Child-friendly restaurants in Manchester for the school summer holidays

The Open Kitchen MCR prides itself on being a leader in sustainable and delicious food in Manchester. It works with ethical businesses and those who believe in putting a lot of effort into making sustainable food. The Open Kitchen doesn’t hesitate to stop food going to waste and works with local and seasonal ingredients. Specialists in low carbon use and nutritious dishes, the Open Kitchen MCR is ideal for families who care about the environment and their health. What’s more, some of the profits go to food charities to help those who struggle. The café can be found in the People’s History Museum – a perfect place for kids and adults to enjoy some fun and learn about the radical and revolutionary history of Manchester and the United Kingdom. On the kids’ menu, you’ll find a kid’s sandwich meal deal for £3 and for a pizza or mac ‘n’ cheese it’s just £2.

Dimitri’s is a Greek tapas and meze bar, offering a Mancunian twist on Greek food. Located in the colourful Deansgate area, this family-owned restaurant has been around for over 30 years, providing great good, service and entertainment in those three decades. Due to their experience, the team knows how to treat every customer like a special guest. In addition to the food, there’s an arcade which is perfect for entertaining the children, plus a taverna and outdoor seating with powerful heaters in case it gets nippy. On Fridays and Saturdays, there are very enjoyable music events on, ran by groups like Afro-beat Global Disco and Balearic Jams and Inner-City Blues. In terms of food, there’s a large selection of meze options, which is food to share with others or to combine to make a dish for yourself. The moussaka, seabass, patatas bravas and the keftedes (meatballs in tomato sauce) are fantastic options. There’s a wide range of small tapas plates too, such as fried halloumi, olives and the gorgeous tiropita, which are feta cheese pastry triangles and Tzatziki sauce. Kids can also eat a filling meal at Dimitri’s for only £7.50.

Off The Grid is an independent grill restaurant that takes inspiration from South America, Spain and Portugal. If you want the very best seafood and meat cooked only using the traditional method involving wood, fire and smoke, then this is the place to go. Located in South Manchester, specifically the lovely area of Chorlton, you can expect to have seasonal, innovative and traditional dishes here. Off The Grid is perfect for families because of the wide range of food served, catering for all dietary requirements. And as it is in Chorlton, it’s not far from green spaces which are perfect for kids. Whilst the burgers are innovative and complex here for adults, the kids’ menu is expectedly simple but of a high quality. £7 for a children’s pulled chicken burger and chips is certainly not a bad deal! Off The Grid also serves ice cream and churros, food which will excite anyone.

Situated in the Corn Exchange complex in the city centre, Mowgli is an Indian street food restaurant that is perfect for family meals out. Mowgli wants to serve healthy and filling meals that have lots of intense flavours with them. For the kids, there are lots of options. In fact it boasts a large kids’ menu! From chicken and fries to paneer and rice, there is a wide range of mains for children to choose from. Mowgli also serves a number of fancy fizztails to make kids feel like adults and a beautiful mango lassi too; a yogurt cooler to keep the intensity of the spices down. Not only can you bring the kids here, but you can bring your dogs too! Mowgli serves incredibly delicious Indian street food and is a fabulous family-friendly restaurant.

Located in Salford next to the famous Lowry – an art gallery and theatre complex – and not far from the Old Trafford football stadium, is the Lowry Hotel. The Lowry Hotel has become known for all sorts of reasons, one notable example being that Jose Mourinho stayed there for about two years during his tenure as Manchester United manager. In the hotel is a gorgeous restaurant that overlooks the Manchester Ship Canal on the Salford Quays. The restaurant offers delicious food, from pan-fried supreme of cod to Cumbrian rib-eye steak, in a beautiful setting. It is also a great restaurant to take your kids to. The Lowry’s River Restaurant welcomes families, providing plenty of space for kids to run about outdoors. A children’s course is £12.50 with some of the starters including tomato soup and halloumi fries with a tomato dip. The children’s mains include fish fingers, chips and peas, the pasta pesto, Cumberland sausage with mash and peas, plus more. The desserts, meanwhile, will certainly intrigue the kids, even adults would want a piece! Kids’ desserts range from sticky toffee pudding to chocolate mousse with chocolate buttons. The River Restaurant of the Lowry Hotel is another brilliant place to take the family during holidays if you are looking for a place to dine out.

