22 of the best family-friendly restaurants in Sydney

The Henson

Where: Marrickville 

An Inner West icon, The Henson has a dedicated kids’ playroom with a climbing wall and blackboards for drawing. But its bright, spacious beer garden and friendly vibe suits more than just the young ones – there’s plenty of room for adults, dogs, and big families.

Kid-friendly tip: The kids’ menu is healthier than most and follows the same principles of free-range, organic and sustainable as the main menu.

The Henson, Marrickville

Hai Au Lang Nuong

Where: Canley Vale  

There is no restaurant in Sydney like Hai Au Lang Nuong. The entire Vietnamese barbecue restaurant is covered, almost floor to ceiling, in artworks made from repurposed trash (there’s a collection of tuktuks, an entire pond scene with a buffalo sculpture and random bits of Star Wars memorabilia), making it a treasure trove for kids and adults alike. You might also get a minute of peace when kids retreat to the play area, complete with indoor play equipment and arcade games. If your family can’t resist a chance to belt out a classic, there’s a karaoke machine that gets airtime on weekends – the restaurant owner belts out a few, too. 

Kid-friendly tip: Its popularity mean it can err on the crowded side, so, if you have a pram or need a highchair, ask for one of the tables out the front or upstairs.    

Hai Au Lang Nuong, Canley Vale - Credit: Nicholas Jordan

Harbord Diggers 

Where: Freshwater 

This reimagined RSL on the Northern Beaches has a bit of everything. There are multiple dining options, ranging from classic club food to Vietnamese, and a steak and seafood house. Grab a table on the Ocean Terrace (that’s both kid- and dog-friendly) and take your pick from every venue’s menu. If the gelato cart isn’t enough to delight the kids, there’s also an on-site soft-play centre called Major Fun with a multi-level climbing structure and a specific area for toddlers to have their own fun.  

Kid-friendly tip: On Friday and Saturday nights, you can drop children aged over three at Major Fun for some supervised play while you enjoy your meal. 

Chuck & Son’s Brewing Co 

Where: St Peters 

One of Sydney’s newest craft breweries, Chuck & Sons is the work of the famous Hahn beer family. The huge 100-seat taproom has a children’s corner with toys, boardgames, colouring in and a big blackboard on the wall. Eats come from a burger- and sandwich-specialising food truck, with kids’ burgers, quesadillas and artisan gelato, all washed down with a slushie. 

Kid-friendly tip: Thursday nights see the venue power up the big screen to run a family movie and, during the school holidays, little ones are able to get stuck into a crafternoon or other fun activities like face painting. 

Chuck & Son’s Brewing Co, St Peters

The Greens 

Where: North Sydney 

This historic bowls club (founded in 1888) has been transformed into a modern venue for the whole family. There’s still barefoot bowls, as well as a sunny restaurant serving spruced up pub grub with lots of space for kids to run around. Every Sunday is family fun day, with special activities like face painting, balloon animals, live music and more. 

Kid-friendly tip: Sitting inside St Leonard’s Park, The Greens is surrounded by wide open grassy space, with a small playground, too. If you’re making a day of it, you’re a nine-minute drive from the state-of-the-art multi-zone playground at Wadanggari Park – play-paradise for kids of all ages. 

The Greens, North Sydney

Vic on the Park 

Where: Marrickville 

This sprawling pub starts with a sports bar on the street, a dining room in the middle and a shady deck out the back. The car park has been converted into a basketball court so sporty teens can shoot some hoops or head inside and hit the pool table. The menu goes beyond pub classics, focusing on rotisserie while the kids' menu is expected - pasta, burger, and fish and chips.

Kid-friendly tip: If you need more outdoor entertainment, Enmore Park and the Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre are just across the road. 

Vic on the Park, Marrickville

The Marsden Brewhouse 

Where: Marsden Park 

Grab a tasting paddle from the on-site brewery, watch the footy on one of the big screens and let the kids run off some steam in the playground at The Marsden Brewhouse. And, every Saturday and Sunday from 12pm, the kids are treated to free face painting, balloon animals, airbrush tattoos and more. 

Kid-friendly tip: Who can say no to a free meal? Kids eat free for dinner from Monday to Wednesday (with the purchase of an adult meal between 5pm and 7pm).

Coogee Pavilion 

Where: Coogee 

After a day of family fun by the ocean, everyone is going to be hungry. The Coogee Pavilion has long been a family favourite for exactly that scenario. There’s a large play area on the ground floor with an array of toys and books, an art station for drawing and colouring in, ping pong tables, a giant Scrabble board, jumbo Connect Four and a cubby house. The kids’ menu is long and includes miniature pizzas plus sweet treats like gelato and a baby Nutella calzone.  

