Best family-friendly restaurants in Adelaide for kids and parents in 2022
From a fine dining restaurant offering “kid degustations”, to a slice of Spain in the Hills – here are the 10 most delicious venues to take the kids.
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So you want to go out for a nice meal but you’ve got a pram, an energetic toddler and fussy child in tow.
You’ve been to your local pub a dozen times and that cafe with the corner play area just won't hit the spot.
The good news is a growing number of Adelaide restaurants are catering to families by offering kid-friendly meals, outdoor space for wriggly worms and a more relaxed, welcoming atmosphere for diners big and small.
With Part One of the delicious. 100 now live, we reveal our top recommendations for the most delicious restaurants to take the whole family.
At McLaren Vale fine diner The Currant Shed, chefs encourage parents to bring the kids with what they call a “kid’s degustation”. The three-course meal includes a bread roll with butter, choice of kid-friendly mains such as pasta or fish and chips, and a housemade ice block.
“As parents who love to eat out, we wanted to be able to offer something more to the kids than the standard fare,” said restaurant owner Emily Dowie.
Nine-year-old foodie Harper Greer, who dined at The Currant Shed with his seven-year-old sister, Maya, described it as a “lovely experience”.
“The food was cooked perfectly and its texture made the meal even more delightful,” he said. “My favourite was the spaghetti.”
Part Two of the delicious. 100 – SA’s top 50 restaurants – will be revealed August 5.
The Currant Shed (#56 in the delicious. 100)
104 Ingoldby Rd, McLaren Flat
One of the finer dining establishments to make this list, the McLaren Vale destination restaurant offers a three-course kid’s menu for $35. While mum and dad savour the contemporary cooking of chef Wayne Leeson, picky eaters will be catered for with a housemade bread roll with butter, a choice of mains including pasta, fish or chicken with chips, and an iceblock. It’s a quiet, elegant setting inside, but there's a patch of grass and citrus trees for kids to stretch their legs out the back.
Pizzateca (#88)
319 Chalk Hill Rd, McLaren Vale
Nearby, there’s an Italy-meets-Australia party going on at Pizzateca. The traditional Neapolitan style pizzas please all ages – simpler flavours include traditional margherita and “bambini” (ham with mozzarella). They also serve up traditional meat skewers from the Abruzzo region, called arrosticini, and gelato. The vibe is fun and relaxed, so you won’t be stressing about the kids making noise, and there’s some grass to roam.
Comida (#59)
100C Mount Barker Rd, Hahndorf
The Hills destination welcomes all types, from sophisticated couples lingering over a long lunch, to on-the-go families whose children will happily munch from their very own menu before playing in the big garden out the back. The “El Nino” menu includes Spanish pizza and crumbed chicken with chips, though older kids might enjoy some of the more traditional tapas such as mushroom and cheese croquetas and patatas bravas (minus the chilli jam) – and churros, of course. It’s open for breakfast, too.
Parwana (# to be revealed)
124B Henley Beach Rd, Torrensville
Perhaps leave the pram in the car for this one, depending on your table, but don’t shy away from the flavour-packed Afghan fare at this friendly, family-run restaurant. It’s casual, colourful, and boasts some of the best share-style food around town – even food queen Nigella Lawson dined there on her most recent visit to SA. The celebratory rice dish, Kabuli Palaw and the dumplings are among the favourites for younger foodies.
Kuti Shack (#62)
Main Beach Carpark, Beach Rd, Goolwa Beach
During the summer holidays, Kuti does a roaring trade, sending out fish and chips, coffee and assorted ice creams from a takeaway window. Outdoor tables shelter in the lee of the building, while the main dining area is an enclosed deck overlooking the frothing waves of Goolwa Beach. This is casual with a capital C, with food to appeal to foodies young and old. Finish with a Magnum ice cream to take down to the sand.
Lost Phoenix Farm (# to be revealed)
34 Mont Rosa Rd, Hindmarsh Valley
Spacious dining area – check. Expanse of lawn where kids can’t break anything – check. Outdoor tables where parents can enjoy a bevvy while watching their kids on said lawn – check. There's many reasons why Lost Phoenix Farm is a family winner. The destination diner on a 40-acre property, brought to life by MasterChef-star-turned-restaurateur Andre Ursini and top Adelaide chef Will Doak, is perfect for both prams and busy bodies. Food is contemporary but unpretentious, and a kids’ menu includes mac ‘n’ cheese, chicken or fish and chips and toasties.
The Victory (#81)
Old Sellicks Hill Rd, Sellicks Hill
A perennial local favourite, The Victory is a pub with food that steps things up a notch – and that includes the seasonal children’s menu. Tiny tots can get their hands on the house favourite, Myponga Beach salt and pepper squid, with chips and salad. SA fish can be grilled, battered or crumbed. There’s also a mini Victory burger, steak, and even gluten-free spaghetti, with nothing over $14. The patch of lawn with beach views is a bonus.
Lot 100 (# to be revealed)
Chambers Rd, Nairne
One for celebratory occasions. Lot 100 is a restaurant, a cellar door and a distillery, so needless to say there’s something for all ages to enjoy. But this is about the kids – the outdoor space, of course, is ideal for curious capers. Food-wise, it’s the courtyard dining you’re after – groups of four or more can enjoy shared antipasto, a seasonal plate, wood oven pizzas, sides and dessert, for $55 for adults and $25 for children.
Bombora (#73)
94 Barrage Rd, Goolwa
You’re likely to spot a bunch of families here, so there’s no feeling out of place. Tables are spread across three zones: inside close to the kitchen and bar, a deck with sliding plastic blinds and a paved courtyard outside that caters for those wanting a stopgap bowl of wedges rather than anything more substantial. The menu has something for everyone, from burgers to a “kid’s platter” of hummus, cucumber, carrot, ham, crackers and cheese.
Silver Sands Beach Club (NEW)
Norman Rd, Silver Sands
So new it didn’t make this year’s delicious. 100, but we’ve got our eyes on this revamped beach club, run by a crew with serious hospo experience. It’s the relaxed setting and good-food-doesn’t-have-to-be-fancy approach that make this new-age clubhouse such an appealing destination for a Sunday afternoon. That, and the setting, which opens out to a deck, then an expanse of lawn, before a ramp leads down to Silver Sands beach. A “Nipper’s Menu” includes fish, calamari, nuggets and pasta, also available as a meal with a drink and housemade smiley cookie.
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