Tiffins Restaurant Review at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Tiffins Restaurant is the signature dining location at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. The restaurant is well known for its impressively splendid entree selections. Not only that, but dining at Tiffins provides the opportunity to take in a little art and history during your meal. We consider Tiffins one of the best dining experiences in all of Disney.
For this review, we’ll examine a meal at Tiffins and a few past meals. While you might not find all of these items on the current menu, they can attest to the kind of food you can expect to find here.
Tiffins used to be considered a bit off the beaten path. But that path has become well-worn since Pandora, World of Avatar opened. The restaurant sits on the right side of the pathway before crossing the bridge to Pandora.
When you dine at Tiffins, you will be seated in one of three dining rooms. Each dining room is designed in African and Asian theming with exotic animals and artwork featured throughout. I recommend taking the time to absorb your surroundings, especially if it isn’t too crowded during your visit. The cast members are knowledgeable about each dining room as well.
There are many unique art pieces to see during your visit. Tiffins restaurant is extremely well-themed, like the park it dwells within. A lot of the artwork serves a dual purpose: entertaining and educational.
The dining rooms have banquette and booth-style seating around the outer rim with tables in the middle.
If you have had the opportunity to eat at Tiffins before or plan to go in the future, I would recommend requesting a different dining room each time. I’ve had dinner or lunch here about five times since the restaurant opened. Each experience has been unique, and the food is superb in quality.
Since Tiffins opened, there has usually been some kind of special lunch-tasting menu. For several years, the restaurant offered a delightful Taste of Tiffin’s. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that offering. However, a similar item called the Chef’s Lunch and Course Menu was available during this last visit.
We were given a regular lunch menu on the day of our visit. Per the menu, a Chef’s lunch special was available between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. With the lunch special, you received either an appetizer and entree or an entree with dessert. The list had two appetizers, followed by three main course selections and one dessert. The dessert is a “dessert duo,” so you get a miniature version of two desserts if you go that route.
I went with the Hightower Rocks for starters, which I think is the best drink from the neighboring Nomad Lounge. Nomad Lounge is connected to Tiffins and is an excellent space for a casual affair. It has an indoor and outdoor seating area and shares a few of the same menu items as Tiffins. It’s also a great place to enjoy a cocktail if you are waiting for your dinner reservation.
Listed on the “Specialty Cocktails” portion of the menu, this drink features Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila, Watermelon, Sweet-N-Sour, and lime Juice.
Related: Nomad Lounge Review
You can order it spicy as well. But the one time I had it that way, they used Tabasco Sauce. I don’t care for that method of spicing a drink. The regular Hightower Rocks is light and refreshing. Anyone who loves watermelon will probably enjoy it as much as I do.
Reviewing the menu on this particular day, I knew I wanted to try the mushroom soup for an appetizer. They also had “Pan-Seared Alaskan Halibut” on the menu, which looked interesting.
Our other diner looked at the Surf and Turf entree but couldn’t eat the surf part due to food allergies. So we ordered the Chef’s Lunch Course and got the entree portion for him. That way, he could order the turf minus the surf. That left me able to order the Halibut with the dessert portion of the lunch special.
This was a great idea since I wanted an entree that wasn’t listed on the chef’s special, and he didn’t want dessert. The dessert is also shareable for two if you want a small bite at the end of your meal. Here is his entree, the Carne Asada-Grilled Beef, which is described as coming with roasted purple potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and pico de gallo.
However, this entree was prepared especially for him to accommodate food allergies. Therefore, if you were to order this item, it might not come out exactly the same. The beef was cooked medium-rare as was ordered. It was also seasoned in a way that complemented the flavor of the steak. I went with the Pan Seared Halibut described as herb-roasted tomato, haricot verts, fingerling potatoes, and Kalamata marmalade.
The fish was perfectly executed. If you are familiar with halibut, youHalibutt is a fine fish. I’m more than willing to pay any reasonable price for it when I find it on a menu. The menu describes the olive topping as a marmalade, but I’ve been calling it a tapenade ever since I left.
