When you’re a family living in Chester or visiting for a holiday, eating out is always a highlight.
Finding the right restaurant for a family with little ones isn’t always easy, but in Chester you’ll find a wide range of welcoming restaurants ready to greet you. Many have carefully planned out menus especially for little appetites, and some even supply special deals for younger diners.
Read on to discover some of the finest family restaurants in Chester to choose from.
Hickory’s Smokehouse
In an idyllic setting by the River Dee, Hickory’s Smokehouse is a family-style eatery serving up authentic American BBQ to hungry guests and residents of Chester.
Imagine crumbed or skewered meats in marinade and slow cooked ribs served fresh from the smoker alongside a selection of sides, salads and sumptuous desserts, and you’ll soon get the idea.
The smokehouse’s kid’s menu features scaled down USA favourites like Mac ‘n’ Cheese, popcorn chicken and rib fingers, along with the Kid’s Hickory Burger, Cod Bites and Southern Fried Vegan Fillets catering for all diets. Brunch pancakes are also waiting for sticky fingers with sweet toppings like strawberries, blueberries, cream and maple syrup.
The Oakfield at Chester Zoo
Based at the heart of Chester Zoo, The Oakfield is an award-winning family-friendly pub.
What better place for lunching with your little ones than surrounded by lanky giraffes, chattering monkeys, roaring lions and impressive Asian Elephants?
While you’ll find delectable gastropub specials from steak burgers and Cheshire farm chips to potted shrimp for you and your older children, The Oakfield also serves up special pub grub for kids.
Highlights of the children’s menu include mains like mash, peas and pork sausages with gravy and fish fingers with fries, but also tasty desserts like chocolate Swiss roll, waffles with berries and ice cream topped with sprinkles, sauce and marshmallows.
Moules A Go-Go
The home of Belgian cuisine in Chester, Moules A Go-Go is a bistro based on Cuppin Street. Celebrated for its fresh seafood, diners can enjoy the continental taste of grilled oysters, steamed mussels and pan-fried prawns served with fresh salad and skin-on fries, with special lunch time offers available.
The restaurant also has an affordable “Mini Moules Menu” created for kids. For little ones, there are downsized plates of mussels and fries and linguine, but other options are added for those who don’t seafood, like grilled and fried chicken dishes, vegetarian treats and ice cream.
Artezzan
Masters of Mediterranean cuisine on Pepper Street, Artezzan serves up French, Greek, Spanish and Italian inspired dishes.
With tables set over two floors, it offers plenty of space for families when they have push chairs or prams with them. Adult family members will find an abundance of options for eating and drinking at the restaurant, with classic tapas-style plates of baby chorizo, albondiga meatballs and Moroccan spiced chicken wings, and main dishes like Neapolitan pizzas and various pastas, including lobster ravioli.
The kitchen team has also devised a menu with kids under the age of 12 in mind. For less than £10, children can enjoy a main course with a free ice cream. Options offered include a classic tomato and cheese margarita pizza, lemon chicken breast strips with peas and fries, and creamy carbonara with spaghetti smothered in cheese sauce with pancetta.
For dessert, vanilla ice cream supplied by Nicholls of Parkgate comes drizzled with chocolate sauce and finished with a biscuit crumb.
The beautifully designed children’s menu also comes with an activity page including games, puzzles and a place to draw.
Are you visiting Chester with your family this year?
Eating with the family around town doesn’t have to be tricky or tiresome. Whether you are spending the week in Chester on a summer break, or seeking a new spot for lunch or dinner with your family, consider these inviting restaurants for your next memorable meal together.
