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- Allen & Son Bar Bq (6203 Millhouse Road, Chapel Hill, and 5650 US Highway 15-501 N,
Pittsboro). Great bbq and casual atmosphere where kids feel at home.
- Armadillo Grill (120 E Main Street, Carrboro).
Many things made with cheese; inexpensive; can sit outside on a nice night; easy parking; walking distance to Maple
View Farms ice cream for dessert afterwards.
- Bandido's
Mexican Café (159 1/2 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill; 302 E Main Street, #B,
Carrboro; 4711 Hope Valley Road, Durham; 122 S. Churton Street, Hillsborough). The food is affordable and
delicious. Very prompt service. Often full of other families with kids yelling just like mine! They bring chips
to the table as soon as you sit down, so no whining about being hungry! They are always very accommodating to the kids (crayons,
kids menu with drink and dessert included). Festive atmosphere and always friendly.
- Bear Rock Café (201 S Estes Drive,
Chapel Hill). Great food; great kids meals; fast service; can order at counter; discount for UNC employees.
- Blue Corn Café (716 9th Street, Durham).
- Bon's Home Cooking
(133 W Franklin Street, #2-005, Chapel Hill). Southern food, all from scratch, and they have a kids menu
that includes a kids veggie plate (and mac and cheese counts as a veggie). It's a great way to get a healthy
meal for the kids, especially if you limit their access to the hush puppies that come to the table!
- Breadmen's (324 W Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill).
Casual atmosphere, good for kids, variety of options.
- Brixx Pizza (501 Meadowmont
Village Circle, Chapel Hill). Coloring, crayons and pizza dough for kids to play with; decent kids menu; loud
(we just add to the volume); quick attentive service; drink specials for the parents (ha ha!)
- Café Carolina & Bakery
(601 Meadowmont Village Circle, Chapel Hill)
- California Pizza Kitchen (Southpoint Mall,
6910 Fayetteville Road #154, Durham). A "nicer" restaurant
with good pizza and salads. Fast service. Have children's fruit salad as a side. Always lots of kids there.
Nice kids menu with crayons. And if necessary you can get the pizza "to go" and eat by the Southpoint play
area while the kids play.
- Carolina Brewery (460 W Franklin Street,
Chapel Hill). Make a mean dish of chicken fingers! Kids eat free on Tuesdays.
- Carrburritos (711 Rosemary Street, Carrboro).
Good, healthy food with an appropriate atmosphere for children.
- Champp's (8030 Renaissance Pkwy, Durham).
- Cheesecake Factory (8030 Renaissance Pkwy,
Durham). They have kids pasta (that is not on the menu) for $3 and milk
in cups with lids. It is noisy enough so your kids aren't noticed and there are roomy booths. There are plenty
of high chairs and they also park your stroller for you. Finally, the menu is varied enough so that adults
aren't stuck eating kids food. And did I mention a full bar and cheesecake? The only caveat is to come
Monday through Thursday and before 5:30 pm to avoid the crowds.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill (301 W Franklin Street,
Chapel Hill).
- Cosmic Cantina (128 E Franklin Street,
Chapel Hill; 1920 Perry Street, Durham). Great for inexpensive cheese quesadillas.
- Elmo's Diner (200 N. Greensboro Street, Carrboro,
and 776 Ninth Street, Durham). Inexpensive yet excellent food and service, very kid-friendly. Lots of choices.
You don't have to wait long for a table (unless it is a late weekend morning).
Quick service. Kids get crayons and a picture to color.
- Fiesta Grill (3307 NC Highway 54 W, Chapel Hill).
- Firehouse Subs (157 E Franklin Street, Chapel Hill; 1602 E Franklin Street, Chapel Hill; 5319 New Hope Commons Drive, Durham).
- Foster’s Market (750 MLK Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill and 2694 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham).
We enjoy their good sandwiches and our kids love their pizzas. Casual atmosphere is good for kids.
- General Store Cafe (39 West Street, Pittsboro)
- Ham's (310 W Franklin Street, Chapel Hill).
Nice patio for outdoor dining; casual atmosphere.
- Hectors (108 Henderson Street, Chapel Hill). Good junk food (burgers fries). It is never crowded
and you feel like you are a college kid again. They have tater tots and grilled cheese pitas for kids.
- Hong Kong Chinese Buffet (1714 N Fordham Blvd, Chapel Hill). All the ice cream you want!
- K&W Cafeteria (201 S Estes Drive, Chapel Hill).
Buffet with lots of choices and someone helps you with your tray. It is cheap and fast!
- Lime and Basil (200 W Franklin Street, #130, Chapel Hill). Early in the evening it is usually not crowded
and it has a cozy atmosphere. They are very cool about cleaning up spilled rice! It's cheery, well lit and clean with simple
tables and chairs. Our kids (ages 3 and 5) love the pho soup; they treat us as being welcome with kids; their service is
prompt.
