To many foodies, a child-friendly restaurant is a contradiction in terms … until they have a little one of their own, that is. Suddenly, eateries with impressive wine lists and private nooks pale in comparison to those offering kiddie-proofed ponds, pint-sized portions and, most importantly, welcoming smiles.

‘I think a lot more restaurants are becoming child-friendly these days because they’re seeing the benefits,’ says wine connoisseur Cathy Marston, whose child-dedicated site will soon be up and running. ‘People with kids are welcome at many restaurants as they tend to eat out either at lunch time or in the early evening, which are traditionally quieter periods for many restaurants. Making your restaurant accessible to families doesn’t have to be expensive and the rewards can be great.’

So, what does a kid-friendly restaurant look like? According to Cathy, a supervised space to keep the tiny tots occupied is a big plus for parents. ‘Kids really prefer climbing, sliding and running to eating!’ says Cathy, whose son, Charlie, is four.

Of course, safety is also key, says Eat Out editor Abigail Donnelly, whose sons Jack and Matthew are two of her favourite dining companions. ‘My boys love somewhere to run around, but a lot of places with rolling lawns have ponds or dams, so you always have to be on the lookout.’

James McPherson, manager of child-friendly Melville restaurant Bambanani agrees. ‘It’s a good idea to have a security guard at entrances to keep an eye on wandering children,’ he says. ‘First-aid training for staff is also essential.’

As far as kiddies’ meals are concerned, James maintains that unfussy, on-the-go foods like fish fingers and hotdogs are best. ‘Anything they can run around with, basically!’

Keeping the above prerequisites in mind, we’ve compiled a list of eateries where kids can be kids and parents can kick back. Restaurants marked with stars offer special kiddies’ menus.

Johannesburg

Alimentos*
Bambanani*
Epsom Terrace*
The Fishmonger
Goblin’s Cove*
Karoo Cattle and Land*
La Rustica
Mezepoli
Next Door Pizza
North’s Food
Salvation Café
Satori
Cape Town

Blue Water Café*
Dunes Restaurant*
Easy Dig Café*
Sorrento Trattoria
Mariner’s Wharf*
Deer Park Café*
Café Roux*
Primi Wharf*
Ocean Basket Gardens*
Durban and surrounds

Arts Café*
Butcher Block Glenwood*
Fabulous Flavours*
La Strada Ristorante*
Moyo uShaka*
Olive and Oil*
Piggly Wiggly*
Scoozi!*
Winelands

Allora Ristorante (Franschhoek)
Glen Carlou (Klapmuts)*
Simonsberg Café (Stellenbosch)*
The Docks (Montagu)
Noop (Paarl)
River Garden Terrace Deli and Eatery (Somerset West)*
Barouche (Stellenbosch)*
Delheim Garden Restaurant (Stellenbosch)*
Dornier Bodega Restaurant (Stellenbosch)*
The Long Table Restaurant (Stellenbosch)*
Tokara Delicatessen (Stellenbosch)*
Restaurant Mangiare @ Capelands Estate (Somerset West)*
Garden Route

Delfino’s (Mossel Bay)
Zinzi’s (Plettenberg Bay)*
Roadside Deli (George)
Trans Karoo Restaurant (Great Brak)
Zachary’s (Knysna)*
The Anchorage Restaurant (Knysna)*
Quay Four Knysna*
Overberg

Madré’s Kitchen (Stanford)
Mogg’s Country Cookhouse (Hemel-en-Aarde Valley)*
Fusion Café (Hermanus)*
Arniston Hotel (Arniston)
Potter’s Garden Restaurant (Kleinmond)*
Photo courtesy of Imhoff Farm.