Tusker House Restaurant

Image: harshlight, Flickr (license)

If you absolutely must go to a character buffet, but the Pee Wee’s Playhouse vibe of Chef Mickey’s is a hard no — or, if you’re sick of chicken fingers and hot dogs and desperately want something else so you can feel like an adult again — Tusker House Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a pretty solid compromise.

Featuring African-inspired cuisine alongside more traditional favorites, Tusker House’s character dining is the best combination of meet-and-greet and quality food that you’ll find on Disney property. The major characters are there, and they come dressed in full safari regalia. The restaurant itself is gorgeous, with the attention to detail you’d expect after spending a few hours exploring Animal Kingdom.

But, the food is indeed standout — creative, but not overwhelming. There’s enough there for choosier eaters as well that no one should finish the meal starving. And, importantly, it’s one of the few places on property that you can have a genuinely good meal while goofing off with Goofy.

Boma: Flavors of Africa

Image: lorenjavier, Flickr (license)

If you want the best, most adventurous, and most unique dining experience at Walt Disney World — or, if you want the culinary delight of Tusker House but without the mayhem that character dining often begets — make your way to Boma: Flavors of Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Famously, the buffet concept here is elevated slightly by some marketing mumbo jumbo: Your experience in this restaurant is meant to evoke the animals of the African Serengeti grazing for their food in the sun. Yes, you’re still scooping meats and sides from chafing dishes onto lukewarm plates — but man, doesn’t that sound poetic?

The food is, legitimately, outstanding. With a variety of soups, cleverly-spiced meats and fish, delectable gourds and sides, and famously-amazing desserts, every single bite at Boma is incredible. It’s certainly a restaurant designed to cater to those with more adult palates, because while there are the more standard Disney meat and potatoes on offer, they’re overshadowed by the yogurts and spices and curries the African continent is famous for.

Go back for seconds and thirds. And, if you have any dietary restrictions, make sure to let the chef know — they’ll gladly walk you through the buffet and help you find everything you can eat. If nothing suits your special needs, they’ll make something special.

No matter what, do make sure to save room: The Zebra Dome desserts are arguably the most underrated sweet snack on Walt Disney World property.

Boma is a hard reservation to get, which is saying something for a buffet themed around a fairly niche cuisine. That simply goes to show that it’s amazing, and nearly worth the trip to Walt Disney World on its own.