New England Dining Reviews >>> Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Boston area and State of Massachusetts

Kid-Friendly Dining In And Around Boston And Other New England Areas

Article and photo by Eric H.

Most reputable restaurants offer chicken fingers and some form of pasta to children, but not all offer fun beyond these mandatory, but dietary nightmares.

What fun is a restaurant for kids that, for example, plays Jerry Vale background music, has a wait staff straight from the Simon Cowell (American Idol) school of courtesy, and caters more to grown up children playing at the dining table with their palm pilots, iPODs and cell phones?

A select few restaurants in and around Boston, as well as New England, make it very fun for kids, knowing that a smile, remembering a name, having a silly gimmick or offering a colorful menu that doubles as a coloring book can go a long way.

No place caters to kids more than the Rainforest Cafe in Burlington, MA (75 Middlesex Tpke,
Tel.(781) 272-7555). This national chain offers a true-to-life tropical jungle setting with animals that move and make noise, lush foliage, waterfalls, a huge salt water aquarium, fiber optic starscapes, and loud thunderstorms. Every half hour, a symphony of animal sounds and movement makes the whole place rumble. There is a colorful kids menu, extensive gift shop with tropical jungle clothing, stuffed animals and more, and a crocodile (yes, it's fake) at the entrance that jumps out of the water. By the way, the food is good, with a typical kids menu and regular menu items inspired by American, Cajun, Caribbean, Italian, Mexican, and Mexican cooking. The burgers are very good and the salads, fresh and crisp. The star of the show, however, is the mile-high, dense chocolate lava cake dessert that seems as big as the town of Burlington itself. The food is definitely overpriced, but to be expected with all the entertainment that goes along with the food. On the more conventional side, Bliss Brothers Dairy in Attleboro, MA. (711 Park St.,Tel. (508) 222-2884), is like a Friendly's that never modernized with a large old-fashioned tiled dining room with counter seating and booths. A major distributor of dairy products in the northeast, Bliss Brothers is a great sandwich and ice cream family restaurant that also serves up breakfast and dinner specials. Since the 1920s, Bliss Brothers has served delicious ice cream flavors, with our current favorites being Cherry Moose Tracks, Raspberry Chunky Fudge and Apple Crisp. Bliss Brothers has a take-out section that includes a viewing window where the ice cream is packaged and its milk bottled. An old Bliss Brothers milk delivery wagon is also on display. Piccadilly Pub (various Massachusetts locations) is a Massachusetts chain that has a British theme and a wait staff that takes the time to acknowledge kids, make them laugh, and calling them by name (by astutely picking up on the parents calling their kids names). The attention to detail and general well-trained, polite waitering and waitressing makes the Piccadilly Pub a solid place to get solid pub-style food. Sullivan's, at Castle Island in South Boston, MA (2080 Day Blvd. South Boston, MA), is a seasonal take-out joint located on Castle Island, which is connected by roadway to the mainland. Sullivan's specializes .Chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers and malt vinegar-flavored french fries. After eating, enjoy the recreational haven perfect for walking, jogging, rollerblading or enjoying the beach at nearby Pleasure Bay. Spectacular views of Boston and its water ways abound in this area. Kelly's Roast Beef at Revere Beach, MA (410 Revere Beach Blvd., Tel. (781) 284-9129), has the advantage of the ocean across the street. It's strictly outdoor dining here, although Kelly is open 365 days a year. Standouts include the clam plate and lobster roll; the tasty and plentiful chicken fingers and french fries are a sample of foods that will please the kids. A little further north of Revere is the Kowloon Restaurant, in Saugus, MA (948 Broadway, Tel.(781) 233-0077), a massive Chinese restaurant with a river with colored lights running through the restaurant, waterfalls, canoes on the ceiling, colorful Asian Pacific murals, a gift shop and pinball games in the entrance way. There are six colorful dining rooms that seat around 1,200 people. The food is better than most of its genre, with a knack for making tasty Cantonese, Szechuan, Sushi, Polynesian and Thai dishes. Less than a mile away is the Prince Pizzeria and Bar, in Saugus, MA (517 Broadway, Tel. (781) 233-9950), with a giant "Leaning Tower of Pizza" out front. The lively bustling atmosphere, a kid-friendly staff, some of the best Italian-style pizza in the area (including a pizza buffet). The large, colorful Wheels and Wagon Room is ideal for functions, including kids birthday parties. The great Arthur Castraberti started this restaurant in 1961; it has grown significantly (restaurant expansion including Giggle Comedy Club) and now his children have faithfully carried on the storied tradition of turning out great food and being like family to customers. It's one of our favorite family-style restaurants in New England. Bugaboo Creek (various New England locations) resembles a large rustic Canadian lodge, has talking animals on the walls, great homemade bread, an attentive wait staff, quick service, great chicken fingers for the kids and well-prepared steaks, fresh salmon and roasted chicken for the adults. Bugaboo Creek goes the extra mile for the kids. In addition to chicken fingers, mac and cheese and burgers, they offers ribs and smoothies like a delicious "Strawberry Cookie Glacier Freeze." Desserts are included in the kids' meals. George's Surf and Turf in Mendon, MA (116 Uxbridge Rd., Tel. (508) 473-2125), is a real, honest-to-goodness seasonal drive-in 50s style restaurant with car-hop service and lots of picnic tables on the premises. Burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches and a variety of Hershey's Ice Cream flavors draw endless summer crowds in search of a tasty and old-fashioned outdoor dining experience. The seasonal Goldenrod, in York Beach, MA (2 Railroad Ave., Tel. (207) 363-2621), has a salt water taffy manufacturing area with a full window view, an old fashioned soda fountain (with some wonderful homemade ice cream), a penny candy counter, gift shop and an appealing rustic dining room with beamed ceilings, oak tables and stone fireplace offering a wide variety of breakfast items and sandwiches. The clam chowder, lobster roll, Maine blueberry pie, freshly squeezed orange juice and, of course, the salt water taffy are just a few highlights. Goldenrod is located right across the street from beautiful Short Sands Beach on the Atlantic Ocean, making for a double fun experience. Goldenrod's makes about nine million pieces of salt water taffy a year, according to its Web Site. Wright's Farm Restaurant in Nasonville, RI, (848 Inman Rd., Tel. (401)769-2856), is a huge multi-dining room family style restaurant serving delicious all-you-can-eat chicken, steak, pasta, salad and fries at an incredible value. The restaurant also has a great gift shop with a significant toy area for the thousands that visit on a given day.