Kid Friendly Boston

[DanM]

Are there any good kid friendly or kid centric restaurants around Boston? We have an adventurous 2 year old foodie in need of a good lunch. We are not sure what we will be doing while we are in town, so we do not have a specific part of town in mind.

thanks!

Dan

[rotuts]

if you dont have a Chinatown near you Dim Sum in Chinatown is always a hit with kids.

Especially the chicken feet! very busy on the weekend though

Edited April 18, 2012 by rotuts (log)

[LindaK]

Ditto the dim sum idea. Any of the restaurants in Chinatown would welcome kids, actually.

If you're in Cambridge, a favorite destination for my friends w/ kids is Summer Shack. Traditional New England seafood menu, served family style. The place is huge, so they can usually give you a table with a room for the little one to wander a bit without getting underfoot of the waitstaff. And the enormous lobster tank is a kid magnet. A bit outside the tourist circuit, though, but only a short drive or ride on the T (subway) from Harvard Sq to Alewife.

[rotuts]

Summer Shack! great idea!

[GordonCooks]

Letting a 2 yr wander around any restaurant may not be the best idea for the kid, waitstaff, or especially the other diners.

[DanM]

The Summer Shack looks like fun, but may be a cruel trick after taking her to the aquarium.

We never let her run around, but like all healthy 2 year olds, she gets bored easily and makes her presence known.

An afternoon trip to JP Licks may be in order... If she behaves herself.

Edited April 19, 2012 by DanM (log)

[rotuts]

I had not heard of JP Licks. Well there is one near me so i plan to give it a try.

Im looking forward to 'hemp ice cream':

April Flavors

New! Dairy Free Hemp!

Pure Hemp - Hemp is one of the most nutritionally complete foods grown - enjoy its nutty essence in this flavor for all the purists among us.

Chocolate Hemp - Rich chocolate adds another dimension of flavor for a really groovy experience.

Id go with the Choc. i have no idea what this is. at least its 'nutritionally complete'

[DanM]

JP Licks is quite popular with Boston's massive college crowd. Hemp seeds is a hippy ingredient that is experiencing a fad as of late. My favorite flavor of theirs is oatmeal cookie frozen yogurt.

Dan

[LindaK]

Letting a 2 yr wander around any restaurant may not be the best idea for the kid, waitstaff, or especially the other diners.

I hear you, I was in no way encouraging disruptive or unsafe behavior. Having had many dinners there with kids, I can vouch for the fact that there's an area of the restaurant that (except during peak times) is away from other diners and out of traffic lanes, so staff routinely seat families with young kids there in case they get a bit restless. Good behavior still required.

But no matter if you're going to be at the aquarium, you don't want to schlep yourself to Cambridge for lunch. Chinatown, maybe, it's pretty close. In the immediate area, there are two places I'd recommend.

Sel de la Terre is a nice but casual place adjacent to the aquarium on nearby Long Wharf. Some outside seating if the weather is nice. They have a kids menu.

Sultan's Kitchen is a 5 minute walk up State Street. An unassuming cafe with excellent Turkish food, lots of vegetarian specialties as well as kabob plates and sandwiches. It's small and does brisk lunch business, so if you want a seat get there early or after the rush.

JP Licks is great, but I don't know of one anywhere near the aquarium. The nearest is on lower Newbury Street in Back Bay. I live close to the original JP Licks, which is a lot of fun if you happen to be staying in JP. But it would be a long trip for ice cream otherwise.

Have fun.

[rmillman]

If it is nota game day: go to Bleacher Bar at the Fenway. Great burgers and a view onto the open Fenway field.

[DanM]

Sultan's Kitchen is a 5 minute walk up State Street. An unassuming cafe with excellent Turkish food, lots of vegetarian specialties as well as kabob plates and sandwiches. It's small and does brisk lunch business, so if you want a seat get there early or after the rush.

Sultan's kitchen looks perfect!! She loves this type of food. I think we have a possible winner.

[rotuts]

please consider some pics for us!

[Ms. Foodie]

I'll be heading up to Boston with my family; 4 people including 2 boys who will be 3 years old and 6 months old for a long weekend in mid July. We'll be staying at four Seasons from Thurs and departing Tuesday, will have our own vehicle and need good recs on places to eat that's kid friendly. 

 

My son is a pretty good eater; likes fish, all kinds of vegetables, usually likes our plates vs kids menu of the usual fare and us parents like all kinds of food but in particular like good sushi, italian, cheeses, and seafood. We'll be hitting up the children's museum, new legoland (which is in Somerville) maybe the aquaqium, and Boston commons so we'll be in those areas over the weekend. 

 

I appreciate any good recs! 

[patrickamory]

It's a bit of a drive, but the Ipswich Clam Box north of Boston is an absolute must. Be prepared to wait. It's worth it.

 

Then you can visit Salem for all the historical sites, or one of the pretty coastal towns like Manchester or Marblehead.

[janeer]

You might want to walk from the Commons to the North End. Take your kids to see the Old North Church (one if by land, two if by sea), Paul Revere House, etc, then cruise Hanover St and environs for amazing Italian, pizza, and cannolis.

[janeer]

PS. 4 Seasons has a very nice afternoon tea that my son liked when he was small. Ritz (north side of Public Garden) does as well.

[djyee100]

When in town I go to Legal Sea Foods, a local chain (but nice), family-friendly, with good seafood. I'd recommend Regina pizza in the North End too. Regina has long lines, and the parking in the North End can be tough--just to warn you. If you're in the area of Faneuil Hall, the marketplace is one big food court--you could check it out. Sorry I can't tell you more about Faneuil Hall, but I haven't been there in ages. For fine cheeses and other specialty foods, there's Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge. I haven't been to Formaggio in a long time, but I remember it as superlative.

 

Next to the Boston Common is the Boston Public Garden, with the famous swan boats. My brother and I loved the swan boats when we were kids.

 

Other sights in Boston, maybe for another visit: the USS Constitution at the Charlestown Naval Yard, and the Boston Museum of Science. The Museum of Science is very kid-friendly.

[patrickamory]

Formaggio Kitchen is still great - in fact it's better than ever. One of my favorite specialty food shops in the country.

 

Legal Seafoods is not a chain I'd recommend.

[djyee100]

Legal Seafoods is not a chain I'd recommend.

 

Can you say why? I'm in Boston only once or twice a year, for family visits, and that's when I eat at Legal Sea Foods. When I've been there, the food's been fine. I go to the Legal Sea Foods in Cambridge.

[patrickamory]

Hi djyee100,

 

I've just never thought it was very good. The seafood (especially the lobster) never seem particularly fresh, there's a chain atmosphere, and it's just not something I'd go out of my way for. 

 

I grew up in Boston and it was definitely the place in, say, the early 1980s, but it's changed ownership several times and expanded beyond New England. I don't know what to say, but it'd definitely be low on my list for shellfish at any rate. (That said, being from Boston, there are few restaurants I'd go to for lobster either!)

 

Patrick