Kid-friendly tip: Don’t miss the special kids’ drinks menu with wow-factor smoothies and more – the cherry bomb and elder berry cup put juice poppers to shame. 

Coogee Pavilion, Coogee

Camden Valley Inn 

Where: Camden 

Set across five acres, Camden Valley Inn is a little piece of country life on the edge of the city complete with an out-of-action big red tractor and a playground for the kids. Built in 1939, this former milk bar has grown into a pub, hotel and events venue that draws locals and far-flung visitors alike for its warm welcome and family-friendly appeal. The menu covers everything from homemade pasta to stone-baked pizzas, burgers, steaks and a solid selection for little eaters. 

Kid-friendly tip: During school holidays, bring the kids for regular events like lawn games, movies, jumping castles, petting zoos, reptile shows and lots more. 

Camden Valley Inn, Camden

Promenade Bondi 

Where: Bondi Beach 

Walk straight off the sand at Bondi and into the beach bar at Promenade. The kids can run on the grass while you keep an eye on them and the kids’ menu will entice even the fussiest eater but still deliver them good ingredients. Otherwise dine family style and tuck into a pizza, deli plater of cold meats and French fries with citrus chilli salt. 

Kid-friendly tip: If you can’t get the kids to sit still, grab something from the kiosk and walk along the promenade to the excellent playground at the northern end of the Bondi Pavilion. 

The Grounds of Alexandria 

Where: Alexandria 

The Grounds is a veritable wonderland for children (and adults) of all ages, with a cafe, pop-up food stalls, lush plants and more. It hosts a captivating calendar of events that brings everything from Cinderella’s castle and a Mexican fiesta to its sprawling space. The resident goats and chickens are also a hit. 

Kid-friendly tip: The Grounds is always photogenic – time your visit with dusk for extra cute snaps of the kids amongst the decorations. 

The Grounds of Alexandria, Alexandria

Bilpin Cider Co 

Where: Bilpin 

In the lush Hawkesbury region on the outskirts of Sydney, Bilpin Cider Co has a verdant farm with friendly alpacas, sheep, goats, miniature donkeys and free-range chickens that the kids can befriend. Finish your meal with a non-alcoholic cider icy pole or housemade apple pie.  

Kid-friendly tip: Pre-order a picnic hamper to enjoy lunch under the trees in the apple orchard. 

Bilpin Cider Co, Bilpin

Polish Club 

Where: Ashfield  

The centre of Sydney’s Polish community for more than 50 years, the Polish Club has welcomed families through its doors for just as long. The authentic restaurant serves crowd-pleasers like pierogi, sausages, potato pancakes and pork knuckle, plus plenty of hard-to-choose-between desserts. The club hosts weekly events like playgroup and music classes for under-fives, and there’s a packed schedule of fun during school holidays. 

Kid-friendly tip: Put Thursday night in the calendar – kids under 12 eat free at dinner with the purchase of an adult meal. 

Sandy’s 

Where: Sydney Olympic Park 

It’s not technically the ocean, but the new URBNSRF surf park is the next best thing. It brings the best of the beach to Sydney Olympic Park with perfect waves and poolside cabanas (no set-up required). Refuel at Sandy’s, a laid-back eatery that lets you “dwell between swells” with a coastal menu of breakfast, burgers, burritos and health-oriented bowls, as well as a ‘surfside snack pack’ for the groms that includes fries, cucumber, fruit and your choice of main. 

Kid-friendly tip: Watch on as your little grommet tackles their first surf lesson or joins a Boog in the Bays boogie-boarding session. 

Sandy's, Sydney Olympic Park

Luna Lu 

Where: The Rocks 

If your junior diners expect something more than chicken nuggets and plain pasta, Luna Lu has a special kids’ menu that any adult would be happy to eat from. Tiny gourmands can enjoy petite portions of chicken bao buns, beef teriyaki or sweet yuzu chicken skewers.  

Kid-friendly tip: Don’t skimp on dessert! Everyone will want a bite of Luna’s Opera House (coconut sponge cake with lamington mousse and a wattleseed biscuit base) or pandan fried ice-cream. 

Luna Lu, The Rocks

Little India 

Where: Harris Park  

Little India in Harris Park is a great place to kick-off a culinary adventure that wraps in street-food vendors and restaurants alike. Dynamic, ever-changing and always busting, this strip in Western Sydney is lined with budget-friendly venues serving all manner of Indian cuisines, including street side dining that lets you snack your way along the street without ever having to get the kids onto a seat.  