You can’t beat a family visit to TGI Fridays. Kids get to choose from the Little League menu from just £5.25, with the option of one dish and two sides. From Real Fish Fingers and Boneless Bites, to Veggie Sausages and Chicken Burger. Did we mention there’s free baby food available?

Station South in Levenshulme is a fantastic place to take the kids to. There are many reasons for this, one of them is that it sits on top of the Fallowfield Loop, a well-known cycle route, so it makes a great cycle day out with the family. It also delivers pretty cool views of cyclists speeding past! Station South sits where the Manchester South train station used to be, back when the Fallowfield Loop used to be a railway. Station South has a wide range of beers and other drinks. Plus, it’s a fabulous place for repairing your bike as it has all the equipment and expertise required. From the onion dip sandwich to the lamb merguez sausages and the banana bread, there are many different options for all the family. In addition, on Sundays you can book a table for the delicious Sunday roasts! This is a great day to bring the kids here because it does kids’ Sunday roasts with either chicken or vegan sausage. Plus, if you are feeling generous, they can choose from either ice cream or a chocolate brownie for pudding! A wonderful place to spend some the summer holidays indeed.

Located in Droylsden and not far from the large green space of Debdale Park, Industry brings modern food and an industrial Mancunian theme to the area. It serves wonderful yet simple pizzas that are great for children, such as the Greenside Pizza (wild mushroom, red onion, pepper and garlic) and the Beehive (pepperoni, honey and chilli), as well as the Rita (classic cheese and tomato). There are also wonderful antipasti boards and a gorgeous goat’s cheese focaccia that is worth trying. In addition to all that, there are delicious potato tots and filling Italian sandwiches for lunchtime. This is another great place to go to with the family during the school holidays.

This pub can be found in Cheadle, Stockport and is in the location where a Cheshire Line Committee train station used to be. But if you do like trains, you will still see freight trains operating on the tracks nearby. This is a wonderful place to take the kids too as it is very near the gorgeous Abney Hall Park, Fletcher Moss Park and all the other fantastic greenery surrounding the River Mersey. It serves delicious food and beer. In addition, you can get two meals for only £20 Monday to Thursday – an absolute bargain indeed! There’s also a specialist children’s menu, with main dishes all below £5.45, making it an affordable place to take the children. Furthermore, they can create their own meal by selecting a main and two other sides for £5.45. Want more good news? Kids can eat for £1 every Wednesday when an adult buys a main course meal!

Now if you fancy a relatively formal meal out with the whole family, but are worried the children may not be welcome at some restaurants, then La Bandera might be a brilliant option for you! This gorgeous Spanish restaurant is very child-friendly and has very welcoming and adaptable staff, who are willing to help you out. This wonderful Spanish restaurant, found in the heart of Manchester’s city centre, showcases a wide range of amazing dishes. La Bandera takes its inspiration from the Canary Islands, so expect a unique style of Spanish cuisine. It has a lovely red and yellow spacious interior. For the tapas, we recommend getting the tasting menu to enjoy eight courses, embarking on a journey through the tastes and colourfulness of the Canary Islands and the cuisine there. Expect the traditional tapas dishes of patatas bravas, Spanish chicken wings and chorizo in red wine, too. Our favourite paella dish is the Negra de Calamares y Gambas, a wonderful combination of king prawns, squid and squid ink in some fantastically created black paella. La Bandera serves amazing food, providing an enclave of the Canaries in Manchester. Everyone, even children, will be impressed.

Richmond Tea Rooms is a fantastic place to take children who love desserts, sandwiches and cake. This place is like sweet heaven! The desserts are nothing short of exceptional, delighting taste buds and exciting customers with the exquisite presentation. The moment you step into this charming tearoom, you are transported to a world of indulgence. From luscious cakes and pastries to tantalising tarts and puddings, there is something for everyone. Each dessert is a work of art, showcasing the skills and creativity of the talented pastry chefs. Aside from desserts, these guys are also specialists in making amazing afternoon tea meals. Children can eat an amazing afternoon tea for just £9.95. This consists of a sandwich, chips or veggie crudites, scone with clotted cream and jam or a sweet tweet and a small milkshake. If your kid doesn’t fancy that, there’s also fish finger sandwiches, omelettes, sausage, beans and chips alongside other sandwiches on the menu for them.