Where are my ATX foodie families!? Sometimes you want to enjoy a fun, healthy-ish meal with the family without feeling like you stepped into a Chuck E. Cheese. A place that feels easy and comfortable yet still adventurous, fresh and food focused. A place that feels a little special.

Perfect for Family Date Night!

As we embark on spring break, and in case your travel plans have been derailed, I thought I’d create a list of my favorite Kid Friendly Austin restaurants for Food Lovers! If you are planning a staycation for spring break and looking for a fun restaurant to enjoy with your family…this list is for you!

This isn’t a restaurant list based on outdoor playground quality or kid approved menus. There are plenty of those lists floating around, and I LOVE them dearly….but sometimes I’m craving a more mature atmosphere.

This is a list of Austin restaurants that you would frequent WITHOUT your kids, but each eatery is breezy enough to drag the little ones along if the mood strikes.

The ATX restaurant scene is amazing & vast and this could easily be a list of 50! As a passionate diner I’ve done my best to narrow down the restaurants we feel pulled toward {as a family} most often.

Sway

This is probably our very favorite family date night locale! If we have something to celebrate, we head to Sway! The Domain location is our favorite. It’s a bit sleepy, easy to park and easy to sit down without a reservation. We usually arrive right at 5:00 PM to beat the dinner crowd + enjoy the last hour of happy hour! Max and I start with the oysters and the kids share the crispy skin satay! For dinner we all enjoy the whole fish and a few sides! I also love the Thai focused kids menu! #raisingfoodies!

For a more casual Thai vibe that simply screams Austin, we love The Peached Tortilla! They have mastered a marriage of Thai food + tacos that’s simply unmatched! The Thai Chopped Salad + The Taco Trio is my personal order, but I also love all the share-ables!

Elizabeth Street Cafe is another fantastic option along this ATX Thai fusion vein!

We also LOVE Culinary Dropout. The food is divine and the high energy scene is a big winner with our kids. Zander is always super excited every time we go! Same Same with family dinner outings to Fresa’s! I dream of the chimichurri skirt steak + the green apple jicama guac, so we try to frequent South First often!

Jacoby’s Restaurant & Mercantile

Looking for elevated southern classics comprised of farm fresh ingredients? Head to Jacoby’s! The entire menu is “Ranch to Table”, and you can taste the quality! We love to dine Al fresco on the patio, overlooking the Colorado River. There is plenty of space for the kids to roam while we enjoy a skinny margarita!

Pool Burger has a similar laid back, family friendly vibe without the lack in quality!

Fareground at One Eleven

Looking for casual Foodie Paradise? Head over to Fareground at One Eleven, right in the heart of downtown Austin. The concept is amazing! The Fareground is an eclectic collection of high quality, innovative, mouth watering cuisine from six premier local restaurants. TLV is my go-to. It’s Israeli street food with the most amazing flavor combinations! I get the cumin beets + the roasted cauliflower and the Hummus M’Sabaha. The kids love the rotisserie chicken from Contigo, and we always end with a Monster Cookie from Henbit. You simply can’t leave without enjoying the decadent treat! Bring a blanket and enjoy a foodie picnic with the fam!

We’ve never been for breakfast, but the offerings look delish and now it’s on my radar! Lady Bird Lake + family brunch anyone?

North Italia Downtown

If you’d rather be served table side, head over to North Italia! The food NEVER FAILS, It’s walking distance from the Austin Public Library, and the patio is perfect for people watching. All ingredients for an amazing family date! After you sit down, ask your server for Etch A sketches for the kids! You are Welcome!

Caroline Restaurant

We usually bookend a meal at Caroline with a show at The Paramount Theatre. Caroline has a cozy neighborhood vibe right in the heart of downtown! Sit upstairs on the patio overlooking South Congress for an Austin-esque family date! We’ve taken the kids for Sunday brunch and Friday night dinner and both experiences were on point!

Carpenters Hall

The vibe just screams Austin! For that reason it’s one of my favorite places to take out of town guests for a fun, family brunch!

Hillside Farmacy

If we lived closer I’d be at Hillside weekly! This place checks all the boxes for me! It’s farm to table, uniquely Austin, fresh cocktails and has a vibrant patio! We typically go for “Linner” on a late Saturday afternoon. The brunch crowd can be a bit crazy with kids. Rosewood Restaurant across the street is a lot of fun too! They have picnic basket offerings for their lawn during the spring & summer months!

I have a similar affinity for Launderette! When Max and I go for a solo date we sit at the bar, and with the kids we enjoy dinner on the patio! Both experiences are equally satisfying!

If a killer outdoor patio is your thing head to Better Half Coffee & Cocktails! I’ve shown up too many times full on drenched after Love Cycle! Come as you are and bring the kiddos! The food is too good to miss!

Oasthouse Kitchen + Bar is my go to for locally sourced, high quality cuisine in the ‘hood’. It’s shockingly our only “foodie” option in the four points area!
Bonus–they have an enclosed patio + a playground, and the brunch is divine y’all!

Comedor

So I wouldn’t say Comedor is exactly Kid Friendly, but we took our kids and enjoyed dinner on the patio and no one turned us away! The bone marrow tacos are out of this world, and the kids devoured the pork chop! Winner Winner!!!
I’m dying to go back for brunch!

So…Which restaurant will you try first? Any family favorites that I missed? I’d love to know. Happy Dinner y’all!!