Kid-friendly tip: If you’re dining during the day, swing past James Ruse Reserve but be prepared to get wet – it’s the largest water playground near Parramatta. 

Chatkazz, Little India, Harris Park

Bucketty’s Brewing Co 

Where: Brookvale 

Bucketty’s Brewing Co on the Northern Beaches has a dedicated play area at the back that’s perfect for the under-five crowd. There’s live music on weekend afternoons and a kids’ menu with all the usual faves like chicken ‘nuggies’ and fish and chips. 

Kid-friendly tip: Every Thursday from 12pm is Books and bubs – the team fills the undercover play area with new toys and games, and lunch is free for the little ones (with the purchase of an adult meal). 

Bucketty’s Brewing Co, Brookvale

Food tours

Where: Multiple locations 

The whole family can learn something on a guided tour. Many of Local Sauce’s guided, small-group food tours are suitable for kids over eight, taking you through Sydney’s Chinatown, Thaitown and Little Italy to taste classic dishes, learn the history and play fun games. Expand the family's culinary horizons with Taste Cultural Food Tours, a social enterprise celebrating Sydney's different communities. Join a ‘Taste of the World’ journey in Liverpool to savour Macedonian, Serbian, Iraqi, Indian and Middle Eastern fare or hit up the ‘Taste of Vietnam’ tour of Cabramatta for food, fabrics, street vendors and jewellery stops.

Kid-friendly tip: If your little one is under four, they can join Local Sauce tours for free and under-five-year-olds enjoy the same perk on Taste Cultural Food Tours. Perhaps you want a family-only experience? You can book a private tour – the tasty Ice Cream & Street Art Adventure through Newtown with Local Sauce will hit the spot.

Local Sauce Tours

Concordia Club 

Where: Tempe 

One of the oldest community clubs in Australia, the Concordia Club has been serving the Germany community since 1883. It’s still going strong, albeit with a modern fit out in the Tempe location it moved to in 2003. Its wide fan base is now far beyond just the German community, mostly based off its classic menu (including schnitzel, pork knuckle, beef goulash, sausages and strudel), and the welcoming vibe. Kids can run around in the large outdoor area while the parents enjoy a German beer on the terrace or relax to the sounds of live music playing inside. 

Kid-friendly tip: The club is opposite the Cooks River loop walk, a short, flat stroll that’s easy enough for kids and smooth enough for prams or scooters – you may even spot a spoonbill on the water.   

Freshwater Brewing Company 

Where: Brookvale 

With its pastel colour scheme and striped umbrellas, Freshwater Brewing Company exudes laid-back coastal cool that lures the surf-focused clientele from across the Northern Beaches. The kids’ area will keep everyone from toddlers to teens entertained with a cubby house, wooden Kombi van for cosplaying surfers, as well as ping pong tables, foosball and two cornhole games. 

Kid-friendly tip: After a Sunday morning swim in nearby Freshwater, head down for lunch – kids eat free between 12 and 3pm. While they do have the classic kids’ menu of a cheeseburger and chicken strips and chips, you’ll also find a snack plate with hummus, house-made flat bread, cheese, fruit, tomato and cucumber.  

Freshwater Brewing Company, Brookvale

The Vineyard 

Where: Vineyard 

The outdoor playground at The Vineyard in Western Sydney rivals the offering of many parks. The huge wooden play structure (also known as The Farmhouse) at its centre has a two-storey tower, rope bridge, sand-play area, slide, wooden tractor and misters to keep the little ones cool on hot days. Grab a table on The Lawn or at Tommy’s Cafe and relax without the kids ever leaving your sight while you tuck into some southern fried chicken, a pizza and a martini. 

Kid-friendly tip: The Vineyard regularly hosts special family events, like a Mother’s Day celebration, visits from the Easter Bunny, live music and pony rides. 

The Vineyard, Western Sydney

Casa do Benfica 

Where: Marrickville 

The whole family can tuck in to a bowl of arroz de marisco (seafood rice) or barbecued octopus at the retro-cool Casa do Benfica, a classic Portuguese dining hall in the Marrickville Hardcourt Tennis Club. It’s always packed with hungry locals, and you’ll see lots of highchairs and prams around the tables. Sometimes, a local even gets up to play covers on stage. 

Kid-friendly tip: On Saturday afternoons, the club hold social tennis matches for adults and juniors. You don’t need to be a pro to enjoy a few games before an early dinner.