6 Family-Friendly Finds
These stellar spots are surprisingly accommodating for both kids and parents.
Luma on Park
Always bustling with a jovial din, Luma lets busy families blend right in, especially in the earlier dining hours when the kitchen has time to be accommodating with picky palates. Got some adventurous eaters in your brood? Treat them to Luma’s famed chef’s table experience where kids as young as 6 have sampled Chef Brandon McGlamery’s seven-course tasting. “We have kids at the table at least twice a month,” McGlamery says. “They can watch the activity in the kitchen, which is so exciting for them. Plus, it makes them feel super important, like they get a front row seat.” lumaonpark.com
Flying Fish Cafe
A dad with three kids of his own, Chef de Cuisine Tim Keating is all about being ultra kid-friendly while still being healthy at his Coney Island roller coaster-themed restaurant at Disney’s BoardWalk. While parents enjoy dishes like Ginger Teriyaki-crusted Yellowfin Tuna Filet and Oak-Grilled Maine Sea Scallops, kids can opt for skewered chicken, fish or beef. “It’s like having street food, and since it’s already cut up, it frees up the parents,” Keating says. disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/boardwalk/flying-fish-cafe
Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster
Parents nervous about introducing kids to fine dining can reserve one of four small private dining rooms at this family-owned steakhouse. Inside, kids can learn the ropes with child-sized portions of filet tips while sipping Shirley Temples. “We also have a magician here every Saturday night for tableside magic, which is always a hit with the families,” says co-owner Alice Christner. christnersprimesteakandlobster.com
Todd English’s bluezoo
Clam chowder in a children’s portion as well as a chilled shrimp appetizer set the tone for an assortment of surprises designed to make kids feel like A-listers at this swanky spot inside the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort. Outrageously creative mocktails, grown–up entrées (including kid-sized portions of tenderloin and grilled fish), plus the Deserted Island dessert—a chocolate boat filled with vanilla ice cream and set atop a blue Jell-O ocean (above)—will make kids of any age swoon.
swandolphinrestaurants.com/bluezoo
​deep blu seafood grille
Besides kid-friendly chopsticks and sushi made from fruit, this restaurant at Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek delights young diners with fun mocktails and bite-sized hors d’oeuvres. After dinner, servers take kids to the nearby Barista cafe for a complimentary ice cream, while Mom and Dad steal a few moments alone. deepbluorlando.com
Capa
Views of the nightly Epcot and Magic Kingdom fireworks are just one of the allures for families dining at this rooftop restaurant inside the Four Seasons Resort Orlando. The kids menu, which touts a roasted chicken breast and a petite filet mignon, is also tempting. “Our chef was very interested in pushing the envelope for the kids menu,” says Josh Aaronson, general manager at Capa. “We feature the traditional kids items, but we elevate them.” fourseasons.com/orlando/dining/restaurants/capa
