One of the nagging questions during a theme park visit irritates everyone. “Where do you want to eat?” It’s almost reflexively answered by the useless reply of, “I dunno. Where do you want to eat?” Picking a meal at home is exhausting enough. At least you know the options, though. When you’re on vacation, you’re at a strange place where you have no idea where to eat. For all you know, some of the stuff isn’t even edible. Well, I can’t help you with everywhere on the planet, but I do know a thing or two about theme parks. Here’s the best place to eat at the eight most popular non-Disney theme parks in North America!
8. Cedar Point
Image: Cedar FairI’ll never forget the first time I visited Cedar Point. A friend of ours ran off on his own for a while. When he returned, he was beaming and couldn’t wait to share his discovery. He’d found cheese…on a stick! Sure, you’ll find it at a lot of county fairs today, but it was a huge deal at the time. It crystallized a certain philosophy for me and mine. We all learned that theme parks are where calories don’t count. If the food puts a smile on your face, you eat it and worry about the bathroom scale when you get back home.
Oddly, the best place to eat at Cedar Point is an import. While we’ll evaluate a couple of other greater Los Angeles area restaurants, one of the most beloved eateries has set up shop at Lake Erie. Pink’s Hot Dogs has been a backlot legend for roughly 80 years now. Originally a hot dog cart catering to hungry Hollywood workers, it developed the reputation of the “Hot Dog To The Stars.”
In 2011, Cedar Fair Entertainment persuaded Pink’s to franchise the restaurant east of Las Vegas for the first time. They wanted one at Cedar Point, and it’s proven to be the perfect dining option for hungry theme park tourists. A hot dog’s always perfect during a day at the park, and Pink’s is in the conversation for best hot dog franchise in the world.
7. Canada’s Wonderland
Image: DisneyI feel contractually obligated to mention that there are Tim Horton’s restaurants in the area, one of which is onsite. If you’ve ever wanted Timbits, this is the time to try them. What you’ll quickly discover is that they’re the tastiest of treats; however, they’re not super-filling. This place is for morning coffee and a pastry-based sugar high. You’re not eating a meal here.
Instead, the choice at Canada’s Wonderland is Pizza Pizza. You’ll…never guess what they serve here. While I’m vaguely surprised that Little Caesars Pizza hasn’t sued them into oblivion for the copyright infringement, Pizza Pizza is as good as you’d expect given the name. When you’re at a theme park, you’re going to want pizza at some point. It is ideal comfort food as well as an excellent compromise choice. Everyone in your traveling party likes pizza, right? Also, Pizza Pizza is surprisingly well-reviewed. It’s one of the ten best restaurants in Vaughan according to TripAdvisor. Go figure.
6. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Image: Busch GardensI’m half-tempted to suggest Lunch with Elmo & Friends here, as it’s five-star entertainment in its purest form. The problems are two-fold. One is that this meal is lunch-only. You’ll need to eat lunch during your theme park visit, of course, so that part’s not the deal breaker. It’s that this meal is a limited engagement that’s not always available. It also sells out a lot. As such, it’s not something you can depend on being an option when you’re hungry.
The best place to eat at Busch Gardens that’s a reliable option is Zambia Smokehouse. It’s a fast casual barbeque joint that you can smell 100 yards before you reach the restaurant. You’ll experience some Pavlovian drooling as you approach. The flavors won’t disappoint when you start eating, either. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but the BBQ ribs and brisket are both divine. You can order a sampler that includes both plus chicken. That’s what I would recommend.
5. SeaWorld Orlando
Image: SeaWorldAre you familiar with Coral Reef Restaurant at Epcot? If so, imagine that serene setting, only with better cuisine. Yes, Coral Reef receives its fair share of online abuse for the menu. Meanwhile, its SeaWorld imitator, Sharks Underwater Grill, is ranked as one of the best restaurants in Kissimmee.
The setup here is familiar to Coral Reef fans. You’re sitting at the bottom of an aquarium, where you can watch the fish swim while you eat. While the restaurant is upscale in pricing and design, its chairs and tables are kind of cheap. The difference from Coral Reef is in the menu.
Despite the name, Sharks Underwater Grill isn’t purely a seafood place. To the contrary, its menu is robust. It features appetizers like Ahi Tuna Sashimi, soups like Lobster Bisque, and entrees such as Chicken Piccata and the Chef’s Cut of beef. Most of the restaurants listed here are of the counter service variety, but this table service establishment is theme park fine dining at its finest.
4. Knott’s Berry Farm
Image: Cedar FairThis one is the easiest calls on the list. In the earliest days of this park, its matriarch introduced the world to her chicken recipe. The rest was theme park history. Cordelia Knott’s offerings at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant became a staple of the Knott’s Berry Farm experience. To this day, the restaurant has the same name, uses the same recipe, and has the same status as the holy grail of theme park meals. This place should be on your theme park bucket list.
3. Universal Studios Hollywood
Image: UniversalThe greater Los Angeles area claims one of the hottest restaurant scenes in the Western Hemisphere. And out of the 9,000+ places listed on TripAdvisor, the Karl Strauss Brewing Company is in the top 100! Yes, tap houses and craft brews are all the rage right now, and Universal Studios isn’t a place where you’d expect a world-class one. That’s what you’ll discover when you visit the Hollywood park, though.
At Karl Strauss Brewing Company, everything pairs. No matter what you want to eat, the menu will suggest the perfect beer to enhance its flavor. They even have Beer Bites and Share Plates with a beer focus. Obviously, if you’re not a huge fan of suds, you should check out Krusty Burger instead, but this is one of the best group dining options on this list.
2. Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Universal Studios fans are always a bit defensive about the food at the parks. They’ve heard countless times that the Disney Difference extends to the food. When you hang out at Disneyland or Walt Disney World, you’ll eat like royalty. At Universal Studios, you’ll eat like…someone at a theme park.
One exception exists, though. Mythos famously won an award a few years ago as the best theme park restaurant in the world. And Universal is so proud of this fact that they put a sign up at Mythos to highlight the event. Whether anyone agrees with this award today is debatable.
Both the theme and the menu are Greek in nature. If you’ve ever wanted Babaganoush, this is the place. Now, that’s a strange food to eat at a theme park, but hey! You only live once, right? Mythos is undeniably the most eclectic option at Universal Orlando Resort, which I think is a positive. When you want standard theme park fare, this isn’t the place. When you’re feeling adventurous, however, Mythos is undeniably Disney-esque with its exotic flavors.
1. Universal Studios Florida
I understand that The Leaky Cauldron is the obvious choice. I’m about to commit a bit of theme park blasphemy, though. While I love the surroundings and the theming, I’ve never cared for the food at any of the Harry Potter-based restaurants. On the other hand…
Springfield’s Fast Food Boulevard isn’t a single restaurant inasmuch as it’s several different counter service eateries hosted in the same general vicinity. I quite like that about it. While I haven’t had the best luck with Krusty Burger, whose food seems a bit too on-the-nose from the cartoon, everything else here is pitch perfect. The Flaming Moes at Moe’s are delicious, the roadkill at Cletus’ Chicken Shack is unexpectedly edible, and the donuts…I make that Homer Simpson drooling sound when I think about those donuts. This setup is the perfect counter service experience because so many different items on the menu, and most of them are the ultimate in theme park food.
