Tiffins Lunch Review [New 2024 Menu]
*This gluten free dining experience took place in June 2024. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, chicken/turkey & cabbage allergies.
Lunch at Tiffins
Tiffins, located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, is a signature dining location that is inspired by the explorations of Disney Imagineers who designed the theme park. We have had some really wonderful dining experiences at Tiffins over the years, thought we haven’t been in a while. This restaurant can be a bit on the expensive side, so we were excited to see a new burger was added to the lunch menu at a slightly lower price point. We always enjoy a good signature burger, so we knew we wanted to check it out.
Atmosphere
Like everything at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Tiffins is beautifully themed with so many details to look it. The restaurant itself is named after “Tiffins” which are lunch containers often used in South Asia.
Tiffins Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
You’ll see nods to this throughout the restaurant, but you’ll also see these tiffins prominently featured on the restaurant’s main sign.
Tiffins - Lobby / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The restaurant’s lobby welcomes you and shares a bit more about the restaurant’s theming and what you’ll experience while dining here. There’s beautiful woodwork and unique lighting. Some of the lights even look like tiffins.
In the corners of the lobby, you’ll see enclosed glass shelving with artifacts and notes from Disney Imagineers. We highly recommend taking a look at these while you’re waiting to be seated or after your meal.
Tiffins - Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
There are several dining rooms with unique themes in Tiffins. We were seated in the Safari Gallery on this visit. But, we also really like the Grant Gallery too. Both rooms are equally well decorated and themed, but we do find the Safari Gallery to be a bit smaller and cozier.
Tiffins - Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
All throughout this dining room, you’ll see nods to inspiration for Kilimanjaro Safari and Harambe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The tiny baobab tree is really neat on one of the walls!
Tiffins - Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The art and the cozy seating really make this dining room inviting and one you’ll want to explore. Servers do recommend that you take some time to explore if you’re interested in learning more about the park design and inspiration Imagineers got during the park construction.
The Food
Like the theming, the food served at Tiffins is inspired by the travels of Imagineers. You’ll see dishes inspired by Africa, and Asia.
Because this restaurant is owned and operated by Disney, they do have an allergy-friendly menu. You can also speak to a chef at any time to discuss options.
Sarah with Tiffins Allergy-Friendly Menu / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On this visit, we did speak to a chef, so that we could ask questions about the new Tiffins signature burger. This burger is only available at lunch, and we received a separate small allergy-friendly lunch menu with a few additional options not available at dinner now.
The chef on this visit was super helpful, and we were able to talk through options and modifications for several different dishes, which was great. We always find the chefs at Tiffins to be so accommodating at making modifications and swapping out items if needed.
Tiffins - Iced Tea / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Before our food arrived, we did get several drinks. If you’re an iced tea drinker, the tea at Tiffins (and also at Nomad Lounge) is a unique one. It has passionfruit in it and has a hint of sweetness and fruity flavor. It’s not overpowering at all, and I love it for a refreshing twist on iced tea.
Tiffins - Glass of Wine / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Every time we go to Tiffins, I have to get a glass of wine. Outside of Jiko at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort, Tiffins has one of the largest collections of South African wines. I got a lovely pinotage on this visit that paired perfectly with the burger I got as my entree. If you’re a wine fan, you’ll definitely want to try the wines at Tiffins.
Tiffins - Tempting Tigress Cocktail / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon always gets the Tempting Tigress cocktail at Tiffins (also available at Nomad Lounge). It includes: Russell's Reserve 10yr Bourbon, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Tamarind Syrup, and Lime Juice. The tamarind syrup is house-made too. If you enjoy a good bourbon drink and a unique twist on an old fashioned, Brandon highly recommends this cocktail.
Tiffins - Pineapple Glazed Pork Belly / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For appetizers, we got a couple of different options. The first was a Pineapple-glazed Pork Belly which is a newer addition to the menu, since we dined at Tiffins last. It included: Pineapple-glazed Pork Belly with Guajillo Chili Sauce, Chicharrónes, and Spice Pickled Vegetable Slaw. This appetizer is marked Gluten Free and safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, Sesame, and Soy Allergies.
