Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is a little out of the way, but it’s worth traveling to if you’re looking for some excellent food!

You can find Boma — Flavors of Africa, Sanaa, Jiko — The Cooking Place, lounges and stands around the hotel. Each of these restaurants has amazing food that you won’t regret trying. We recently stopped by the lodge to visit an old favorite and to find out if it’s still living up to our expectations.

Jiko — The Cooking Place is one of the most romantic and delicious restaurants in all of Disney World. Unlike Sanaa, you won’t find immaculate views of the savanna at this high-end location, but the food truly makes up for it.

Jiko is located in Jambo House on the ground floor at the lodge. Your best bet to get a seat at this restaurant is to have a reservation. Starting in January 2024, you will be able to use the Disney Dining Plan at Jiko which will use 2 table service credits. But enough about the logistics, let’s dive into everything we LOVE about Jiko! 

Atmosphere

Jiko is a much more romantic restaurant than its partners Boma and Sanaa. It’s located on the ground floor of Animal Kingdom Lodge and has a pretty view (just not of the savanna and animals). It’s the perfect place if you want to go out for an evening without the kids (though families are certainly welcome here, too!).

There are a lot of hidden gems in the decor of the restaurant. For example, the rings on the large columns in the restaurant represent the rings worn on women’s necks by some African tribes. Also, the back wall is meant to resemble a beautiful African sunset.

And if you look closely, you may find a hidden Mickey above the smoke stacks at the flatbread station!

It’s a lot brighter inside Jiko than you might find at many other signature restaurants in Disney World. This means you’ll have a better chance at reading the menu without needing your phone flashlight (certainly a bonus for us)! The restaurant was designed by Jeffrey Beers and we would argue that it is a very interesting and beautiful location to look at.

There is a very large selection of wines exclusively from Africa. There’s a wine lounge where you can sit in and try some unique wines that you may not find elsewhere on property.

Like most things in Disney World, Jiko was designed very thoughtfully and with lots of intention and details. It’s so fancy, that you get a hot rosewater towel to clean your hands before your meal.

You’ll find a main dining room, a wine lounge, and a private dining room. And because it is a signature dining location, Disney does require a dress code. Per the Disney website:

“This restaurant is a Disney Signature Dining experience offering fine dining with a distinctly magical flair. Guests are expected to dress accordingly in attire that respects the restaurant’s sophisticated and upscale aesthetic. Clothing should be clean, neat, and in good condition. Please no swimwear.”

It is truly a beautiful atmosphere with wonderful and meaningful details. It is an intimate setting that we love and find to be very special.

Menu

You may be a little nervous about eating here at first when you hear the food is inspired by African, Indian, and Mediterranean flavors. But there’s no need to worry! They have lots of options. You can find meat-based, vegan, and vegetarian meals that change seasonally.

You’ll find Appetizers, Entrees, and Enhancements on the menu.

When you’re seated, you receive a food menu and a drink menu that includes signature cocktails and wines.

After you’re done with your main meal, you’ll receive an After Dinner Drink and Dessert menu.

You can appetizers anywhere between $15 to $19. Enjoy a Jiko Salad or some Diver Scallop and Moroccan Snails to start off your signature meal.

When we went this time, the entree options ranged from Oak-grilled Filet Mignon and Cocoa-crusted Venison Loin to the plant-based Injera Basket and Sustainable Fish. Entrees range from $38 to $59.

You can also add on a few enhancements like the Octopus Salad (which we chose as an appetizer!), the Bobotie Mac & Cheese, and Zulu Oxtail Samp and Beans.

There are several fantastic dessert offerings at Jiko, as well! You can get options like Melktert for $12 or grab the Potjie Pot for $16. There is also a no-sugar-added Chai-spiced Ice Cream option for $13.

If you hope to bring the kids with you, don’t worry, they have a kids’ menu with several familiar options! They can choose one entree and two sides. There is also a kids’ a la carte appetizer menu.

Whew, now let’s dig in!

Eats

Since this restaurant is known for its wine and drink selection, let’s start with our main drinks of the evening! We opted for the Seychelles Martini and the Cederberg White Wine.

Even if you’re not a big gin drinker, we think you would like the Seychelles Martini — at least this was our experience. The gin isn’t the primary flavor in this cocktail, instead, you’ll find pineapple at the forefront. It’s sweet, but not overly sugary. We thought it had high acidity but it was light, refreshing, and bright.

The Cederberg White Wine was a very classic white wine. It was dry but there was some sweetness among the flavors. It almost felt like it wanted to be bubbly because it was so crisp and light. We really enjoyed it, but if you’re not a fan of dry white wines, you may want to opt for something else.

Next, our appetizers.

Like we said before, we chose the Octopus Salad as an appetizer instead of as a side — and we are SO glad we did. The salad consists of Confit Octopus Salad with Coconut, Mango Pearls, Green Tomatoes, and Mint for $22. For a salad, it was strangely complex in the best way possible — it was addicting. It’s like the fanciest deli salad you’ll ever have.

There were so many textures going on. From the chewy octopus to the crunchy bell peppers, and the popping mango pearls, it was so fun to eat! We were literally scraping the bowl trying to make more of the colorful and slightly sweet salad appear.

