Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe Review & Photos

This review is for the quick service side of Yak & Yeti. Looking for the table service restaurant? You can find that review here.

Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe is located in Asia at Disney’s Animal Kingdom between Up! A Great Bird Adventure and the observation area for the gibbons. The menu features quick-service variations of items from the adjacent table service restaurant with seasonal specials that can be enjoyed in a large and thematically detailed outdoor seating area.

This review focuses on the lunch and dinner menu, though in recent years Yak & Yeti has launched a breakfast menu as well. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen it open for breakfast, which may be because when I arrive early to Animal Kingdom I’m not usually in Asia, but it’s possible that it’s only open for breakfast seasonally. For lunch and dinner, the menu includes Asian-inspired cuisine with items like honey chicken and rice, beef bowls, and spring rolls. The restaurant also offers an American Kobe Beef Cheeseburger, and has recently begun offering an American Kobe Beef Hot Dog as well.

Since moving back to Massachusetts, I don’t dine at Yak & Yeti as often as I used to simply because when I’m limited on where I can eat in Animal Kingdom on a week-long trip I would probably choose Flame Tree Barbecue or Satu’li Canteen instead. That’s nothing against Yak & Yeti though, because the food is really good and I think it’s one of the best values for quick service in the park. During my Disney College Program, I probably are here more than any other quick service restaurants in the park because you could get a meal for about $10 (assuming you get a cup of water to drink). As of the time of this article (June 2018) the majority of the menu items are still under $12, which makes it on the much more reasonable side of Disney quick service dining.

My go-to lunch/dinner here has always been the honey chicken. It comes with veggies like sugar snap peas and carrots, and with a side of white rice, and while it’s not exactly the same it’s pretty similar to the table service version from the restaurant next door for only a fraction of the price. It’s really an excellent dish and the only thing that holds me back from getting it more often is really just that there are other more unique dining options in the park. If you have picky eaters with you though and you don’t want to get standard theme park food like cheeseburgers and fries but you can’t go for something too adventurous something like this from Yak & Yeti can be just the thing.

In terms of price, it’s also worth pointing out that I don’t think Yak & Yeti is a great use of dining plan credits. With entree prices on the lower end of Disney quick service prices, I would save any dining plan credits for something more expensive and pay out of pocket for this one so you can maximize the value of the plan.

The menu at Yak & Yeti changes A LOT. The menu technically changes seasonally, but I notice this menu changing almost every time I visit Animal Kingdom. The honey chicken and the beef bowl seem like fan-favorite dishes that will probably stick around for a while, but I would hazard a guess that anything else on the menu is fair game to be removed or updated at any time.

Since the menu changes so frequently, my other go-to here is whatever the special is. If you look next to the registers rather than on the permanent menu signs, you may find a menu item that’s specific to the day, week, or month you’re visiting. If the special happens to be something you’re interested in, I would give it a try since it may not be there the next time you visit (like the ribs pictured above!)

I may not have a full meal at Yak & Yeti that often, but that doesn’t mean I don’t stop here for the occasional snack, cup of water, or Safari Amber. The pork egg rolls here are a good grab-and-go option if you’re looking to have a quick snack on your way to Expedition Everest and at $3.29 for one or $5.99 for two, they are also on the less expensive side of Disney snack options. Like most Asian quick service restaurants in Disney (or in Orlando in general from what I’ve seen?) they don’t have real duck sauce, but the packets are just fine for an on-the-go snack like this.

Lastly, Yak & Yeti does not usually offer any kind of specialty cocktails, just Safari Amber and sangria. If you are looking for Safari Amber (or Beso del Sol sangria) while in Asia however, I would get it at Yak & Yeti, especially if the park is on the more crowded side. The Thirsty River Bar on the other side of the restaurant towards Expedition Everest and the Dawa Bar in the opposite direction in Africa are almost always busier than Yak & Yeti, so if you are just looking for beer or wine you can skip the line at those bars by ordering it here instead.

Yak & Yeti’s dining area is kind of hit or miss among Disney fans, but I enjoy it for what it is. It’s beautifully themed with the rest of the area to fit into the village of Anandapur but guests are sometimes disappointed to learn that there is no indoor seating area and during lunch and dinner rushes or the busier times of year it can get really crowded. Despite it being crowded on occasion I’ve never had an issue finding a seat here, and while I know the lack of air conditioning is a deal-breaker for some guests, the design of the dining area here along with the fact that it’s tucked away from the rest of the commotion of the park make it one of my favorite spots to sit and relax in Animal Kingdom.

Have you tried Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe? It’s not my favorite quick service restaurant in the park (that honor goes to Flame Tree Barbecue) but it’s a really solid choice for a quick service lunch or dinner. Let me know if you’ve tried it and if you have a favorite meal or snack here in the comments!