent of what the Na’vi would actually have here, a great cocktail, very popular with our guests, very refreshing, and you'll find again tailored directly for Pandora,” said Maroun.
For the Protein Lover: Rice Bowls at Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery in Africa
- Chicken and Rice Bowl ($12.99): Chermoula-Marinated Chicken on Jollof Rice with Kachumbari Tomato Salad and Tzatziki Sauce
- Beef and Rice Bowl ($14.99): Moroccan-spiced Braised Beef on Jollof Rice with Kachumbari Tomato Salad and Tzatziki Sauce
- Beef and Chicken Rice Bowl ($16.99): Moroccan-spiced Braised Beef and Chermoula-marinated Chicken on Jollof Rice with Kachumbari Tomato Salad and Tzatziki Sauce
- Plant-based Picadillo Bowl ($12.99): Plant-based Picadillo featuring Impossible® Beef on Jollof Rice with Kuchumbari Tomato Salad and Plant-based Aïoli
- This is also where you’ll find the Coconut-flavored Iced Coffee ($5.99): Joffrey's™ Cold Brew Coffee flavored with Coconut, Oat Milk, and a drizzle of Sweetened Condensed Milk
I actually started the day at Kusafir Coffee Shop & Bakery with a Coconut-flavored iced coffee, which did not disappoint. You can also pick up freshly baked pastries and other breakfast items here.
On our return visit, the menu had flipped to lunch/dinner, and we were presented with a platter of protein-rich rice bowls, which is exactly what we needed to power up for the day.
You can choose between a chicken, beef, a mix of chicken and beef, or the plant-based bowl featuring Impossible Beef.
The spices are unique, but not overpowering, and kid-friendly if you have younger family members in your group.
“This is a true discovery park, and we want them to not only discover the animals and the plants and the lands, but also the food and beverage. So we really are going to great lengths to make sure that our cast, or our chefs, or anyone who has either traveled to these regions, we're reaching out to them to make sure that we are being authentic to them,” said Gregg Hannon, Culinary Director at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.
The bowls are also a hefty portion, so you can order to share. Speaking of sharing, Hannon also shared with us that his team is already hard at work with what’s next.
“We are always working on something new for the future. I'll just say that the team here at Walt Disney World Resort is working hard for Tropical Americas. There's going to be more to come on that, but the team is working hard,” he told us. “We're having a lot of fun with that. Here, the fun is every day. The fun is in creating. Thinking about what we're going to do for Halloween, what we're going to do for the holidays.”
We can’t wait to taste what’s next!
A Traveler's Retreat: Nomad Lounge and Tiffins Restaurant
When it’s time to take a break from your journey around Animal Kingdom, step inside Nomad Lounge and Tiffins Restaurant for an elevated dining experience and learn a bit about what inspired the creation of the park.
This is your time to stop and savor the moment. Nomad Lounge and Tiffins are a celebration of travel and discovery, so it's no coincidence that they are located near the heart of the park in Discovery Island.
Be sure to take time to wander here and look UP when you walk into Nomad Lounge. Read the words of Disney Imagineers who traveled the globe on research expeditions as they sought inspiration to build this park. It helps you fully understand the work, attention to detail, and heart that go into creating these authentic, immersive experiences for your family.
We were honored to meet one of them, Disney Imagineer Joan Hartwig, who took us on a tour of Nomad Lounge and Tiffins to point out all of the mementos from their travels that you'll find on display here.
(We’ll get to the food soon, we promise. We just think it’s really important to shine a light on the foundation of the storytelling happening at Animal Kingdom because it makes it all taste so much better.)
“These have been life-changing experiences,” Hartwig told us as she pointed to photos from their research expeditions. “It just shows the level of research that we do, and Joe Rohde quite rightly set up this program that we needed to travel to these areas and do deep research, and make sure that we are understanding the context of the elements that we were adding to our stories.”
*Rohde is the legendary former Disney Imagineer who dreamed up Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
Their notes, sketches, mementos, and design inspirations can be found throughout the three dining galleries in Tiffins: the Trek Gallery, which features the Imagineers’ travels to Asia, the Safari Gallery, with highlights from Africa, and the Grand Animal Gallery, a nod to the animals of Animal Kingdom and conservation.
One of my favorites was in the lobby of Tiffins, where you'll spot Rohde's sketch books from their travels in the display cases, along with real tiffin food containers that inspired the restaurant's name.
This is such a special place and truly a hidden gem at Walt Disney World. It's almost like a mini museum.
While the Trek and Safari Galleries share the stories of the regions and people, the Grand Gallery is a celebration of the animals at Animal Kingdom and conservation.
“I think we see the joyfulness in this. It's not about a dire conservation message; it's about the celebration of the relationship between animals. These totems that are in the center are carved by carvers we've worked with in Mali for the last 30 years. Mahdi and his father, Mostika, are amazing,” Hartwig told us.
Hartwig's travel adventures haven't ended with Africa and Asia. She’s back at it and, most recently, went on research expeditions with the team to Honduras and Colombia as they work to bring the Tropical Americas to life. We highly recommend you read her story about Tropical Americas here on the Disney Parks Blog.
And now, let's talk about the new food and drinks at Nomad Lounge!
