One of the things parents fear most when traveling with children is going to restaurants. Trust us, we get it!
We’re happy to report that there are plenty of kid-friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh! Not only did our kids eat well, but several restaurants also have activities and areas to entertain the kids, which is a huge win for parents.
When you have fussy toddlers like us, it can be hard to find restaurants that serve food the kids will eat but also food we actually want to eat. We recently took a family vacation to Pittsburgh, where we spent three days and we ate out every meal. Here are the best kid-friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh.
Best Pittsburgh Family-Friendly Restaurants
1. Coupdeville
Hence the name “Coop”; chicken is the thing to order Cupdeville. This is a casual restaurant with tons of activities for kids. Plus, it ticks all the boxes: the food is delicious, has a great kids menu, and has a fun and lively environment. All of this makes it one of the best family-friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh in our book!
This super fun space is more than just a restaurant. It offers duck pin bowling, arcade games, pinball, darts, board games and more. This is a popular place for families with children to gather with friends
You can order at the counter, grab some arcade tokens, or head to the Tiki trailer and find a lane to play a game of Duck Pin Bowling while you wait for a text message that your food is ready. While on the Tiki Trailer, be sure to grab a drink from the fully stocked bar.
Insider Tips: The portions are huge; we ordered two kids meals (roast chicken and chicken tenders) and our kids could easily share.
2. Federal Kitchen
this federal kitchen is a unique and fun food hall with 4 Pittsburgh restaurants under one roof! This unique dining spot features a great outdoor space, a great bar with fun cocktails, and local Pittsburgh beers on tap. You can order directly at your table via a QR code on any restaurant table.
There is a large outdoor patio for the kids to run around and play. Our kids love the chicken tenders and waffle fries at Given To Fly, and we also love the Detroit-style pizza at Driven PGH. The portions of both dishes were huge. If you’re looking for family-friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh that serve delicious food and drinks, Federal Galley is a great choice.
Insider Tips: several of them Best things to do in pittsburgh All within walking distance. You can dine here before/after visiting the Children’s Museum (1-minute walk) or the National Aviary (6-minute walk).
3. Putter
When your kids finish clearing their plates, reward them with a mini golf game so they can eat! 9 hole mini golf course Putshak Suitable for all ages! For the kids we ordered buns and cheeseburgers and Adam and I shared some appetizers.
Insider Tips: Grab one of their signature cocktails; I love the spiced pineapple mezcal margarita topped with jalapeño popsicles.
4. Food Park
Eatn’ Park is a local Pittsburgh restaurant that has been serving the best breakfast in Pittsburgh for 75 years. It’s famous for its famous smiley cookies, which every kid can get for free. Who doesn’t love free cookies?
In our house, the best meal out with the kids is breakfast. Everyone is still happy, not overly tired, and generally hungry. We had breakfast in the store, but Food Park Also open for lunch and dinner.
Menu tips: Order the giant smiley pancakes or waffles! They also have specialty pancakes like Banana Foster, Strawberry, Blueberry, Chocolate Chip, Confetti, Coconut Cream and Cookies and Cream.
5. Shabby Cider House
For some of the best pizza in Pittsburgh, head to dilapidated cider house Because it’s sourdough pizza. Sample local ciders and order a cider flight. If cider isn’t your thing, beer and cocktails are also available.
There are two huge light boards with colorful light pegs and games to entertain the kids while you enjoy your drinks. We recommend bringing a bottle of your favorite cider to take back to the hotel and enjoy after the kids are asleep.
Insider Tips: The menu is small but well done. Our kids had cheese pizza, meatballs and truffle mac and cheese. They also offer gluten free pizza.
6. Crazy Mexican
After a busy day visiting several Pittsburgh attractions, there’s nothing better than tacos and tequila. There are several Crazy Mexico Locations in the Pittsburgh area.
We love Mexican food, but our kids don’t always get the best food at Mexican restaurants. We’re pleased that Mad Mex offers a kids menu that includes Mexican options (tacos, nachos, quesadillas, burritos) as well as other options: dinosaur nuggets and chips, macaroni and cheese (made in-house), and grilled chicken. Kids meals also come with brownies and ice cream!
Menu tips: Come enjoy happy hour and enjoy drink specials.
7. South Level Brewery Bar
We love visiting breweries and trying local beers when we travel. adam loved South level forever, so when we saw they had a bar in Pittsburgh we had to check it out. With over 30 beers on tap, a large fenced-in beer garden, and a menu with a variety of food the kids will eat, it was a win for us.
Insider Tips: This is one of Pittsburgh’s best restaurants for a meal or drink before or after a game at PNC Park or Acrisure Stadium, both within walking distance.
8. Zone terminals and zone zones
If you’re not sure where to eat in Pittsburgh, head to the Las Vegas Strip area. Here you’ll find some of Pittsburgh’s best restaurants and plenty of food options.
We ate and played at Puttshack, bought ice cream for the kids at OddFellows Ice Cream Co. inside Posman Books, and had a beer at Aslin Beer Company, all located Zone area terminal.
Insider Tips: If you can’t find street parking, there is a large parking lot behind the Las Vegas Strip terminal.
9. Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar
We couldn’t leave Primanti Bros off our list! One of the most famous restaurants in Pittsburgh is Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar, but we didn’t have time to go. Primanti Bros was founded in 1933 and was originally located on the Las Vegas Strip.
primati brothers Known for its famous sandwiches. This restaurant is more geared towards parents, but they do have a kids menu with a side of chicken tenders, haha. Therefore, we thought it should be included in our article on kid-friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh.
Insider Tips: Order online for delivery or takeout and enjoy your sandwich in the park or by the river.
10. Noodles
For some of the best Thai food in Pittsburgh, head to noodle head. we once lived Thailandwe love Thai food. Noodlehead is famous for its noodle dishes, which are inspired by the streets of Thailand.
We both love two of our favorite Thai noodles, Pad See Eww and Pad Thai. We ordered several items for the kids. The following items are popular: crispy spring rolls, pork belly buns, Thai fried chicken and white egg noodles. We recommend packing snacks for the kids in case you can’t find anything kid-friendly.
Insider Tips: Cash only. They offer BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverage) and don’t charge a corkage fee.
Eating out with kids isn’t always easy, but choosing the right restaurant can make it more enjoyable. We hope our article on the best kid-friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh helps you discover some fun places to eat in Pittsburgh with kids.
Where do you think is the best place to eat with kids in Pittsburgh?
Restaurant essentials for dining out with kids
Here are some of the things I take with me when we go out to restaurants with my kids. Please note that I have younger children and this list will vary based on the ages of your children.
- antibacterial wipes – The kids’ hands and some of the high chairs in the restaurant are not very clean so I like to give everything a quick wipe down before the kids get their hands into the food first. I love these disinfecting wipes Child friendly.
- Disposable placemats – These things are awesome. They stick to the table/high chair and now your child has a clean dining surface, and There are graphics/games for them. We love pointing out things and working on colors and words with our children. We have been using these placemats for years And always take them with you in restaurants.
- Baby wipes – for messy hands and faces.
- Snacks – The earlier your child starts eating, the better. We often bring some cookies or popcorn.
- iPad – This is when I take out my iPad. We try not to let our kids use iPads unless we are driving, in a restaurant, or Flying with young children. i hate This Fire tablet. Don’t waste your money on this; there’s no home button and it’s frustrating to use as a parent, let alone a child. Both of our kids have this iPad 9th generation 9 which has a home button. We added them to our Verizon plan for $10 a month so we don’t have to use their hotspot in the car or wait for the WiFi password at a restaurant.
