Boma Breakfast Review
*This gluten free dining experience took place in February 2022. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut, hazelnut, cabbage, and chicken & turkey allergies.
Breakfast at Boma: Flavors of Africa
Boma, located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House, is an all-you-care-to-enjoy style restaurant that has long been one of my family’s favorites at Disney World. On this visit, we dined at Boma to celebrate my birthday. I was so excited to dine here and even more excited for Brandon to finally try Boma brunch.
Atmosphere
Boma’s name means an enclosure, usually for livestock or a community. So, you’ll see lots of thatched style roofing throughout the restaurant and fencing that are reminiscent of a Boma often found in Africa.
Boma Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The restaurant itself is fairly large and includes lots of ample seating, bright colors, and a really welcoming atmosphere.
Boma / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
You can see that the main buffet area is located at the front of the restaurant, while the seating area is off to the right.
Boma Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
I really love that the seating areas offer tables that are slightly different and chairs that are even different too. It really makes the restaurant unique.
Boma Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Here is another photo from the interior of the restaurant that highlights all of the different spacious and unique seating in the restaurant. We were seated by the window on this visit and had some nice views of the outside of Jambo House.
The Food
Like most all-you-care-to-enjoy restaurants owned and operated by Disney, Boma offers an allergen guide. This guide can be used to identify what items on the buffet are safe for your special dietary needs. However, I always recommend speaking directly to a chef about options, including items not listed on the guide.
Boma Allergen Guide / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On this visit, we spoke to Chef Mack. He was extremely helpful at discussing options. I also asked Chef Mack if he could bring us items directly from the kitchen to avoid cross-contamination rather than getting items from the buffet. This is one of my buffet pro tips if you have celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or food allergies. This helps minimize concerns of cross-contamination and still allows you to enjoy a restaurant that offers buffet style food.
Beverages at Boma / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
While we waited for our food to arrive from the kitchen, we enjoyed some beverages. Brandon got coffee (shown above). If you’re dairy free, you can ask for non-dairy milk options too. Of course, don’t forget to get Jungle Juice. This is usually made with a combination of passion fruit juice, guava juice, and orange juice. At Disney’s Polynesian Resort it’s called POG Juice. This is always a must-get at Boma and a nice way to start your meal.
Boma Breakfast Plate / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Chef Mack brought out lots of food on platters for us, so here are a few photo highlights. You can see a plate here filled with an omelet, grilled asparagus, ham, tater tots, and bacon.
Boma / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon and I loved the tater tots. These were made in a dedicated fryer in the kitchen to ensure they were safe for us. The tater tots on the buffet are not safe for those who are gluten free due to a shared fryer. So, it’s always good to ask the chef about options!
We also got scrambled eggs with goat cheese & chives and regular scrambled eggs too. I also got a side of turkey bobotie, which is gluten free but does contain dairy. Brandon couldn’t eat that dish because he is allergic to turkey.
Boma - Allergy-Friendly Mickey Waffles / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Of course, we had to get Allergy-Friendly Mickey Waffles. These are gluten free, top 8 free, and vegan. We were served 100% pure maple syrup and a pecan praline sauce for me (because Brandon is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts). I sometimes ask for fun toppings like walnuts and banana chips too for a unique way to enjoy the waffles.
Don’t forget to ask for gluten free and dairy free pastries too. The restaurant usually has Kinnikinnick brand donuts and Udi’s muffins on hand too.
If you want to hear more about our experience at Boma and see more of the options that we ordered, check out the vlog we did for our YouTube channel for more information.
Overall
Boma is always an absolute winner when it comes to solid breakfast/brunch options. Brandon really loved his first experience there and keeps raving about the breakfast options that he got. If you like breakfast food, we highly recommend Boma for delicious and unique options. And, of course, the chefs there are always so amazing and ensure that you feel comfortable eating there with special dietary needs. We can’t wait to go back again!
Have you been to Boma? What was your experience dining there?