7 Best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants YOU Have to Try (2023)

Are you ready to try out some of the best Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurants for your next Disney trip?

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is known for it’s amazing savanna view rooms, close proximity to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, and the ability to be immersed in African culture and traditions while on vacation at Walt Disney World.

Another thing the resort is lauded for is its incredible dining locations including quick service, table service and buffet-style restaurants.

The resort is split into two distinct areas:

  • Jambo House, which is the larger of the two areas and has more things to do
  • Kidani Village, which is smaller and is for Disney Vacation Club members

Both have incredible dining options that are worth traveling from around Walt Disney World to dine at.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Landscape Jambo House. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

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We Will Go Over What Restaurants Are At Animal Kingdom Lodge:

  1. Uzima Springs Pool Bar
  2. The Mara
  3. Boma- Flavors of Africa
  4. Jiko- The Cooking Place
  5. Victoria Falls Lounge
  6. Sanaa
  7. Maji Pool Bar

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants- Jambo House

After checking in at the security check-point you’ll drive up to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge- Jambo House. The massive building is reminiscent of safari lodges in Africa, but on a much larger scale.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Grand Entrance Lobby. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

From the moment you walk inside you can smell the fire pit from Boma- Flavors of Africa luring you downstairs to see what’s cooking. This section of the resort has five different dining locations to explore.

Animal Kingdom Lodge boma seating area. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

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1. Uzima Springs Pool Bar

Outside at the Uzima Springs Pool Bar you’ll find specialty drinks and a small selection of entrees that are served in the middle of the day.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants Uzima Springs Pool Bar. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

While there’s nothing truly spectacular here, the entrees include things like a chicken Caesar salad, which should keep you full until dinner at Boma or Jiko.

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2. The Mara

The Mara is the quick service location at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge- Jambo House. The restaurant serves breakfast and dinner along with the very popular Zebra Domes dessert box.

Animal Kingdom Lodge The Mara Restaurant. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

Mobile ordering is available here and is encouraged because lines can get long in the small space. For breakfast do not miss out on the sweet French toast bread pudding or the bacon and gruyere quiche. Dinner is basic faire with things like burgers, flatbreads and salads.

3. Boma- Flavors of Africa

One of our favorite places to dine at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is Boma- Flavors of Africa.

Animal Kingdom Lodge BOMA. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

The buffet-style dining will likely return as a shared family-style service with some of the same great menu options including:

  • Hand-carved ham, omelets, breads and house-made hazelnut and chocolate spread for breakfast
  • Apple jicama salad, slow-roasted ribs and plantain crisps for dinner
Animal Kingdom Lodge boma restaurant entrance. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

Whatever you do, do not leave the buffet before filling your plate with Zebra Domes, especially if you’re not staying at the resort and are able to get them at The Mara whenever you want.

4. Jiko- The Cooking Place

The signature dining restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is Jiko- The Cooking Place, which is across the hallway from Boma- Flavors of Africa. The restaurant is only open for dinner and reservations are strongly advised.

Animal Kingdom Lodge water area. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

The restaurant is home to the largest collection of South African wines outside of South Africa, and is known for the open kitchen where you can see a small team of chefs working on meals.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Jiko the cooking place. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

A few of our favorite dishes include the Jiko Salad which is made with a base of greens grown at EPCOT. The Botswana-style Beef Short Rib is also a favorite, and comes with hominy, sea peas, butternut squash and mushrooms.

5. Victoria Falls Lounge

Above Boma- Flavors of Africa you’ll find Victoria Falls Lounge. This small bar is serving up cocktails and wine, along with a small menu of sharable plates.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Victoria Falls Lounge. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

It’s a great spot to relax after a day at the parks or to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail before heading downstairs to Jiko- The Cooking Place.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge- Kidani Village

Up next is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge- Kidani Village which is the smaller of the two spaces at the resort. It’s typically the spot for Disney Vacation Club guests to stay, but anyone can dine at its table service restaurant, Sanaa.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village Serengeti Overlook. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

1. Sanaa

Sanaa is a table service restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with African and Indian inspired flavors. Breakfast is more of a fast-casual meal with limited, but delicious options and seating is first-come, first-served.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Sanaa Safari View. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.
Safari View from table at Sanaa

Our favorite breakfast item is the Shahi Tukra French Toast, which is a decadent French toast topped with saffron-scented sultan raisins, whipped chai cream and almonds.

Lunch and dinner have a similar menu, but the one thing you must get is the bread service, which has five pieces of traditional breads and nine different dips and spreads.

Animal Kingdom Lodge red wine samples at sanaa. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

This is a great thing to split between a few people. I’ve also been known to polish one of these off on my own.

2. Maji Pool Bar

The last spot to grab a bite to eat is the Maji Pool Bar at Kidani Village.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants Listing. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

The menu here is small but is suitable for a day by the pool with options like a coffee rubbed pork sandwich, a tandoori chicken Caesar salad and a black-eyed peas harvest salad.

Pro Tips for Dining at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants

  • Many of the Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurants take reservations, so be sure to make yours early if you want to dine at a place like Jiko or Sanaa.
  • If there are no more reservations, you may be able to snag a spot at some of the restaurant lounges at Jiko and Sanaa. The lounge serves the full menu but is seated on a first-come, first-served basis. Get there early or go at off-times to get a seat.

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Wrapping Up…

I hope this guide through all the Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurants helps make your trip to Walt Disney World even more magical and easier.

Animal Kingdom Lodge lobby with african artwork. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.

Visiting this resort on your Disney vacation is free and is another fun thing to do in Orlando.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Guide. Keep reading to learn about the best Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants.
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Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!

About the Author

Megan DuBois Theme Park Writer

About the Author

Megan is a theme park expert and frequent traveler to magical places. She covers all things Disney and Universal and runs marathons for fun.

She thinks you can tell a lot about someone by the name of their signature lipstick, and hers is NARS Dragon Girl.

BOOK YOUR NEXT STAY AT ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE HERE!

(Original Article Date: August 23, 2021/Updated by Editor on July 12, 2022)

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