We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again!

Out of all the Disney World parks, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a favorite of ours when it comes to food. This is the one park where we truly feel that each dining location — whether it be quick service or table service — provides food that rises above our expectations for what theme park food should be. Today, we’re taking you along with us to visit a small snack kiosk in Animal Kingdom that many Disney World visitors tend to walk right past: Eight Spoon Cafe. We’ll be reviewing two of the dishes available on the menu. Let’s do it!

Eight Spoon Cafe is located in Discovery Island at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Here, you can choose from a variety of snacks and small plates as well as fountain beverages. While the small menu typically causes guests to walk right on past, let us assure you that this menu is small but mighty. BUT let’s not get ahead of ourselves, alright? First, let’s talk about the atmosphere at Eight Spoon Cafe.

Atmosphere

Like we said, this quick-service location is more of a kiosk. It’s located in Discovery Island — very close to the Tree of Life — it’s super easy to find!

Since the menu items here are more like snacks rather than meals, there isn’t any seating that surrounds this kiosk. However, these items are easy to eat while walking, or you could check out the seating located near Flame Tree BBQ.

Menu

The menu at Eight Spoon Cafe is short and sweet! OH, and it’s shown with this cute little beaver guy.

Here, you can choose from a few different snack options…

…some fountain drinks and water…

 

… and even some beer.

Now that we’ve taken a look at the menu, let’s order some grub!

Eats

We decided to get the Pulled Pork – Jelly Doughnut Sandwich for $6.99 and the Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Pulled Pork for $6.79. We’ve had both of these items before, but it’s been TWO WHOLE YEARS since we’ve had them. We remember really liking them both in the past, so we were hopeful that they would live up to their former selves. Let’s see!

First, we tried the Pulled Pork – Jelly Doughnut Sandwich. This is a jelly-filled donut (last time we ate here, the Cast Member told us that these were grape jelly-filled doughnuts ordered straight from Krispie Kreme) that has been sliced in half and filled with pulled pork and some slaw. 

Our first impression was that this sandwich is relatively small — which makes it a great snack. The doughnut was soft and sweet, and it paired REALLY well with the savory flavor of the pulled pork. The slaw was underneath the pork while the jelly topped it all off underneath the top layer of doughnut. While the last time we visited, the Cast Members told us the jelly was grape flavor, we got more of a cherry flavor this go around. We remember not getting a whole lot of the grape flavor last time, either.

If you like jelly, donuts, and pulled pork, then this is the snack for you. It’s also really easy to eat while walking around the park. If you’re not a fan of sweeter foods and don’t want the jelly mixing with your pork, you might want to skip this one, because there’s no way around all that jelly!

Next, we tried the Baked Macaroni and Cheese With Pulled Pork. In the past, we remembered that the portion size of this snack is a bit small compared to its larger counterpart at Flame Tree BBQ, which is essentially the same dish served with onion rings. At Eight Spoon Cafe, there are no onion rings, but there ARE two pickles that accompany the dish — and it’s still pretty small.

So, there are pros and cons to this dish. While the macaroni noodles are cooked well, and the pork and pickles are great, the oil from the cheese and pork kind of just pools at the bottom of the dish, which you can see in the photo above. It’s kind of icky in our opinion — and we don’t enjoy the greasy feeling of the food.

We liked how small it was and that it was quick and easy to eat, but we’d recommend going to Flame Tree BBQ instead for this one. 

Drinks

While we didn’t order a drink, you’ll find your typical Coke fountain drinks here, as well as some Dasani water and Corona beer!

This kiosk could be a great place to pop in if you’re just looking for a quick fountain drink, as it usually isn’t too busy.

So, how does the experience at Eight Spoon Cafe add up? 

Nosh or Not

You should visit Eight Spoon Cafe if…

• You’re looking for a quick bite to eat
• You’re looking for something you can eat while walking around the park
• You’re hoping to grab the Pulled Pork — Jelly Doughnut Sandwich
• You don’t mind a more complex sweet & salty combo

You should SKIP Eight Spoon Cafe if…

• You’re seeking larger portions
• You’re hoping for something that’s not too greasy
• You’re seeking the Mac-n-Cheese (Just go to Flame Tree BBQ)
• You don’t like pulled pork

Overall

While we’d totally stop here just for the Pulled Pork — Jelly Doughnut, we’d probably recommend that you go elsewhere if you’re looking for larger bites or something that will keep you full for a long amount of time.

Since it’s a kiosk, there isn’t really much of an experience to add to the food. So, if we’re looking for something quick and delicious that we can eat while walking around the park, this is a winner.

And there you have it! We’ll continue to keep you updated with all the food and drink we try in the Disney Parks, so make sure to follow along so that you never miss a thing and always know where the BEST food is.

Looking for more food we’ve tried at Disney World recently? Click here! 

Have you been to Eight Spoon Cafe? Let us know in the comments! 

The post REVIEW: The Mac and Cheese You Should SKIP in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.