Who Would Best Be Suited For This Location?
If your family likes ethnic cuisine, art and is ready to sit in the air conditioning for a while, this is the place for you. In fact, even if you have a couple picky eaters and a few adventurous souls, you will still be happy eating here. It is a signature dining location which means a.) you will be eating in a nice location, at a table with more than one server waiting on you = it's more expensive than other table service locations around the parks, and b.) you can expect there to be a wide selection of food and wines available, as well as a very accommodating kitchen.
What We Ordered:
You can reference the full menu here. It's full of fantastic selections! We arrived for lunch with a VERY picky kindergartener with food allergies, a somewhat adventurous preschooler, and 3 adult, self proclaimed foodies at our last dining experience at Tiffins. I had taken the time to email ahead (special diets) and ask specifically for chicken nuggets to be on the menu for the one who barely eats any other protein. They would not guarantee that they would be available, but lo and behold when we asked, they had them! In my experience, most signature dining locations will do this for you with a little planning ahead. Also, if you forgot to plan ahead, ask if they have them in the house. It's possible that they ordered a big bag of them at the request of someone else and still have some in the kitchen.
Our meal started with house made bread, and since I no longer eat gluten, I passed. As an alternative for me they brought out rice cracker "bread" made in house with the same olive oil and molasses combination to dip it in. Such a great alternative to the usual gluten free bread served elsewhere on property!
Preschooler:
Pasta Marinara followed by Caramel-Chocolate Cake
VERY picky Kindergartener:
Chicken Nuggets, Fries and Green Beans followed by Caramel-Chocolate Cake (chef made sure the cake was safe for his food allergies)
Foodie 1: Zinger Fizzie, Marinated Grilled Octopus, Pan-seared Duck Breast, Lime Cheesecake
Foodie 2: Jenn's Tattoo, Selection of Artisanal Cheeses, Berkshire Pork Tenderloin (no dessert)
Foodie 3: Annapurna Zing, Selection of Artisanal Cheeses, Duo of Venison, Sorbet Tasting
Suffice it to say, all meals were shared around our table and in all seriousness, the 3 foodies believed we had each ordered the best meal on the menu. All dishes were inspired and delicious. Nothing was over or under cooked. The only complaint at our table was from the VERY picky eater who asked our server, "why did you bring me these?" regarding his green beans.
And speaking of our server, we were delighted to meet someone from home who was very accommodating and just as tickled as we were regarding his complaint. Food allergies can be a pain to deal with but we never felt we were cause anyone any trouble. Our server's recommendations and advice were perfect. Our meal and experience were outstanding. We couldn't have asked for better.
And I can't wrap this up without a nod to the atmosphere at Tiffins. It is beautiful as well. It felt like an oasis (not just for the air conditioning). Tiffins is also an art gallery showing off a range of art that has inspired or become part of Disney's Animal Kingdom. It really is a feast for the eyes as well. And it kept our small tourists occupied as we waited for our meals to be ready.
In short, Tiffins will be part of our Animal Kingdom visits for many years to come. There was no wait for a table on a week day in the middle of June and we were over the moon with this perfect break in our hot and hectic theme park day. You really need to try this place if you haven't been. We can't wait to go back.
