Zoo Restaurants

Arizona Docent

Arizona Docent

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
On of my biggest complaints is when zoos serve only junk food. A few zoos actually have full upscale restaurants, with quality meals and waiter service. Here's the four I know of in the U.S. - can anyone list any more?

Arizona Sonora Desert Museum (Ocotillo Cafe)
Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (Tiburon Restaurant)
San Diego Zoo (Albert's Restaurant)
Busch Gardens (Crown Colony House)

[Ironically, the only one of these I have not eaten in is the one in my own town - Ocotillo Cafe. That's because the "quick service" grill at Arizona Sonora Desert Museum has such an outstanding food selection - best I've seen at any zoo quick serve by far - and the view is actually better than at the nearby upscale restaurant.]
 
The Dallas World Aquarium has thee eateries in it. A quick snack bar (with margaritas!) and two upscale restaurants. One is on the ground level while the other is located above the rainforest canopy. I haven't eaten at either as they are a bit out of my league.

Incidentally Fort Worth has taken a different approach and they have actual name restaurants come in like Pizza Hut, Burger King, Grandy's and Dickie's Barbecue.
 
Melbourne Zoo has three eateries...Two are just fast food chips, pies etc and the other is a bistro style cafe. I don't have any problem with the food itself but my only complaint is that it's always over priced. Is this the case in America and the UK?
 
I never eat at a restaurant/cafe i find them far too expensive and instead bring a picnic (I find zoos are usually overpiced generally, we just can't afford them :( )...ocasionlly I buy an ice cream ;)

What i'm rambling on about is that zoo cafe's/ restaurants are (usually) overpriced.
 
As a generalization, American zoo cafes are not that expensive, so maybe it's an overseas thing. Of course, if you really can't afford it, that's understandable. But don't forget, food sales are a big part of how they raise money to feed the animals. Also, at my zoo at least, a portion of all cafe sales is donated to field conservation projects.
 
I don't think the meals in zoos are particularly over-priced. The prices seem generally comparable with a pub meal (and are often better quality), bottled drinks are no more expensive than you'd pay in a city newsagent and, in any and every case, are way cheaper and offer greater variety than amusement parks.

I'm not saying they are necessarily affordable to those on tight budgets (especially families) and picnics are often cheaper (and it can be great pitching down next to an enclosure when no-one else's around) but I wouldn't say the prices are excessive.

My particular favourite is the restaurant at Howletts, but Chester, Paignton and Edinburgh are also pretty good.

Actually just remembered (excuse my contradiction) London & Whipsnade ARE overpriced -though consistent with the (overpriced) entrance fees I suppose
 
I would tend to agree that the meals are a bit pricey--I just paid nearly $50 for 2 large lemonades, a hamburger& fries, a cheeseburger & fries, Chicken nuggets & fries amd a hot dog & fries at Cincinnati Zoo. In most cases, however, outside concessionaires must pay a portion of their sales to the zoo.
 
When we first started rebuilding the Bali Zoo i couldn't understand why customers were not entering the restaurant .Two days into it i over heard an Indonesian taxi driver tell his passengers not to eat at the zoo as they serve up animals that have died at the zoo ,as well dog and cats .The zoo had an area at the rear of the restaurant where they would keep some young animals in cages ...Not a good look .Any way the word had been gossiped among the taxis and they really believed it .The restaurant was very quickly gutted and rebuilt .Hence to say many animals/birds were released back to the wild as well new homes built ,not any where near the restaurant .
I like to boast now the restaurant is the best i have ever eaten at ,the chef is from the Hyatt with 30 yrs exp .Three weeks ago i was at the restaurant and had to wait for a seat ,word has got out (the foods very safe and healthy ) The costings are very reasonable too .
 
Re. Zoo Restaurants.

