One of the best aspects of Disney’s Animal Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is its food. The park offers standout dining options such as Yak & Yeti, Flame Tree Barbecue, Tiffins, and Satu’li Canteen. In particular, the Africa section has long showcased a uniquely themed quick-service location: Harambe Market, which has now closed for a menu overhaul.
Known for its flavorful, culturally inspired menu, Harambe Market was home to dishes like the Chicken and Shrimp Rice Bowl, made with chermoula-marinated chicken and peri peri-marinated shrimp over jollof rice with kachumbari tomato salad and tzatziki sauce. The menu stood out for its authenticity and bold flavors—rare in theme park quick service dining.
Unfortunately, those offerings are now gone.
The queue at Harambe Market in Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World – Photo Credit: That Park Place
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Harambe Market officially closed for refurbishment on October 20, 2025 and is expected to reopen in early 2026—but with a very different menu. The location is being updated to serve burgers and chicken nuggets, signaling a major shift away from African-inspired cuisine.
Harambe Market – Inspired by African Cuisine
While Harambe Market is currently closed, some of its outdoor seating remains available for guests but mostly sits empty in the mean time.
Seating area for Harambe Market in Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World – Photo Credit: That Park Place
Before its closure, the menu featured a variety of culturally inspired dishes.
According to TouringPlans.com, items at Harambe Market before it closed included:
- Beef and Lamb Kofta Pita — House-made beef and lamb kofta with tzatziki sauce, chermoula, and house-made chips
- Shrimp Caesar Salad — Romaine lettuce tossed in house-made Caesar dressing with peri peri-marinated shrimp, tomato, and grated Parmesan
- Plant-Based Kofta Pita — Impossible beef with plant-based aioli, chermoula, and house-made chips
In years prior, Harambe Market even offered more adventurous dishes such as African-inspired ribs, making it a go-to spot for those seeking unique quick-service dining in the park.
Why is Harambe Market Closed?
The refurbishment is tied to the upcoming closure of Restaurantosaurus in DinoLand U.S.A., one of the last remaining locations in that land. Restaurantosaurus is scheduled to close permanently on February 2, 2026. Since it currently serves traditional American theme park fare—burgers, fries, and chicken strips—Disney needs a new home for those offerings. That new home will be Harambe Market.
An ordering window at Harambe Market in Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World – Photo Credit: That Park Place
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To prepare for the menu change, Harambe Market has closed so its kitchen can be updated to handle its upcoming burger-and-chicken lineup.
The End of Restaurantosaurus
Restaurantosaurus opened with Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998 and was originally sponsored by McDonald’s. Even after the sponsorship ended in 2008, it remained the park’s primary location for classic American fast food.
The entrance of Restaurantosaurus in Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World – Photo Credit: That Park Place
With DinoLand U.S.A. being demolished to make way for the park’s new tropical Americas-themed land, Pueblo Esperanza, Restaurantosaurus will be replaced by a new dining location—one that is expected to serve cuisine inspired by the cultures of Central and South America. However, that replacement is not expected to open until 2027 at the earliest, and possibly as late as 2028.
The Future of Harambe Market
Disney has not yet announced an official reopening date for Harambe Market, but it will likely return before Restaurantosaurus closes. The updated menu will initially focus on replacing Restaurantosaurus’ offerings, though there’s hope that a few African-inspired dishes might remain.
The Kusafiri Coffee pickup window at Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World – Photo Credit: That Park Place
In the meantime, Kusafiri Coffee & Bakery—also in Africa—will temporarily expand its menu to offer lunch options, including:
- Harambe Chicken Rice Bowl
- Plant-Based Picadillo Rice Bowl
- Harissa Chicken Wrap
Whether Harambe Market will eventually return to its African culinary roots remains unknown. For now, guests should expect a temporary closure followed by a less adventurous American-style menu when it reopens in 2026.
Did you experience Harambe Market before it closed? Will you go back when it reopens? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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