Kid Friendly Cafes and Restaurants
The BEST Auckland kid friendly cafes and restaurants that make it easy for families to dine out.
Find out where Auckland for Kids editor and readers recommend to go out to eat with kids in Auckland, New Zealand.
CENTRAL AUCKLAND
Auckland inner city cafes & restaurants
Better Burger
Britomart Transport Centre, Galway Street, Britomart, Auckland City
Also in Vulcan Lane, Mt Eden, Sylvia Park and Auckland Airport
www.betterburger.co.nz
Organically and locally produced burgers & the fries. Better Burger uses quality ingredients which are wrapped in a tasty honey bun burger. For the vegetarians in your family they do a great vege mushroom burger too, so they won’t be left out.
On a fine day, get your food to go and enjoy eating your meal and people watching on one of the beanbags in Takutai Square, or take in the views from one of the giant seats on Queens Wharf which are only a short walk away.
Ebisu
116-118 Quay Street, Britomart, Auckland City
www.ebisu.co.nz
Upmarket Japanese restaurant which has a kids menu of health bento boxes followed by dessert. The kids get an an activity page too and there are highchairs for babies. Ebisu is more suited to older kids, but is a restaurant that the whole family (not just the kids) will enjoy.
Food Truck Garage
City Works Depot, Shed 1, 90 Wellesley Street West, Auckland CBD
Open all public holidays except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day
foodtruckgarage.co.nz
Food Truck Garage makes fast healthy food for families. Choose from classic burgers, fresh wraps, bowls, salads, fish n’ chips and soft tacos. Gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan options are available.
There is a kids menu for children 8 years and under which includes a Kids Beef Burger, Kids Chicken Tenders, Kids Veg Burger or Kids Chicken Burger.
Mexico
23 Britomart Place, Britomart, Auckland CBD
Mexico also has restaurants in Sylvia Park, Ponsonby, Ellerslie and Takapuna.
www.mexico.net.nz
Mexico is a family friendly casual restaurant with a kids menu, highchairs, crayons & activity sheets. Plus on Sundays Mexico – Kids eat FREE* on Sundays from the kids menu when their parents dine.
Auckland Fishmarket
22 Jellico Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland
www.afm.co.nz
Auckland fishmarket has one fishmonger and eight different eateries to choose from including sushi, pizza and other Kiwi cuisine. When your family can’t agree on what they want to eat, this is a good option as everyone can choose different meals and still sit together.
Mexicali Fresh
Princes Wharf, 137 Quay Street, Central City, Auckland
Other Auckland locations include: Botany Junction, Constellation Drive, Ellerslie, K-Road, Lincoln Road, Ponsonby, and Pukekohe
www.mexicalifresh.co.nz
Mexican food in a casual setting, complete with a kids menu. As the meals are made in front of you, its easy to get them to leave out certain items if you have fussy kids, like ours who don’t like lettuce. Plus for little ones there are high chairs. There is also an outdoor courtyard with a stunning view over Auckland harbour to watch the ferries come and go.
Baduzzi
10-26 Jellicoe Street, North Wharf, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland
www.baduzzi.co.nz
Superb Italian restaurant on the North Wharf in Wynyard Quarter. The kids menu has Buttered Pasta, Mr Meatball, Chicken Schnitzel or Parmigiana, with Gelato or chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert. There is colouring and a highchair for the kids too.
After you have fnished eating, you can let the kids run off their energy at the fun playground at Silo Park.
Moustache milk and cookie bar
309 Karangahape Road, Food Workshop, Auckland CBD, Auckland
moustache.co.nz
Milk and cookie bar for kids (and the whole family). Moustache make their cookies daily using free range eggs, New Zealand butter, premium Dutch cocoa and Whittakers chocolate with no additives or preservatives. They have soy and coconut milk options for vegans as well. If you are after something more for lunch, then you can choose something from one of the Food Workshop eateries and sit in the main table area.
Balmoral and Mt Albert eateries
Albert's Post Bar and Eatery
911 New North Road, Mount Albert, Auckland, NZ
www.albertspost.co.nz
Albert’s Post kitchen specialises in pizzas and makes their dough every day. They cater to littler people with a special kid’s menus and a playroom to entertain your children. Plus they have rooms for buggies to park.
Barilla Dumpling
571 Dominion Road, Balmoral, Auckland
Facebook: Barilla-Dumplings
A favourite place to go in Auckland for tasty dumplings. It gets busy, so at times you may have to wait for a table. Barilla is a fun casual place to go as a family with your older children. Although you can take your younger kids to Barilla, you won’t find any extra things for younger kids.
