10 Really Great Philly Restaurants Where You Can Totally Bring Your Kids

The places you want to eat that also happen to be kid-friendly (or at least kid-tolerant)

Mastering the rules of dining out

Last Thursday, I was on a date with my husband at Middle Child Clubhouse, and in between bites of tricked out latkes and sips of a cheeky “vodka cran” made with smoked black tea and beets, I was pleasantly distracted by a very adorable, bald baby being passed around the booth behind us. It reminded me of a time in my life, more than a decade ago, when we would often bring our first daughter Benny out to eat in our Brooklyn neighborhood.

As a new parent you might push the boundaries of what’s an appropriate restaurant to bring your baby to maintain some kind of tenuous hold on your Old Life. I’m all for it — both so new parents can chase that shred of normalcy, and eventually, so that kids can learn how to function in a restaurant.

When you’re traveling to a new place, it’s all the more reason to dine out with your kids and experience the local food and culture. But it can be daunting, if you don’t know the landscape well, to find the restaurants that both welcome your kids (or at least won’t give you the side eye from the minute you walk through the door) and are where you actually want to eat. To find the sweet spot, or maybe push the boundaries a little without being the couple who brought their infant to three Michelin-starred Alinea. (You would never.)

To find the right spots, I research, usually via some mix of local outlets, Yelp, Instagram, and asking friends who live or have traveled there. When in doubt I call the restaurant, like when Benny was three and I wanted to have dinner at FIG on a trip to Charleston. (I was told by the very kind staffer it was fine to bring a toddler, and we booked a table for right when they opened at 5 p.m.)

If you’re coming to Philly with kids, the good news is that we did the (delicious) on-the-ground research for you. We love an early reservation at Middle Child Clubhouse, and see below for 9 more of our favorite places to bring our three girls. Of course, they’re all just as great if you’re rolling child-free.

(It’s a handful of the 130+ places to eat, see, and stay in my interactive guide to Visiting Philly with Kids, on sale for $10 with this link until next Tuesday, December 19th.)

Meetinghouse, Kensington

The recently opened Meetinghouse is the place everyone wishes existed in their own neighborhood. It's got a short and perfect menu of updated classics like the Platonic ideal roast beef sandwich and a statuesque green salad with herbs and dijon vinaigrette I dream about. Kids might like the shrimp cocktail, breaded turkey cutlets and a big plate of fries. Desserts are thoughtful and theatrical (a coupe of ice cream doused with Crème de menthe at the table.) They have a trio of house beers brewed by local Tonewood Brewing, and wines by the glass, and in nice weather you should sit outside on the enclosed side patio. 

Suraya, Fishtown

Lebanese specialties like hummus and kebabs are served in a stylish, sprawling dining room with vibrant tiled floors and pendant chandeliers. Book a table in the backyard garden for brunch or dinner, where you can eat in the midst of a fountains and firepits and Persian ironwood trees. (And your kids can feel less confined.) Or for quicker meals, a cafe with seating in the front of the restaurant serves beautiful Lebanese chai lattes and noteworthy pastries like the rose petal-dusted cruller.

Parc, Rittenhouse

The always-bustling bistro on Rittenhouse Square specializes in French-inspired fare, including croque madame and nicoise salads at lunch, and seafood towers and a perfect steak frites for dinner. There’s not an official kids menu, but there’s plenty that appeals to all tastes, and the kitchen will also make plates of buttered noodles for the pickiest eaters. They have highchairs and the restroom (at least in the women’s room, I haven’t checked the men’s) has a changing table. Book a reservation in advance for the best chance at a coveted table outside overlooking the Square.

Pizzeria Beddia, Fishtown

In the summer, book a table outside for a taste of Joe Beddia's thin crust, perfectly-charred pies, plus small plates with deceptively simple dishes like Cantabrian anchovies and a salad with fish sauce-infused dressing. If you’re traveling with older kids, try the Hoagie Room—a “hidden” space tucked inside the restaurant where they serve a hoagie omakase. Enjoy course after course of perfectly-executed sandwiches and natural wine in a tiny room decked out in a single Marilyn Monroe artwork by Andy Warhol. 

Gabriella’s Vietnam, South Philly

Chef and owner Thanh Nguyen's vibrant Vietnamese street food — from tapioca dumplings wrapped in banana leaves to platters piled with fried tofu, pork patties, and vermicelli — landed her restaurant on The New York Times' America's Best Restaurants list in 2022. The cozy East Passyunk Ave space has a welcoming vibe, and the high chairs are clutch for those with babies in tow. 

Vernick Coffee Bar, Center City

The most casual of Greg Vernick's three Philly restaurants is a perfect place to sample the James Beard Award-winning chef's excellent food over a civilized midday meal. The cafe is on the second floor lobby of the Comcast Technology Center, just up the escalator and ensconced behind the leafy tops of live trees. The menu includes salads, entrees like mushroom grain bowls and black pepper shrimp, and some of the city's best desserts. (I love the carrot cake pie.) If you're looking for more casual, opt to get take-away pastries, pre-made sandwiches, and salads, and eat them at high-top tables also on site. 

Tip: For a fun and random activity, book a free ticket to see a 6-minute movie, produced by Stephen Spielberg, called "The Power of I" about where inspiration and ideas come from. It's screened inside a giant white orb that sits across from the Coffee Bar, and is the world's first handset-free VR. Get free tickets here.

South Philly Barbacoa, Italian Market

At Cristina Martinez's warm and low-key spot in the Italian Market, crowds are often lined up for slow-roasted lamb tucked into homemade corn tortillas. (The corn is grown at a farm nearby, using seeds from Chiapas, Mexico.) Martinez won a James Beard Award in 2022 for best chef, and been featured on Netflix's Chef's Table. You can grab tacos to go, or grab a table after you order.

Dim Sum Garden, Chinatown

The always-bustling dumpling shop has turning tables down to a science. Don’t expect a leisurely multi-hour meal here (you have kids though, so you probably won’t be doing that anyway). But do expect steamy crab and pork Shanghai soup dumplings, roast pork buns, and pumpkin cakes served with kind efficiency. 

Alif Brew, West Philly

The casual Ethiopian cafe serves hearty breakfasts of fuul and shakshuka alongside sweets like nutella and banana, halva, and honey wraps. For lunch and dinner, there’s platters of spicy or mild lentils, berbere-marinated beef and punchy vegetarian salads. The injera wraps — meat or veggies tucked into spongy flatbread — are especially delicious and portable. Take it to a grassy spot in Clark Park, just a three minute walk away. If you happen to be in Philly the first Sunday of the month, the cafe hosts a Buna ceremony, a traditional coffee ritual that involves roasting, grinding, and brewing fresh coffee and sharing stories.