CHICAGO’S TOP 5 KID FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS
Cambridge Nanny Group announces its Top 5 Kid friendly restaurants in Chicago. We polled our client families and the results are in! Here are the best places to enjoy a family friendly meal where the wait staff caters to the needs of small children – and if you happen to be dining with a fussy infant or impatient toddler you will not get the stink eye. Congratulations to our 2011 winners!
LEONA’S (Roger’s Park Location)
CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN (Lincoln Park Location)
WISHBONE
GRAND LUX CAFE
SOUTH WATER KITCHEN
1) LEONA’S
6935 N Sheridan Rd Chicago, IL 60626, 773-764-5757
This family owned and operated chain has been serving Chicago families for over 50 years. Northside families flock to this beloved kid friendly eatery. The décor is Italian grandmother meets neighborhood food den – checkered tablecloths, wooden booths and tables and tableside game cards. Leona’s offers an enormous menu and enormous portions so prepare to bring home leftovers. Items include delicious entrees, appetizers, salads, pasta, pizza and not to mention several healthier options. The diverse menu has something to appeal to the most finicky of eaters so every member of your family will leave satisfied. The food is fantastic but what really draws family’s in on weekends is the large Children’s Room that has multiple flat screen tv’s playing children’s movie, blackboards to play with chalk and various toys. The children’s menu is not listed on their web site so we are including It here for your review and reference. Menu items include: Kids Pizza, Meatball Sandwich, Kids Turkey and Cheddar Sandwich, Pizza, Chicken Strip and potato wedges, Kids Pasta – Angel Hair and Marinara, Fettuccine Alfredo, Penne and meat Sauce. They all come with a drink and ice cream for $4.99.
Toddler Tip – If possible, request a table by the play room so you can keep an eye on kiddies without leaving your table.
http:// www.leonas.com/
2. WISHBONE
3300 N Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL 60657-1108 (773) 549-2663
Southern Reconstruction is what the owners of Wishbone call their cuisine. Chicago families just call it edible southern comfort. Try the: Smothered chicken, crawfish etouffee, blackened catfish, chicken with Mango salsa, pecan pie. They also offer vegetarian, gluten-free and allergy conscious choices. Families Flock to Wishbone on Tuesday Family nights. One free meal from kids menu with the purchase of an adult entrée over 7 bucks. You can’t be that deal. The owners of Wishbone have children and it shows. Little guests are
greeted warmly and are occupied with crayons and butcher block paper to draw on. They can even check out the children’s book, “Floop the Fly” written by one of Wishbone owners, Richard Nickson. The atmosphere is art-filled, eclectic, and friendly. Conveniently located between Belmont, Lincoln and Ashland makes this location easily accessible.
Toddler Tip – Breakfast served all day. For the more adventurous or older children, there are plenty of dishes from the adult menu to choose from–customized by choosing your own vegetable side dishes. For the others, Wishbone offers a special Children’s Menu available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
www.wishbonechicago.com
3) CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN
939 W. North Avenue Chicago, IL 60622 312-377-1281
The CPK Lincoln Park location is toddler central and a perennial favorite for local families. The décor is exactly what the name denotes – a bright airy space with an open kitchen. Every inch of the place covered with its trademark yellow, black and white color. The tables and booths allow plenty of room to comfortably fit high chairs, diaper bags, and your child’s favorite activity toys to keep them occupied. You can park your stroller at the reception area or if space is available bring it right to your table. Founded in Beverly Hills in 1985, the restaurant offers thin-crust pizzas that come with innovative toppings from Asia, Latin America and the Southwest and of course its signature pie – the Original BBQ Chicken pizza. Pastas, salads, soups and sandwiches round out the menu. The pizza gets the most buzz but don’t overlook their delicious salads. The Thai Crunch Salad is adored by parents and kids – Shredded Napa cabbage, chilled-grilled chicken breast, julienne cucumbers, edamame, crispy wontons, peanuts, cilantro, julienne carrots, red cabbage and green onions tossed with a lime-cilantro dressing and Thai peanut dressing. You can add fresh avocado if you choose. Kids who like veggies love this salad.
Toddler Tip – CPK also has a restaurant on Ohio off of Michigan Ave. This location seems to cater to the shopping and tourist crowd.
www.cpk.com
4) GRAND LUX CAFE
600 N Michigan, Chicago, IL 60611 312-276-2500
Grand Lux Cafe is the sibling of the Cheesecake Factory but for some may people haven’t heard of it. The same design team that created Cheesecake has filled the space with similar opulent colors, rich appointments and unusual geometric designs. The global menu offers something for everyone. Appetizers
include Buffalo chicken rolls (chicken breast, cheese and Buffalo sauce rolled in a spiced wrapper and fried until crisp) and the grand appetizer platter, a sampling of all appetizers that’s big enough for four. The Asian Nacho’s are epic. A wide range of entrees includes pasta, seafood, steaks and oven-baked pizzas. Specialties include the chicken Venetian (chicken breast sauteed with mushrooms, shallots, herbs, white wine and a touch of cream) and shrimp scampi (shrimp sauteed with white wine, lemon, garlic, fresh tomatoes, herbs and cream). Eight of the most popular cheesecakes from the Cheesecake Factory are available by the slice. Grand Lux also has a retail bakery, where you can purchase whole cheesecakes and other house-made desserts to take home.
Lunch features several entree-size salads, sandwiches and burgers. Breakfast is served Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Toddler Tip: The restaurant can be a bit noisy so if your children are prone to audio over stimulation request a table in a quiet booth near the bar.
http:// www.grandluxcafe.com/
5) SOUTH WATER KITCHEN
225 N Wabash located in the Hotel Monaco at Wacker Drive 312.236.9300
Most Loop restaurants cater to business and office workers so there aren’t a lot of family-friendly options other than fast food. A review in the New York times said it best: “So while South Water Kitchen’s upscale American-favorites menu doesn’t break any new culinary ground, it deserves a mention as one of the few places in the area that welcomes kids — while featuring food sophisticated enough for discerning moms and dads. The dining room evokes the spirit of an old-fashioned city saloon, and the menu goes the retro route as well. Entrees include modern twists on familiar favorites, including pork chops served with white-cheddar macaroni and cheese; filet mignon with blue crab hash; and oven-roasted chicken breast with herb gnocchi. The restaurant provides not only kids’ menus, but also games to keep the little ones occupied.
Toddler Tip: They offer great inexpensive Happy Hour specials.
http:// www.southwaterkitchen.com/
Cambridge Nanny Group is a premier nanny placement agency located in Chicago, IL. They provide aunique and affordable childcare solution for a new generation of parents. For information on this poll please contact [email protected] m