Eastern Suburbs & Mt Wellington cafes & restaurants
Charlie & George Cafe
Shop 4, 40 Stonefields Ave, Mount Wellington, Auckland
Facebook: Charlie-George-Cafe
Colouring for the kids, hopscotch and chalk drawing on the concrete patio outside the cafe. High chairs for younger children are on hand. Note this outdoor playspace, may not be suitable for younger children as the concrete patio is not fenced and adjacent to a road.
La Fourchette
8C Turua Street, St Heliers
lafourchette.co.nz
La Fourchette is a French patisserie, restaurant, cafe and bar. They are open all day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. There is a kids menu, highchairs and colouring available for the little kids. If it is a fine day, its also a great spot to pick up a coffee and something to eat to take to St Heliers Beach for lunch.
The Little District
Sylvia Park, Mount Wellington Highway, Auckland
www.littledistrict.co.nz
Family friendly restaurant, bar and cafe at Sylvia Park shopping centre. The Little District is an all day eatery with a brunch, snack, lunch and dinner menu. Our favourites are their wood fired pizzas.
Mission By The Beach
44 Tamaki Drive, Mission Bay, Auckland
Temporarily closed and planning to reopen in summer 2020
www.missionbythebeach.co.nz
Mission is a family friendly eatery and bar by the beach and playground in Mission Bay. They have a kids menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Highchairs are available for babies and toddlers. There is colouring, large outdoor games, and they often have special events on such as outdoor family movies to keep the kids entertained.
We like that the eatery is right by the Mission Bay playground, so the older kids can nip in out out to play between courses. Note: although the playground is next to the restaurant it is not easily seen from the restaurant due to the large trees, and the playground is next to the beach and a busy car park so you may only want to let your older kids explore by themselves.
Kings Garden Cafe Orakei
Kings Plant Barn, Orakei Bay Village, 228 Orakei Road, Remuera, Auckland
www.kingsgardencafeorakei.co.nz
The Garden Café is a relaxed family cafe with large inside and outside seating areas. The retro caravan and trampoline in the kids area,always keep our children entertained. The outside area is also dog-friendly too if you want to bring the family dog with you.
After you have had your meal, then the nearby boardwalks around Orakei basin, or back to Shore Road Reserve are a fun family walk.
Ellerslie, Greenlane, Onehunga, Royal Oak and Three King cafes
Cornwall Park Cafe
Editors Pick
Pohutakawa Drive, Cornwall Park, Epsom
www.cornwallparkeateries.com
Kid friendly cafe in Cornwall Park. There is a large indoor kids play area and also a large lawn right in front of the cafe for the kids to play on with soccer goals set up. The cafe has a kids menu and the brown paper as table clothes for the kids to draw on.
Zookeeper's Son
715 Mt Albert Road, Royal Oak, Auckland
joylab.co.nz/the-zookeepers-son
Family friendly gastro pub with a kids menu and a kids play area with toys, television and books upstairs. There is free parking available behind the gastro pub too.
Kingsland, Eden Terrace, Morningside & Mt Eden eateries
Morningside Tavern
16 Morningside Drive, Morningside Precinct, Morningside, Auckland
www.morningsidetavern.co.nz
Family friendly tavern for lunch and dinner complete with a sandpit and a ping pong table to keep the kids entertained. There is pub food for the adults and a kids menu for your little ones too.
Crave Cafe
Editors Pick
6 Morningside Drive, Morningside, Auckland
www.cravecafe.co.nz
Kid friendly neighbourhood cafe in Morningside complete with an ice cream shop, toy box and more to keep the kids entertained. There is lots of space indoors and outside on the deck too. Choose from comfy retro armchairs or table seating.
Brothers Brewery and Juke Joint
5 Akiraho Street, Mt Eden, Auckland
brothersbeer.co.nz
Southern style BBQ restaurant in an ex-leatherworking factory that is now a craft beer brewery complete with an outdoor courtyard, retro furniture and a sandpit. Plus there is an old classic Morris Minor for the kids to play in and classic toys. They have a kids menu, high chairs and there is lots on the Juke Joint BBQ full menu that kids will like too.
Bluebells Cakery
67b France Street South, Eden Terrace
Other cafes in Hillsborough and Takapuna
bluebellscakery.com
Boutique cakery with cupcakes, slices, sandwiches, salads, shakes, coffee and more. High chairs for the little ones.
Circus Circus Cafe
447 Mount Eden Road, Mount Eden, Auckland
www.circuscafe.co.nz
Circus Circus is a circus themed cafes that has a kids menu and high chairs. Just behind the cafe is Essex Reverve Playground which is a fun place for the kids to play afterwards. (Note: the playground is not directly connected to the cafe, so you would need to get your drinks and food to takeaway if the kids can’t wait to go the playground.) Another good playground which is only a short walk or bike ride away is Tahaki Reserve Playground.