However, the chef describes this portion; I can guarantee it was divine. The flavors of the olives, mustard sauce, and tender Halibut make a meal pleasing to the senses. I would order this again, but I’ve selected a different menu item each visit. The menu here is highly seasonal and constantly changing.
Below is a look at some of the meals we have had at Tiffins Restaurant. Some may or may not still be on the menu. However, they represent the kind of menu selection and food quality you can expect from Tiffins.
First, we have a venison dish. I remember this dish being highly recommended, and the venison was incredibly tender. The pea puree looked anything but appealing. It turns out appearances can be deceiving. It was delicious.
The pan-seared duck was another tasty option. I’m not a huge fan of duck, but the mushrooms and puree were outstanding. Over the times I’ve eaten at Tiffins, I have found that these accompanying purees have all been delicious.
This grilled swordfish dish with carrot puree might be one of the most memorable things I’ve ever eaten. I had never tried swordfish before, and it’s not something you commonly find on a menu. I would order this again in a heartbeat.
Back to this visit, I decided to order an appetizer with my meal. Tiffins Restaurant is one of the few places where I’m interested in having a full three-course meal. The only other places I look to having a full-course meal at Disney are restaurants like Jiko, The Cooking Place, or dinner at California Grill. I ordered the mushroom soup described as wild Chanterelle ragout, truffle oil, and crispy shiitake.
The server brought the crispy, hot mushrooms out in this bowl and then poured the soup over them. I can’t explain the detail in the creamy broth contrasted with the crispy mushrooms. It was a true explosion of flavor! This dish gives the mushroom bisque at Storybook Dining at Artist Point a run for its money.
Related: Storybook Dining at Artist Point Review
Below is a look at the charcuterie offering we received on a different visit, which was specially prepared for food allergies. The meat selections were carefully chosen. A special bread/cracker was brought out instead of the traditional side. All nuts were left off the dish as well.
I try to mention these things regarding food allergies as much as possible. That way, if you have any food allergies, you can be assured that the chef and staff will take good care of your needs.
Tiffins has its own special bread service during the meal. Of course, bread is what you can expect from a standard bread service at any fine-dining restaurant. The oil is a pomegranate lacquer with several spices in it. It is probably more of an acquired taste. I would recommend not overdoing this item on a first bite. I do enjoy it, but only in small doses.
Ordering the special chef menu allowed me to try a dessert. The desserts that came with this special were the South American Chocolate Ganache and the Guava Mousse.
The ganache is similar to a flourless chocolate cake. It is a rich chocolate with a smooth, creamy texture. There is also a twill-like substance on top, similar to cotton candy but chocolate. The Guava Mousse is a creamy bite with sharper flavors in the lemon-y curd and pomegranate sauce. Both were delicious and pleasing bites. This is by no means a sizeable dessert. But if you want a small bite to top off your meal, it’s a great way to try two items or share.
Here’s a look at an allergy-friendly dessert offering. This sorbet trio dessert was dairy-free and avoided several food allergens. If needed, check with the chef to see if it is an option for you.
Tiffins is an experience worthy of being called fine dining, and the ambiance is charming. One of the things I love about Disney’s Animal Kingdom, in general, is the educational aspect.
That aspect is carried through to Tiffins, where a continued sense of cultural and social anthropology is exhibited.
Those who share these interests will find themselves at home while dining at Tiffins.
If you haven’t had an opportunity to try it, I hope you will make it a dining priority on your next trip.
Tiffins earns its praise. If you are looking for that one special meal during your trip, this will do nicely. If you spend a lot of time at Animal Kingdom Park, you might also enjoy the following:
If you’re staying at nearby Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, you might also like:
- Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants Guide
- The Pools at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Sanaa Review with Bread Service
- Kidani Village Review
Lastly, Tiffins is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Even though the restaurant has maintained popularity since it opened a few years back, most guests can easily obtain a reservation. I hope this review of Tiffins gave you a good idea of what to expect when dining here. We always look forward to returning. Leave a comment below and let me know your take on Tiffins.
