Baby-friendly Restaurants
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Eating Out w/Kids > Baby-friendly Restaurants
April 2004
We have a 6 week old girl and are looking for baby friendly
restaurants in Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland, San Leandro or
nearby areas. Baby friendly for us means the occasional crying
fit and breastfeeding are ok. Thanks.
BAC, a new mom
We often go to Thai e Sun, a Thai restaurant on Shattuck just a block or
two north of University. Not only is it my favorite Thai restaurant in the
East Bay, but if you go before 6 o'clock it's often empty (gets a good
crowd later--early emptyness is not indicative of bad food). There is a
nice grandma-type woman who runs the place and she loves babies
and is always helpful, kind, and delighted to see us. Our daughter
crawls around the restaurant while we eat.
zac
Cactus Tacqueria, on College just across from Rockridge Bart.
Spettro, on Lakeshore Avenue in Oakland.
Barney's, on College or Piedmont Avenues. I think both have back
patios. The food isn't that good though, unless you really like
burgers.
Dona Tomas, especially the back patio. It's fairly upscale but
there are generally several tables with kids whenever we go.
Just south of 51st on Telegraph in Oakland. Great food. Go
early though, or make a reservation, on Fridays/Saturdays. Not
open on Sundays or Mondays.
Loves to go out to eat
I found that the majority of restaurants in the area are pretty
baby friendly (and I think we visited most of them at some
point with our little baby!), I imagine since there are SO many
people with babies and small children around the restaurants
are used to it and expect it. I think only the quieter fancier
restaurants where you yourself would be bothered by crying
babies should you avoid (i.e. a place you would go to have a
nice meal away from noise and be willing to spend good money to
do it. Even in those cases, when our baby was still very tiny
and mostly sleeping in the car seat, we would occasionally
venture to places like Oliveto's. I would step outside if she
started crying.) I never noticed anyone look askance at me
breastfeeding, though I must admit I was more discreet in such
places.
We have found Chinese restaurants in general to be extremely
friendly and welcoming, if not solitious and fawning! In
particular, Jin Ling and King Yen, across the street from each
other on College Ave. in the Elmwood section of Berkeley.
Perfectly good fresh food too, though not top of the line
gourmet. Choose places that have room enough for baby gear, and
for you to be able to spread out a little (as opposed to tight,
crowded and especially busy places like Great China on
Kittredge in Berkeley).
Also, Le Cheval in downtown Oakland (Vietnamese) is big and
baby-friendly. It does get very busy, but they don't rush you
once you're seated
Also, there are the family standards like Pasta Pomodoro (I've
never been inside, but sat outside on the patio. They have a
children's menu so they must be child friendly. Mediocre food,
though.) And Picante (Mexican food) on 6th & Gilman in
Berkeley. A total kid-fest. I can't believe it sometimes when
we go, how many kids and babies there are! The bonus there is
they have a bar, so (if you are at all indulging yet, or for
your husband and friends), margueritas are available to sooth
those jangling new parent nerves!
Get out and have fun!
mom who loves to eat out
Picante in Berkeley by 6th and Gilman seems to be a kid
friendly place. We take our very active toddler there all the
time. We also see young babies there as well and people
including the staff don't seem to mind the babies and kids
being themselves.
a Picante regular
We have been happily taking our now two year old to a couple of
restaurants in Alameda. Our top choice is usually Sapparo's
Sushi at Santa Clara and Webster. While it is not a
particularily loud restaurant it is very kid friendly. The wait
staff love our son and are always talking to him, giving him
extra tofu in his miso and slapping five as they go by. We used
to sit at the floating boat sushi bar but wuth a toddler this
is now impractical- as a little baby though it was fine and for
awhile he'd sit and watch the stuff go round and round. I
breastfeed wherever I am so I am probably not a good judge on
this one but No one ever looked at me funny when I did. I also
think that La Pinata (Santa Clara and Park) is great for kids.
It is really loud so one little baby crying makes no difference
at all. It is very busy and my son loved to watch all the
activity. Don't bring the stroller though as there isn't room
in between the tables. Though the food isn't at all that
Applebee's in Southshore actually has those cradles for your
infant car seat which is nice and it's a family joint so noise
is ok. I also have taken my son to Ole's Waffle House (just in
from Park and Santa Clara) many times- again the joint is
always loud so an occassional cry makes no difference. The food
is great funky diner, greasy spoon stuff. Finally, we do a lot
of take out from China House also at the corner of Santa Clara
and Park where they have the best BBQ pork wonton soup I've
ever had! Happy eating.
Juliette
this page was last updated: Sep 4, 2004
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