Peel to Pip
619 New North Road, Morningside, Auckland
Facebook: Peel to Pip
Kid friendly cafe in Morningside with a dedicated kids play area. They have a kids menu and highchairs are available for the little ones.
Kingsland Social
462 New North Road, Kingsland, Auckland
Facebook: Kingsland Social
Kid friendly cafe with an area set aside for little ones with toys. There is a kids menu and highchairs for toddlers.
Parnell, Newmarket, Remuera and Epsom cafes and restaurants
Best Ugly Bagels
3A York Street, Newmarket
www.bestugly.co.nz
Enjoy watching the bagels being made by hand, from being rolled out, simmered in honey water and then fired in the stone oven. Then the hard part is deciding which toasted bagel sandwhich to eat. There is no kids menu, but they do have a plain bagel with butter option on their menu which should keep any fuzzy eaters in your family happy. The casual outside courtyard has seating with an open fireplace. Families with older kids and teenagers enjoy eating here the most.
Hello Friends + Allies Cafe
93 Great South Road, Epsom, Auckland
Facebook: hellofriendsandallies
Cafe with good food and coffee. Spacious room out the back which has an area with lots of toys and a dolls house for the kids to play with.
Archie's Restaurant and Pizzeria
63 Davis Crescent, Newmarket
Facebook: Archies-Pizzeria-Restaurant
Family friendly restaurant. They give the kids a rolling pin and dough to roll out their own pizza which keeps the kids entertained.
Cafe Greenfinders at Palmers
Corner of Shore and Orakei Road, Remuera
www.palmers.co.nz/palmers-remuera/
Cafe in the garden centre, with a dedicated children’s play area, change table facilities and high chairs.
La Porchetta
167-171 Parnell Road, Parnell
(Other Auckland locations: Albany, New Lynn, and Hobson Street)
www.laporchetta.co.nz
Family friendly Italian casual restaurant in Parnell.
Ponsonby, Freemans Bay, Herne Bay & Westmere cafes & restaurants
Dear Jervois Cafe
234 Jervois Road, Herne Bay, Auckland
Faccebook: Dear Jervois
Kids menu and colouring. Plus a baby’s change room complete with change table stocked with nappies, wipes, bags and a nappy bin.
Fusion Cafe
32 Jervois Road, Herne Bay, Auckland
Facebook: Fusion Cafe Ponsonby
Herne Bay cafe with an outdoor courtyard with a sandpit and play equipment at the back of the cafe is best suited for toddlers and younger children. The popular cafe has a kids menu too.
Prego Restaurant
226 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland
www.prego.co.nz
Prego is a long standing favourite Auckland Italian restaurant that has a kids menu, colouring and high chairs.
Note: Prego does not take bookings unless you are in a group over 10 people, so you are best to head there early with the kids.
Garnet Station
85 Garnet Road, Westmere, Auckland
garnetstation.com
Favourite neighbourhood cafe in a villa in Westmere. Toy box for kids. There are a few stairs in the cafe between the different levels.
One2One Cafe
121 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland
Facebook: One to One Cafe
One2One Cafe has been a longtime favourite cafe in Ponsonby. There is a covered sandpit and blackboard area for the younger kids in the rear courtyard and high chairs too.
Catroux Cafe
129 Westend Road, Westmere
www.catroux.co.nz
The cafe has a kids’ brunch menu, an indoor sandpit, toys and kids blackboard.
EAST AUCKLAND CAFES AND RESTAURANTS
East Tamaki, Botany Downs and Howick cafes and family restaurant
Daruma Sushi Botany
451J Ti Rakau Drive, East Tamaki, Auckland
daruma.co.nz
Revolving sushi restaurant with booth seating for families. The kids menu is a Supertrain plate with sushi, noodles, juice and more. High chairs are available for babies and toddlers.
Hawthorn Dene Historic Country Cafe
280 Botany Road, Botany Downs, East Auckland
Facebook: Hawthorndene
Cafe in a historic house set in a country garden. There is a club house, playground and sandpit for the kids to play outside.
Uxbridge Cafe
35 Uxbridge Road, Uxbridge Arts & Culture centre, Howick, East Auckland
uxbridge.org.nz
Family friendly cafe open for breakfast, lunch and snacks in Uxbridge Arts & Culture centre.
The Tearooms at Shamrock Cottage
73 Selwyn Road, Cockle Bay, Howick, Auckland
www.shamrockcottage.co.nz
Enjoy home made food or high tea in a historical Auckland cottage with a roaring fire and sun drenched courtyard.
