Tired of cooking? Or are you just in the mood to get out of the house? Then pack up the kids and take the family out to dinner! Red Tricycle offers Bay Area parents a list of cool, kid-friendly restaurants to choose from. From fine dining to fun cafes, read on to find the perfect restaurant for your family.
Breakfast with Kids
Kid Friendly Waffle Joints
Belgian or buttermilk, sweet or savory, everyone has a favorite waffle. But have you tried a Hong Kong street waffle or cornmeal waffle topped with apple cider syrup? Waffles are great any time of day, so try one soon from our list of favorites below. Plus, all these locations are kid-friendly so you can dine in comfort!
Pizza
Kid Friendly Pizza in the East Bay
Chicago-style, deep-dish pizza has hit the East Bay. Little Star Pizza’s recent opening on Solano Avenue in Albany is the third location for Little Star, with the first two locations in San Francisco on Valencia Street and Divisadero Street. The bonafide pizza institution is expanding its empire eastward and has even gained the respect of die-hard New York-style pizza lovers thanks to its unique deep-dish cornmeal crust.
Family Friendly Pizza in North Beach
Tony’s Pizza Napoletana has become a foodie destination for perfectionist pizza purists, but it stays kid-friendly with wooden highchairs, a children’s menu, and the balls of pizza dough that are brought to the table for the kids to play with while waiting for your order!
International Food
Kids Love El Salvador Food!
If your kids crave quesadillas, empanadas, or bean and cheese burritos, make room for another Latin American variation of the stuffed tortilla. Pupusas hail from El Salvador, but there are plenty of ways to get a taste of one right here in the Bay. The dish consists of a thicker corn tortilla in a round shape, stuffed with everything from cheese and beans they make a great finger food for little ones.
Kids love Korean BBQ
As Bay Area gourmands, your family has eaten it all—the Mission Burrito, Chinatown Dim Sum, and North Beach Pizza. Try something new this weekend and head to Hanuri in the Inner Richmond for some traditional Korean BBQ. Feel the heat of the grill, taste the spice of kimchee, and ogle the array of colorful and exotic dishes that make Korean food a hit with kids.
Cafes & Coffee Shops
Family-Friendly Organic Cafe
Next time you treat the tots to a day at Bay Area Discovery Museum, leave the packed lunch at home and try out the newly reopened Cafe Discovery. After months of waiting, the cafe does not disappoint, with kid-friendly eats made from the best ingredients. Let junior order whatever he wants—everything is organic, sustainable, or local here.
Kid Friendly Coffee on College Ave
Elmwood Cafe is a welcome addition to College Avenue’s bustling shopping strip. Nestled into the space once occupied by beloved Berkeley institution Ozzie’s Soda Fountain, the spot’s been given an airy facelift—think classic French bistro meets 1920s American soda counter.
Civic Center Family Spot
Searching for an exotic culinary treasure in the Civic Center neighborhood? The next time you and the kids are downtown, stop by the beautiful Asian Art Museum and have lunch at Café Asia. This hidden gem will take you on a culinary tour of Asia in the heart of San Francisco
Grove Cafe is All About Kids
Grove Café Yerba Buena is centrally located at Mission and Third Streets and just half a block from five museums —The Cartoon Art Museum, SFMoMA, Museum of the African Diaspora, and the Contemporary Jewish Museum. The Grove is perfect for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so whether your day downtown includes museum hopping, shopping, a movie matinee, or a spin on the historic carousel at Zeum, stop by before or after for a healthy meal.
Play Date at Farley’s East
While most independent coffee shops seem to cater to a bookish, adult clientele, Farley’s is focused on creating a place “where everyone is comfortable and welcome.” Farley’s second café (their first opened in Potrero Hill in 1989) is in the up-and-coming Uptown neighborhood of Oakland, and the particularly family-friendly java stop has been appropriately dubbed Farley’s East.
