Busch Gardens’ all-new Giraffe Bar opens this month for safe visits to sip handcrafted cocktails, craft brews, and experience Serengeti animal views
By News Release | March 12, 2021
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is proud to welcome guests to the all-new Giraffe Bar at Serengeti Overlook, featuring panoramic indoor and outdoor views of the park’s expansive Serengeti Plain, under limited capacity. Guests can marvel at giraffes, zebra, antelope, ostrich and more, while enjoying an all-new menu of shareable appetizers and a collection of cocktails, wine, and beer as vibrant as the animal kingdom.
Guests have the opportunity to preview the venue during a soft opening starting March 19. The venue will officially open on Friday, March 26.
While taking in panoramic views of African animals on the Serengeti Plain, guests will enjoy a curated selection of frozen specialty drinks, hand-crafted cocktails, Florida craft beers and domestic favorites when the one-of-a-kind Giraffe Bar opens this month. The menu will also feature a selection of wines and spirits that support wildlife conservation efforts around the world. The spacious indoor/outdoor venue offers shaded and air-conditioned comfort, with plenty of space for physical distancing. The Giraffe Bar also features multiple TVs so sports fans can ROAR for their favorite teams when taking a break from the park’s world-class roller coasters and amazing animal experiences.
The new location will soft open with a new menu of refreshing drinks and signature small bites on March 19. With physically distant interior tables and shaded outdoor patio seating, the Giraffe Bar will feature a chef- and mixologist-curated selection of cocktails and bites that guests can only get at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. These unique offerings will include:
- Frozen specialty cocktails such as the “The Hungry Tusker,” featuring Amarula African Cream Liqueur (a South African favorite made with the fruit of the African marula tree), Hula Hawaiian Dark Rum, Coconut and Pineapple flavors. This cocktail will satisfy more than thirst: the Amarula Trust Conservation Fund safeguards and protects African Elephants in the wild.
- Sparkling cocktails on draft including the refreshing “Thorn and Berry,” inspired by the bar’s namesake giraffes that strip thorns off of branches to eat leaves, and the “Masai Margarita,” named after the Masai, the largest species of giraffe native to East Africa.
- Flights of specially selected local craft brews (the “Toucan” and the “Safari Graze”) that will be presented on an Instagram-worthy hand-carved giraffe tasting paddle.
- Proud Pour wines which support wildlife and wild places, including “Save the Bees” Pinot Noir from Oregon, and “Save the Oceans” Sauvignon Blanc from California.
- Non-alcoholic beverages for all ages, including refreshing juices available on tap which can be served in a refillable, limited edition giraffe souvenir cup.
- Chef-crafted menus offer a range of shareable savory bites, including bourbon-glazed sticky wings, braised brisket mac and cheese, and smoked brisket-loaded French fries.
- In a nod to the bar’s herbivore namesake, guests can graze on vegetarian-friendly shareable items, including loaded hummus and fresh oversized Bavarian soft pretzels.
- Pass Members get the VIP treatment, with a free collectible Giraffe Bar color changing pilsner with the purchase of a frozen cocktail or draft beer any Monday through Thursday by April 29th (while supplies last).
- The Giraffe Bar will also feature an exclusive selection of limited-time branded merchandise as a reminder of the unique experience with every sip.
In addition to the new Giraffe Bar, Serengeti Overlook is home to the newly redesigned and reimagined Oasis Pizza, serving favorites such as handmade pizza, chicken tenders, fresh salads, and freshly baked desserts. Guests can also look forward to more new culinary experiences coming in 2021.