Boma - Flavors of Africa

✨ The Magic & Mayhem Must-Knows

Location: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House
Best for: Guests who love trying new to you foods, travelers staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge or those visiting the lodge
Serving: Breakfast and dinner buffet
The Scene: An African marketplace-inspired dining room with open kitchens, warm wood accents and incredible aromas that drift into the lodge lobby
Must-Try: Zebra Domes and POG mimosas
Would We Return? We do often. Boma has become one of our favorite buffets at Walt Disney World.

Some restaurants are love at first bite. Boma wasn’t one of them.

We first wandered into Boma after spending the day as part of the audience for the 2008 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade taping at Magic Kingdom. Since we’d never visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge before, we spent some time exploring the stunning resort before making our way down to dinner.

At the time, I’d never tried African-inspired cuisine, so I truly had no idea what to expect. The reviews were glowing, though, and I figured it was the perfect excuse to experience both the restaurant and the resort.

The buffet absolutely stretched for what felt like miles and was one of the largest we’d seen anywhere on property. The chefs happily answered questions about the dishes, offered little bits of trivia and made the experience feel welcoming, even for someone who wasn’t familiar with many of the offerings.

When we left that evening, I was glad we’d tried it…but I wasn’t convinced it needed to become a regular stop.

Fast forward four years.

During a stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge, we found ourselves walking past Boma several times a day. Between Ogun’s Fire Pit in the lobby and the incredible aromas drifting upstairs from the restaurant, we couldn’t stop talking about it. We resisted the first night. The second day, curiosity won.

And that’s when, apparently, my taste buds changed.

The Scene

Boma is inspired by the lively marketplaces found throughout Africa, and the atmosphere strikes a wonderful balance between energetic and relaxing.

Open kitchens allow you to watch chefs preparing fresh dishes while the warm colors, wood details and natural textures make the restaurant feel like an extension of Animal Kingdom Lodge itself.

One of my favorite things about dining here is that it gives you a reason to spend time at one of Disney’s most beautiful resorts. Before or after your meal, take some time to explore the lobby, wander out to the savanna overlooks or simply relax in one of the rocking chairs with a view of the animals.

Even if you’re not staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Boma makes a pretty great excuse to visit.

The Food

One of Boma’s biggest strengths is the incredible variety.

The buffet features dishes inspired by cuisines from across Africa alongside plenty of other options, making it easy to build a plate that matches your tastes while still discovering something new.

The carved meats are consistently excellent, and the buffet is filled with soups, stews, salads, vegetables, breads, rice dishes and a variety of delicious sides. There are so many choices that you’ll almost certainly find yourself going back for another lap…or three.

Breakfast has become one of our favorite buffets on property as well, with Mickey waffles and breakfast classics sharing space with several of Boma’s signature flavors.

And then there are the desserts.

Yes, the Zebra Domes deserve every bit of the hype they receive, but don’t stop there. The dessert station offers a wide variety of sweets, and we’ve yet to leave disappointed.

Breakfast

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Dinner

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The chefs have also always gone out of their way to help us celebrate special occasions. Birthdays have been marked with surprise desserts, and my grandparents even received a beautiful sangria and dessert presentation for their 55th wedding anniversary. Those little touches are never guaranteed, but they’re always appreciated.