Fine Dining
Kid Friendly Axis in Potrero Hill
Where can you dine on Hama Hama oysters from Washington, order chicken fingers for the little one, and support a community organization all at the same time? At Axis Cafe! For adults, the cafe offers a wide array of contemporary small plates that are great for sharing or turning into a three-course meal. The mission of ACP is to provide a variety of events that build community and enrich the lives of its neighbors.
Michelin-Starred Dining with Kids
A Michelin-starred restaurant probably wouldn’t be your first choice for a relaxing meal with the kids, but as a destination for visiting relatives, holidays and other special occasions, Murray Circle at Cavallo Point makes every effort to accommodate the littlest diners. The upscale lodge and resort is located in Fort Baker (Sausalito) and home to some amazing views of Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco.
Breweries & Casual Dining
Kid Friendly Social Kitchen & Brewery
The Inner Sunset now possesses a solid craft brewery on 9th Avenue where parents can chill out with a glass of L’Enfant Terrible while kids enjoy tempura sweet potato fries served in a miniature bucket. A newcomer on the San Francisco gourmet brewpub scene, Social Kitchen & Brewery aims at bringing food-friendly beer to the local community.
Kids Love Grilled Cheese!
Hot Off the Grill- The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen recently opened steps away from sunny South Park and is dedicated to all things grilled and cheesy. There is no need for a special kid menu here — grilled cheese is inherently kid-friendly
Kids Eats Free
Kids Eat Free Marin!
Marin County Restaurants offer a variety of endless choices, from reputable local chains to mom and pop dining institutions—there is something for every family in Marin. Kids eat free with adult entrée purchase during regular dinner hours at all the following locations, unless otherwise noted.
Kids Eat Free San Francisco!
San Francisco Restaurant directory where kids can eat for free with their parents. The pickings in San Francisco are slim, but perhaps we’re missing some hidden gems? It takes a village to feed a kid…for free! Let us know where you take the kids for a fun free meal.
Sweet Treats
Organic Bakery for a Cause
Mission Pie is more than a neighborhood meeting spot or a warm bakery for sweet and savory fare. Mission Pie is truly a café with a mission. Partnered with Youth Advocate Programs, Mission Pie offers organic eats often made and served by at-risk SF youth. The farm hosts urban teens, teaching them not only about sustainable farming and nutrition but opening up a world of food inspired opportunity.
Froyo in the Bay Area
Everywhere we look, the 80′s are back in style… including the “froyo” fad! However, these days our tastes are a bit more refined. Get your sweet fix with gourmet flavors like watermelon or açai and a multitude of toppings at one of the several hundred frozen yogurt shops in the Bay Area.
East Bay
Kid Friendly Restaurants in Berkeley
Even if your kids aren’t quite ready to sit through a multi-course meal at Chez Panisse, they can still partake in the bounty of Berkeley’s “Gourmet Ghetto.” The stretch of North Shattuck between Rose and Hearst streets is lined with amazing restaurants using uber-seasonal ingredients, from slices and take-and-bake pizzas at the Cheese Board to the special kids’ menu at authentic New York-style deli, Saul’s.
Kid Friendly Restaurants in Alameda
The hunt is on for the next Gourmet Ghetto, and while several East Bay ‘hoods close in on the claim, don’t count out Alameda. New eateries have sprouted recently along Park Street and the surrounding vicinity, and the long-standing family-friendly restaurants that continue to serve up goodies also deserve a nod .
Wine Country
Napa Valley Restaurants with Kids
If you crave the scenery and relaxation of wine country, there’s good news. You don’t need to hire a babysitter before you take the drive – you can bring the kids along! With Scientopia, the Clayhouse, and lots of other fun stuff popping up in Napa Valley, parents are paying attention. There’s also no shortage of good food for kids in this town. The Little Gourmet beckons the young ones from its magical spot by the Napa River. It’s a restaurant designed with the kids in mind – they can rock to playful reggae and folk tunes while they munch, and they’ll feel right at home alongside the toy-filled shelves in the restaurant or wandering the spacious outdoor courtyard.
-Sela Keating
