The Best Family Friendly Restaurants in Melbourne

With these heaven-sent restaurants scattered throughout the city, being too tired to cook no longer means UberEats or a pleading message to the babysitter. With fuss-free menus, great food, outdoor play areas, kids’ corners and activities that’ll keep the little ones entertained for hours, peace with your pasta and Pinot is never too far away.

These are the best family-friendly restaurants in Melbourne, the perfect spots for fun times and relaxed dining in equal measure. 

Hoopla

Need a multi-faceted, fun-filled entertainment venue to keep kids of all ages happy? Enter: Hoopla. A new era of family fun, you’ll definitely find something to satisfy hungry little bellies, but this place is so much more than just kid-friendly food. Hoopla is all about ditching the compromise and letting everyone enjoy themselves, including you, the parents! Praise be.

Think bowling alleys, arcade games, toddler zones, messy play, playgrounds and billiards, all under one roof in South Morang. And when it’s time to eat? Expect fresh, flavour-packed meals that are a win for grown-up tastebuds, too. Here, family outings feel less like a mission… and more like a fuss-free, fabulous day out.

Sitchu tip: Bookings are essential during peak times such as weekends and school holidays.

330 McDonalds Road, South Morang

Moon Dog World

Sure, this is a ripper brewery for the grown-ups with great food, great beer and plenty of entertainment, but the kids will feel like they’ve walked into the coolest spot ever at Moon Dog World. You’ll have to keep an eye on them to stop them straying too far, for this giant warehouse is filled with disco balls hanging from high ceilings, large TVs a pool (not for swimming!), an indoor playground, retro arcade games and bridges leading to new areas. Let their imagination run wild, and when it’s time to eat, the kids’ menu has them covered with chicken nuggies, cheeseburgers and hot dogs. What a win!

32 Chifley Drive, Preston

Roccella

For a family-friendly Italian feast that’s bound to impress even the fussiest of eaters, Roccella in East Melbourne is the place to go. The chefs are cooking up a Southern Italian storm, with a large authentic menu spanning share plates, pizzas and pastas. 

Children will be delighted when they gaze upon the pizzas to find that they can not only choose their toppings, but their base, too. There’s the beloved traditional 48-hour sourdough, charcoal (activated from coconut shells), Romana-style multigrain and gluten-free. For dessert? Step outside and indulge in a scoop—or two—of gelato from the adorable portable gelato cart.

The best part? Roccella has expanded from its East Melbourne restaurant and now has a venue in Bundoora, too!

158 Clarendon Street, East Melbourne

5 Janefield Drive, Bundoora

Chocolate Buddha 

Chocolate Buddha is a kid-friendly restaurant for several reasons. Located in the fabulous Federation Square precinct, there’s always something happening to keep little ones entertained. Inside the restaurant lives Melbourne’s first high-speed shinkansen (sushi train), and the restaurant itself is bustling, communal and family-friendly.

A dedicated kids’ menu includes ramen noodles, dumplings, bento boxes, and maki rolls. And it wouldn’t be called ‘Chocolate Buddha’ without something sweet—the chocolate mousse will definitely put smiles on those dials!

Federation Square, 23 Flinders Street, Melbourne

Grazeland 

Grazeland in Spotswood is a haven for families. This culinary playground features over 50 food vendors, ensuring there’s something to delight every palate—little or big.

The spacious open-air setting allows kids to roam freely, while live music and entertainment keep them engaged. Grazeland’s dedicated kids play areas (hello, Jungle Hangout!), outdoor seating and family-friendly amenities make it easy for parents to relax and enjoy the diverse gastronomic offerings, lively atmosphere, and entertainment options.

20 Booker Street, Spotswood

Trinity St Kilda

It’s hard to find a family dinner that pleases everyone’s tastebuds – luckily, Trinity’s burgers and sides are kid (and parent) approved. The new era of Melbourne’s iconic century-old Holy Trinity Hall is an inclusive and familiar bar, beer garden and event space that’s a great spot for eating, drinking and gathering with your whole family.

The delicious burgers are being pumped out of the Trinity 1965 Airstream Overlander, and The Wayward Fox is a roving cafe joining in on the action, dishing out fish and chips, smoothies and churros!

2 Brighton Road, St Kilda 

Campground Kitchen

Campground Kitchen in Braybrook is a fantastic spot for families, offering a welcoming and kid-friendly atmosphere (and menu) all parents will appreciate. The spacious venue is designed to accommodate everyone comfortably, with ample seating and a relaxed vibe that makes it easy to dine with children.

