Atlanta Good Food category interest

Before the hate mail rolls in from the Chicken Nuggets vs. Everybody club, let’s make one thing very clear—we have nothing against their prized dish or its bougie cousin, the tender. All we’re saying is that nowhere is it written that those two items are the only foods children like to eat. The following restaurants understand the plight of the tyke and have enough palatable options and table distractions that chicken nuggets can be forever rendered a non-factor. Maybe.

THE SPOTS

What’s not to love about a cherished old restaurant that has a playground just outside its doors and offers obstruction-free views of planes taking off and landing? When you bring your kids for lunch to this Peachtree-Dekalb Airport attraction, try to score one of the outdoor patio spots—if the kid-at-heart adults haven’t hogged the best seats. Between a steady stream of light aircraft activity, tuck into grilled barramundi or a sandwich off the whiteboard specials as your child digs into the usual staples (hot dog, grilled cheese). Nothing here will inspire the youth to do a Top Chef Jr. audition tape, but the setting will have their imagination soaring for days.

The Star Provisions restaurant group has an impressive roster, including Bacchanalia and W.H. Stiles Fish Camp, but this Upper Westside cafe is where your kids will least embarrass you. That’s because the counter-service operation gets orders out fast, and there are shaded picnic tables outside if your crew doesn't know the meaning of “inside voice.” Any menu item with bread is a good choice, including the fluffernutter. The thick spongy country bread is grilled and generously piled with smooth peanut butter and sweet marshmallow cream. It’s one of those dishes that adults are obliged to take a bite of and justify it as “parent tax.”

Yes, suggesting a cheeseburger joint for kids is about as groundbreaking as saying they like cartoons. But LOL Burger Bar on the Westside brings a playful twist to a casual lunch or dinner with its emoji-themed menu. The burgers taste like they came straight off a backyard grill and are served on soft, slightly sweet buns that are perfect for little hands. For picky eaters, the build-your-own option allows for plenty of customization, so your kid can order their ideal burger combo at this counter-service spot. Even the fries come shaped like happy faces, which adds to the fun and might just earn you one in return.

If playful pineapples dotting the “I” in the outdoor sign or the slushee machine inside aren’t enough of an indicator, the staff at this beloved Briarcliff Road spot make it clear how much they care about its smallest guests. After kids place their order for fried shrimp or chicken teriyaki at the counter, they’re greeted with a high-five. And if the crew is really in a good mood (which is basically all the time), they’ll hand out crayons or even a stuffed animal. It sorta feels like granny’s house, which explains why so many families eat here. Adults will love the special attention given to the children almost as much as they do the tender barbecue beef piled alongside scoops of rice and macaroni salad.

Getting your gamer kids to leave their lairs for a family meal can be a struggle. So meet them halfway at Battle andamp; Brew, a video game restaurant in The Battery Atlanta that serves better-than-average sandwiches and pub classics. As the kids take over the couch, you can take the tabletop just behind it and swig locally made mead while marveling at how real the game’s cutscene looks. No, this isn’t the arcade food of your childhood. Crispy fried pickles, hearty double patty burgers, and a moist chocolate bundt cake make it one of the best meals you can have in The Battery.

This Peachtree Street icon has earned a reputation for being a late-night haven (open until 5am Thursday-Saturday), but the eclectic address resembling a Phish fan’s garage sale has its share of loyal patrons during normal business hours. Young ones love chatting it up with the talkative birds in the outdoor cages and usually can’t get enough of the colorful metal art pieces hanging everywhere. Pint-sized french toast, half burgers, and strawberry-agave smoothies always bring out the smiles, too. Oh, and let them find their own way to the bathroom, which is essentially a mini maze through a functioning kitchen.

