Be it a quick and easy after-school dinner, or a special weekend treat, satisfying little ones can be tricky. We’ve rounded up the best family-friendly restaurants in Manchester to please even the fussiest of eaters, from pizza by the slice, to mini pad thais and bambino-sized pasta dishes. Here are our top picks of kid-friendly restaurants in Manchester’s city centre and beyond.
The team behind Yard & Coop go out of their way to make sure little ones are having a great time, dishing out Lego, running regular quizzes and often offering kids-eat-free deals. Their menu includes all things fried chicken with a wide selection of hot and cold sides to boot.
No matter what age you are, we all love pizza. And where better to get it than Pizza Pilgrims on Deansgate - their first restaurant in Manchester. This is a welcoming, rustic venue, complete with wooden furnishings and checkered tablecloths - transporting you straight to Italy.
Get stuck into authentic Neapolitan pizzas, loaded up with both classic and not-so-traditional toppings. We're talking smoked aubergine, double pepperoni and hot honey or even hotdogs and fries, with a Nutella pizza ring for dessert.
This bowling alley-cum-diner offers laid back dining near Manchester's Palace Theatre. On Mondays kids bowl for free when eating, and with an affordable menu jam-packed with crowd-pleasers including hot dogs and mac & cheese, you'll be struggling to find a reason not to go.
At Thaikhun, you NEED to bring your A-game – and by that, we mean appetite. With a delightful array of traditional Thai dishes on offer, this Thai gem in the heart of Manchester lets you fill up on everything from vegetable spring rolls to massaman curry and a delicious Kai Soi Gai curried chicken noodle soup until your heart's (or stomach's) content - but here's the kicker, it's all for less than £20. What's not to love, hey?
This new restaurant is serving up a range of reasonably priced burgers within a five-minute walk of Manchester's Opera House. With family-sized booths and an outdoor terrace for warmer days, Honest Burgers offer a selection of kid-sized dishes, cooked with the same great quality ingredients as their main menu.
A perfect spot for the whole family, Mowgli is an Indian restaurant in Manchester with something for even the pickiest eaters. Their dedicated kids menu features a selection of tasty plates, including gunpowder chicken and fries, their signature paneer and refreshing lassis.
There's plenty for big kids to tuck into as well. We're talking spicy chaats, and curries packed with everything from prawn, lamb, chicken and fish - plus killer signature cocktails.
Looking for a casual spot that suits the whole family? Located close to Piccadilly Gardens, ASK Italian is a central destination with a huge menu - promising something for everyone.
Take a seat in their bright, airy venue to enjoy all sorts of Italian treats - we're talking slow-cooked beef pappardelle, burrata and slow-roasted tomato pizza or an indulgent lasagne, with Biscoff cheesecake for dessert.
A firm favourite for all the family, Crazy Pedro's Pizza Parlour is the ideal place for a weekend treat. Serving up pizza by the slice, the Bridge Street restaurant welcomes kids up until 8pm (alternatively, call a babysitter and check out their impressive tequila selection...)
If you're fed up of fish fingers and fancy something a little more refined try The Counter House. Offering a selection of small sharing plates ranging from cauliflower fritters to baked crab cakes, it's the perfect place to let your tots branch out (and the great news is that anything they don't finish, you can have).
If you're looking for a healthier option, check out Comptoir Libanais' selection of Lebanese-inspired dishes, featuring smaller sized Kofta, wraps and halloumi dishes. The child-friendly cafe, located in Manchester's city centre, has beautiful interiors inspired by the souks of the Middle East.