The Italian-style menu features a range of options that cater to young tastes, with everything from cheesy garlic bread, meatballs and crispy calamari through to a mouthwatering array of woodfired pizzas (they’ve even got the Aussie classics like Hawaiian and BBQ Chicken). Of course, an Italian feast would not be complete without gelato…or perhaps a Nutella pizza is more to your little ones’ liking? Yum!

9 Errol Street, Braybrook

Tetsujin

Tetsujin is one of our top picks for sushi train fun for the whole family. Located in the Emporium, it’s serving up a wide range of fresh and tasty sushi amongst their sleek, contemporary fit-out.

The restaurant is open for lunch through dinner seven days a week, making it a very convenient option for families. Plus, the inherent charm and fun of a sushi train will keep your kids occupied as you tuck into nigiri, premium wagyu BBQ, and perhaps even a cheeky sake. The little ones will love the gyozas, edamame and Japanese fried chicken on offer. 

Emporium Melbourne, 295 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 

Son in Law 

Son In Law is an adorable spot serving a selection of cutesy food in Melbourne Central. Here, you can indulge in sweet and savoury buns shaped like cartoon characters, making it both an Instagrammer’s dream and every little person’s delight.

The cartoon baos are delicious, as well as the bao fried chicken burgers and a BBQ chicken pizza shaped like a chicken. Plus, they have fairy floss monsters for something sweet to finish. Grab and go all of your favourites and then flock to one of the tables in the food court. 

211 La Trobe Street, Melbourne

Stomping Ground Brewery and Beer Hall

Children and breweries? It might not seem like a natural fit, but Stomping Ground’s more neighbourhood hub than local boozer. There’s egg hunts over Easter and veggie sticks on the kids’ menu, but the real drawcard is their forest-themed mansion of a cubby house. Boasting chalkboards, bells, pulleys and a mini picnic bench, it’ll become their very own little stomping ground.

100 Gipps Street, Collingwood 

Also located in Moorabbin

China Red 

Standing out among the Chinatown dining scene, experience a fusion of fun and mouth-watering flavours at China Red. Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch or dinner of dumplings, noodles and traditional Chinese fare with your family, China Red delivers. The most kid-friendly part? How fun it is to use the efficient, touch screen ordering technology that sends your order from your fingertips straight to the kitchen. You will have many house-made dumplings in your hand before you know it—just don’t let them get too touchscreen-happy!

206 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Easey’s

Nothing unites a family quite like a good, juicy burger, and no one does it better than Easey’s. Serving up crispy tots and fries to accompany their single, double or triple stacked burgers, this cool spot is one to bring the children to, ASAP. Plus, there’s something so… Melbourne about sitting in their in-train carriage dining room. Be sure to book, because you don’t want to rock up and find the trains are full!

3/48 Easey Street, Collingwood

Sebastian Beach Grill

Sebastian Beach Grill on Williamstown Beach is serving up a delightful dining experience the whole family will enjoy. Sebastian’s will put together a mind-blowing dinner of pintxos, small plates, large plates and sides. The kids menu is equally as pleasing, with fish bites, steak and chips, and a beef burger on offer, plus polvorones and vanilla ice-cream topped with toffee for dessert. Summer dining with the fam-a-lam? Mamma loves. 

26 Esplanade, Williamstown

Stalactites 

One of Melbourne’s iconic Greek restaurants just so happens to be one of its most family-friendly. Stalactites is where you can order a family-sized banquet of appetisers, platters to share, spit-roasted gyros and seafood for days. It’s also fun to let the kids pick a famous Stalactites souvlaki of their choice. This is the best restaurant if you’re looking to introduce your kids to uncomplicated and original Greek food in an iconic spot, and is an immediate frontrunner for best kid-friendly restaurant in Melbourne. 

177/183 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 

Urban Ground 

A kid-friendly restaurant in Melbourne is a win in any time-poor parents’ eyes. Urban Ground in Mordialloc have taken it to the next level with its fabulous food trucks and playground fit for the whole family. In a quiet back street of Mordialloc, this warehouse space has been converted into the perfect gathering place for families. Urban Ground has so much to offer and you can enjoy its laidback vibe from breakfast time through to late-night drinks.

The best part? The back corner has been sectioned off for the kids, complete with a cute little cubby house, a set of swings, plus building blocks and a large turfed area for children to set up their games. Kid-friendly and pet-friendly, this open beer garden environment is a true-blue winner come summertime. We’ll see you there!

1 Lamana Road, Mordialloc 

Now that you’ve had your fill of the best family-friendly restaurants in Melbourne, it’s time to adventure out further to try the best walks in the Mornington Peninsula and finish with some drinks and hot chips at the best family-friendly pubs in Melbourne.