Kid-friendly restaurants in Palo Alto

Eating out with children in Palo Alto is easier than the city's price tags suggest. Several family restaurants have been feeding local kids for generations, including a downtown diner that opened in 1923 and a charcoal burger restaurant that started on El Camino Real in 1948. Newer counters add kids' boxes, kids' ramen and build-your-own bowls. Ice cream is never far away.

This guide only describes kids' menus and features the restaurants state themselves. Every place named here has a page in our business directory, confirmed in October 2026 against its own website. For the rest of a family day, see Palo Alto with kids.

What makes a restaurant work for kids

A few things matter more than the cuisine:

• A kids' menu or simple dishes. Smaller portions, plain pasta, grilled cheese or tenders.
• Speed. Counter service or a kitchen that sends food out quickly.
• Space and noise. A busy, casual room where a dropped fork does not turn heads.
• Easy parking. A lot beats circling for a downtown space with a car seat to unload.
• Allergy information. Clear labels or a posted allergen chart.

High chairs are worth a phone call. None of the restaurants below mentions high chairs or booster seats on its website, so ask before you go.

Where families eat

Think about the rest of the day before you pick a place. A morning at the Rinconada Park area or the zoo fits a downtown lunch. An afternoon at Mitchell Park fits Ada's Cafe or an ice cream run up Middlefield Road. A Stanford campus visit fits Town & Country Village, which sits right across El Camino Real from the university and has room to spread out.

Family restaurants are spread out. Downtown has the Palo Alto Creamery, Sprout and Tacolicious, plus Salt & Straw for dessert. Midtown along Middlefield Road has Kirk's and Rick's Ice Cream, both close to residential neighborhoods and parks. El Camino Real has Hobee's and Celia's in south Palo Alto and Dohatsuten sits just off it on San Antonio Road. Town & Country Village, across from Stanford, has Howie's and Asian Box around one parking lot. Mitchell Park has Ada's Cafe next to the playground.

Places to try with kids' menus

Kirk's Steakburgers, Middlefield Road

Kirk's has cooked burgers over an open charcoal flame since 1948. The menu has a kids' menu, hot dogs, pizza by the slice and shakes. Diners add their own condiments, which makes it easy for children to get a burger the way they like it. It opens at 11 a.m. daily and closes at 8 p.m. most nights, 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Palo Alto Creamery, 566 Emerson Street

The Palo Alto Creamery is a diner and soda fountain dating to 1923. It serves breakfast all day, burgers, grilled cheese and pies made from scratch. The fountain makes milkshakes, banana splits, sundaes, floats and ice cream sodas. It describes a visit as a retro dining experience for friends and family. It opens daily at 8 a.m.

Hobee's, El Camino Real

Hobee's is a Bay Area breakfast and lunch chain dating to 1974. It has a kids' menu with its own kids' drinks and a gluten-free section. The long menu helps when a family cannot agree. It opens at 8 a.m., serves daytime hours only and is closed Monday.

Celia's Mexican Restaurant, 3740 El Camino Real

Celia's is a sit-down Mexican restaurant from a small Bay Area chain. Its kids' section is called Little Amigos. Salsa and guacamole are made fresh daily. It has its own parking lot and is open every day from 11 a.m., which suits a casual family dinner or a birthday with a group.

Sprout, 168 University Avenue

Sprout is a salad, sandwich and brunch cafe. Kids have their own menu with items such as chicken tenders, a cheese omelet and grilled cheese. Most dishes carry labels for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free choices.

Tacolicious, 632 Emerson Street

Tacolicious has a kids' menu, a full dining room and a covered, heated parklet. Many dishes are marked gluten-free. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., which suits an early family dinner.

Casual counters and noodles

• Dohatsuten, 799 San Antonio Road. A ramen kitchen with a Kids' Ramen for children 12 and under, with chashu, sweet corn, nori and a half egg. A build-your-own bowl helps picky eaters.
• Asian Box, Town & Country Village. A Vietnamese counter with a kids box of chicken, pork or tofu with broccoli, a drink and a chocolate chip cookie. The company says its whole menu is gluten-free.
• Howie's Artisan Pizza, Town & Country Village. Pizza, pasta and simple sandwiches, a heated patio and a bar that welcomes diners of all ages. No reservations.

Ice cream and treat stops

Ada's Cafe is a nonprofit that trains and employs people with developmental disabilities. It serves breakfast and lunch from Tuesday through Sunday and is closed Monday. Our Mitchell Park guide covers the Magical Bridge Playground next door. For more sweets, see bakeries and desserts.

Allergies and dietary needs

• Gluten. Asian Box says its menu is entirely gluten-free. Hobee's has a gluten-free section. The Creamery has gluten-free bread. Howie's says its kitchen is not gluten-free.
• Nuts. Peanuts appear as a topper and in a sauce at Asian Box. Mention a nut allergy when ordering anywhere.
• Eggs and dairy. Pints of Joy flavors at Rick's are eggless and Salt & Straw sells dairy-free flavors and publishes an allergen guide.
• Spice. Ask before ordering for children at Mexican, Thai or Korean restaurants.

Timing and practical tips

1. Eat early. A 5 p.m. dinner beats the rush at most places and suits young children. Several kitchens close by 8 or 9 p.m.
2. Choose lots over downtown streets. Celia's, Town & Country Village and the Midtown restaurants have their own parking. Downtown garages have time limits. See parking in Palo Alto.
3. Skip the formal rooms with toddlers. At least one tasting-menu restaurant in town does not allow children under 5 in its dining room. Our fine dining guide covers those restaurants.
4. Pair a meal with an outing. The Junior Museum and Zoo closes at 4:30 p.m. from November 1, 2026, which leaves time for an early dinner downtown afterward.
5. Book for big groups. Celia's suits birthdays. Call ahead for a long table.

Nearby in Menlo Park and Mountain View

Celia's also runs a restaurant in Menlo Park, one of eight Bay Area locations. Downtown Menlo Park and Castro Street in Mountain View both have many casual restaurants with sidewalk seating. See our Menlo Park and Mountain View guides, plus our playgrounds guide for places to burn off energy after a meal.

Frequently asked questions