Kid-Friendly vs. Baby-Friendly Restaurants

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Restaurants tend to bundle all kids under one category: If they’ve got a kids menu they’re “family-friendly”. But families come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and some of us take kids out to eat beginning at a pretty young age. So the most kid-friendly restaurants in town – those with a play area, crafts, and clowns – are not the same kind of kid-friendly that I’m looking for. In fact, most of the time it’s exactly the opposite of what I want.

Let me back up for a second. I have a 1-year-old baby who likes to wobble around. She will sit through a meal if we eat fast, but a two-hour boozy brunch is out of the question. She’ll get bored and start banging on her high chair before you know it.

Likewise, at restaurants that fit the common definition of kid-friendly, I spend more time worrying about a bigger kid trampling over her than actually eating, and since she’s too young to play in any play area unaccompanied, she needs to stay with us at the table.

Then there’s the matter of food. Most kids’ menus are designed for older kids, meaning if you have a baby you need to either bring your own food or choose a restaurant that’ll accommodate your needs with off-menu items. All of which is to say, the perfect kid-friendly restaurants for us right now are those that have high chairs, don’t mind the occasional screams, and will prepare us special dishes that are baby-friendly.

So, with all that in mind, here are a few dining recommendations around town for anyone with baby foodies in tow.

Tiago

There are multiple Tiago restaurants all around the city. Tiago Home Kitchen specializes in comfort food, while Tiago Select has all the Italian favorites plus a great list of cocktails. On the other hand, Casa Talia by Tiago is the least baby-friendly of all their restaurants. This one is best suited for date night with just the parents. As for the first two, however, their restaurants have kids’ menus, but for babies, they will cook a bit of sauce-free pasta, knowing that your little one will probably do more playing with their food than eating. Add in some perfectly ripe avocados, bread, and pizza crusts, and babies can enjoy a tasty meal along with their parents.

Hulu by TRB

What doesn’t the Hulu team prepare? They’ve got high chairs and also their own bibs! While coloring paper is still a bit too advanced for some babies, the staff at all the Hulu locations are great about providing babies with pasta, fruits, and bread to nibble on and play with.

Sanlitun Taikoo Li South

三里屯太古里南区三层

167 1009 0452

Q Mex

Every Q Mex location has high chairs and their newest spot in Solana has an amazing play area for older kids! But, for babies, Q Mex offers something that parents and babies both love – ripe avocados all year round! And for kids who are still too young to know the joys of coloring, they’ve got tortillas that are great for ripping and munching on.

Solana Mall – 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu
蓝色港湾朝阳公园路6号
8794 5165

Hot Pot

Contrary to what many believe, hot pot is actually quite baby-friendly – as long as you keep a safe distance between your kid’s speedy little hands and the flaming pot of boiling broth. Restaurants that serve up individual hot pots turn into sanitary cooking stations right at your table. I love taking my daughter to hot pot. Cooking some beef and lamb slices, vegetables, and noodles in a mushroom-based broth is fun for both her and for me.

Kitty & Daniel Hollywood Grill & Bar

The Kitty & Daniel’s Solana location has live performances that start pretty early every Friday – Sunday night so even babies younger than a year old can enjoy them before heading home for bedtime. Wouldn’t it be too loud for babies? While the thought of going taking your tiny human to a live music venue for grown-ups, they’re actually super entertaining for kids as well, and here’s the bonus – because it’s so much fun for babies to watch the performances, you get to eat in peace!

Solana Mall – 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu
蓝色港湾朝阳公园路6号
135 5271 3585

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Images: Unsplash

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