Riyadh’s Top Ten Eats With Kids

Riyadh’s Top Ten Eats With Kids-this is my article which was first published in Destination Riyadh’s October 2013 issue. Here are some of the best places to eat out with your children in Riyadh! Including child-friendly restaurants, bakeries, ice cream parlors, Friday Brunches and more. Please feel free to add restaurant suggestions! What are your favorite restaurants in Riyadh that you especially enjoy going to as a family with small kids? Do you know of any nice restaurants with a family section, a play area or activities for kids while the adults can (at least try to) enjoy their food in peace? Below are my top ten restaurant recommendations, but Riyadh has a lot to offer and new restaurants keep opening all the time, so likely I might have to make a new list again in a few years time :)

Piatto-Italian restaurant

Location: Exit 5 opposite Chinamart.

Special for kids: Make your own pizza, free Italian gelato from the bar with the kids meal, lots of high chairs and open seating area surrounding a fountain. Children receive an activity kit which is also their menu to keep them busy before the food arrives.. The kids meals are always served before adults. Overall a very family-friendly atmosphere and as a bonus there’s a large play and game area upstairs which will keep children busy for a long time!

Chuck E. Cheese’s

Location: Olaya Street next to

Special for kids: This place was made for children! Serves great pizzas and other small snacks, two floors full of fun and entertaining activities and games for kids of all ages. Chuck E. the mouse performs every night and they have a small gift shop. Option of hosting your own parties in a private room with Chuck E. the mouse.

Marta’s Cakes Bakery

Location: Next to Pancake House and Salehia dates on King Fahad Rd.

Special for kids: Decorate your own cookies and cupcakes! Children will enjoy immensely the pleasure of creating their own designs combining ready-made decorations, colorful frostings with cool icing bottles! Upstairs can be reserved for private parties and they make amazingly creative cake creations here. Marta’s Cakes offers different ready-made party packages which include activities such as cupcake or cookie decorating, bracelet making, balloons decorations and invitation cards.

Café Ceramique restaurant

Location: Sahara Mall food court

Special for kids: Best of all of course the excitement of making your own ceramic art while eating out!  Children and adults can choose to paint and decorate vases, figurines and other ceramic art. The creations can then be taken home. Café Ceramique also has the option to host private parties.

Outback Steakhouse Australian restaurant

Location: Localizer Mall second floor

Special for kids: Children’s menu, friendly and helpful staff. Every Friday Outback has kids activities such as face painting, balloons and a kids play area with consoles.

Mirage Chinese Restaurant

Location: Takhasousi Rd. next to Euromarche

Special for kids: This place is the closest that Riyadh might come to an aquarium! Large fish tanks all over the restaurant will fascinate the kids and keep them busy. Dine in a private cubicle with its own fish tank! In the center of the restaurant there’s a pond where large colorful goldfish can be seen swimming.  Above the pond there are bridges that lead to small ‘dining chalets’.

Coldstone Creamery: Ice cream Bar

Location: Hayat Mall second floor

Special for kids: The way this place makes and serves ice cream is like watching a circus performance! Scoops of ice cream literally flying in the air as the skilled waiters throw show off their ice cream bar tending skills. Kids and adults will be gasping in awe! A vast selection of ice cream in all colors of the rainbow which can be combined with new and exciting flavors like real chocolate chip cookie dough or brownies. Create your own ice cream from an endless selection of toppings. Also available are yummylicious ice cream cakes, ice cream cookies and cute ice cream cupcakes.

Munch Bakery

Location: next to Sheraz restaurant on Abdullah ibn Sulaiman bin Hamdan rd.

Special for kids: Possibly the best cupcakes in town, coming in all the flavors you could possibly imagine sold in a super cute shop with a small cupcake cafe. The bakery also sells lots of imported candies and sweets you won’t find elsewhere in Saudi-Arabia. Cake masterpieces on display and the best place to order a professionally made party cake. Choose from hundreds of readymade themes and designs. Bring along your own laptop or iPad with the image you want in your cake or even a toy and they will transform it into an amazing cake!

Buffalo’s Restaurant

Location: Tahlia Street

Great food and fun kids menu, especially awesome with kids for breakfast. Order a smiley face omelet or a huge portion of American pancakes. Large kids play area with plenty of activities.

 Friday Brunch 

Location: Brasserie restaurant in hotel Faisaliyah Fridays from 12-4pm.

Al-Orjouan restaurant, Ritz Carlton Hotel Friday’s 1230-4pm.

Most of the international five star hotel chains in Riyadh offer very nice Friday Brunches.  One of the best ones to take your kids along is Rosewood hotel Faisaliyah. Kids have their own buffet, there’s a chocolate fountain, popcorn machine and their own cozy area with plenty of activities and a small library.

Another great option is the Ritz Carlton Friday Brunch at their Al Orjouan restaurant. Kids have their own separate play area where qualified nannies watch after them while parents enjoy eating in peace upstairs! The kids have many different activities to choose from and of course their very own brunch. Wonderful service for parents and kids too!