Zoos which do not have proper restaurants (i.e. with waiters , as opposed to self-service) are missing out on a huge corporate entertainment goldmine , even in recessionary times.Companies are always looking for new and original settings for wining and dining their customers and zoos have always been a favourite option.However , even an otherwise excellent zoo will miss out completely if the best they have to offer is a hamburger restaurant - that much is obvious.I am all for catering facilities offering good food at popular prices - a zoo visit can be quite expensive for a family even before dining is taken into account.I have fond memories of dining in zoo restaurants when even pretty ordinary fare seemed exquisite on account of the inspiring surroundings.Sadly, the same zoos are only offering self-service nowadays and at prices not that much cheaper than when they employed waiters.And sadly for those zoos , I can not justify organizing corporate entertainment for my company in hamburger restaurants and must take my € elsewhere.
 
Chester have two "mainstream" restaurants and both offer quite a different experience.

The Tsavo Cafe has a distinct African theme and offers the typical plated meals and confectionary. It has indoor and outdoor seating and if eating outdoors, guests can see rhinos, warthogs and mongeese (is that the right term? ;)). People are also encouraged to recycle their waste with the presence of two "recycling stations"

The Ark Restaurant is a standard fast food/burger bar outlet with no real theme and is "the family restaurant" due to it's location next to the playground.

From my experience, Tsavo cafe's food is nicer than the Ark's, but I don't tend to use either that much. One of the problems with both is that there is a lack of single or double seated tables. Both indoors have long fixed tables which show that they are aimed for large groups or families. This means that is hard to get a seat if you are visiting on your own.

Aside from these two outlets, there is the Acorn Bar and BBQ which is quite pleasant as it is out of the way and therefore not too busy. It offers simple BBQ food and light lunches. It's where i tend to eat if I haven't brought a picnic.

European Fauna: Chester has a manor which is used for events (weddings, dinners etc). I think it's restaurant uses a waiter service, but i can't say for certain because i haven't been inside

(p.s. reviewing restaurants on a zoo website... surreal ;))
 
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I think the Oakfield has a waitress service.

On my last visit to Chester, people were complaining that there was only one till working in the Ark Restaurant, and there was a huge queue.
 
3 European zoo restaurants I recommend to visit in regard to the design ideas:

-Brno Tiger Restaurant
-Chomutov rustical "Russian" Restaurant
-Leipzig Savannah Restaurant
 
European Fauna said:
Zoos which do not have proper restaurants (i.e. with waiters , as opposed to self-service) are missing out on a huge corporate entertainment goldmine , even in recessionary times.
Click to expand...

I agree totally, a zoo could hire out a building to an outside firm, saving them time and money from hiring staff, and earning them money from the rent. I think it is a missed opportunity in many zoos.

As for the money side of it, I would definately agree that zoos are overpriced. I live in an expensive area, and I find zoo restuarants and cafes extortionate!! :eek:

I went to Twycross on Wednesday, and was charged £6.40 for 2 coffees (self service from a machine) a powder hot chocolate, and a mini muffin! :D
 
I can't remember exactly where I read it but I have a feeling I saw something about the correct plural of mongoose being mongooses, as the ending 'goose' does not derive from the same root as the word 'goose' as in the bird. I hope that makes sense.
 
I'm split sided with Marwell's new restaraunt, Cafe Graze. It's mainly positives; designed with an African theme of thin wood panels, absolutely excellent food (it is locally sourced and fair trade, so no commercial stuff apart from the fizzy drinks) and obviously it's location, creating a fabulous vantage point over the African Valley and surrounding fields and woods so you can watch the giraffe, zebra, waterbuck and ostrich as you eat lunch or drink you're tea. However, the interior is very small compared to restaraunts of other large zoos, as it was obviously designed for outdoor eating to take vantage of the valley views, but not great if it's cold, windy and/or raining. This means it can get very crowded and noisy with the usual hoard of demanding babies and toddlers.
In my opinion, they should have made an upper level to the restaraunt allowing more interior space and outdoor views, and perhaps a more eliquent restaraunt with waiter service in Marwell Hall overlooking the back lawn.
 
My problem with Cafe Graze is the fact that you supposedly can watch the Valley while you eat, but you can't. The fencing is too high. And obviously, its high for a reason. But maybe something esle could have been done to make viewing easier when sat down.
 
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