Get the inside scoop with our Zagora Cafe Busch Gardens review, featuring the Grilled Chicken Sandwich, dessert options, and All-Day Dining Plan insights.
We went on another All-Day Dining Plan adventure at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Based on the hours of operation of the quick service choices that participate in the All-Day Dining Plan at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Zagora Cafe offers the longest hours of operation for guests to use the All-Day Dining Plan.
Zagora Cafe Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Zagora Cafe at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a convenient quick-service spot for guests using the All-Day Dining Plan. Located near the park’s front section, it opens early in the day and remains one of the few quick-service locations available until park closing, making it ideal for maximizing the dining plan’s value.
Remember, guests using this dining plan can acquire an entrée, an additional side/dessert, and a fountain beverage every 90 minutes. Of course, Zagora Cafe is the first quick service to open each day at Busch Gardens at around 10:30 a.m. (more about that in a moment). It is also the one quick-service location that stays open until the park closes. Several Busch Gardens Tampa Bay quick-service restaurants close two hours before park closing.
10:30 a.m.? Really?
Back to Zagora Cafe and that 10:30 a.m. opening time. In fairness, we have visited Busch Gardens more than the average person. Additionally, we have eaten at Busch Gardens way more than the average person. In all that time, we have never seen Zagora Cafe open at 10:30 a.m. It usually opens around 10:45 a.m., which starts the clock for guests’ 90 minutes to the next meal or beverage, later lowering the value of the All-Day Dining Plan.
During a recent visit, we opened our day of All-Day Dining with a stop at Zagora Cafe. It opened at 10:47 a.m. Since the options for All-Day Dining had changed, we ended up ordering the Grilled Chicken Sandwich from Zagora Café.
For those familiar with the quick-service dining options at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, you may be wondering about our choice of a chicken sandwich. Unlike at SeaWorld Orlando, the Chick-fil-A in park dining location participates in All-Day Dining. Yes, both Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and SeaWorld Orlando have Chick-fil-A locations inside their parks. For the record, the chicken sandwiches at the in-park locations are just as good as the ones at your local Chick-fil-A.
In addition, we were not visiting on a Sunday. Still, the Chick-fil-A had not opened yet, and we wanted to pretend to be eating healthy. Thus, the Grilled Chicken Sandwich won our attention at Zagora Café on this morning. Still the question: “Why get this when a Chick-fil-A exists at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay?” functions as a valid question.
Zagora Cafe Busch Gardens Review: Grilled Chicken Sandwich – $17.99
In simple terms, this was not Tim Hawkins’ dream of waffle fries with some nuggets and a large sweet tea. Zagora Cafe did not have its best day during our visit. However, in fairness, Zagora Cafe serves standard theme park food (burgers and chicken tenders) with the one exception of a gyro to fit the Moroccan theme in the front section of the theme park.
The sandwich comes with fries. On this occasion, we received a smaller-than-normal serving of fries. Once we got our food, we went to the condiment station.
Zagora Cafe Busch Gardens Review: Feeding the Birds
Word of Warning: The birds love Zagora Cafe. Please do not feed them. Also, if you leave your food unattended, they will take it! Trust Us!
Despite that, we couldn’t find a container to put sauces or ketchup in to enjoy our meal. We have noticed this pattern at other Busch Gardens Tampa Bay quick service locations, like Zambia Smokehouse.
The sandwich comes with lettuce, tomato, and pickles. The pickles have a strong flavor. The lettuce and tomato are just okay. They will prepare this with cheese for you. We did that, and the cheese is standard, average theme park cheese. The bun worked nicely with this sandwich. However, the bun was an average quick-service bun. Still, it performed admirably.
Zagora Cafe Busch Gardens Review: Unremarkable
This sandwich remains unremarkable in terms of dining options at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. For Walt Disney World people, this is a Cosmic Ray’s level chicken sandwich, and there is no Sonny Eclipse here. of course, at Walt Disney World, the chicken sandwich costs $13.19. However, the Disney Dining Plan works very differently and is only for hotel guests.
Since we were utilizing the All-Day Dining Plan, we also got an additional side or dessert. The side options are very limited at Zagora Cafe. So, we went with a brownie. Guests using the All-Day Dining Plan should be aware that, “officially,” some elevated desserts (not the brownie) are not included with this plan.
Despite that, the brownie serves as an adequate dessert but nothing more. We do not suggest buying the brownie à la carte since it costs between $7.99 – $8.99, depending on the dining location. Still, when using the All-Day Dining Plan (regularly $60, though discounts are available), the brownie makes a safe choice.
For more theme park dining reviews like this Zagora Cafe Busch Gardens review, visit MSM News every weekday at noon Eastern Time. As always, eat like you mean it!
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