The best kid-friendly restaurants and cafés in Singapore

Along with the reopening of Kiztopia is a brand new kid-friendly dining space: Kith Kiztopia MS. The café is run in collaboration with the homegrown eatery and features an expansive space ideal for social distancing. Beyond the usual brunch offerings, the young ones can look forward to a special menu that features mini pancakes ($8.90), macaroni bolognese ($9.90), and chicken tenders ($9.90). Each set also comes with a choice of either watermelon juice or babyccino, along with a special Kiztopia free gift.

This casual East Coast Park diner’s beachside location allows the young ones to have heaps of fun playing in the sand while you sip on cocktails. If you prefer to have the kids in close proximity, there’s a 15m plunge pool that spans the front of the outlet. Parents can get it on the action too – a third of the pool is dedicated to children and the rest for adults. Adding to the experience is a kids menu, kid-friendly utensils, high chairs for babies and a changing table. Food offerings here include freshly baked bread from the in-house bakery, handmade pizzas as well as chargrilled meats and seafood cooked at the open kitchen.

Featuring a pool with giant inflatables on one side and the beach on the other, plus water activities like banana boat that the whole fam can partake in, Ola Beach Club screams family-fun. Its Hawaiian-inspired menu comprises dishes like huli huli chicken ($20) and loco moco – 150g of wagyu patty with kombu rice, crispy egg, fries and salad ($25), as well as a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The menu also features a kids section with six dishes, including the kid's burger ($18) and tomato pork pasta ($15). Just remember to pack your bathers.

Set in the lush greenery around Seletar Airport, Wildseed is a café by day and a grill and bar by night. On the café menu are dishes like Wildseed Super Food Salad ($18), loaded mac and cheese ($12), and smashed avocado ($16). Its dinner menu features heavier fare like pizzas, burgers, grills and platters. The café’s quirky location also treats you to views of planes flying in and out of the airport, and it's close to a plane-themed playground for the kids to run wild.

Kids will be kids, so why not go to a breakfast spot that actually encourages them to play and craft with their food? At Slappy Cakes, you won’t have to worry about how to display your child’s creation at home, just eat it! Each table is equipped with a griddle for your child (and you) to squeeze bottles of batter into, to indulge in pancakes of different shapes and sizes after. With a selection of five different batter flavours – chocolate, whole grain, peanut butter, pandan, and buttermilk – and a wide selection of toppings, playing with your food never tasted so delicious.

The already kids-friendly Rasa Sentosa Resort and Spa has recently revamped Trapizza to include a larger water play area for energetic tykes to run around in. Not that they need to, the beachfront location provides ample run and sand play space but if the small one prefers less messy activities there’s also a colouring corner and a dedicated play zone. On the menu, there’s plenty for both kids and adults to choose from including family-sharing items like the Wagyu Beef Burger ($46) with 800g of beefy goodness – so there’s more than enough to go round – and 16-inch thin crust, wood-fired pizzas ($44) which they’re happy to customise up to three flavours, so mum can have her Hawaiian, while the kids chomp down on a veggie-free slice of pie – everybody wins.

You’ve likely been to this easy, breezy, laidback Aussie-style eatery in the East but this one is tucked away in the heart of Mediapolis. Food wise, they’ve expanded beyond just Aussie flavours with local favourites like Beef Rendang, Chicken Tikka Masala on the menu. For the little ones, the kid-friendly set menu includes the usual crowd pleasers: pancakes, pasta, pizza and chicken schnitzel with a choice of fruit juice or milk and a scoop of ice-cream. Plus, they’ve got a whole bunch of distractions, a bouncy castle set up every weekend and public holiday (weather permitting), a giant tic-tac-toe set-up for the young and old to play together and ample space to scoot around. If you’re planning on becoming a regular, sign up for their Kid’s Club Gold Card, eight stamps nets a free adult meal, while 15 stamps opens up a number of ongoing perks and free meals.

Escape from the bustle of the mainland by popping into this seafront oasis at Keppel Bay. Bayswater Kitchen focuses on fresh seafood. Expect dishes such as Grilled King Prawns ($26) and the Fisherman's Feast ($76 for two) – a platter of prawns, mussels and fish tossed with handmade linguine. While it's more of a restaurant for grown-ups, the little ones aren't forgotten with options like fish and chips on its kids' menu and a ping pong and foosball table for entertainment.

