Scattered cutlery, stained tablecloths, and noise – such factors discourage parents of small children from eating out, which sometimes makes it difficult to find a place for family meals in public. However, these Budapest eateries provide nice amenities to keep tykes entertained, while also offering plenty of local personality so that the dining experience is genuinely enjoyable for all ages.
1/5
Fruska
The modern parkland of Kopaszi Dam is a paradise for families with small children. It is packed with ice-cream parlors and swings; kids are free to roam around, scream, and sprinkle sand everywhere; and there is even a playhouse ready for action – and in addition to frolicking, families can also have nice lunches here with their little ones.
Fruska is a charming place with atmospheric music, a shady terrace, excellent berry juices, nice hamburgers, and a nutritious children’s menu (featuring puffed rice chicken bites or pasta with tomato sauce for 990 HUF, resulting in at least a few minutes of silence).
However, its real advantage is definitely the children’s corner: the cleverly assorted toys can engage the kids for a solid while, and the homemade swing and rubber flooring deserve a special mention. Naturally they have highchairs, but this place does lack a changing table and shade to protect the children while playing – so be sure to pack sunscreen.
2/5
Remíz Kávéház és Étterem
Opinions vary about the kitchen of Remíz, but one thing is certain: this eatery is well worth visiting with a toddler, even in bad weather. Again, there are some elements of the restaurant that are not child-friendly (e.g. the sharp corners of some tables that are right at the height of small heads), but they have a changing table and a small playhouse with professional babysitting provided. This gives weary parents a rare opportunity to eat lunch at a normal pace, and even chat with other grown-ups! In good weather, the restaurant welcomes the youngsters of Buda with its own playground, featuring a slide and swing.
3/5
Villa Bagatelle
It may seem that Villa Bagatelle is not a great choice for bringing children; at first sight, it is hard to believe that we can eat in this peaceful luxury eatery with tiny tots, but the opposite is proven by the place being full of yawning parents. The management tries to please wee ones with coloring books and colored pencils, although the children’s corner is extremely small. However, the changing table is so clean that we could practically eat from it, and the staff is very friendly – which is not the case at many deluxe restaurants in Budapest.
From the menu, our favorite is the French toast. It is not exactly cheap (1,790 HUF for four slices), but proves to be a portion big enough to cover the morning carb needs of a child and an adult. If you prefer quality over quantity, you will not be disappointed, either: the dish is served with heavenly confit tomatoes and cheesy horseradish cream.
4/5
Pastrami
Let’s start with an unoriginal but relevant observation: children love to imitate their parents, and can get enthusiastic about a vacuum cleaner, mop, or kitchen utensils at toddler age. Pastrami realizes this too, and welcomes families with a children’s corner fitted with a small, well-equipped play-kitchen. Unlike many other “child-friendly” places, they are generous with space, and did not forget about the changing table, either. While miniature hands pierce our ribs or pommel our heads with plastic pans, we can peacefully stuff ourselves with a filling pastrami sandwich. For breakfast or lunch, we recommend the French toast here, as well (1,200 HUF for one portion).
Pastrami
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Address: 1035 Budapest, Lajos utca 93-99.
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 8:00-23:00
5/5
Fellini
On the serene shore of Romai Part, Fellini awaits families with a boat-shaped sandbox. The open-air eatery’s proximity to the Danube can fray parents nerves, but since all of the seats face the river, it’s easy to make sure that a toddler doesn’t decide to make a splash. Fellini enhance its happy spirit with some sort of changing table, but even without that, they provide families with a pleasant stay and gigantic portions of French fries (380 HUF if we also buy a Panini for 1,790 HUF; and when buying a hamburger for around 2,000 HUF, we automatically get the child-silencing side dish).
