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Great food and the kids stay occupied.
Great food and the kids stay occupied.
Tilia Facebook page

Seven Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Minneapolis and St. Paul

by Alex Lodner
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Great food and the kids stay occupied.
| Tilia Facebook page
by Alex Lodner

Having a kid or four in tow is a great excuse to order that dish of fancy macaroni and cheese to "share" or extra focaccia rosemary bread because "the kids can’t wait for their food." There are plenty of fabulous eateries around the Twin Cities that welcome children and their weary parents with wholesome plates of high quality, chefy plates that may or may not have smiley faces on them. Have you found a favorite bistro to dine with the fam? Let us know in the comment section.

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Tiny Diner

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The patio at Kim Bartmann’s Tiny Diner is a little slice of paradise where kids can explore flowers and herbs, or cozy up in a branch Teepee for a quiet minute. Ok, a quiet 20 seconds. Let them traverse the winding paths through Tiny Diner’s charming gardens while you sip on a housemade soda and finish off their grass-fed burger.
1024 E 38th St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 767-3322
(612) 767-3322
Tiny Diner Facebook page

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Cook St. Paul

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Kids can release their inner Picasso by participating in a drawing contest and win prizes like hats or tiny mugs, all donated by vendors. The children’s menu includes three panels and little patrons can draw inside the bottom panel. Winners are chosen periodically by staff and get to have their masterpiece displayed in the next kids menu.
1124 Payne Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55130
(651) 756-1787
(651) 756-1787
Katie Cannon

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Surly Brewing Company

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That's right. Bring a baby to a bar. Send them off to the far corners of the massive lawn and they will be safe while staying out of trouble (probably.) In cooler days, the kind folks at Surly have created a little nook for busy hands under the staircase in the main dining hall. Still in sight, but quite possibly out of mind.
520 Malcolm Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(763) 999-4040
(763) 999-4040
Surly

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Chris & Rob's - Saint Paul

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It’s in a train car. Need more? They serve fantastic hot dogs. Chris & Rob’s was born to host children of all ages, serving a vast menu filled with kid friendly nibbles like burgers, pizzas and proper Chicago-style hot dogs. They have a tiny dedicated children’s menu, but it’s hard to imagine kids sticking to chicken tenders when they can indulge in something called a Pizza Puff. Did we mention it’s in a train?
603 7th St W, Saint Paul, MN 55102
(612) 729-5507
(612) 729-5507
Photo courtesy Mapio

Tilia

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Tilia is well known as a welcoming neighborhood bistro, and little diners feel the love when they are handed “Busy Boxes”- colorful lunch boxes filled with rubbery toys, tiny notebooks, markers and other trinkettes. The kids menu is a toy in of itself, printed on one of those paper fortune teller doohickeys usually reserved for revealing a second grader’s future spouse. Adventurous tots can dine on stir fried shrimps or stick to classics like cheeseburgers. Either way, they get a cookie if they clear their plates.
2726 W 43rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55410
(612) 354-2806
(612) 354-2806
Photo courtesy Tilia Facebook

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Longfellow Grill

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Longfellow Grill is a popular family destination for several reasons. For one, the kiddos can run circles around that weirdly cool flame statue outside while waiting for a table. The patio is always boisterous and children’s meals are served on adorable retro plastic trays straight out of The Brady Bunch. Much to the delight of customers old and young, Longfellow serves breakfast all day and their buttermilk pancakes come shaped like Mickey Mouse.
2990 W River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 721-2711
(612) 721-2711
Longfellow Facebook page

Fika

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Who doesn't want to spend an afternoon dreaming about living in a castle? Fika is located inside the American Swedish Institute, attached to an actual castle. For parents, the food is sophisticated and lovely. For the kids there are simple, recognizable plates like and an entire green square area filled with toys to play with. Plus, there's a pastry case filled with treats for everyone.
American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
(612) 871-4907
(612) 871-4907

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Tiny Diner

1024 E 38th St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
The patio at Kim Bartmann’s Tiny Diner is a little slice of paradise where kids can explore flowers and herbs, or cozy up in a branch Teepee for a quiet minute. Ok, a quiet 20 seconds. Let them traverse the winding paths through Tiny Diner’s charming gardens while you sip on a housemade soda and finish off their grass-fed burger.
1024 E 38th St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 767-3322
(612) 767-3322
Tiny Diner Facebook page

Cook St. Paul

1124 Payne Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55130
Kids can release their inner Picasso by participating in a drawing contest and win prizes like hats or tiny mugs, all donated by vendors. The children’s menu includes three panels and little patrons can draw inside the bottom panel. Winners are chosen periodically by staff and get to have their masterpiece displayed in the next kids menu.
1124 Payne Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55130
(651) 756-1787
(651) 756-1787
Katie Cannon

Surly Brewing Company

520 Malcolm Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
That's right. Bring a baby to a bar. Send them off to the far corners of the massive lawn and they will be safe while staying out of trouble (probably.) In cooler days, the kind folks at Surly have created a little nook for busy hands under the staircase in the main dining hall. Still in sight, but quite possibly out of mind.
520 Malcolm Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(763) 999-4040
(763) 999-4040
Surly

Chris & Rob's - Saint Paul

603 7th St W, Saint Paul, MN 55102
It’s in a train car. Need more? They serve fantastic hot dogs. Chris & Rob’s was born to host children of all ages, serving a vast menu filled with kid friendly nibbles like burgers, pizzas and proper Chicago-style hot dogs. They have a tiny dedicated children’s menu, but it’s hard to imagine kids sticking to chicken tenders when they can indulge in something called a Pizza Puff. Did we mention it’s in a train?
603 7th St W, Saint Paul, MN 55102
(612) 729-5507
(612) 729-5507
Photo courtesy Mapio

Tilia

2726 W 43rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55410
Tilia is well known as a welcoming neighborhood bistro, and little diners feel the love when they are handed “Busy Boxes”- colorful lunch boxes filled with rubbery toys, tiny notebooks, markers and other trinkettes. The kids menu is a toy in of itself, printed on one of those paper fortune teller doohickeys usually reserved for revealing a second grader’s future spouse. Adventurous tots can dine on stir fried shrimps or stick to classics like cheeseburgers. Either way, they get a cookie if they clear their plates.
2726 W 43rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55410
(612) 354-2806
(612) 354-2806
Photo courtesy Tilia Facebook

Longfellow Grill

2990 W River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55406
Longfellow Grill is a popular family destination for several reasons. For one, the kiddos can run circles around that weirdly cool flame statue outside while waiting for a table. The patio is always boisterous and children’s meals are served on adorable retro plastic trays straight out of The Brady Bunch. Much to the delight of customers old and young, Longfellow serves breakfast all day and their buttermilk pancakes come shaped like Mickey Mouse.
2990 W River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 721-2711
(612) 721-2711
Longfellow Facebook page

Fika

American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
Who doesn't want to spend an afternoon dreaming about living in a castle? Fika is located inside the American Swedish Institute, attached to an actual castle. For parents, the food is sophisticated and lovely. For the kids there are simple, recognizable plates like and an entire green square area filled with toys to play with. Plus, there's a pastry case filled with treats for everyone.
American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
(612) 871-4907
(612) 871-4907

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