We also had the bread service. Knowing how good the neighboring Sanaa bread service is, we needed to give this one a shot — and we weren’t disappointed.

Unlike the bread service at Sanaa, you get one side and two types of bread. So if you’re looking for a truly adventurous bread experience, Sanaa is the place to go. But Jiko’s bread was great in its own right. You get giraffe bread, Egyptian bread, and a side of butter. The giraffe bread is just a simple yeast roll, but they must use some of that Disney magic when baking it because it is spectacular.

Somehow, the giraffe bread is perfectly crispy on the outside and pillow-soft on the inside. It has its own butter flavor, but the side of butter adds a bit of a citrus note to it. The Egyptian bread was thin and crispy. It has a heavy sesame flavor and is much more unique. We found it nice to have an adventurous option complimented with a crowd-pleaser.

The last appetizer we tried were the Diver Scallop and Moroccan Snails. You get a seared scallop with confit snails, butternut nhopi, and fennel slaw in a fragrant broth for $18. 

This is a bold statement, but that seared scallop may just be the best thing we’ve ever had in Disney World. It was meaty but seared to perfection. It wasn’t overcooked or tough. The butternut nhopi was sweet, and the fennel underneath was a fantastic addition, adding an earthiness that balanced with the snails well. The one downside to this option is that it’s quite small, but it was worth it to us.

Okay, let’s move on to our entrees, shall we?

While we see many entree items rotate seasonally, one has been here since the beginning — Botswanan Short Ribs. Truly, we know exactly why these ribs have made the cut season after season, they are amazing. They are the most incredible short ribs that just melt in your mouth. They literally fall apart. There is a subtle sweetness, but the sauce gives them a good and hearty feel.

The hominy, sea peas, and carrots were an incredible base. They were soft but not mushy. We loved the balance of the slightly salty vegetables to the hearty and slightly sweet ribs. It was really robust and well-balanced. This meal is $52.

The other entree we got was the Oak Grilled Filet Mignon for $59. Like everything else we tried at Jiko, this was wonderful. It was cooked perfectly with a warm pink middle. It was seasoned beautifully, and as with a good filet mignon, it wasn’t fatty, but it was still tender and flavorful.

The steak is served with four-cheese macaroni, seasonal vegetables, and a chocolate-red wine demi-glace. The Mac and Cheese was to die for. It was creamy and hearty, as the best mac and cheese should be (you know we’re mac and cheese connoisseurs). The chocolate-red wine demi-glace was a great addition, as well. It added richness and helped keep the steak good and moist.

Now, what we have all really been waiting for — DESSERT!

We opted to try the Potjie Pot. It is a chocolate custard, on a lemon-olive oil cake,  with whipped caramel, cocoa nib crunch, and cherries for $16. And it was INCREDIBLE. (We realize we’ve said that about practically everything, but seriously the food here is THAT good.)

Even if you’re not a fan of mouse types of desserts at Disney, this is wonderful. It’s complex, smooth, and creamy. It’s everything you hope it will be. The whipped caramel was a major flavor factor for the dessert and it was delightful. The cake is the perfect size to share a small bite at the end of a big meal.

But of course, we couldn’t say no to a Zebratini while at the Animal Kingdom Lodge! This drink is $16 and includes Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Mozart White Chocolate Liqueur, Frangelico Liqueur, Amarula Liqueur, and a shot of espresso in a chocolate zebra-striped martini glass.

It was very tasty. We thought it was creamy and sweet. It was also light on the alcohol flavor, so you’re not getting a bite on the back of your throat as you enjoy your dessert.

Nosh or Not?

Take the journey to Jiko if…

• You’re looking for a romantic date night spot — Jiko would make a GREAT Valentine’s Day, Anniversary, or other celebratory dining experience. In fact, AJ has dined here on a date night before and it became one of her favorite places to eat in Disney World.
• You want a unique dining experience — The flavors at Jiko are impeccable. You get a wonderful combination of African, Indian, and Mediterranean flavors that you may not find elsewhere. And the African wine selection is amazing.
• You want to try a Disney signature restaurant — There are a few signature restaurant experiences around Disney World, but Jiko is one of our favorites. In our opinion, it’s worth the drive to eat here!

Skip Jiko if…

• You’re on a tight budget — As a signature dining location, Jiko is pretty expensive. You’re getting elevated flavors, cuts of meat, and fancy options. These things come with a hefty price tag.
• You have picky eaters with you — There are some interesting and unique options at Jiko! If you or someone in your party doesn’t like to adventure outside of their comfort zone, this may not be the place for you. Take a look at the menu before booking a reservation to see if you find something that fits your taste.
• You’re not a fan of the ambiance — Jiko is an upscale restaurant that is a fine dining experience. This is different from most Disney restaurants, and it may not be to everyone’s liking. If you’re concerned about your little ones being able to be comfortable in a quiet atmosphere, we say skip it.

Final Thoughts

We loved our experience, once again, at Jiko. It never disappoints us (hence why we keep going back). The food and service is fantastic. We’ll continue to stop by to try their selections as they rotate and we recommend that you give it a try!

For more food takes, keep following DFB!

The ONE Thing You Must Try from EVERY SINGLE Disney World Table Service Restaurant

What is your favorite table service restaurant in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

The post REVIEW: This Is Why We Keep Going Back to Jiko in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.