The Beastro

The Beastro at Utah’s Hogle Zoo serves as the first-ever indoor dining experience for Zoo guests in the institution’s 80+ year history. Indoor seating accommodates nearly 150 patrons, and provides guests with expansive views into the nearby Elephant Encounter and African Savanna habitats. An elevated outdoor dining terrace seats nearly 200 diners with tables under the shade canopy of nearby trees and direct access to a walk-up ice-cream serving station.

Vibrant colors and rustic materials on the interior offer a fun, bright, and educational atmosphere upon entry, demonstrating sustainable regional construction practices. The undulating surface of the self-service “scramble” counter is faced with beetle-kill pine boards which were salvaged from dying regional forests subject to widespread beetle infestations. On the exterior, bright patterns, rustic wood, and corrugated metal allude to African vernacular architecture and complement the nearby African Savanna structures.