7 of the best family friendly restaurants in Wellington

November 3, 2022

The popular 'Critter Session' at Southern Cross - image courtesy of venue

On the lookout for family friendly restaurants in Wellington? If you have little ones in tow you know the importance of kids menus, high chairs and colouring in to keep the kids entertained while enjoying a meal out. These eateries have all of the above in spades, so everyone can enjoy dining out and about in the capital!

• One of the best spots hands-down, Southern Cross is ‘Wellington famous’ in for catering to the little ones, from their weekend face painting to weekly ‘Cross Critter’ sessions, games, fluffies and more in their sweet Te Aro location.
• Monsoon Poon has a loyal local following for their fresh Asian flavours, plus the cool open kitchen makes for delicious entertainment while waiting for your meals in this iconic Blair St locale.
• If you’re in town, 1154 Pasteria on Cuba Street has a cool casual vibe, communal tables, and is open from midday, perfect for kid-friendly dinner time!

 

Rex Tremendous is a great fuel stop for a day at the zoo - image courtesy of venue

 

Either head to their Cuba St location or keep an eye on their social for the location of their gelato van!

• Scorch O Rama is a favourite family friendly restaurant in Wellington that boasts a decent kids area, and stunning waterfront location to wow the grandparents. Did we mention that’s only a 20 minute drive from the CBD too?
• If you are heading to the Wellington Zoo make sure you drop into Rex Tremendous! Now run by Tom and Kate Huchison who operate the city’s award-winning Capitol restaurant, this kid-friendly cafe is tremendous indeed.
• Zelati Dessert Cafe in the Left Bank Arcade is the culmination of all your gelato and sorbet dreams coming true.  Made with real fruit (no pre-made purees) and plenty of options for dietaries this is the place to indulge your sweet tooth? Or, watch out on their socials for their gelato van locations over the summer!
• Te Papa Cafe has everything you need to keep the kids entertained, and opens half an hour before the museum so you can get fuelled up for a big day exploring.

Visitors in Te Papa Cafe, 2017. Photo by Mark Coote. Te Papa (107195) - image courtesy of venue

Another hot tip is hitting up cafes that are near parks or beaches so there’s plenty of outdoor space for little ones to roam free.  Plus, most cafes in the region do takeaway coffees and fluffies if you find grab and go a bit easier. If you know of any other family friendly restaurants in Wellington that we haven’t listed, feel free to hit us up!