When we wanted to write an article about the best places to eat with kids, who better to confer with than Dublin City Mum. Lucky for us, the lovely Avril offered to write it herself.
Dublin City Mum all started with food. In London we brought our daughter everywhere, partly because we had no family on hand to help and also because we liked exploring new restaurants. After moving home to Dublin we continued to bring our kids to all the cafes + restaurants we wanted to explore. As parents we spend most of our days preparing and eating food. It comes first after love in our house! We love eating out and don’t want to compromise on quality just because we have the kids with us. Forget sausages and chips! If you enjoy good food, and eating out with your kids in Dublin, check out a few of my family friendly recommendations.
The cafes and restaurants below are listed in no particular order. I've narrowed it down to 10 but a few more could have squeezed in! Quality of food is first and foremost the priority, followed by general kid friendliness, highchairs/baby changing facilities, and space for buggies. I like them all equally but you'll probably figure out from Instagram which ones we frequent the most!
Gaillot et Gray
⌂ 59 Clanbrassil St Lwr, Dublin 8
Pizza | Highchairs | Website
Wood fired French style sourdough pizzeria to make your mouth water, a bookshelf bursting with kids books, colouring pencils with paper and an outdoor terrace - Gaillot et Grey has it all. Serving artisan breads, pizzas, speciality coffee, indigenous herbal teas, wine and beer, it's our go to Friday evening pitstop with the family. This is quite possibly the most kid friendly restaurant in Dublin (although I'm reluctant to mention that as it's our neighbourhood favourite and still want to be able to get a table at the weekend...or any day of the week!)
Brother Hubbard North
⌂ 153 Capel St, Dublin 1
Kids Menu | Highchairs | Baby Changing Facilities | Website
Open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner 7 days a week, Brother Hubbard North serves great coffee, the tastiest, freshest and most creative food as well as a warm and friendly welcome. The food is absolutely sublime and bursting with flavour. It's massive so there's tons of space for buggies. There's a great kids menu, and the younger ones can also eat eggs and toast from the side menu. If you haven't been, go. It's a family friendly weekend must and the food is incredible.
Neon
⌂ 17 Camden Street, Dublin 2
Kids Menu | Highchairs | Baby Changing Facilities | Website
Neon is fast food with flavour at affordable prices - good food with no fuss! Serving fresh, authentic Asian street food, wine and beer, it's relaxed, very kid friendly and informal. In fact, so much so that families can make their own dessert! The free ice cream cone policy goes down a treat with the little ones and it's definitely something my kids request we come here especially for...after the chicken and rice. Although more often than not my youngest will insist on holding her ice-cream while eating her dinner. Whatever works!
Pi
10 Castle House, 73 South Great George's Street
Pizza | Highchairs | Website
This is probably the trendiest restaurant in Dublin right now, with super stylish decor and queues often seen bursting out the doors at weekends, it's being touted as serving the best pizza in Dublin. Don't let all the style put you off as the pizzas are absolutely incredible and it's super kid friendly. The toppings are exceptional, with a mix of Italian and Irish ingredients, as are the simple but perfect desserts.
Dunne & Crescenzi
⌂ 14-16 South Frederick Street, Dublin 2
Kids Menu | Highchairs | Baby Changing Facilities | Website
Serving simple Italian food with the best quality ingredients, authentically Italian hospitality and excellent wines! The food is delicious, there's lots of buggy space, highchairs and they'll serve half portions for kids from the main menu. It's the perfect spot for a decent family lunch or dinner in town and would highly recommend it. It's one of our family favourites.
Fallon & Byrne Rathmines
39 Castlewood Ave, Dublin 6 |
Kids Menu | Highchairs | Baby Changing Facilities | Website
There’s a simple idea behind Fallon & Byrne Rathmines. They've stacked their shelves with wonderful high quality delicious produce, in a big light-filled restaurant for families to either eat in or take away and it is a feast for the gastronomic senses. With a variety of food counters, you choose your meal, sit down and eat! There's half portions for the kids, high chairs and baby changing facilities, complete with a great sun filled outdoor terrace area. The best bit (and not just for kids!) is the incredibly good Gelato section for ice creams, crepes and waffles. Go, the food is excellent and it's the perfect spot for family brunches, lunches or dinners.
Fish Shack
⌂ Sandycove + Malahide
Kids Menu | Highchairs | Baby Changing Facilities | Website
The seafood is fresh and tasty. With a kids menu, highchairs, and colouring for the little ones (to keep them busy for the 2.5 minutes you get to enjoy your lunch!), it's the perfect lunch or dinner spot combined with a trip to either seaside destinations of Sandycove beach or Malahide. Best of all is their delicious ice cream sourced from Paul and Simon Cooper from featherbed farm in Olyegate, Co. Wexford. Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...especially when the fish and ice-cream tastes so good.
The Woollen Mills
⌂ 42 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1
Kids Menu | Highchairs | Baby Changing Facilities | Website
Quintessially Irish, local and of its locale. Overlooking the Ha'penny Bridge and the River Liffey, it's a great place to grab a serious coffee and bun, or a plate of Irish ham and chips (or if your kids can handle it!) to sit down for seven courses of anchovies, crab, herrings, pork and beef rib. The food is divine, there's a kids menu, high chairs and if you're in this part of town it really is the best place to eat.
BuJo
⌂ 6 Sandymount Green, Dublin 4
Kids Menu | Highchairs | Baby Changing Facilities | Website
BuJo is a neighbourhood burger joint where their grass fed, chargrilled burgers are cooked fresh to order and taste great. As the only burger focused restaurant in Ireland and the UK to hold a 3 Star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, they take their environmental responsibility for the local community and the planet pretty seriously. From day one BuJo has only used fully certified 100% compostable packaging. It's more expensive but it doesn’t cost the earth! There's highchairs and a fab kids menu for under 12's. Their kid's shakes, made from ice-cream and dairy from grass fed cows are delicious. It's counter-service so no need for reservations, just rock on up and enjoy.
Shouk
⌂ 40 Drumcondra Rd Lower, Drumcondra
Kids Menu | Highchairs | Baby Changing Facilities | Website
Shouk is a Middle Eastern restaurant tucked away behind The ABC, Drumcondra. It serves a mouth watering selection of mezze platters, salads, burgers, roasted cauliflower, chargrilled aubergine plus ribeye steak, chicken shawarma and a gorgeous kids menu. Think Yotam Ottolenghi with less finery. There's highchairs and a fab outdoor terrace. If you just want to pop in for a coffee you’re in for a treat with their delicious homemade cookies and cakes. Shouk is an absolute delight and the food is so good I would happily eat there every week.
Check out more of Dublin City Mum's family friendly cafés and restaurants here.
