Sanaa Review
Sanaa is an African-inspired restaurant with Indian flavors in Kidani Village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge in Disney World. Sanaa has gained recognition as one of my top Walt Disney World table service restaurants. Seriously, check the wall, I mailed them a certificate of achievement. It should be hanging up. Sanaa is definitely out of the way, as it’s nestled back in the already-secluded Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Sanaa can be a cheap place to eat depending upon what you order, but it’s also one of the best values for using Table Service Disney Dining Plan credits if you order the right items. That means the item ranges pretty greatly in price! Sanaa participates in the Disney Dining Plan, and also accepts the Tables in Wonderland card for 20% off.
Sanaa has a really unique menu–so unique that it seems to scare away some potential patrons. Do not let its menu dissuade you from eating at Sanaa! As with a lot of menus, I think a lot of the descriptions are puffery. Many of the items here are unique, but some of the descriptions of even more standard items make them sound exotic, when that isn’t necessarily the case.
For example, if you enjoy more conservative meals, you may see the heading, “African Cooking with Indian Flavors” and dismiss-out-of-hand everything within that category. If you look a little deeper, you’ll see one of the items is a N.Y. Strip Steak. While its preparation with Chutney may not be the most conventional, a good steak is a good steak, and from what I’ve heard, this is an excellent steak. Just about anyone, regardless of their culinary-adventurousness, should be safe ordering this steak.
Here’s a look at some of our favorites from Sanaa…
Each time we’ve dined at Sanaa, we’ve received great and very attentive service by the staff (it’s rarely crowded). On our honeymoon, we received complimentary champagne, and when we last dined at Sanaa, our server brought out a complimentary Indian Bread Service.
Bread is something I would not typically order as an appetizer because most restaurants provide reasonably decent bread complimentary, but this bread has me re-thinking that position. The bread was amazing, unlike anything I’ve had at Walt Disney World. It was even better than the Le Cellier pretzel bread! The sauces, particularly the Cucumber Raita, were similarly delicious. This is arguably the highlight of a meal at Sanaa.
My favorite dish at Sanaa is the lunch menu’s Grilled Lamb Kefta. This consists of deliciously grilled lamb and the out-of-this world Cucumber-Yogurt Raita. It’s a bit messy, but just think of yourself as a zebra devouring a wildebeest! (One of these is the predator to the other, right? My animal knowledge is a bit lacking…)
At only $12.49, this Kefta was only a bit more expensive than a Quick Service meal, and it was decidedly more delicious, filling, and unique!
Sanaa’s menu is very unique, and may not be for everyone. There have been a couple of times there when I’ve thought a particular item didn’t sound so appealing, but after tasting it, I discovered it was excellent. I would hazard a guess that I could randomly order an item from the menu and would enjoy the cuisine. If you’re willing to deviate a bit from the traditional Disney dining menus, you might consider giving Sanaa a try.
One of the experiences that intrigues me at Sanaa is the opportunity to “Dine with an Animal Specialist.” This is a 4-course meal with an animal specialist during which the specialist explains some of the “secrets of the savannah.” Not many more details than this are known, but I’d imagine it’s comparable to Dining with an Imagineer.
I’d rather dine with an Imagineer, but if you’re really interested in animals, or have a child who dreams of this line of work, this might be a great experience. More details can be found here.
Overall, Sanaa is one of the newer Walt Disney World restaurants, along with The Wave, that despite its excellent cuisine, hasn’t developed a real following and has actually had some trouble filling tables. I hope this improves so the menu isn’t dumbed down, as it’s presently one of my favorite places to eat at Walt Disney World, and probably the restaurant that is the most adventurous at Walt Disney World menus. It combines great cuisine with great prices and great views (second perhaps only to Coral Reef if you’re a wildlife lover) into the unnatural/natural Disney World. I would consider it a must-visit for any Walt Disney World guest, and not a place that should scare away non-adventurous eaters. There truly is something on the menu for everyone, even if it takes examining the menu a bit closer.
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Your Thoughts…
Do you enjoy the diverse menu and ambiance of Sanaa? Which menu items are you favorites? If you’re not a fan, post why. If you have any other questions or comments, share them in the comments.
My family just booked the Dine with an Animal Specialist experience for our March trip. We did Dining with an Imagineer at the Brown Derby in 2012 and enjoyed it very much. I will let you know how our experience with the Animal Specialist at Sanaa is!
Hi! We are exited to experience Sanaa! We have a 4 year old daugther and would love her to experience the animals view. Do you recommend lunch or dinner?
Do you need reservations to eat dinner here?
Thanks for all of your useful information!
Terri
It’s never a bad practice to have ADRs, but Sanaa is not all that popular–walk-ups are usually available.
Hands down the BEST restaurant at WDW! Every single thing I have ever had there is phenomenal! I seriously crave the food and need more recipes!!
My husband and I plan at eating at Sanaa on our Honeymoon in November. Seems like we made a good choice!
Better than Le Cellier pretzel bread, wow, this needs to go on my list! Couldn’t get in when we were there in December!
We are headed back to WDW in December, staying at Kidani Village and eating at one of the AKL restaurants is at the top of my list. Since we are forgoing the dining plan this time, (we come out ahead by not using it) Sanaa sounds like the perfect fit. Thanks for the recommendation.
Are the items available for lunch the same as the ones available for dinner? I was leafing through the online menu, but the only options shown for lunch is Dine with Animanl Specialists. I have a 3 year old so I’d also like to know if it’s hard getting there…
Thanks.