NORTH SHORE AND NORTH AUCKLAND CAFES AND RESTAURANTS
Devonport, Cheltenham and Belmont cafes
Torpedo Bay Cafe
Editors Pick
Torpedo Bay Navy Museum, 64 King Edward Parade, Torpedo Bay, Devonport
navymuseum.co.nz/visit/torpedo-bay-cafe
Family friendly cafe with a fun nautical themed playground outside the cafe with superb views across the habour back to the city. Also, the cafe connects to the Torpedo Bay Navy Museum which has free admission.
Cafe Bella-Monte
13 Williamson Avenue, Belmont, Auckland
Facebook: Cafe-Bella-Monte
Neighbourhood cafe with a fully fenced kids playground.
Castor Bay, Campbells Bay, Mairangi Bay and Murrays Bay cafes
Cafe Windsor
Windsor Park Centre, 500 East Coast Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland
www.cafewindsor.co.nz
Family friendly cafe with a spacious indoor and outdoor fenced playground with food and coffee. There is lots of free parking on site too.
Paper Moon
437 Beach Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland
papermoon.org.nz
Local neighbourhood child friendly restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Kids menu and colouring is provided for children. High chairs are available for babies and toddlers. Outdoor seating and space to park your buggies is available. Plus you will find a playground and the beach just a short walk away.
Takapuna and Milford cafes
Jam Organic Cafe
33-45 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, North Shore, Auckland
JamOrganicCafe
Jam is off the main Hursmere Road strip and opens onto the neighbouring Hurstmere Green.
Albany cafes
Fields Cafe
4 Appian Way, Albany, North Shore, Auckland
www.fieldscafe.co.nz
Neighbourhood cafe and eatery overlooking Hooton Reserve with a nearby fenced children’s playground which you can watch from the outdoor deck. You can’t see the playground when you are sitting inside the cafe, so you will need to get an outdoor table to keep an eye on your little ones playing. There is space for prams and high chairs for your babies and toddlers. There is an all day menu, cabinet food and a Kids Menu.
Rothesay Bay, Browns Bay, Waiake and Torbay cafes
Armadillo Cafe
Corner of Lyons Ave & Beach Road, Rothesay Bay, North Shore, Auckland
Facebook: Armadillo.rothesay.bay
Kid friendly breakfast and lunch cafe. Lots of toys for the kids, highchairs for the little ones. Outdoor deck with view of the Auckland harbour and Rangitito
Northcote, Birkenhead and Glenfield cafes and gastropubs
Postman's Leg
43-51 Downing Street, Glenfield, North Shore, Auckland
joylab.co.nz/the-postmans-leg
The Postman’s Leg is a family friendly gastropubs with a covered sunny deck and outdoor courtyard. There is pentanque, a sandpit, playground and colouring and kids menus to keep the kids happy.
Zookeepers Son
715 Mt Albert Road, Royal Oak, Auckland
https://joylab.co.nz/the-zookeepers-son
Family friendly gastro pub with a kids menu and a kids play area with toys, television and books upstairs. There is free parking available behind the gastro pub too.
Dutch Delight
3-5 Birkenhead Avenue, Birkenhead, North Shore, Auckland
dutchdelight.co.nz
Dutch restaurant with great pancakes. There is a playroom for younger kids too.
NORTH WEST AUCKLAND CAFES AND RESTAURANTS
Coatsville cafes
Fernielea Licensed Cafe
302 Coatesville-Riverhead Highway, Coatesville, Auckland
http://www.fernieleacafe.com/
Cafe with an all day menu and kids menu. There is a large sunny deck, garden, playground and sandpit area where the kids can happily play too. There are highchairs for your babies and toddlers too.
Hobsonville and Whenuapai cafes
Catalina Cafe
Buckley Avenue, Hosbonville Point, Auckland
www.catalinacafe.co.nz
Family friendly cafe in the 1938 historic ex-airforce building. The cafe has a kids menu and gelato menu too. It opens onto the grassed area of Hobsonville Point Park, which has a playground at the far end of the park with giant metal sculptural pods, climbing frames, swings and slides.
Other fun things for kids to do in the neightbour is to play at the Harrier Point Park Playground, see the Hobsonville Ferry Terminal and walk along the Hobson Point walkway boardwalk.
The Parkhouse Whenaupai
1 Ripeka Lane, Whenuapai, Auckland
www.theparkhouse.co.nz
Friendly cafe with an all day, dinner and kids menu. Right next to The Parkhouse is the Whenuapai Settlement Playground which is a fun place for the kids to play, and best of all you can easily see the playground from the deck.
