One thing parents dread about traveling with kids is eating out at restaurants. Trust us, we get it!
We are happy to report that there are lots of kid friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh! Not only did our kids eat great, but several restaurants had activities and areas to entertain the kids, which is a BIG WIN for parents.
If you have picky toddlers, like we do, it is hard to find restaurants that serve food the kids will eat and the food we actually want to eat. On our recent family vacation to Pittsburgh, where we spent three days, we ate EVERY meal out. Here are our top kid-friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh.
Best Restaurants in Pittsburgh for Families
1. Coop Deville
Hence the name Coop; chicken is the thing to order at Coop De Ville. It is a casual restaurant with tons of activities for kids. Plus, it checks all the boxes: Really good food, has a kids’ nice menu, has a fun and boisterous environment. All of this makes it one of the best family-friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh in our book!
This super fun space is so much more than just a restaurant. It offers duck-pin bowling, arcade games, pinball, darts, board games, and more. It is a popular place for families with kids to meet up with friends
You can order your food at the counter, grab some arcade tokens, or head over to the Tiki trailer to get a lane to play a game of Duck Pin Bowling while you wait for a text message that your food is ready. While at the Tiki Trailer, make sure to grab a drink from the well-stocked bar.
Insider Tip: Portions are large; we ordered two kids’ meals (the grilled chicken and chicken tenders), and our kids could have easily shared.
2. Federal Galley
The Federal Galley is a unique & fun food hall that has 4 Pittsburgh restaurants under one roof! This unique dining spot offers a great outdoor space, a nice bar with fun cocktails, and local Pittsburgh brewery beers on tap. You can order right from your table via a QR code on the table from any of the restaurants.
There is a large outdoor patio for kids to run around and play. Our kids loved the chicken tenders and waffle fries at Given To Fly, and we enjoyed the Detroit-Style pizza at Driven PGH. Both dishes had HUGE portions. If you are looking for family friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh with great food and drinks, the Federal Galley is a great option.
Insider Tip: Several of the best things to do in Pittsburgh are within walking distance. Eat here before/after visiting the Children’s Museum (1 minuter walk) or National Aviary (6 minute walk).
3. Puttshack
Get your kids to eat their meal by rewarding them with minigolf after they clean their plates! The 9-hole minigolf at Puttshack is fun for all ages! For the kids, we ordered a flatbread & cheeseburger, and Adam and I shared a few appetizers.
Insider Tip: Get one of their signature cocktails; I loved the Spiced Pineapple Mezcal Margarita with a Jalapeno popsicle on top.
4. Eatn’ Park
Eatn’ Park is a local Pittsburgh restaurant that has been serving some of the best breakfasts in Pittsburgh for 75 years. It is known for its famous Smiley Cookies, which every kid gets for FREE. Who doesn’t like free cookies?
In our family the best meal out with the kids is breakfast. Everyone is still happy, isn’t overtired, and is usually hungry. We dined in for breakfast, but Eatn’ Park also serves lunch and dinner.
Menu Tip: Order the giant Smiley Pancake or Waffle! They also have specialty pancakes like Banana Foster, Strawberry, Blueberry, Chocolate Chip, Confetti, Coconut Creme, and Cookies & Cream.
5. Threadbare Cider House
For some of the best pizza in Pittsburgh, head to Threadbare Cider House for its sourdough pizza. Sample their local ciders and order a cider flight. If cider isn’t your thing, beer and cocktails are also available.
There are two giant lightboards with colored light pegs and games to entertain the kids while you enjoy your drink. We suggest grabbing a bottle of your favorite cider and bring it back to the hotel to enjoy once the kids are asleep.
Insider Tip: The menu is small but well done. Our kids ate cheese pizza, meatballs, and the truffle mac & cheese. They do offer gluten-free pizza too.
6. Mad Mex
After a busy day visiting several Pittsburgh attractions, nothing sounds better than tacos & tequila. There are several Mad Mex locations in the Pittsburgh area.