I’d keep looking for a lunch menu. There are similarities, but differences, too. Good luck! 🙂
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DH and I are going to be staying at AKL for a short anniversary trip. We we will only have time for one resort meal and were planning on Jiko but now I’m not sure. Cost isn’t an issue and the food appeals to us equally. If you could only pick one, Jiko or Sanaa?
If cost isn’t an issue, Jiko for sure. It’s one of Disney’s best restaurants. Sanaa is great, but it’s not in the same league food-wise. (It’s also not in the same league, price-wise.)
Sanaa has fast become a destination for us while @ WDW.
We have found, that arriving for lunch at 11:30 or so, the place is so relaxed, that the wait staff have the time to talk about the menu and can offer recommendations.
The first time we were there, we took about 2 hours to eat our meal, sampling much over that time. Our waiter was wonderful. And as the saying go, we got “drunk” on the food.
We returned in Nov 2013, with more in tow, and our guests, who have not experienced the flavors before, were equally impressed. Including our son, who’s a meat and potatoes man, who loved his beef dish. Not to mention, we went thru 4 orders of the bread!
Love Jiko, we get the RIP wine (which has a different meaning in Africa). A friend of mine was pregnant and they gave her some nice souvenirs and a special desert. Can’t say enough good things about it.
We ate at Sanaa our last trip (Oct 2013) and I had the Butter Chicken after reading on DisneyFoodBlog that AJ “lurved” it. Well now I do too! So much that I asked Chef David for the recipe and make it at home. This is an awesome restaurant!
Do you know if they would allow me to order the lamb kefta at dinner? Thanks!
Oh my, zebras and wildebeests acctually migrate together every year(here crossing the river -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv1K1RGB3qY) to decrease the chance of getting eaten by their main predator – lions, but also crocodiles, hyenas, leopards and other nice guys.
( nice basic article on the migration as a safari experience 😉 http://goafrica.about.com/od/africasafariguide/a/annualmigration.htm )
Oh, sure – I’m planning a disney honeymoon in dec 2013 😉 Thanks for help!
We had less than 24 hours to spend with our adult son who was traveling to Orlando on business. We stayed at the Jamba Lodge and ate at Sanaa. I made a reservation in advance and notified the restaurant that our son was a vegan. When we got there, the staff told us that the chef would come to our table to discuss vegan options. wow! As it turned out, the chef didn’t have to come to the table because Sanaa has a vegan menu. Double Wow! We loved it and hope to return again soon. Food was delicious, service fine and atmosphere lovely.
Vegan menu!! Thank you I’m vegan and am kinda dreading the eating situation. Ill have for 2 weeks. I’m from the u.k
We will definitely try Sanaa thanks to your review…and The Wave!
We ate at Sanaa during our trip to WDW in October 2011. It’s one of my favourite memories from the trip. Before dinner they asked us if we would like to spend some time looking through the night vision goggles at the animals on the savannah – it was amazing! They had 2 rangers there, both of whom had my children captivated and who were really patient answering all of their questions. The food was great too – we really enjoyed it all, from the bread service to the curries. The waitress was also brilliant, and spent time talking to both the children about her home country. We are from the UK and eat quite a lot of curry at home, but the whole experience was amazing. We are going back to WDW next year and Sanaa is high on the list of restaurants that we MUST do again!!
My husband and I tried Sanaa during our honeymoon in May because we wanted a restaurant closer to our resort (we were renting points for DVC at AKL). We were blown away! Our favorite part was the bread service and the shrimp in green curry sauce. My first review on DIS is here – http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=45600031&postcount=275. We could not stop talking about that restaurant since the first night we tried it, so we just had to make another ADR for later in the week! We ordered the bread service again, a scallop appetizer, and more shrimp in green curry sauce. It’s been almost 6 months since we’ve eaten there, and we are STILL obsessed. We are already planning to eat there this December!
Hi! I’m a spanish boy who is planning a trip to WDW next summer. If you had to make a choice, which restaurant would you recommend. Sanaa or Jiko- The cooking place?
Thanks! (Sorry for my english, just 15 😀 )
I’ve been to both recently. Once to Jiko, many times to Sanaa. Both are fantastic, but Sanaa is cheaper, less fancy, slightly better interior plus you get to see the animals. The food there truly is delicious and the service is good. Can you tell we love it? Even our kids insist we eat there when visiting WDW!
Jiko
I love Sanaa. The chili sambal in the bread flight had my nose and eyes doing their best waterfall impression (so spicy!) but it was so tasty at the same time, full of flavor and depth, I couldn’t stop eating it. My eating companions were laughing at my complex conundrum. Eat and cry? Or stop eating and not enjoy the deliciousness?
After numerous glowing reviews from you, the WDW Today guys, and the Disney Food Blog, I decided to take the plunge and make an ADR at Sanaa for my March spring break trip. I am so excited. One of my Disney resolutions for 2012 is to try a new restaurant each time I’m in the World. If my meal is anything less than memorable and fabulous, I will obviously hold all of you personally responsible. Just kidding…
On a similar note, thanks to your honeymoon trip report that showered it with praise and solidified my desire to eat there, back on Dec 19th I tried Ohana for the first time, and my husband and I decided it was one of our most fun evenings ever in Disney. Therefore you have already earned my trust in Disney cuisine. Also you like sausage mcmuffins which pretty much tells me all I need to know about your taste in food – it rocks.