The PDX Parent Dining Guide

By Meg Asby, Denise Castañon and Bethany Marcel

Sure, Portland kids love the typical kids’ menu burgers and nuggets. But we live in a foodie city. And at these family-friendly restaurants kids can also dig into perfectly charred pizza, crunchy samosas, tangy ceviche, and indulgent mac ’n’ cheese that definitely does not come from a blue box.

Norma Jean’s Soul Cuisine

Southern Comfort. While there’s no kids’ menu at Norma Jean’s Soul Cuisine, if you’ve got a mac ’n’ cheese lover in your house you’ve gotta go. My 11-year-old devotee of all things cheese, patted her stomach and said, “Happy, happy happy” after eating the brisket mac (pictured above). While we waited a particularly long time for our food, the mac was worth it — it had a broiled crunchy top under piles of tender brisket and was the best mac ’n’ cheese I’ve had in Portland. Plus the serving was incredibly generous — my husband, son and I also ate off the plate after my daughter had had her fill. Even though we visited early in the evening, the kitchen was out of cornbread, which I had been counting on to feed my slightly picky 8-year-old. But he loved his fruit bowl, which was packed with tropical fruits like papaya and pineapple. Bonus: We were lucky enough to hear probably the most spectacular rendition of the Happy Birthday song ever sung by restaurant staff.

Gracie’s Apizza

Slice of Heaven. Walking into the new St. Johns’ location of Gracie’s Apizza felt like arriving at an old friend’s house. Was it the warmth from the wood-fired oven? The dishware I swore was taken from my grandmother’s kitchen? Or was it the way owner Craig Melillo anticipated our order? When we asked for the mozz pie (pictured above, right), which features a chewy, charred crust, he smiled at our 5-year-old and said, “Without the spice?” The pizza, including the mozz pie, is pleasantly tomato-forward, but it may deter young cheese fiends. The pie menu rotates, but when we were there the hazelnut pie was subtly spicy, with slices of onion marinated in sumac and a hint of taleggio tang. When your kid asks for ice cream, say yes! It’s exceptional — complex and subtle. Our 5-year-old even loved the bay leaf flavor. Whether you’re out for a date night or dining with the entire family, you’ll feel welcome here.

Cafe Olli

 Humbly Haute Cuisine. What if I told you that one of the New York Times’ picks for Top 50 Restaurants in the country is an all-day cafe in Northeast Portland, where you can bring your kids? Cafe Olli is an employee-owned, seasonally focused restaurant that offers spectacular food in a casual atmosphere. Everything tastes incredible, from their laminated pastries to the wood-fired pizzas — there are no misses. The Olli Chocolate Cake basically has a following by itself (pictured above). The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating and provides high chairs and a lovely, free-standing changing table stocked with supplies and a plush changing pad. They also offer community meals on a sliding scale to those experiencing financial hardship, no questions asked. Bottom line, you’ll feel comfortable with your preschooler, but you’ll eat like it’s date night.

The People’s Courts

Play, Food. Eat and play at The People’s Courts, Northeast’s newest sports club, featuring pickleball, ping-pong and two restaurants where the approachable food is better quality than your typical sports complex. From smash burgers to rice bowls, the hearty food at The Kitchen will satisfy you after endless rounds of being beaten by your kid at ping-pong. And while there’s currently no kids’ menu, they happily made the adult grilled cheese into a kid’s version. After dinner, we hit the arcade, then finished the meal with chocolate and vanilla swirl soft serve from The Parlor, which also offers a variety of pizza. Next time we’d check out The Kitchen’s weekend brunch, which has even more kid-friendly options, like pancakes, waffles and affordable sides such as English muffins ($3), house biscuits ($2), and hash brown patties ($4).

Bethany’s Table

Gather ’Round the Table. No dry chicken nuggets here! If you’re trying to raise foodies, Bethany’s Table is the place to become a regular. Children aren’t just allowed — they’re welcomed. Eat a world-class, farm-to-table meal in a restaurant where your kid is treated like a real human with taste buds. Right off the bat, children are offered a seasonal fruit cup, and the kids’ menu is full of high-quality European dishes an adult would be proud to eat, from grass-fed beef mini-burgers with fingerling potatoes to prawns with seasonal vegetables. Order the Chicken Marsala for yourself — it’s perfectly cooked with a generous serving of sauce, and plentiful crisp-tender vegetables (pictured above). If you’re lucky, you may even get to say hello to Zoë the restaurant dog while you’re there.

Taylor Street Kitchen

Market Fresh. Every Friday, all summer long, I took my 10-year-old to Taylor Street Kitchen for a mother-daughter date. Part market, part deli, this charming European-style food shop features spectacular sandwiches and salads, midday pizza, fresh breads and desserts baked in house daily and a variety of meat, fish, and packaged local food items. They also serve great coffee and the best lemon bars in town. They are only open Monday through Friday, so if you work downtown, stop by on a Friday at lunch and stock up for the weekend. On our weekly visits, we always took home fresh challah and frozen soup for dinner, and sandwiches for a weekend hike. It’s a special place, with the coziest vibes.

La Patroncita

Pink Paradiso. With its low lighting, preponderance of Chicana chic pink decor and legit Mexican food, La Patroncita is an ambience-packed spot that your tween or teen may actually consider cool. Bond over a huge plate of carne asada nachos or esquites, the off-the-cob and easier-to-eat cousin of grilled Mexican street corn. For something lighter, go with the shrimp ceviche that my citrus-loving 8-year-old (and my husband) approved of. And don’t miss the buñuelo for dessert (pictured above). I grew up making this cinnamon-sugar-topped, crunchy Mexican treat for New Year’s, but La Patroncita is only the second restaurant where I’ve seen them on the menu. My kiddos and husband agreed mine were better, but that didn’t stop them from clearing the plate. Pro tip: While the service is friendly and the food comes out fast, there’s no kids’ menu and we didn’t spy any high chairs so La Patroncita is definitely better suited to older kids.

Double Mountain Brewery

Pub Love. Pizza and beer is a combo that Portlanders just can’t resist. And when it comes to family-friendly taprooms, Double Mountain Brewery has got it down pat. Their new 4,600-square-foot location in the Overlook neighborhood brings the same family-friendly menu as their Hood River and Woodstock pubs — and plenty of space to spread out. Expect New Haven-style pies with grown-up toppings like spicy capicola and Mama Lil’s peppers, or goat cheese and truffle oil alongside plain cheese for finicky kiddos. Or try yummy, classic sandwiches like a BLT or tuna melt with Tillamook cheddar cheese. The mezze platter that includes hummus, pita, cucumbers and feta is another kid-pleaser. Pro tip: You may want a Juicy or Hop Lion IPA — and there’s housebrewed, nonalcoholic ginger ale and root beer for the kids.

Smaaken Waffle Sandwiches

Wow Waffles. If you’ve got a kid who could eat breakfast for every meal, Smaaken Waffle Sandwiches should be your go-to food cart. Their light and crisp yeasted waffles are made from locally grown, organic, stone-milled, whole-wheat flour. So they are as healthy as they are tasty. (Smaaken also offers a gluten-free option.) Their kids’ menu features kid-pleasing classic toppings like maple butter and powdered sugar, or peanut butter and jelly. But kids can also branch out to a Monte Cristo waffle sandwich with ham, melted Swiss cheese and cart-made strawberry jam, or a Blue Moon with blueberries,  Bavarian cream and whipped cream. Pro tip: Find the carts at BG Food Cartel, Hawthorne Asylum and The Heist.