Happy #tastytuesday on a Thursday friends! This week’s review takes us to Tiffins in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. Tiffins is considered a signature restaurant and 2 credits on the Disney Dining Plan (DDP) when Walt Disney World is offering the DDP.
You can find Tiffins as you enter the park, take a left at the Tree of Life, and make your way towards Pandora: The World of Avatar. Tiffins will be on your right-hand side between Pizzafari and Nomad Lounge right before your cross the bridge into Pandora. My husband and I decided to make last minute reservations here a couple of weeks ago at 5:30pm, a half hour before park closing, which was 6:00pm at the time. We checked in via the My Disney Experience app 15 minutes before our reservation and spent a couple of minutes walking through the shops at the front of the park before we received the notification that our table was ready.
The restaurant has 3 small seating areas and its design is influenced by the travels of the Imagineers who build the Animal Kingdom theme park. Our room in particular had these gorgeous pillars in the center of the room and colorful walls full of different kinds of animals.
Once we were seated, I was given the allergy friendly menu. As I had already noted my allergies in the reservation on the My Disney Experience app (eggs/gluten/dairy), the cast member confirmed my allergies with me and asked me if I wanted to speak to the chef. I opted to not speak with the chef, as I had eaten at Tiffins previously.
For my entree, I originally wanted to try the Butter Chicken, but I was unsure of whether or not a butter substitute could be used. I asked our cast member, and he said that he would talk to the chef, who confirmed that the chicken was marinated in a butter and could not be made with any substitutions. I then decided to try the Tamarind Braised Short Ribs instead. The chef opted to come out and talk to me and let me know that instead of doing the parsnip-potato puree (as it had dairy in it) he could sub a side of fresh vegetables.
While waiting for our entrees to come out, I decided to try the Lamu Libation. This drink is made with Starr African rum, Cruzan banana rum, guava puree, tropical juices, and Gosling’s 151 rum float. Overall, I enjoyed my drink, but I am not a huge fan of banana flavoring, so I did find the amount of banana in the drink a little off-putting. It was also very strong and a big drink for the price of $14, so I was satisfied with the size/quality to price ratio. Overall, this drink was a 9/10 for me for quality and a 6/10 for me for taste.
When our main courses arrived to the table, I was immediately struck by how beautiful my dish was. The contrast of colors with the delicious, savory smell was amazing. The short ribs were cooked perfectly and had a great balance of savory and sweet. They were cooked so well that I didn’t have to use a knife to pull them apart. The vegetables were also cooked extremely well with a light seasoning of salt and pepper. One of my favorite vegetables is broccolini, so I was excited to have some as a part of my meal. This dish was rich and very filling, so I only ate half to save room for dessert. The only aspect that could have made this dish better was some sort of starch. 9/10 for me!
For dessert, my husband and I both chose the plant based option: Passion Fruit Tapioca Creme. I’ve had this dessert before, and it’s in my top 3 for allergy friendly desserts in all of Walt Disney World. If you like a fruity, tart, and sweet dessert, the tapioca creme will be right up your alley. The passion fruit tapioca has fresh fruit and fruit juices mixed in, the coconut creme on top adds a natural sweetness and coolness to the tart of the tapioca, and the plant based chocolate cookie crumble is just the perfect amount of chocolate/sweet to balance the dish. 10/10; I will order this dessert every time I eat at Tiffins!
And, because we finished eating after official park closing, we got to take some amazing pictures in front of the Tree of Life on our way out of the park!
How often can you take a picture without a single other person in sight in Walt Disney World?!
Tiffins is always at the top of my list for places I enjoy eating in Walt Disney World. It does have a hefty price tag (we spent almost $200 just for the two of us), so it may be a great place for a special occasion or splurge dinner. The food may also be a little more adventurous for some palettes, which is great for me because I am a huge foodie, but may not be the place for picky eaters. If you’re in the Animal Kingdom area and looking for a great sit-down meal, I highly recommend Tiffins! Or even heading next door to Nomad Lounge to grab a drink and order some of Tiffins menu that is available in the lounge.
Here’s to living our best and most delicious Disney lives! <3
~ Meagan
Meagan has been living with many food allergies and sensitivities since she was 19 years old. She is currently a Personal Vacation Advisor for Magical Vacation Planner, specializing in helping her guests book trips to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort. Meagan has taken a special interest in finding allergy friendly options at Walt Disney World.
Interested in having Meagan help you plan your next trip? Send her an email at m.slone@magicalvacationplanner.com or get a free quote at https://magicalvacationplanner.com/staff/meagan-slone/!
