Dining Out - South Australia
Sometimes dining out for a special occasion or quick meal can be more of a challenge than it should be. There are so many places to choose from and plenty of good options that will happily cater for families big and small. Listed here are a selection of venues that we can recommend to help in your decision or we think are worth trying out! We would love to hear of any more recommendations to check out and expand the list.
Art Through Da Vinces Eyes
3 Crosshill Road, One Tree Hill, SA, 5114
Located just off the main street in One Tree Hill, Art Through Da Vince's Eyes is an eclectic family AND pet friendly café boasting all day breakfasts, pizza and slow cooked meals on weekends! The café has indoor and outdoor seating amongst the dozens of sculptures (also for sale) made in house. It's fully fenced and has plenty to keep the kids amused including giant chess, sand pit, grassed area, toys, pond with turtles and lizards and more. A great place for a lazy weekend breakfast and well worth the drive out to visit.
Caffe Primo
Various Locations - check website (http://www.caffeprimo.com.au/location.htm ) or local guides
http://www.caffeprimo.com.au/
With plenty of locations around Adelaide, Caffe Primo cafes always offer a pleasant family experience. They are family friendly, kids menu options available, equipped high chairs and usually space for a pram or 2. Free garlic bread with lunch and free pancakes with dinner keep the big and little kids happy and always comes out super quick!.
Fasta Pasta
Various locations - http://www.fastapasta.com.au/restaurants/
Fasta Pasta has been a household name in Adelaide for a long time and continues to delivery a great family environment and dining experience. A recent brand overhaul has introduced $7 lunch options, nutritional information available, plenty of choices for kids meals which include a drink and ice cream and still a large range of choices for the adults. High chairs are available for little ones and special requests, allergies and dietary requirements are always respected.
Soul Food Espresso
08 8263 7707, 10/ 414 Milne Rd, 5097
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Soul-Food-Espresso/134494904757?fref=ts
Soul Food Espresso is unassuming from the street but great fun for families on the inside. There are not a lot of tables but heaps of space to fit prams and navigate through the space so make sure you book or call ahead. One corner of the space is fenced off, dedicated to kids and full of toys and a blackboard chalk wall. Offering buffet breakfasts on weekends as well as an a la carte menu and great coffee. There are few places better to let the kids do their thing while you do yours just far apart to relax but close enough not to worry.
Paradise Hotel
08 8337 5055, 700 Lower North East Rd, Paradise, South Australia 5075
http://www.paradisehotel.com.au/
The paradise hotel is one of the many Independent Pub Groups' family friendly hotels. A spacious bistro with a la carte dining menu and salad bar has direct access to a huge playground in an enclosed area outside. There are some tables outside for those sunny afternoons or for those remaining inside, floor to ceiling windows allow for remote supervision of bigger kids from a distance. At the time of writing, kids eat free (one per adult meal purchase) Monday and Tuesday Nights as well as Saturday Lunches.
Southern Hotel
08 8522 1065, 23 Murray Street, Gawler, South Australia, 5118
http://www.southernhotel.websyte.com.au/
The Southern Hotel has a spacious dining area, large dining menu with salad bar and fully enclosed kids playground. The dining room has 2 areas (one where you can see the playground and one where you cant in case you need to keep it a secret until they eat their veggies) and plenty of tables. Patrons are welcome to drop in for a meal or just a coffee and let the kids run loose. The Giannatto Family Hotels group also provides a great family environment at the Gawler Arms hotel just up the road in Gawler and the Taminga hotel up in Clare.
Montezuma's
Various locations
North Adelaide, Glenelg and Hawthorn in SA. Other locations nationally - check website for details (http://www.montezumas.com.au/B/Locations.aspx)
http://www.montezumas.com.au/
Montezumas has been delivering a fun dining experience to families for over 30 years and always offers somewhere to sit and spot the pictures, animals and patterns on the wall. There are plenty of food options for a variety of tastes and a kids menu on offer. Beware the smouldering hot plates as they roll out of the oven but they have colouring in sheets and pencils on offer to keep little fingers amused. Some great kid focussed activities are available on the website (http://www.montezumas.com.au/R/Fun_and_free/little_amigos_fun.aspx).
Fishtail
128 O'Connell Street, North Adelaide, SA 5006
http://www.fishtailbuffet.com.au/
(08) 7226 6849
Newly opened mid 2012, Fishtail is an oriental buffet restaurant with a tremendous selection of asian culinary choices. Fishtail provides everything you expect from a buffet experience including entrees, main courses and a dessert buffet with condiments, sauces and the option to go back as many times as you like! The great thing about Fishtail is its drive to be family friendly with a dedicated play room for kids, kids under 3 eat free and kids between 3 and 14 just eat from the same expansive buffet for half adult price (half price from Adult $32.90=$16.45 - there is no kids menu). At the time of writing, mums eat free Mondays when accompanied by another full paying adult and a child.
Hogs Breath Cafe
Adelaide, Glenelg and Holden Hill
http://hogsbreath.com.au/find-us
http://www.hogsbreath.com.au/
Hogs Breath Cafes are full of busy walls, ceilings and booths with number plates, signs, posters and memorabilia to give the little ones plenty to look at! There is a kids menu available which includes a drink and ice cream and colouring in sheets are available to keep them busy (you might need to ask for one). With a wide range of meal options available, high chairs and lunch specials and kids eat free deals (at some locations on some days – ring to check) it is not always the quickest, but a good option for families.
Cafe Komodo
Ph: 8344 7448
118 Prospect Road, Prospect, SA 5082
Walking down the alley way to the unassuming door of Café Komodo it would feel like you were going the wrong way were it not for the ornate path and excellent signage directing you there. The café is easy to find but set well back from Prospect road, transporting you to relaxed setting where adults, kids and families alike are openly welcome (the ‘breastfeeding welcome’ sign on the door is wonderfully inviting!) . Open 9-5, 7 days a week and Friday nights with live jazz, Café Komodo has plenty of great spaces to enjoy a meal, coffee, beer, cocktail or snack inside, outside and in between. The vibe is relaxed, food is great and there is a good range of choices for all tastes but no dedicated kids menu. Unfortunately no change table or high chairs limit options for little ones but the space is reasonably well enclosed if they do stray from the table and there are toys and books available, provided by the café, available to share.
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Chenzo's Italian Restaurant
Ph: 08 8288 1182
220 Target Hill Road Greenwith, SA 5125
Chenzo’s Italian Restaurant provides good quality Italian food (dine in or take away) in a comfortable setting. Set back from the road at the top of Target Hill Road, Greenwith, there is plenty of parking and easy access to the restaurant. Inside, a good selection of meals are available for all tastes and high chairs are available for the little ones. Unfortunately no change table but good, clean facilities and helpful staff are always welcoming. A sign on main north road near the corner of the Golden Way promotes $15 pasta night on weekdays but as always, we’d recommend you call ahead to book and confirm!