The huge outdoor patio at Raging Burrito andamp; Taco in Decatur Square is a great spot for your kids to soak up some fresh air while you decompress with a margarita. The Tex-Mex restaurant has some of the city’s best burritos with an impressive variety of options, some of which we’ve only seen here. Ever had a jerk tofu burrito with pineapple salsa? Didn’t think so. But our favorite is the chicken fajita burrito, loaded with peppers, onions, rice, beans, and just enough jalapeños to add an extra kick. The kids' menu avoids cliche chicken nuggets and features thick burritos, quesadillas, and nachos instead. And for your pre-teen, get a fizzy-sweet peach margarita mocktail—hold the eye-roll.

When you need a meal that will unglue little eyes from their tablets, hit the hibachi grill at The Orient. With 12 grill stations in the back of the enormous Japanese restaurant in Cumberland, there’s a good chance you can walk in (even on a Friday night). But if there is a wait, your kids can join the swarm of others dropping fish pellets into the koi pond near the entrance. Your kids might even forget to bug you amid the onion volcanoes and shrimp tossing showmanship. The Orient’s solid and reasonably priced surf and turf combos (starting at $30) should motivate the adults to consider replacing a few monthly pizza nights with hibachi.

Unlike Chicago and Detroit, Atlanta doesn’t have its own pizza style. But in this homegrown institution now with hundreds of national franchises, we do have our own pizza brand. Since the first one opened near Tech back in 1974, Mellow Mushroom has provided good, slightly sweet, stone-baked pizza in a chill atmosphere. (The mushroom mascot does have this dopey-eyed, tie-dye-wearing thing going, so we’re not sure if he’s more for minors or their parents.) But we do love that the littlest patrons have their own doodle-able menu of fun bites like french bread pizza and pretzel dippers.

Though all 17 area locations of Marietta-born J. Christopher’s have their distinctive wall colors and quirky art, the one thing that resonates across all the breakfast bistros is their love of children. Beyond being observant hosts (Yes, thank you for bringing us a lidded cup without asking), they’re also quite accommodating with their menu. Doesn’t matter if your kid wants an elaborate breakfast (blueberry pancakes and eggs) or a simple lunch (cheese quesadilla), this delightful chain of diners is always clutch for worn-out parents.

At first glance, this buzzy Buckhead stop doesn’t scream “Crayola friendly.” But if you can somehow look past the after-work group chuckling on the patio and ignore the table chugging cantarito, you’ll find a restaurant that adores its little patrons, who will like forking into chipotle ranch-covered corn with you. Items such as angus steak-topped fries are also hits—especially seeing as how they’re delivered in vintage car-shaped containers. By the time the tres leches comes out, you won’t know who’s enjoying themselves more, your kid or that guy on his third mojito.

Eight-year-olds aren’t going to understand a 45-minute wait for eggs and pancakes, no matter how fluffy they are. Our advice for avoiding sidewalk squabbles is beating hungry Inman Park residents to Folk Art’s host stand. Come by 9:30am, and you should easily score a booth in a dining room covered in stickers, knickknacks, and a generally upbeat vibe. Known for taking creative liberties in the kitchen (did someone say grit fritters?), the restaurant tempts the hungry with chocolate s’mores waffles while those craving lunch can go with the slightly tamer hot dog or fried shrimp.

There are five locations of this ladle lover’s paradise in the metro area, but our favorite for families is on Huff Road because of their cool, foliage-draped outdoor patio. It’s the perfect place for kids to play around after they devour their classic PBandJ (made with Georgia-grown peanuts, of course). Speaking of timelessness, My Dad’s Turkey Chili remains the same chunky, delicious treat it’s been at the café for years. Order the lunch combo (said chili with whatever version of turkey sandwich available that day is forever a terrific twosome) and decompress a bit before hopping back in West Midtown traffic.

Long lunch and dinner lines at Taqueria del Sol are about as common as steel road plates on 14th Street. We just learn to live with ’em. But at least with the Howell Mill location of this Mexican staple, one parent can impatiently wait in line while the other distracts their child at the cute, harmless pebble garden next door. Once you order your queso and fantastic fried fish tacos (and margarita, depending on how the day’s moving), dust off the rock residue, and find a spot on the covered patio. If your child isn’t full off chips and cheese quesadillas, we fully endorse heading back to the gravel and letting them tire themselves out before bed.