Review: Nomad Lounge

If I could describe the Nomad Lounge in one word, it would be: nirvana. We visited this magical oasis, located next to Tiffins in the Animal Kingdom, for the first time on our last visit, and my only complaint is that we didn’t discover the Nomad Lounge sooner. It is not to be missed!

We had heard that the Nomad Lounge offered gluten free churros, which is what drew us to check out this adorable spot nestled into a corner of Discovery Island. We had some time to kill before our Avatar Flight of Passage Fast Pass, and we thought an afternoon churro snack sounded perfect. Honestly, not sure when that doesn’t sound perfect.

Upon entering, we found ourselves in a luxurious sanctuary, seemingly so separated from the hustle and bustle of the crowds outside. The entryway welcomes travelers, and it definitely feels like a hidden gem for weary adventurers to relax and share accounts of their journey. Banners hung from the ceiling tell the tales of Imagineers who traveled the world to research for the Animal Kingdom. For a small donation to the Disney Conservation Fund, you can add your own travel memory above the bar with a mini banner. Oh, did I mention there was air conditioning? On a 90 degree day in Orlando, this also certainly added to the ambiance. It was late afternoon so perhaps an off time, but we were delighted to find plenty of open seating.

Immediately, we let our server know we’d want the gluten free churros. Our group has grown accustomed to allotting extra time for my GF orders. However, our server let us know that all the churros at Nomad Lounge are gluten free. Bless you, magical lounge. Where have you been all my life?

Upon diving into the menu, I pretty much wanted to order everything. Truffle Poutine?! Waygu Beef Sliders?! If we hadn’t been planning to stuff ourselves at Flower and Garden in just a few hours, we certainly would have indulged. Because we [pretend to] have self control, we opted for the churros and a round of rosé sangria.

You might remember how I waxed poetic about the gluten free beignets at Port Orleans, and I have very similar feelings about these churros. There’s something magical about getting to enjoy a Disney classic when normally I would not be able to. The churros come with two sauces – a vanilla crema and a chili-strawberry sauce. I honestly could not pick a favorite between the two but found them to be a nice balance, the sweetness of the crema harmonizing with the kick of the strawberry sauce. Bless our server for suggesting we get two orders because we devoured them in a very short amount of time.

I haven’t had a churro since I studied in Madrid in 2010 – before the gluten free days – so I was extra thrilled to pair my first churro in a decade with sangria. The Sinaloa Sangria has South American influence with rosé, Pisco and fresh fruit.

Do you love adventure? Do you need to get away during your Disney vacation? The Nomad Lounge is the spot for you. I promise we will be back!