You can view the entire Nomad Lounge menu here, but we wanted to share some of our favorites since we actually had a chance to taste them. Nomad Lounge is ipen from 10:30 am-7:00 pm.
- Traveller’s Provisions ($18): Warm Onion Naan Bread paired with a Trio of Globally-inspired Dips: Roasted Garlic Hummus, Roasted Eggplant and Beetroot Spread, Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Muhammara
- Grilled Beef Kefta ($17): Middle Eastern-inspired Beef Skewer, Harissa Hummus, Herb-Honey Yogurt, Pickled Red Onions, Roasted Garlic Naan
- Wild Mushroom Dumplings ($14) Dim Sum Sauce, Chili Crunch, Roasted Mushrooms (Plant-based)
- Churros ($11): with Vanilla Sauce
Of all of the light bites we were able to sample, my favorite was the Traveller’s Provisions because you get to try three different flavors. And who doesn't love a dip? The table favorite was Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Muhammara.
For the drinks at Nomad Lounge, we sipped two:
- Lychee-Ginger Lemonade ($6.59): Minute Maid® Premium Lemonade with flavors of Lychee, Pomegranate, and Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic beverage)
- The Pachyderm and The Pollinator: Bayab African Rose Gin, honey, lemon, lavender bitters and soda water
Can we just say that The Pachyderm and The Pollinator was not only refreshing, but adorable!? While I liked the taste, I loved the story that inspired it even more. It’s a nod to The Elephants and Bees Project, which is supported by the Disney Conservation Fund through the Save the Elephants organization.
They figured out a way to protect African farmers’ crops from elephants by placing beehives around the fields, creating a natural fence to protect the crops and the elephants. And bees were happy too, with a crop to pollinate. Pretty cool.
The Final Destination: A Culinary Adventure at Tiffins
Tiffins is celebrating 10 tasty years at Animal Kingdom, and the culinary team is marking this milestone by introducing some new flavors to the menu. It is open for lunch and dinner beginning at 11:30 am and closes at 7 pm. Reservations are recommended, but you can walk up.
Appetizers we Tasted at Tiffins
- Korean Barbecue Pork Belly Bao Buns ($16): Pickled Cucumber, Green Papaya Slaw, Cilantro
- Gobi Manchurian ($11): Crispy-fried Cauliflower, Manchurian Sauce, Green Onion
Both were spectacular, but I’m a total sucker for fried cauliflower, so if I had to pick a favorite, that would be it. You can also order The Land Salad ($15), which features young lettuce grown in The Land Pavilion at EPCOT.
Fun Fact: Some of the food grown at The Land Pavilion is fed to the animals at Animal Kingdom!
On to the Main Course at Tiffins
Our group, which included the writers from Disney Parks Blog, decided to each order an entree to share so we could sample as many dishes as possible. You can read the writer Laura Pilat’s full story here about Tiffins.
Here’s what we picked for the main course:
- Butter Chicken ($43): Samosa, English Peas, Young Squash, Pickled Red Onion
- Regional Curry Tasting ($38): A tasting of South Asian Curries with Jasmine Rice: Thai Green Curry with Lime Leaf, Eggplant, Squash, and Som Tam | Indian Red Curry with Carrots, Peas, and Chickpeas (Plant-based)
- Shrimp & Grits ($42): Peri Peri Shrimp, South African Mealie Pap with Roasted Corn, Goat Cheese, Green Apple Chutney
- Oaxacan Pork Duo ($52): Grilled Pork Chop, Peanut Salsa Macha, Sweet Plantain-Chipotle Sauce, Corn Tamal, Smoked Pork Shoulder, Salsa Verde, Cabbage Slaw
Of everything we tried, my favorite was the Butter Chicken. The flavor was fantastic, but the presentation was gorgeous.
We were also able to try some of the regional wines on the menu as well.
The Dessert at Tiffins
This is where we got to see Chef Kellie Matthews again, who had a hand in creating some of the desserts. Here's what we tried:
- African Pot de Crème ($13) Chocolate Pot de Crème, Ethiopian Coffee, Ras el Hanout Pineapple, Pistachio, Chocolate Cookie
- Caramel Flan ($14) Cardamom-scented Caramel, Vanilla Chantilly
Both were delicious and almost too beautiful to eat, but we had to dig in anyway! After a big dinner, these are absolutely shareable.
We were offered a selection of coffee and loose-leaf tea press pots to go along with our dessert.
Related: INSIDE LOOK: Garden View Tea Experience at Disney's Grand Floridian
While you're at Animal Kingdom: Sip Coffee for a Cause at Starbucks
For a pick-me-up for a good cause, grab a Flat White Latte from Starbucks located in Discovery Island, in front of the Cotton Top Tamarins habitat. A portion of the proceeds goes toward the Disney Conservation Fund program that supports this endangered species that can be found in South America in the treetops of Colombia.
Upgrade Your day: Book a Savor the Savanna Tour
This is a must-experience if you can fit it into the budget. The tours do book up fast, but I was able to book one at the last minute when a cancellation popped up. Like all things, just keep checking your My Disney Experience app if the date you want is not available. I'll be sharing more about this tour here soon, so stand by!
