After you feed the giraffes at Binder Park Zoo, you might be ready to feed yourself. There are multiple dining options in the area. Here are a few family friendly suggestions:
Eat at the zoo
There are two restaurants on different sides of the zoo. On the East Side, by the snow leopards, is Beluah’s Restaurant. You can pick up grab-and-go lunches there and take them with you or find a shaded table.
On the West Side, by the entrance to Wild Africa, is the Kalahari Kitchen Restaurant. This grill has cafe classics such as burgers, chicken tenders and fries. Check out the menu here.
If you brought your own lunch, you can use the pavilions and picnic tables that are outside the zoo entrance.
Station 66
On the nearby M-66 is a retro little cafe called Station 66. Hot dogs, sandwiches and soup provide a filling lunch, but the big draw are the desserts. As the giant statue of an ice cream cone attests, this is the place to get cones and sundaes. They serve Michigan-made Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream.
Horrocks Farm Market
Horrocks Farm Market is a foodie paradise, offering all sorts of produce and products from around the world. It also has ready-to-eat food. Pick up pizza, soup, salad, sandwiches and pastries. There’s a bar area with lots of seating – root beer poured from the tap is delicious.
Historic Bridge Park
Bring a cooler to Bridge Park, where there are picnic tables and public grills. The park is located right by the Kalamazoo River, with a boat launch and walking trails. The big attraction are the vintage bridges that have been restored and placed throughout the park.
Torti Taco
Tacos are a crowd-pleaser and Torti Taco offers authentic Mexican food that is made from scratch, including homemade salsas. All the dishes are created from family recipes. And maybe someone in your family is up to the Torti challenge, to see how hot they can take it.
