If you’ve got children, you’ll know that taking them out to a restaurant can be hit or miss. Not every eatery accommodates little ones, so when you find one with great food that does, it’s almost like discovering a gold mine.

Sorting the kid-friendly restaurants from the rest can be tricky, but there are a few rules of thumb that can help to guide you. Firstly, check the menu. If they’ve got a section separated out just for kiddos, you can be sure they’re family-friendly. Another hint? If the venue has high-chairs, a play area or something to keep your kids occupied at the table (like colouring kits), you’re sorted. If all else fails, a quick call or even an Instagram DM can sort it out for you quickly. Or, you can skip the hassle and keep reading on.

Burger night

Possibly the easiest sell, getting the kids to sign off on burgers shouldn’t be hard. Check the menu before you head out to make sure their favourites – from sliders and fries to crispy nuggets – are covered. Some places also have mini-me desserts if you’re feeling extra generous.

Betty’s Burgers Nippers menu has plenty of children’s classics. To top it off, treat them to a Kids Concretes. For $5 they’ll get a frozen custard ice-cream topped with their choice of M&Ms, Maltesers or meringue mix-ins.

Blu Eatery The blu kids menu features many kid approved favorites, such as a juicy beef burger with chips or salad, meatballs & chips and yummy spaghetti.

Around the world

Let your little ones enjoy the tastes of the world without breaking the bank on flights! Mexican is a great choice if you’re keen to keep the menu healthy. Italian is one of the most kid-friendly cuisines on the planet, and sushi is a good one to introduce kids to something new but delicious.

Mad Mex serves many of their items ‘small’ to cater for little tummies. Made fresh to order, so you can pick and choose based on your child’s tastebuds. Fussy eaters are more than welcome here!

Sushi Hub is a crowd favourite when it comes to Japanese catering for little tummies. Bite sized maki rolls make for a healthy and delicious food option, and fussy eaters can pick from tonnes of flavour combos. Worried that raw fish will cause noses to scrunch? Opt for yummy veggie tempura or crispy chicken options instead.

Kid-friendly cafes

If your kids tend to be fussy about their food, a cafe can be a stress-free option. Many offer all-day breakfast menus, which are easy to mix and match from. Junior isn’t feeling bacon today? More often than not it’ll be no problem to swap it out for another side. Cafes are also great for light supper options. See: anything on toast.

Centre Point Cafe Kids chicken burger, kids fish & chips and chicken nuggets and chips.

18 GRAMS Cheese fingers, 1 slice pancake, fish n chips, chicken nuggets & chips.

Café Mira Ham & cheese toastie, spaghetti bolognaise, burger/ nuggets & chips and for something extra, kids fresh juice or milk shake.

Café Sheba Fish & chips, cheese burger, ham & cheese toastie and nuggets & chips.

Jimini's Cafe one fried egg with toast & bacon, scrambled eggs & toast, waffle with ice cream & syrup or chocolate sauce, beef/chicken burger & chips, chicken schnitzel & chips and for that extra special something babycino, hot chocolate, juice or milk shake.

Sweet Treats

Keen on an after-dinner sugar hit? There are options galore. Whether you dine in somewhere with both savoury and sweet menus, or head straight for dessert, the kids will go wild over pancakes, gelato and cake. Some restaurants offer sweet menus especially for kiddos, so you can rest easy knowing they won’t overindulge.

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