10 best theme park restaurants in 2022, according to readers

Photo courtesy of E+ / svetikd

Gone are the days when amusement park food meant overpriced greasy burgers and cotton candy. The nation’s top parks are catering more and more to sophisticated palates with restaurants boasting high-quality food in unique environments. We asked a panel of experts to select the 20 best nominees, then readers voted over four weeks to select the top 10.  Scroll to see the winners for Best Theme Park Restaurant.

Photo courtesy of Knott’s Berry Farm

No. 10: Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant at Knott’s Berry Farm

This family restaurant at Knott’s Berry Farm has been serving its famous chicken, biscuits and boysenberry pie since 1934, back when Mrs. Knott did all of the cooking. Since then, it’s estimated that over 20 million people have eaten chicken dinners here, but current offerings include farm-fresh breakfasts and family-style meals as well as salad and gluten-free options.

Photo courtesy of Matt Stroshane / Walt Disney World

No. 9: Be Our Guest Restaurant at Walt Disney World

Named for the famous “Be Our Guest” scene in “Beauty and the Beast,” this dining experience at Magic Kingdom Park features three different themed rooms, including a magnificent ballroom, the Beast’s West Wing study and the Castle Gallery designed as a replica of Belle’s private library. The same menu of American and French cuisine is featured throughout with quick-service ordering by tablets at each table during lunch and breakfast. Dinner is a more formal sit-down affair.

Photo courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort

No. 8: Leaky Cauldron at Universal Orlando Resort

If you’re looking for traditional British food while you’re at Universal Orlando Resort, slip inside this dining hall. Fans of Harry Potter will remember it as the oldest pub in London at One Diagon Alley, built by Daisy Dodderidge as a gateway to the non-wizarding world. You can enjoy bangers and mash, fisherman’s pie, toad in the hole and ploughman’s platter while your kids feast on fish and chips.

Photo courtesy of Anna Puzatykh // Getty Images

No. 7: Das Festhaus at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

With a restaurant decked out like a Bavarian beer garden, this taste of Germany will transport you to the old country. Sample their knackwurst, bratwurst, red cabbage and German potato salad in air-conditioned comfort while being entertained with singing and dancing. Don’t miss the sausage sampler if you have a healthy appetite. It’s a great place to take a break and relax while touring Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

Photo courtesy of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

No. 6: Zambia Smokehouse at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Zambia Smokehouse is a restaurant located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida. It’s a casual dining eatery with an open barbeque pit, offering a variety of meats, ribs, sandwiches, salads and vegetables. Beer and wine selection is provided for adults, and both indoor and outdoor seating are available.

Photo courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort

No. 5: Mythos Restaurant at Universal Orlando Resort

The unique setting of Mythos alone is a feast for the senses. Guests step into a grotto with intricate carvings of ancient figures on the walls and towering rock formations. A seasonal menu offers salmon, risotto, pad thai, burgers and more. A full wine list is also available while outside seating provides views of Islands of Adventure’s inland sea and colorful islands.

Photo courtesy of Dollywood

No. 4: Aunt Granny’s Restaurant at Dollywood

Aunt Granny’s restaurant is a sit-down dining restaurant located in Rivertown Junction at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Guests choose from a variety of comfort food meats and sides, such as fried chicken and macaroni and cheese, which are constantly refilled at the table so that each guest can help themselves to as much as they want. Bread and desserts are also included to round out the meal.

Photo courtesy of Busch Gardens Williamsburg

No. 3: Trappers Smokehouse at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Follow the intoxicating aroma of outdoor pit barbecue to the New France section of Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and you’ll find Trapper’s Smokehouse. Nothing beats hickory and oak-smoked spareribs and slow-smoked chicken with a side of mac and cheese, and if you’re hungry, tackle the sampler. The beef brisket is smoked for ten hours, but you’ll want to save room for their tempting selection of desserts. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Landry’s, Inc.

No. 2: Yak and Yeti at Walt Disney World

Yak & Yeti, a Nepalese-style restaurant inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom, serves a menu of pan-Asian dishes – ahi tuna nachos, pork potstickers and tempura chicken – at the base of Expedition Everest. Adult diners can sip on Asian beers, chilled sakes and creative cocktails from the full-service bar. An adjacent quick-service restaurant offers lunch and dinner on the go.

Photo courtesy of EzumeImages // Getty Images

No. 1: Confisco Grille at Universal Orlando Resort

This grill offers a menu influenced by Asian, Mediterranean, Greek and other cuisines, conveniently located at the Port of Entry at Islands of Adventure. You’ll have trouble deciding between French onion soup and pad thai, pork belly banh mi or American burgers, sticky ribs and ahi tuna nachos, among other delicious options. This relaxed indoor setting is the perfect way to introduce global flavors to family members of all ages.