- Loop Pizza Grill
(1800 E Franklin Street, Chapel Hill). Kid-friendly food; good atmosphere for children; milkshakes and beer
(a good combo!); inexpensive; easy parking; order at the counter, bypassing the wait for a waitperson to
take your order.
- Macaroni Grill (4020 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd,
Durham). Fun rustic Italian atmosphere, good food, reasonable prices, crayons and menus for kids to write on.
My favorite thing about it is the general look and feel; you feel like you are in a "nice" restaurant but kids
fit right in, too!
- Mad Hatter's Bake Shop (1802 W Main Street,
Durham). Great food for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner; yummy desserts; with kids meal you can get a
decorate-your-own cupcake.
- Mama Dips (408 W Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill).
Kid-friendly food, casual atmosphere, pretty fast service, okay to be loud, ceiling fans for my 2-year-old
fan-obsessed son to watch, easy parking. Perfect for a family outing.
- Margaret’s Cantina (1129 Weaver Dairy Road,
Chapel Hill). Excellent, extensive kids menu with nutritious choices; reasonably priced.
- McAlister's Deli (205 E Franklin Street,
Chapel Hill). Kids menu; quick service: order at the counter; good atmosphere; variety of choices.
- Mellow Mushroom (410 Blackwell Street, #100,
Durham)
- Moe's Southwest Grill (6807 Fayetteville Road, Durham). Great quesadillas;
easy parking; kids eat free on Mondays.
- Nantucket Cafe and Grill
(5925 Farrington Road, Chapel Hill; 1728 Fordham Blvd, Ste 121 (Rams Plaza), Chapel Hill; 5826 Fayetteville
Road, Durham).
- Owens 501 Diner (1500 Fordham Blvd, Chapel Hill). Lots of other families there.
GREAT diner food.
- Panera Bread (213 W Franklin Street, Chapel
Hill; 3603 Witherspoon Blvd, Durham)
- Panzanella (200 N Greensboro Street, #A1,
Carrboro). Great for early dinners with the kids.
- Patio Loco (407 W Franklin Street, Chapel Hill). Food is good and inexpensive;
good for kids. Special kids nights on Thursdays.
- Pazzo (700 Market Street, Chapel Hill).
Environment welcoming to children. Sit outside and have slices of pizza.
- Penguins Cafe
at Whole Foods Market (81 S Elliot Road, Chapel Hill). Buffet with lots of choices; something for
everyone. Noisy so kids don't bother anyone. Can pick up milk or other
items after dinner. Downsides: can be expensive and crowded.
- Pepper's Pizza (127 E Franklin Street,
Chapel Hill). Great pizza; noisy, casual atmosphere.
- Qdoba Mexican Grill (100 W Franklin Street,
Chapel Hill).
- Red Robin Gourmet Burgers (5324 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham). Engaging
atmosphere; great kid's menu; children get crayons to color and a balloon; cartoons on the TV to entertain
older children; great food including chicken tenders, grilled cheese, burgers, quesadillas, corn dogs,
mac & cheese, spaghetti, and pizza, bottomless drinks, french fries, etc. Noisy so you don't feel uncomfortable
if your kids are loud. On Tuesdays the Red Robin character walks around greeting the children.
- Souper! Salad (202 West NC Highway 54, Durham; across from Homestead Market
shopping center). It's always loud, so OK for kids to be noisy; and there are lots of fairly nutritious
food choices. Kids eat free every Tuesday after 4 PM, and you get one free child's meal for each adult
purchasing a buffet at the regular price.
- Squids Seafood Restaurant (1201 Hwy 15-501 Byp,
Chapel Hill). Kid's menu; servers are friendly with the kids; crayons & picture to color; balloons
for the kids; and the best part: the parents get to order good food!
- 35 Chinese (143 W Franklin Street, Chapel
Hill). Chinese buffet.
- Tomato Jake’s Pizzeria (8202 Renaissance Pkwy, Durham). Dollar slices for kids on Tuesdays.
- Toreros Mexican Restaurant (104 NC Hwy 54, Carrboro). Good Mexican food
with a separate children's menu; kid-friendly and lively atmosphere so kids can be themselves
without annoying other patrons(!); papers and crayons for kids; kids under 12 eat free Mon-Thurs evenings
with each adult meal purchased. Also open for lunch!
- Town Hall Grill (410 Market Street #350,
Chapel Hill)
- Tyler's Taproom (102 E. Main Street, Carrboro).
Kids menu, kids cups, and coloring supplies. Great burgers and other foods that kids enjoy, with a
relaxed, lively atmosphere. Very accommodating waitstaff. Also open for lunch.
- Vespa (306 W Franklin Street Chapel Hill). They
are very understanding about having kids there, make extra room for the stroller or high chair, and
are very friendly.
- Weaver Street Market
(101 E Weaver Street, Carrboro, and 716 Market Street, Chapel Hill). Good food; you can get small portions for
the little ones; fast and easy. Nice outdoor seating area.
Last Reviewed: 25 November 2007
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