We love Mexican food, but our kids don’t always eat the best at Mexican restaurants. We were happy that Mad Mex has a kid’s menu with Mexican options (tacos, nachos, quesadilla, burrito) as well as other options: Dino Nuggets & Fries, Mac & Cheese (made in-house), and Grilled Chicken. Kid’s meals also come with a brownie and ice cream!
Menu Tip: Come for happy hour for good drink specials.
7. Southern Tier Brewery Taphouse
We love visiting breweries when traveling and trying local beers. Adam has loved Southern Tier forever, so when we saw they had a taphouse in Pittsburgh, we had to go check it out. With over 30 beers on tap, a large fenced-in beer garden, and a food menu with several items our kids would eat, it was a win for us.
Insider Tip: This is one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh to grab a meal or drink before or after a game at PNC Park or Acrisure Stadium, both of which are within walking distance.
8. Strip District Terminal & Strip District
If you are unsure where to eat in Pittsburgh, head to the Strip District. Here, you will find some of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh and many food options.
We ate & played at Puttshack, grabbed ice cream for the kids at OddFellows Ice Cream Co. inside Posman Books, and then had a beer at Aslin Beer Company, all located in the Strip District Terminal.
Insider Tip: If you can’t find street parking, there is a big parking lot behind the Strip District Terminal.
9. Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar
We couldn’t leave Primanti Bros off our list! One of the most famous restaurants in Pittsburg is Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar, but we ran out of time to go. Founded in 1933, the original Primanti Bros is located in the Strip District.
Primati Bros. is known for its famous sandwiches. This restaurant is more for the parents, but they do have a kid’s menu with one item of chicken tenders, LOL. Therefore, we think it should be included it in our kid friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh article.
Insider Tip: Order online for delivery or To-Go and enjoy a sandwich at a park or down by the river.
10. Noodlehead
For some of the best Thai food in Pittsburgh, head to Noodlehead. We used to live in Thailand, and we LOVE Thai food. Noodlehead is most known for its noodle dishes, which are inspired by the streets of Thailand.
We both enjoyed two of our favorite Thai noodle dishes, Pad See Eww and Pad Thai. We ordered several items for the kids. The following items were a hit: crispy spring rolls, pork belly steamed buns, Thai Fried Chicken, and plain egg noodles. We suggest bringing snacks for kids just in case you don’t find any kid-approved food.
Insider Tip: Cash Only. They offer BYOB (bring your own bottle) and don’t charge a corkage fee.
Eating out with kids isn’t always easy, but choosing the right restaurants makes it a lot more enjoyable. We hope our best kid friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh article has helped you discover a few fun places to eat in Pittsburgh with kids.
Where do you think is the best place to eat in Pittsburgh with kids is?
Restaurant Essentials When Dining Out With Kids
Here are a few things I always have with me when eating at restaurants with kids. Mind you, my kids are younger, and this list will vary based on your kids’ age.
- Antibacterial wipes – Kids’ hands and some highchairs at restaurants aren’t super clean, so I like to give everything a quick wipe-down before the kids dive hands first into their food. I like these sanitizing wipes that are kid friendly.
- Disposable placemats – These things are awesome. They stick to the table/highchair, and you now have a clean eating surface for your child, AND there are graphics/games for them. We like to point things out and work on colors and words with our kids. We have been using these placemats for years and always have them with us at restaurants.
- Baby wipes – For messy hands & faces.
- Snacks – The sooner kids get food in, the better. We often bring some sort of cracker or popcorn.
- iPad – This is the time I break out the iPad. We try not to allow our kids to have their iPads unless we are driving, at a restaurant, or flying with toddlers. I hated this Fire tablet. Don’t waste your money on this; there isn’t a home button, and it is 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 onto our Verizon plan for $10 a month, so we don’t have to hotspot them in the car or wait for the wifi password at restaurants.