Little Creatures Brewing
2 Boundary Road, Catalina Bay, Hobsonville, Auckland
littlecreatures.co.nz
Little Creatures is a family friendly brewery in the former Sunderland sea boat hangar in the Catalina Bay precinct at Hobsonville Point. There is an indoor playground for the kids. Plus you can choose from 3 different eateries: Saltys for fish and chips, Little Creatures for pizzas or Kittyhawk for Italian.
Kumeu, Huapai and Riverhead cafes & restaurants
Hallertau
Editors Pick
1171 Coatesville Riverhead Highway, Riverhead, North West Auckland
hallertau.co.nz
This is one of our favourite places to eat with kids in Riverhead. There are giant sized games, an outdoor playground, rock climbing wall, toys and colouring to entertain the kids. There are high chairs for the little kids. The food is superb and there are Little Hopper kids meals too.
Boric Food Market
1404 Coatesville-Riverhead Highway, Kumeu, North-West, Auckland
www.boricfoodmarket.co.nz
Cafe with a fun outdoor country themed playground for the kids, complete with tractors, slides, playhouses, swings and more.
Soljans Cafe
366 SH 16, Kumeu, North West, Auckland
soljans.co.nz
Family friendly cafe in a vineyard setting with a childrens menu and high chairs for babies and toddlers. There is a little playhouse for toddlers and younger kids and a grass field and 2 pentanque courts for the older kids to entertain themselves.
The Food Vault
10 Matua Road, Huapai, North West Auckland
www.thefoodvault.co.nz
Deli style cafe with tasty seasonal food and freshly baked pastries.
Carriages Cafe
299 Main Road, Kumeu, North West, Auckland
carriagescafe.co.nz
Carriages is a 1930’s style cafe and wine bar with 2 ex-train carts where you can have a family meal or dink in Kumeu. There is an outdoor deck area and lake with ducks too. Muriwai and the Gannet colony are only a short drive away.
SOUTH AUCKLAND CAFES
Auckland Airport cafes
Butterfly Creek Cafe
Butterfly Creek, Auckland Airport, South Auckland
www.butterflycreek.co.nz
Cafe at Butterfly Creek with a sunny inside deck and outdoor courtyard with a fun kids playground. You can just go to the playground and cafe without having to pay to go into the Butterfly Creek attraction too.
Percy Cafe
2 Te Kapua Drive, Auckland Landing Business Park, Mangere, South Auckland
percycafe.co.nz
Large airy cafe close to Auckland Airport with a fun outdoor playground for the kids. There is an all day menu, cabinent food and a kids menu.
Manurewa, Takanini and Papakura cafes and gastropubs
Cafe Miko at the Auckland Botanic Gardens
Auckland Botanic Gardens Huakaiwaka Visitor Centre, Manurewa, South Auckland
www.aucklandbotanicgardens.co.nz
Cafe Miko is a family friendly place for breakfast, lunch or a snack. The cafe and outdoor terrace have stunning views over the Gardens, and there is a small boat that our kids always enjoy playing in. The Botanic Gardens, make a fun place to explore together on a walk afterwards too.
The Good Home in Takanini
254 Great South Road, Takanini, South Auckland.
www.thegoodhometakanin
Family friendly gastropub with a kids menu.
Friends of the Farmer Cafe
163 Airfield Road, Takanini, South Auckland
www.kings.co.nz/cafe/
WEST AUCKLAND CAFES & RESTAURANTS
The Grounds at Whoa! Studios
8/14 Henderson Valley Road, Henderson, West Auckland
whoastudios.co.nz
The Grounds is a modern family eatery set wtihin 5 acres of urban park in Henderson Valley at Whoa! Studios. They have a highchair, kids menu and for a fee the kids can play on the urban playground for the afternoon too.
Deco Eatery
Lopdell House, 418 Titirangi Road, Titirangi, Waitakere, West Auckland
www.decoeatery.co.nz
Middle eastern themed eatery that welcomes children and families with a great view over the bush to the sea.
Humbug Cafe
32 Rua Road, Glen Eden, West Auckland
Facebook: Humbug Cafe
There are two separate areas in the cafe, one is a child friendly space with vintage toys and comfy couches. There is a kids menu too.
The Tannery
44b Portage Road, New Lynn, West Auckland
Facebook: The Tannery NZ
Cafe and Kohu Road Ice cream shop in a large converted tannery. The large cafe also has an old retro caravan called “Little Westie” that has been converted into a children’s play area with toys and books to keep your kids entertained. The cafe has high chairs available for younger kids.
