One of the New York City boroughs, Brooklyn is home to a highly diverse population. This is expressed in any number of ways, and the abundance of family restaurants among the cornucopia of other eateries is a testimony to the fact that culinary institutions have taken to specializing. While it is hard to pick the 10 best family restaurants in Brooklyn, there are some unchallenged contenders for the title of being the hands down best one.
Supermac is the place to go at 348 7th Avenue. Open Monday through Friday from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM and Saturday from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM, kids love this place because they love mac and cheese, and if there is anything you will find at Supermac, it is mac and cheese in a host of incarnations!
Moran’s at 103 Washington Street is a definite shoo in. Open Monday through Friday from 11:00 AM to sometime late, this amazing local is a mix between an Irish pub and a sports bar located in an old church. The food is upscale, there are linen table clothes (something always of interest to parents of toddlers) and the kid’s menu has all the favorites, including grilled cheese and fries!
Mars 2112 at 1633 Broadway comes next. Imagine eating in a Mars themed restaurant! No matter what they serve you, it is bound to taste good against that backdrop, but lucky for the family who dines there, the food is traditional American style, and when the kids are done with eating, games await! The restaurant has had its share of complaints about customer service issues, but word has it that this has been taken care of. Visit Monday though Friday from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM.
Pizza lovers will flock to Anthony’s at 426A 7th Avenue. With the red bricks, the laid back atmosphere and the family attitude, kids love to gobble up their pizza, pasta, and salad. Adults love Josephine’s Eggplant appetizer! Open from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM Sunday through Thursday and until 12:00 AM on Saturday, this is a great place to hang out!
If it is ice cream that you are looking for, Serendipity 3 at 225 East 60th Street is your locale! Also serving lunch and dinner, this restaurant looks like something Alice in Wonderland and the Cheshire cat might have opened. Oddball design, Tiffany lighting, a huge clock or two, and food so popular that the who’s who of showbiz and politics is frequently seen there. Kids are entranced by the locale, they love the food, and some of the names the dishes go by are too good to pass up! Open from 11:30 AM until midnight Sunday through Thursday, until 1:00 AM on Friday, and until 2:00 AM on Saturday, this is a great place!
An inexpensive breakfast and sandwich eatery is Lenny’s at 60 West 48th Street. Even kids who will not usually eat early in the morning enjoy the do it yourself cereal creations and the great sandwich options. Open daily at 7:00 AM, the hours are Monday through Friday until 8:30 PM and Sunday until 5:00 PM.
When desert is a big consideration and desert a must on the menu, Max Brenner at 841 Broadway is the place to go! Open Sunday from 9:00 AM until 11:00 PM, Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM until 11:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 8:00 AM until 1:00 AM, the kid’s menu is amazing! Some basic hot dog and egg dishes take away parents’ excuses for not letting kids indulge their chocolate cravings. Don’t dress junior in his Sunday best – this is bound to be a messy occasion; after all, what do you expect will happen when you hand him a chocolate syringe?
What sound does a sandwich make when it is pressed? Swich! Also the name of a restaurant at 104 8th Avenue, this restaurant offers fresh baked bread and tasty creations featuring grilled cheese, pork, chicken and a lot more. With names like Karate Chicken, kids are bound to love it! Open every day from 11:30 AM until 11:00 PM, this is a great way to placate even picky eaters and ensure that everyone in the family gets a favorite dish.
If burgers are on the menu, kids will gladly forsake the golden arches for 67 Burger at 67 Lafayette Avenue. Closed on Mondays, the restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday from 1:00 PM until 10:00 PM, this is the place for eaters who want their burgers done right. Whether turkey, veggie, or beef, a plethora of options await and who could resist the curly fries?
Rounding out the list is the Stand where fast food burgers are more expensive than you thought possible, but where mom and dad can enjoy a Dogfish Ale while the kids sip homemade soda. It’s not cheap, but a great way to eat traditional fast food fare that is most likely tastier and healthier than anything the local fast food joint can cook up! Open daily from high noon to midnight, this eatery is located at 24 East 12th Street.
