The Best Family Restaurants in Sydney
There’s something deliciously simple about dining out with the family — no dishes, no meal prep, just happy faces and good food. Sydney makes it easy, with restaurants that understand what families really want: fresh, flavour-packed meals for the grown-ups and fun, fuss-free bites for the kids.
From cafés to suburban gems serving up plates everyone can agree on, these family-friendly spots prove you don’t need to compromise on flavour to keep the little ones fed and entertained.
The Best Family-Friendly Dining in Sydney
Hop in the car and head off. Sydney's best family-friendly spots offer cheerful kids' menus with proper flavours for mums and dads, or a chance for kids to dine in style with their parents.
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It's perfect for fresh fish dinners over the Georges River.You need to try the market fish or prawn linguine.Look out for waterfront views, casual alfresco seating and seafood done well.Read moreStylish and elegant, this beautiful restaurant on the banks of the George's River in pretty Lugarno is a serene setting for any occasion. Kids love the dedicated menu: golden calamari rings with chips, prawn cutlets or chicken schnitzel, plus ice cream scoops to seal the deal. There's still plenty for parents, with plump oysters and juicy steaks giving plenty of choice for all diners. A 30-minute escape from Sydney CBD, it’s the ultimate family destination where the little ones eat happy and riverside magic happens.
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It's perfect for sunset cocktails and seafood with ferry-access views.You need to try oysters or seafood platters with a crisp white wine.Look out for waterside decking, ferry charm and lush bush surrounds.Read moreTucked into the heritage-listed Chowder Bay wharf, Ripples Chowder Bay offers modern Australian fare with fresh seafood and hearty pastas. Tables catch stunning harbour views, and the al fresco deck suits relaxed family lunches. Kids love it for the simple yet delicious children's menu from fish and chips to pasta butter with parmesan (and ice-cream with 100's & thousands to finish it off!), all with the nearby beach to walk it all off to burn some energy.
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Read moreOriginally built in 1885, the Woolwich Pier Hotel has long held a special place in the hearts of Sydneysiders. Newly renovated and relaunched, it is now positioned as one of the most beautiful harbour-side hotels in Sydney. This classic heritage hotel incorporates an upstairs cocktail lounge, restaurant with wrap around balcony with breathtaking harbour views, sports bar, sensational ground floor bistro and courtyard complete with timber decking and heated bungalows. Woolwich Pier Hotel is family-friendly with its "Little Ones" menu offering fish, schnitzel, steak and pasta, highchairs for the wrigglers, and kid-friendly lawn days on the harbour foreshore where tots can burn off steam while parents sip skyline views.
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It's perfect for sharing a multicultural Asian street‑food feast in lantern-lit lanes.You need to try chicken laksa, pancake roti or mango sticky rice.Look out for hawker-style stalls, hanging lanterns and a buzzy communal vibe.Read moreIf you are longing for a holiday to Asia to wander the streets of Shanghai, Vietnam or Tokyo to enjoy traditional Asian hawker food, head to Spice Alley in the Kensington Street precinct in Chippendale, 5 minutes from the CBD. Wander the laneways and choose from Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese cuisine all at very reasonable prices. This bustling little alley has multiple Asian street food restaurants within its confines. The walls of alley itself features several Asian restaurants that focus on their speciality of street food, with seating seating with overhead colourful lanterns adding to the atmosphere. A great choice to take the kids, there is something here to offer everyone and parents will love the choice of BYO.
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It's perfect for celebrations that don’t need fuss or nights when only a proper feast will doYou need to try the full rack of ribs, sticky, smoky, and so tender they barely hang onto the boneLook out for the harbour views and easy-going atmosphere that keeps the space buzzingLocated in the bustling Gateway centre at Sydney's Circular Quay is one of Australia's most popular steakhouse's Hurricanes Grill. Established over 20 years ago, Hurricanes offers diners a diverse and extensive range of meaty delights from their signatures Hurricane ribs, high-quality steaks to seafood platters and Portuguese chicken.Read more -
It's perfect for dumplings with a side of waterfront luxury.You need to try the jade prawn dumplings or crispy eggplant.Look out for polished interiors and an extensive wine list.Read moreOn Wulugul Walk in Barangaroo, Lotus Dining brings a Chinese flare to Sydney's inner city dining precinct. With sister restaurants in Walsh Bay and The Galeries, the restaurant design represents the backstreets of China, where all the best, most authentic food is found. The authentic Chinese menu is seafood-focused, featuring tanks of live fish and seafood, as well as sensational dumplings using native local produce. The banquet menu options (for a minimum of 4 people) come highly recommended.
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It's perfect for beachfront feasts with big flavours and bigger vibesYou need to try the metre-long wood-fired pizza for a hearty indulgenceLook out for the open kitchen where chefs toss dough and flame-grill meats right before your eyesRead moreCriniti's serves traditional and contemporary dishes for lunch, and dinner. The Brighton-Le-Sands location enjoys stunning views across Botany Bay, Sydney Airport and Kurnell. From authentic wood-fired pizza, pasta, antipasti and ribs, to steaks, burgers and gourmet salads, there is something for everyone. The menus combine traditional Southern Italian and contemporary Australian cuisine to bring you a delicious range of flavours. Criniti's is an ideal venue to celebrate any occasion with family and friends.
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Read moreOne of Sydney's most popular weekend destinations, The Grounds of Alexandria is home to a cafe, coffee roastery, artisan bakery, florist, small animal farm, weekend markets and a stunning event space in Sydney's west while. The cafe is encased in a rustic, industrial and heritage-listed warehouse while ingredients on the menu are sourced from their own organic kitchen garden. Expect to wait for a table on the weekends or relax in the garden and order from one of the various food and drink carts dotted throughout the venue. The Grounds of Alexandria is extremely child-friendly, with farm animals and open areas for the kids to roam free.
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It's perfect for pre-theatre pizzas, espressos and late-night tiramisu.You need to try the wood-fired margherita or creamy carbonara.Look out for buzzy vibes and floor-to-ceiling wine walls.Read moreBoasting a central city location, contemporary design and extensive menu, Sydney's Macchiato restaurant services shoppers and office workers the early hours to late every day. The carefully sourced coffee is made with fresh beans, from Columbia, Sumatra, Cuba and Bolivia, popular with those on the go, especially early in the morning. The mainly Italian menu keeps most tastes satisfied with panini, pasta, risotto and woodfired pizza, or you can just opt for a pastry. You can even have your wedding, corporate event, or family gathering with superb catering supplied by Macchiato.
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Read moreFormerly North Sydney Bowling Club, The Greens has injected a breath of fresh air to the lower north shore dining scene with the club being transformed into a neighbourhood eatery, bar, cafe, garden and bowling green with spectacular views of Sydney Harbour. The Greens is a great place to enjoy a meal with family and friends also to hold a private or corporate function with excellent facilities for all celebrations. Surrounded by spectacular scenery and natural beauty, the Courtyard is perfect for a large cocktail style event or sit-down dining option.