Best Places to Eat with Kids
THE BARKING DOG 1678 Third Ave.
212-831-1800
Brunches, a filling and flavorful children’s menu, an outdoor doggie drinking fountains and doggie treats bring flocks of New Yorkers to this canine-themed Upper East Side eatery. It appeals to the stroller set and their grown-ups with a menu chock-a-block with salads, sandwiches, American-style comfort foods like meat loaf and pot roast, plus some British favorites like fish and chips and Shepherd’s Pie. Loyal customer Chastity raves: “If you have a pooch and want to have a nice doggie date, this is the place for it.”
GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT 520 Columbus Ave.
212-496-0163
Carrie Levin started this kid-friendly eatery serving American comfort food in a small but cozy farmhouse-themed Upper West Side location in 1981. Most of the food is made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients. Breakfast includes a variety of pancakes, waffles, eggs and omelettes served with homemade biscuits and strawberry butter. The dinner menu features starters like grilled corn bread and fig focaccia, and such favorites as meat loaf and buttermilk fried chicken.
COWGIRL 519 Hudson St.
212-633-1133
This bar and restaurant was founded in 1989 and has been offering Texas-friendly fare, killer margaritas and a substantial kid’s menu ever since. The children’s menu features wooden nickel pancakes, “Texas” scrambled eggs and biscuits, along with a “get along little corndoggie” and “granny’s grilled cheese” (all $6.50 each) plus burgers and a pulled pork sandwich. For adults, they have a wide selection of Tex-Mex dishes and seasonal specials, like a “Dios de Los Muertos” menu in late October and early November with roasted acorn squash and chicken tortillas.