What’s a trip to the beach without lazing on a deckchair, Mai Tai in hand while the little ones roam free? At this sprawling seaside restaurant in Sentosa, you can do just that. Besides tropical cocktails, Coastes stocks a formidable array of draft and bottled beers, and the nosh is unfussy yet vibrant enough to live up to the restaurant’s beachy vibe. Go for the refreshing citrus crab salad ($18). The little ones are well taken care of too with pizzas (from $20) and plenty of pasta options on the menu.

Don’t lie. You go to IKEA more often for the food than that Billy bookcase you don’t really need. A food-friendly outing for young and old, it’s hard to beat the pleasure of the bistro hot dog ($1) and ice cream cone which also works like a dream for appeasing any terrible two tantrums. Also – and deny it all you want – those Swedish meatballs ($6.50) simply taste better inhouse. And don't get us started on those juicy, deep fried chicken wings ($8.50 for six pieces).

No lie, we once saw a party of little girls dressed up as unicorns at Super Loco Customs House having tea so you know that this restaurant goes all out to keep the kids happy. The contemporary Mexican Cocina Y Bar located in The Fullerton Heritage precinct has stunning views of Marina Bay Sands and the waterfront. Grab a seat outdoors under the fairy lights and order dishes such as tacos topped with slow-roasted pork shoulder ($12) and crispy chicken ($9), and Ceviche de Mango ($18) made with sustainably farmed seabass.

It’s the details that make a place stand out. And Little House of Dreams has those in spades: glittery fairy lights, a masak-masak play area, and a unisex toilet so that both dads and mums can accompany their kids. When it comes to the food, the young ones can order their favourites, like fish and chips ($9.90) and spaghetti pomodoro ($9.90). The menu for adults is as extensive: light bites include a salmon quinoa bowl ($13.90), while medium-rare grilled lamb chops ($30.90) will tip your meal into heartier territory. 

Ask any parent where’s the best place in town to shop for the kiddos, and it’s likely they’ll point you to Forum the Shopping Mall. Stores like Toys’R’Us and Mothercare make it easy to spend a day there, picking up new additions to the wardrobe and toy chest. And when it comes to refuelling, you’ll rarely do better than Jamie’s Italian, which serves classic Italian dishes like tagliatelle bolognese (from $26.95). The kid’s menu is tailor-made to feed even the pickiest of eaters, plating up dishes like Happy Chicken Lollipops ($12) and Secret Seven Tomato Gnocci ($12 ), made with seven types of vegetables, both are served with a salad and drink of choice. 

You’d expect an establishment that’s selling buzzwords like ‘organic’, ‘low carbon footprint’ and ‘hand-picked herbs’ to be all judgmental, but Spa Esprit’s farm restaurant, Open Farm Community (OFC), is actually super friendly, unpretentious and totally kid-friendly. The menu and chirpy staff don’t bully you to eat your greens. Housemade pastas, as well as meat and seafood feature heavily, and course there are plenty of yummy desserts to end the meal with too.

This Swiss-style restaurant's got its marketplace concept nailed, and is a good option for when the whole family can't agree on the one cuisine to eat. Golden-brown röstis (from $7.90) are always a good bet, as are the pastas with mixed vegetables ($12.90), with the option of a cream or tomato base. 

The best seats in the house are by the balcony overlooking the horses’ paddock and training circle which keeps both parents and kids entertained. Thankfully, this is one cafe that doesn't ride only on its location. Crowd favourites include the Riders Burger, Homemade Banana Bread and the juicy Fried Buttermilk Chicken BLT. Save space for the decadent chocolate cake blanketed in a velvet chocolate sauce, while the deconstructed strawberry shortcake hums with cream so light it’s practically foam. Post-meal, take the kiddos out to the paddock for a closer encounter with the friendly horses. 

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Tucked away in the heart of Arab Street, this cosy and whimsical café is easy to fall in love with – for both parent and child. The interior is littered with vintage and nostalgic, with designated arts and craft corners. Parents can reminisce while their children make new memories. Providing a large array of crafting materials at its disposal, the café encourages children to let their creativity take over as their parents chow down on the weekday European-Asian lunch set in this homey ocean-hued café.

We bring two kids to taste-test the fine dining restaurant's menu that's designed specially for children.