In the heart of the African Savanna is a small area known as Kidani Village. This village has a lodge with an unassuming eatery serving vegan dishes. That eatery is Sanaa. Sanaa recently updated their menu and we are sharing our up to date review here:
Vegan Disney Food Review: Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village
Like most Disney Deluxe Resorts, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has its very own Disney Vacation Club (DVC). This area of the resort is called Kidani Village.
Once you pass through the security gates of the resort, you’ll head past Jambo House to get to Kidani Village, which is where Sanaa is located.
Kidani Village is themed very similarly to Jambo House with a matching layout.
This resort is also set along the edge of the Sunset Savanna, home to over thirty species of animals. As you make your way through the lobby you’ll head to the rear spiral staircase and down to the ground floor of the resort. This is where you’ll find Sanaa.
Sanaa Atmosphere
Sanaa is reminiscent of an East African-inspired spice market. Things move at a slower pace here. You’re not going to feel rushed when dining here. Many of the dishes are slow cooked as well.
Sanaa is the Swahili word for “work of art”
And rightfully so, here you will experience the art of African cooking infused with Indian flavors.
The dining Room is divided into the lounge, the main area and a small nook tucked up under the grand staircase.
The central part of the main dining room contains tables and booths which are set under the branches of an acacia tree.
The perimeter of the dining room houses large arched floor-to-ceiling windows which look out across Sunset Savanna.
Vegan Food Options at Sanaa
The menu at Sanaa has several vegan options. The most famous of which is the Indian-style Bread Service. Do NOT skip this appetizer! It’s a MUST when dining at Sanaa.
The Indian-Syle Bread Service is ($21) and comes with five pieces of vegan naan (which must be requested, the regular bread service contains dairy) and nine accompaniments. The accompaniments include
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Mango Chutney
- Tomato-Date Jam
- Tamarind Chutney
- Coriander Chuntey
- Garlic Pickle
- Red Chile Sambal
- Spicy Jalapeño-Lime Pickle
The ninth dip is cucumber riata which you’ll have to omit and double up on something else. My personal recommendation is the tamarind chutney.
All of the dips are phenomenal and are presented on a wooden board. One side of board is sweet and the other side of the board packs a little heat.
Another option off the “Appetizer” portion of the menu is the Salad Sampler ($10.00) which is vegan-as-is and comes with a trio of Berbere Black-Eyed Peas, Watermelon and Pickled Fennel and Tunisian Beet Chermula.
There’s a lot of acid in the salad sampler dressings, just an FYI.
My absolute favorite appetizer are the Samosas ($10.00) and they come two to an order. Crisp triangle pockets of dough are filled with potato and peas and sit on a tamarind and mango chutney. These used to only be available in the lounge, but they thankfully added them to the main menu.
And speaking of lounge menu, here’s the Malawi Mango Margarita ($16) my dining companion enjoyed on a previous visit. It’s a frozen blend of tequila, Van der Hum tangerine liqueur, mango purée, and freshly squeezed lime juice.
On to the mains shall we?
The star entree selection is the Potjie Inspired ($30) which comes with scented basmati rice and your choice of two “Harvest” options: Chickpea Wat, Lentil Daal, and the two new options: Rajma Masala, Sukuma Wiki.
This entree is outstanding and I challenge you to finish your plate after noshing on the bread service. We recently visited to try the new options of Rajma Masala and Sukuma Wiki. The Sukuma Wiki is the green dish below and is a traditional east African recipe with collard greens, onions, tomatoes and spices. It is absolutely delicious and a wonderful addition. I wasn’t ever a big fan of the Cilantro Coconut Vegetables, as it was often very light on flavor and hit or miss.
The other new dish is the Rajma Masala, which is kidney beans and tomatoes in a flavorful sauce. This is a north Indian dish and the spices here are usually cumin, ginger, coriander, cardamom, and red chiles among others. This was also very flavorful and I really enjoyed it. Also pictured above is the Chickpea Wat, one of my favorites, also heavy on the cardamom flavor. This was from my husband’s entree, but you can also add to your Potjie dishes for $7.
Also new to the menu is the Zanzibari Vegetable Curry ($22). This curry is such a delicious addition and will probably be my go-to entree from now on.
The Zanzibari Curry is served on a bed of basmati rice. The vegetables include cauliflower, carrots, lima beans, pickled onions, pearl onions, Brussels Sprouts, and yucca. The curry itself is coconut milk based, so slightly sweet, and mild. I loved these flavors and think this is a wonderful addition. It replaces the Vegetable Biryani at dinner.
The dinner menu is now the same for us vegans, offering the Potjie Inspired Harvest options or the Zanzibari Vegetable Curry, no modifications necessary.
And let us not forget dessert. There’s one you can modify fairly simply to be vegan. The Kheer ($8.00) is a coconut-rice pudding with cashew streusel and saffron-poached fruit. This looks different from its previous versions, but I enjoyed the updates. The cashew streusel is a delightful texture and the fruits are just the right amount of sweetness.
Sanaa is quite the hidden gem when it comes to plant-Based eating at Walt Disney World and I hope you’re adventurous and give it a shot on your next vacation. You can see our latest visit in our video review below (be sure to like and subscribe for more vegan Disney food reviews!):
LOOKING FOR VEGAN OPTIONS IN THE THEME PARKS, WATER PARKS AND DISNEY SPRINGS?
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LOOKING FOR VEGAN OPTIONS IN THE WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT HOTELS?
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