Where to eat with children in New York
Where to eat with children in New York? There are many restaurants in New York that cater to kids. It is very common to only order a starter or to ask for an extra plate and cutlery so that you can share your meal. The pizzas, in particular, tend to be large enough to share. These are, in my opinion, the best restaurants in New York for families.
Eric's Index
The Best Family-Friendly Restaurants in New York
You can find a lot of restaurants throughout the city, and there are also some kid-friendly family restaurants in New York. They have menu items for kids and special chairs as well, if needed.
Things to consider
There are a few things to consider at some restaurants in New York: Making a reservation, for example, is not always possible. This means that you might have to wait outside before you can be seated. Maybe that’s not too much of a problem for you, but does your child still fancy a nice dinner after waiting half an hour or longer?
Restaurant chains sometimes have chairs outside, but smaller restaurants don’t. The only tip I can give to help prevent you from waiting is to make sure that you are at the restaurant before the clock strikes six. This way you are ahead of the musical-visiting crowds, who, especially in Midtown, flood the restaurants from 18:00 onwards.
To indicate which places are most suitable for children, I have listed the kid-friendly restaurants in New York by age:
Babies and Toddlers
Being a parent, I would not quickly recommend going to fancy restaurants with a baby. Formal restaurants in Manhattan are small, cramped and often don’t have space for a pram. If your baby is old enough to sit on your knee, or a highchair is available (which is rather unusual), it might be possible to arrange something.
Bear in mind though, how you would feel when your child (of course, this never usually happens) starts screaming hysterically. Also be aware that in this kind of restaurant, they almost never have space to change nappies.
In this case, the bigger chain restaurants are definitely a better option. They are often spacious, have room to have your pram next to the table and make you and your kids feel welcome, with highchairs and children’s menus. Examples of these chains are Dallas BBQ, Applebee’s and Olive Garden.
Primary Schoolers (between 5-11)
Children within this age group especially like eating out at places where there’s a fun experience involved. At Dave & Buster’s (42nd Street), they can go wild in the game zone. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co (a Forrest Gump-themed restaurant) on Times Square is quite an experience in itself, particularly fun if the kids have seen the movie.
Another option is Planet Hollywood, where the walls are covered with screens, offering you a unique experience. Besides that, you can have a good meal here for a reasonable price.
Teenagers (between 12-16)
The age group between 12 and 16 tends to be really happy with burgers and pizza for dinner! Luckily, there’s an abundance of them in New York. Great places to eat with adolescents include 5 Napkin Burger, John’s Pizzeria and Lombardi’s Pizza, for example.
If they would like to try a real New York steak, but without the pretentious atmosphere — and the corresponding price — I recommend Skirt Steak. Here, the steak comes with unlimited fries and special desserts.
Does your teen crave pizza again, but you’d like more variety? Try Carmine’s: an Italian family restaurant serving seafood platters, meat dishes and of course, Antipasto. Everything is made to share. This way, your youngster can explore new flavours they might not have discovered yet, without immediately leaving a whole plate untouched if they don’t like it.
Right next door to Carmine’s Times Square, you can find the impressive Raising Cane’s global flagship. They’ll probably have heard of this chicken-finger restaurant and want to try it.
Young Adults (16+)
Is your child a young adult already? Then it’s nice for them to experience one of the ‘fancier’ restaurants in town. However, contrary to what they might be accustomed to in England, in New York, young adults (under 21) can’t go out, or even enter a bar, without being accompanied by an adult (someone over 21).
Peak with Priceless NYC, on the 101st floor of 30 Hudson Yards, is an impressive spot, with great views of Manhattan. The restaurant is located above Edge Observation Deck, so when you dine at Peak, you can use the opportunity to pay a visit to Edge as well. Other restaurants that could be a good option are The Standard Grill steakhouse and Robert NYC.
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