Because Brandon is allergic to vegetables in the cabbage family, they served the veggie slaw on the side. The gluten free fryer also flash fries fish in it, so the chicharrónes that were GF were also served on the side so that Brandon could try the pork belly. I forgot to take a photo of these on the side, but you can see them in our YouTube video of this restaurant.
Overall, we both liked this appetizer. The pork belly was very tender and the flavor profile was a little sweet and spicy. If you’re not a big spicy food fan, I might recommend skipping this. But, if you like pork belly and these kinds of flavors, it was a great GFDF appetizer option.
Tiffins - Brandon with Mac & Cheese (NOT Gluten Free) / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon had to get his favorite appetizer at Nomad Lounge and Tiffins — The Lobster Mac & Cheese…minus the lobster. This appetizer is NOT gluten free but when modified was safe for Brandon’s allergies including fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, chicken/turkey & cabbage. On the restaurant’s allergy-friendly menu, it was also marked safe for egg & sesame allergies too.
Brandon said that this is his favorite mac & cheese on Disney property. He loves it so much despite the steep price tag.
Tiffins - Side of Sautéed Lobster / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On this visit, we did ask if I could get the lobster normally added to this mac & cheese served gluten free and on the side. The chef said that was no problem and brought it out in a separate bowl. While it wasn’t the best sautéed lobster that I’ve ever had, I’m glad we could still have it served on the side so the price point of Brandon’s mac & cheese (at $19) didn’t feel quite as bad.
Tiffins Signature Burger (made gluten free) / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For entrees, we both got the Tiffins Signature Burger. It includes: In-house Beef and Pork Blend, Aged Cheddar, Demi-glace, and Seasoned Waffle Fries. Both our burgers were modified from the main version typically served. The photo shown here is the gluten free version. It was made GF by swapping out the bun. It is also marked safe for Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Sesame Allergies on the allergy-friendly menu.
If you’re dairy free, you’ll want to talk to a chef about modifications. The cheese needs to be omitted, but there may be dairy in the demi-glace sauce.
The waffle fries I had were made in the GF fryer that also contains fish. So, that meant Brandon’s fries needed to be made separately in a fresh pot of oil — not in the fryer. Brandon’s fries were also not seasoned like mine and did not come with the sauce on the side. Both of us agreed that the fries were good regardless of seasoning — though I personally though the spice they used on the fries was very good, and I loved the aioli.
The burger itself was good, but not as amazing as we had both hoped. The burger itself is good more on the medium rare side, so if you want your burger cooked more thoroughly, be sure to tell your server or a chef that. The demi-glace added a ton of flavor and was my favorite part of the burger. But, it definitely made it very messy to eat. Be prepared with hand wipes!
Brandon’s burger did not come with demi-glace due to chicken being used in the base, so he felt he was missing a lot of components that would have made his burger better. Overall, I think we both liked this but probably wouldn’t prioritize getting it again at Tiffins.
Tiffins - Sweet Mango Sticky Rice / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Tiffins has a new gluten free, dairy free & plant-based dessert on the menu since we dined at this restaurant last, so of course, I had to try it. The Sweet Mango Sticky Rice came with Sweet Jasmine Rice, Mango Gelée, Lemon Verbena-Avocado "Ice Cream," Avocado Sauce, and Sesame Florentine. It was marked Gluten Free and safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, and Peanut Allergies.
This was a real highlight of our meal. The flavors were all very unique and came together beautifully. the lemon verbena avocado “ice cream” was so good and so flavorful. It had a hint of mintiness to it that really surprised me. If you love a good rice based dessert or mango sticky rice in general, you will probably really enjoy this dessert.
For me, it was a great non-chocolate based GFDF dessert that I would definitely get again.
If you want to hear more about our experience at Tiffins, check out the vlog we did for our YouTube channel for more information.
Overall
We both continue to really enjoy and recommend Tiffins for guests visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom who are looking for a table service option. The food is elevated and beautifully presented. The chefs always do a wonderful job at navigating our special dietary needs. Plus, the theming at Tiffins is incredible. While we didn’t love the burger that we got for lunch, we do love that the restaurant is trying out new dishes and more affordable price points for guests interested in dining at this signature restaurant. We would highly recommend it for a nice meal to end your day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Plus, it’s right next door to Nomad Lounge, where you can get gluten free churros! What could be better?!
Have you been to Tiffins What was your experience dining there gluten free or with other special dietary needs?