While you can go on a culinary adventure in South Africa, taking kids along for the ride is no small feat. In fact, it’s an adventure all of its own.

So, we’ve compiled a list of child-friendly new restaurants to check out in 2024 with you and your little ones in mind. From the menus to the atmosphere itself, these new hotspots are perfect to dine out at with the entire family in tow.

Cape Town

 Vrymansfontein

Vrymansfontein in Paarl opened at the end of 2023 with the dining experience tailored by chef Kevin Grobler – a key figure at Michelin Star restaurant JAN in Nice, France.

They offer a variety of shared-plate options with a Mediterranean flair. But families will love the Tree Bar, a more casual extension of the restaurant, offering mezze-style foods for the entire family to enjoy. It’s ideal for bigger groups – with a fully equipped children’s play area!

Vrymansfontein

Stellenbosch Reserve Restaurant

Another location ideal for outdoor dining where the kiddies can roam free is Stellenbosch Reserve Restaurant.

With a wide variety on the menu, like chalmar beef fillet for dad and a selection of pizzas for the kids made in their wood-fired oven, there’s something for everyone to enjoy while taking in the view of the vineyard and mountains.

Stellenbosch Reserve Restaurant

Fyre: Open Fire Dining

Fyre: Open Fire Dining at Olijvenkraal Olive and Wine Farm opened in 2024 and is a pleasant little spot to escape to in Simondium. It may look like a fancier establishment you wouldn’t necessarily take the kids to, but don’t let the images of the delectable food or breathtaking views fool you – it’s the ideal spot to unwind at with the whole family.

With outdoor dining, so the kids can run rampant, and live music, it’s truly a vibe. And they’ve even got a kiddies menu of boerewors and chips, chicken strips and chips, and macaroni and cheese, for the fussier eaters. 

Fyre: Open Fire Dining at Olijvenkraal Olive and Wine Farm

Johannesburg and Pretoria

Restaurante Parreirinha

Restaurante Parreirinha (Pa-rey-ring-here), first established in 1975 in La Rochelle and locally known as the Sixth Street Police Station, has moved to Melrose Arch!

This family-friendly Portuguese restaurant is well known among locals, and offers an extensive menu of mouthwatering buttery prawns, fiery peri-peri chicken, along with other classic Portuguese dishes. They’ve also got a ‘crianças’ (kiddies) menu of prego, trinchado, chicken and even kingklip.

Restaurante Parreirinha

KZN

Il Pastificio

Il Pastificio, ‘the Pasta Factory’, is nestled in the heart of Umhlanga. “Our ‘serve yourself’ ethos creates a sense of home and community,” they say, as they dish up freshly made pasta, traditional focaccia, rich and indulgent tiramisu, authentic Italian gelato, and more (you can even buy freshly made in-house pasta to take home). Not only is this a true family-friendly establishment, but on Tuesdays, kids (aged 12 and under) eat free!

Il Pastificio

Surf Riders Café Ballito

Tuck in with the family at Surf Riders Café in Ballito as you watch the waves roll in. The newly opened beach-front eatery offers a casual dining experience for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a selection of different foods.

From burgers and flat top dogs to pasta, pizza, poke bowls and ‘sushidogs’, you’re pretty much sorted. Not to mention, veg and 100% vegan options on the menu. Of course you can take your ‘kidlets’ along for some burgers, pizzas and milkshakes, as well as your fur babies – there’s a ‘doggie menu’ just for them.

Surf Riders Café in Ballito

Bean Around the Block

Bean Around the Block in Windermere in Durban is a new café. The quaint café offers a variety of lighter meals as well as pizzas and pastas, while their ‘kids corner’ includes crumbed chicken strips and chips and kiddies margarita pizza. For dessert, they’re hopping on the San Sebastian Cheesecake trend, but the real sweet treat is a variety of specials on offer. I’m particularly interested in the moms’ breakfast special, because yes, ‘mom [does] deserve a break too’!

Bean around the block

Know of more child-friendly restaurants that have opened in the last three months? We’d love to hear about them, so add them in the comments below!