Sanaa Dinner Review
*This review includes gluten free dining experiences from April 2022 and November 2022. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut, hazelnut, cabbage, and chicken & turkey allergies.
Dinner at Sanaa
Sanaa, located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kidani Village, is one of our favorite table service restaurants on Disney property. We absolutely love it for the amazing food (which includes a very special diets friendly menu) and the theme. We especially love dining here for an earlier dinner, so that we can get great views of the animals out on the resort’s savanna, which you can see from the restaurant’s windows. This review includes two visits we made to Sanaa, including one visit after the restaurant updated its menu.
Atmosphere
Sanaa’s theme is meant to evoke a traditional spice market, and you’ll feel like you’re in an open air market with the large tree structures built throughout the restaurant.
Sanaa Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Sanaa means “work of art” in Swahili, and you’ll also see many different pieces of artwork throughout the restaurant.
Sanaa Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
There’s so much to look at in the restaurant, and I especially love the tree structures in the middle of the restaurant. No matter where you are seated in Sanaa, you’ll have a lot to look at!
The Food
Like most restaurants owned and operated by Disney, Sanaa does have an allergy-friendly menu. You can also always speak directly to a chef about options, especially if you have questions or wish to discuss modifications. On our first visit to Sanaa in this review, we did speak with a chef, because the menu was new, and we weren’t sure what options Brandon might have because he has allergies outside of the top common allergens, which are listed on the allergy-friendly menu.
Sanaa - Allergy-Friendly Bread Service / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
A must anytime you go to Sanaa is the gluten free & allergy-friendly bread service. This includes a gluten free & allergy-friendly naan bread and a variety of sauces. Both the bread and all of the sauces, except the cucumber raita, are gluten free, dairy free, and vegan. If you have a tree nut allergy, it is not listed as tree nut free because the bread contains coconut oil (and coconut is classed as a tree nut by the FDA).
We both absolutely love the allergy-friendly bread service. The gluten free naan bread has evolved over the years, and recently, we’ve noticed it’s been changed up a bit due to supply chain issues (it is typically made using Cup4Cup’s Wholesome Flour Blend). But, it’s always super tasty, and we both love the difference accompaniments.
My favorites are the red pepper hummus, coriander chutney, mango chutney, and tomato date chutney. Brandon’s are the tamarind chutney, red chili sambal, and jalapeno-lime pickle. Brandon definitely prefers more of the spicy sauces!
Sanaa - Potjie Inspired Dishes / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On our first visit, I opted to get the newly updated Potjie Inspired bowls. I got the Pork Vindaloo and the Sukuma Wiki (braised greens). Both were marked Gluten Free and safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies. I was also served a side of basmati rice.
Overall, I really enjoyed both of these new dishes, and I was excited to see another gluten free and dairy free meat option on the menu. The pork was very flavorful and not as spicy as I was anticipating. It did have a little bit of spice to it, but it was very pleasant and super flavorful. The braised greens with stewed tomatoes were also very good. If you like dishes like collard greens, you will enjoy this dish. I would definitely get both again and would recommend them.
Sanaa - Zanzibari Vegetable Curry with Shrimp / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On our second visit, I tried the Zanzibari Vegetable Curry with Shrimp. This dish can be made with just vegetables and not protein, making it a gluten free, dairy free & vegan option. The version I had was marked Gluten Free and safe for Egg, Milk, Peanut, and Sesame Allergies. It does contain coconut milk.
I really enjoyed this dish. It had a nice blend of vegetables, and the curry sauce had a nice flavor. It was a little tangy, and a little sweet. The spice level was fairly mild. Adding shrimp or even chicken is a nice option for the dish too. Overall, I may have preferred my entree from our first visit, but I would definitely get this again too.
Sanaa - Grilled New York Strip / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
One slightly disappointing thing from the new menu is that the restaurant (at the time we visited) no longer had a safe potato option on the menu. Brandon’s New York Strip entree typically comes with an African inspired mashed potato, but unfortunately, it contain chicken broth. Instead, the chef swapped out his sides for kids’ mac & cheese and a side of basmati rice. Brandon is not a big rice fan, so next time we will ask for a different side if we can. The dish as marked on the allergy-friendly menu is listed as Gluten Free and safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, and Peanut/Tree Nut Allergies.
Overall, he said this dish was good but not amazing — simply because it wasn’t really the entree it should have been due to the modifications made for his special dietary needs. He liked the steak and the mac & cheese but probably wouldn’t order again for a while.
Sanaa - Lamb Kefta (NOT Gluten Free) / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
In fact, on our second visit, he actually ordered several appetizers instead of an entree for his meal. He ordered the Lamb Kefta which is marked safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies. It can be made gluten free by omitting the couscous that comes with the dish.
Brandon absolutely loves this appetizer and recommends it highly, especially if you enjoy lamb. He said that he will probably continue ordering a variety of appetizers on the menu to make up a meal, because the bread service is often so filling too (and we always order the bread service!).
If you want to hear more about our experience at Sanaa, check out the vlog we did for our YouTube channel for more information.
Overall
We highly recommend Sanaa for guests with special dietary needs. There’s so many options on the menu, and we absolutely love the allergy-friendly bread service. Though the menu may sound a bit adventurous, we definitely encourage guests to give it a try. Brandon is admittedly a bit fussier on food options, and even he really enjoys the food at Sanaa. If you’re looking for a table service restaurant with a great theme and great food, Sanaa is one to add to your list! We always look forward to dining at the restaurant and recommend it to our friends visiting the Disney Parks & Resorts too.
Have you been to Sanaa? What was your experience dining there?